Top 10 news stories of 2009

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/lists/top10_politics_stories_2009/gov_sanford_goes_awol.html?state=stop

For those that don't want to click through, RCP picks the top 10 (US) news stories of 2009 as:

1) Barack Obama assuming office
2) Healthcare reform battle
3) GOP gubernatorial wins in NJ and VA
4) Ted Kennedy's death
5) Sonia Sotomayor becomes the first Latina on the Supreme Court
6) Franken's contested win over Coleman in MN, giving the Dems 60 seats
7) Specter abandons the GOP and becomes a Dem
8) The tea parties
9) The Henry Louis Gates arrest mess and the aftermath
10) Mark Sanford goes AWOL

I would say that the following are notable stories left off the list:

- the Copenhagen summit, and the lack of real progress
- Controversy surrounding the czar appointments
- the Olympics going to Rio (and not Chicago)
- House passing the cap and trade bill
- Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize
- The rescue of the ship taken hostage by Somali pirates*
- Afghan surge*


* - RCP puts these in the World top 10; but I think they were important enough to be listed as US top stories

Personally, I think they did a pretty good job. I'd just change the following:

- Kennedy's death should be lower. He was terminally ill for months - it was not a shock. Also, it didn't affect the balance of power or any matter of government significantly. I should be on the list for who he was, but it's too high, at #4.

- Sanford should be off the list. I know it's only #10; but big deal? He went to Argentina to be with his girlfriend and the press lost track of him for 2 days. Stop the presses.

- I think the surge and the surge controversy should be on the list.

- Specter's defection should be ahead of Franken winning his election

My top 10 list would be:

1) BHO assuming office
2) Healthcare battle
3) Sotomayor appointed to the Supreme Court
4) Specter defects to the Dems
5) GOP wins in VA and NJ
6) Afghan surge announced
7) Franken wins in MN
8) Tea Parties
9) Ted Kennedy's death
10) Henry Louis Gates arrest and aftermath

Edit: RCP also does a World top 10 for those of you north of Minnesota, south of San Diego, across that big puddle you hit if you travel eastward through New Jersey and across that big puddle you hit if you travel westward through California (if there really are people that would choose to live in such odd places).

http://www.realclearworld.com/lists/top_10_world_stories_2009/iran_election.html?state=play

And, oh what a surprise, mostly aaaaaall circles around the U.S.

No wonder the world is fed up.

Originally posted by Seitse
And, oh what a surprise, mostly aaaaaall circles around the U.S.

No wonder the world is fed up.

I thought I made it clear that this was a listing of the top 10 US stories. But, in case I did not (which I really think I did), see my edit.

Originally posted by sh76
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/lists/top10_politics_stories_2009/gov_sanford_goes_awol.html?state=stop

For those that don't want to click through, RCP picks the top 10 (US) news stories of 2009 as:

1) Barack Obama assuming office
2) Healthcare reform battle
3) GOP gubernatorial wins in NJ and VA
4) Ted Kennedy's death
5) Sonia Sotomayor becomes the ...[text shortened]... //www.realclearworld.com/lists/top_10_world_stories_2009/iran_election.html?state=play

The ridiculous tea party movement is one of the top 10 news stories of 2009? why?

and how is this important for the rest of the world?

Originally posted by generalissimo
The ridiculous tea party movement is one of the top 10 news stories of 2009? why?

and how is this important for the rest of the world?

The ridiculous tea party movement is one of the top 10 news stories of 2009? why?

Because it's the grass roots genesis (or expression) of a political ideology the likes of which have not been seen in the US since the civil rights movement.

and how is this important for the rest of the world?

Insofar as who governs the United States has an impact on the rest of the World (which, of course, it does), very important. Beyond that, nothing.

Originally posted by sh76
[b]The ridiculous tea party movement is one of the top 10 news stories of 2009? why?

Because it's the grass roots genesis (or expression) of a political ideology the likes of which have not been seen in the US since the civil rights movement.

and how is this important for the rest of the world?

Insofar as who governs the United States has an ...[text shortened]... act on the rest of the World (which, of course, it does), very important. Beyond that, nothing.[/b]

What ideology is that? Comparing the "tea party" "movement" to the civil rights movement gets a LMAO.

Originally posted by no1marauder
What ideology is that? Comparing the "tea party" "movement" to the civil rights movement gets a LMAO.

