stagemanager

Lately, I've mostly ignored John Hood, Stagemanager at the Art Pope Puppetshow. Hood is a hard-core proponent of free-market extremism, whose disdain for government knows no bounds. So why am I acknowledging Hood's unfortunate existence today? Because I want you to understand the utter lack of integrity with which the Puppetshow operates.

As prelude, there is one thing you should know. The Stagemanager and his not-for-profit minions are part of a political operation dedicated to helping the Republican Party grow in North Carolina. Each and every action and "report" produced by the Puppetshow is designed to prepare the ground for Republican electoral victories. Which brings me to John Hood's sad little column today. Here's the teaser:

By blithely ignoring common sense and essentially accusing the majority of North Carolinians of bigotry, immigration-rights advocates are doing their charges no favors.

Ah yes, the magical sleight of hand made possible only through the use of the word "essentially." Without a shred of evidence to support his assertion, Hood drives the latest Republican wedge, pushing it deep into the heart of North Carolina's electorate. In doing so, he accuses both Erskine Bowles and Mike Easley of calling their opponents bigots. That opening insult is but one among many misrepresentations of truth in Hood's column today. None of us should be surprised. Mr. Hood is, after all, essentially a liar. To my knowledge.

In a post at Ed's Place today, John "the Stagemanager" Hood defends one of his minion's absurd injection of Christianity into the climate-change debate. Hood had this to say about a link to BlueNC:

I don't much care what gets posted on the kook sites. The sillier they look, the better off we are at JLF. If they didn't exist as comic relief, we might be tempted to invent them just to serve as a useful foil. But Ed, I thought you had employed a better editorial filter.

Which brings to mind words from someone considerably wiser.

In the middle of a perfectly predictable warning that North Carolina communities should avoid the evils of planning ahead, Stagemanager John Hood today sneaks a little pro-Puppetshow propaganda into his otherwise forgettable column.

For the most part, city and even school-board elections this year won’t be decisive (though spirited mayoral contests in Cary, Wilmington, and Durham will be worth watching). Instead, much of the political energy and resources will go into high-stakes public referenda in communities across the state.

John Hood, Stage Manager at the Art Pope Puppetshow, today reports on a poll conducted by Harris (a reputable organization) for the Tax Foundation (a close-cousin to the Puppetshow) which underscores how ignorant Americans are when it comes to understanding the nature of taxes and the cost of government. Naturally, Hood is all over the conclusions, arguing that the conventional wisdom of the "common man" should prevail in establishing fiscal policy.

I wonder if Hood also agrees that the wisdom of the "common man" should prevail in the teaching of science and related public policy? A Gallup Poll released today shows that 7 out of 10 Republicans do not "believe" in evolution, with fully 66% of all Americans saying that god created humans in their current form in one fell swoop less than 10,000 years ago.