Fox not a credible news source
I read with interest the column written last week by Matthew Tsien (“Gay vote for GOP shows change in trend,” Dallas Voice, Nov. 12), formerly public affairs director for the Washington, D.C., chapter of Log Cabin Republicans.
I find the statements made by Mr. Tsien to be somewhat incredulous, however. He stated that 31 percent or more of self-identified gay voters voted Republican in 2010. Later he suggests that this is probably 5 to 10 percent higher, which would mean that almost half of the GLBT voters in this election cast Republican ballots.
Before we can ascertain whether or not this is an accurate number, we must “consider the source” of the data. My mother taught me a long time ago to always “consider the source” whenever you hear information or are presented with data.
Well when we look into Mr. Tsien’s source of information, we find that it is none other than Fox News, a notoriously biased network that is owned by conservative billionaire Rupert Murdoch, who also owns and controls the Wall Street Journal.
This American does not consider Fox News to be a credible news source. Fox News is what I refer to as “infotainment.” They inflame, exaggerate and basically present blatantly false information to their viewers on a regular basis. How can anyone cite this news source as being “credible?”
In all fairness, Mr. Tsien does disclose his source at the beginning of his column — “According to Fox News….” — which puts his whole article in context to the truly discerning reader.
I recognize that there are gay conservatives, but long-studied electoral statistics have said that the only demographic group that is more loyal to the Democratic Party than the GLBT community is the African-American community.
Those numbers typically run around 85 percent.
So it is much more likely that about 15 percent of GLBT voters — or one out of seven — cast a GOP ballot.
Further, there are legitimate, credible and objective conservative sources of information, like The Economist of London. Fox News, or as we on the Left call it, Faux News is not one of them.
I agree that Democrats aren’t doing enough to advance GLBT civil rights.
But to suggest that the GOP will do so is truly preposterous.
Mom is right: “Consider the Source.”
Jay Narey
Outgoing vice president of Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
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‘A little suspect’
Does anyone else find it a little suspect that Matthew Tsien, when claiming that 31 percent or more of self-identified gay voters said in exit poles that they voted for the Republican Party, cited Fox News as his source (“Gay vote for GOP shows change in trend,” Dallas Voice, Nov. 12)?
Just sayin’.
Mikael Andrews
Dallas
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Dems top GOP in money matters
There are many ways to measure the superiority of the Democratic Party over the GOP. Look at one that affects nearly everyone: Money.
During the Bush years, the Dow Jones went from about 11,000 to about 8,000 when he left office.
This decline of more than 27 percent proves the fiscal irresponsibility of the Republican Party. Bush left the nation in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
Enter Obama and the Democrats: Dow goes from about 8,000 to over 11,000, an increase of more than 37 percent in less than two years, indicating fiscal responsibility seen by corporations and investors alike. Bush recession ends.
Don’t be fooled by GOP protestations. They have proven inept at governing.
David A. Gershner
Dallas
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition November 19, 2010.
“Fox not a credible news source”
what took you so long?!?!
I know it drives Jay and David nuts that gays are abandoning the Democrat party’s failures and voting GOP but it’s just plain silly to discredit Fox News. So, here is a CNN poll with the same result. Do you feel better now? https://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44743.html
I don’t think it drives Jay nuts at all – maybe a few more GLBT people DID vote Republican in this election – but that’s an anomoly because of the horrible economy that George W. Bush dumped in Obama’s lap. There will always be voters who put their wallets ahead of everything else – this shouldn’t surprise anyone. Mr. Schlein likes to discredit Democrats – but let’s just see if his Republicans do anything to advance the GLBT agenda. My guess is not only will they not advance GLBT civil rights – but they are much more likely to roll them back ! How any “self-respecting” gay or lesbian person could vote Republican is beyond my comprehension. It’s tantamount to a Jewish person voting for the Nazi Party !
Democrats certainly aren’t perfect – far from it, but they are a lot better on GLBT AND Economic issues than Republicans. Just look around and you see what the Republican “laissez-faire” philosophy has gotten us – on the precipice of a 2nd Great Depression and irresponsible tax cuts for the rich that we as a society cannot afford.
CNN made the same assertions as FOX NEWS…stating that roughly one-in-three self-identified Gays voted Republican…
As a follow up, the Washington Post states that only 3% of exit polling voters self-identified as GLBT to begin with – which if true – so if 31% of them said they voted Republican – would amount to 1% of all voters. Demographers will tell you that the GLBT “electorate” comprises at least 10% of the overall vote. So that means that exit pollers MISSED the majority or other 7% of voters who DID NOT self-identify as GLBT in this election. 31% of 3% of the 2010 electorate does NOT represent any big or lasting shift in GLBT voter loyalty. Perhaps these voters were sending a “protest” vote over the economy like most of the other voters in 2010 ??? Once the electorate, both straight and gay, realize what the Republican priorities really are, and the legislative agenda that they are trying to advance is – they’ll be back to the Democrats in no time !!! While the GOP would like people TO THINK that the GLBT community is flocking over to the GOP – it’s just not true. Did they get a “bump” in this election ? Certainly. Does it portend a lasting demographic and electoral advantage for the Republicans ? NO.