2012-06-19 "WI GOP Senate Candidate Tired Of Your Sob Stories" by Jessica Pieklo
[http://www.care2.com/causes/wi-gop-senate-candidate-tired-of-your-sob-stories.html]
Hedge-fund manager and candidate for Wisconsin U.S. Senate Eric Hovde (R) is tired of all the sob stories of people struggling in this recession and wants more focus on the debt instead [http://www.care2.com/causes/wisconsin-senate-candidate-buys-bank-runs-as-friend-of-wall-street.html].
Hovde made the remarks during a presentation on Friday to the Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce.
Amanda Terkel reports [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/eric-hovde-sob-stories-poor-people_n_1605343.html] that during the event Hovde called on reporters specifically to change the subject. “I see a reporter here,” he said. “I just pray that you start writing about these issues. I just pray. Stop always writing about, ‘Oh, the person couldn’t get, you know, their food stamps or this or that.’ You know, I saw something the other day — it’s like, another sob story, and I’m like, ‘But what about what’s happening to the country and the country as a whole?’ That’s going to devastate everybody.”
The reality is though stories of personal struggle during the recession have been few and far between. In May 2011, National Journal looked at the nation’s five largest newspapers and counted how many times “unemployment” or “deficit” appeared in their headlines or first sentences. The analysis found that unemployment was covered significantly less than the deficit.
“Mentions of unemployment have been dwindling since they spiked to 154 in the month ending August 15, 2010; over the month ending Sunday, there were 63,” wrote National Journal, adding, “That major newspapers and other media outlets have covered the deficit with greater intensity in recent months should come as no surprise given the focus of the politicians and policymakers they cover. The declining mentions of unemployment are perhaps more surprising, as the issue remains salient for millions of Americans.”
So, is that clear, Wisconsin? Eric Hovde doesn’t want your sob stories, okay? He thinks its time we focus on the real victims of the recession–millionaires subject to oppressive government regulations.