Did I compare them? No; I did not. I said "since." I did not compare them.

So LYAO all you want. Your point is totally irrelevant.

The ideology is anti-government conservatism. Whether you like it or not, it's a significant movement.

Originally posted by sh76
Did I compare them? No; I did not. I said "since." I did not compare them.

So LYAO all you want. Your point is totally irrelevant.

The ideology is anti-government conservatism. Whether you like it or not, it's a significant movement.

Is this the same "anti-government conservatism" that supports a huge military, the death penalty and criminal penalties for abortion?

Originally posted by no1marauder
Is this the same "anti-government conservatism" that supports a huge military, the death penalty and criminal penalties for abortion?

You're arguing the merits of the movement. I'm not debating that. When hundreds of thousands (or millions) of people demonstrate for a cause over the course of months in scores of cities around the country, it's a significant story, when it's good or meritorious or not.

Even if you reduce the movement to a "we hate Obama" movement, it's still a significant news story.

Originally posted by no1marauder
Is this the same "anti-government conservatism" that supports a huge military, the death penalty and criminal penalties for abortion?

Utter bollocks, you cannot catergorize the whole movement in such a way, the reports I've seen are of a broad cross section of people dissatisfied with the direction of gummint, and rightly so.

edit: Not only the direction of Obamalini

Originally posted by sh76
[b]The ridiculous tea party movement is one of the top 10 news stories of 2009? why?

Because it's the grass roots genesis (or expression) of a political ideology the likes of which have not been seen in the US since the civil rights movement.

and how is this important for the rest of the world?

Insofar as who governs the United States has an ...[text shortened]... act on the rest of the World (which, of course, it does), very important. Beyond that, nothing.[/b]

If by "grass roots" you mean literally endorsed and facilitated by the single largest cable news network (Fox) then yes, it was grass roots. If by "grass roots" you mean organized, facilitated and funded by very large Conservative organizations then yes, it was grass roots. To say nothing of all the Republican politicians and the GOP talking heads (Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, Coulter, etc.) pushing tea parties non-stop for months.

Yeah, it was about a grass roots as the Republican National Convention.

Originally posted by sh76
You're arguing the merits of the movement. I'm not debating that. When hundreds of thousands (or millions) of people demonstrate for a cause over the course of months in scores of cities around the country, it's a significant story, when it's good or meritorious or not.

Even if you reduce the movement to a "we hate Obama" movement, it's still a significant news story.

I'm arguing over your characterization of the movement which is in reality hardly "anti-government". I don't regard it as a particularly significant story that there is dissatisfaction among right wingers on the direction that Obama took; it's a "dog bites man" story.

Originally posted by sh76
RCP also does a World top 10 for those of you north of Minnesota, south of San Diego, across that big puddle you hit if you travel eastward through New Jersey and across that big puddle you hit if you travel westward through California (if there really are people that would choose to live in such odd places).

http://www.realclearworld.com/lists/top_10_world_stories_2009/iran_election.html?state=play

http://www.jigsawlounge.co.uk/kungfu/world/world-usa2003.gif
http://nischal.posterous.com/world-accordign-to-usa

Originally posted by no1marauder
Is this the same "anti-government conservatism" that supports a huge military, the death penalty and criminal penalties for abortion?

Massive government oppression of the Right to Pursue Happiness too.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
If by "grass roots" you mean literally endorsed and facilitated by the single largest cable news network (Fox) then yes, it was grass roots. If by "grass roots" you mean organized, facilitated and funded by very large Conservative organizations then yes, it was grass roots. To say nothing of all the Republican politicians and the GOP talking heads ...[text shortened]... stop for months.

Yeah, it was about a grass roots as the Republican National Convention.

Beck is not a GOP talking head.
And the tea party movement is grass roots despite your denials.

"The Tax Day Tea Party is a national collaborative grassroots effort originally organized by the DontGo Movement (the original/primary sponsor, which is now the American Liberty Alliance), Smart Girl Politics, Top Conservatives on Twitter and many other online groups/coalitions.

The Tea Party protests, in their current form, began in early 2009 when Rick Santelli, the On Air Editor for CNBC, set out on a rant to expose the bankrupt liberal agenda of the White House Administration and Congress. Specifically, the flawed “Stimulus Bill” and pork filled budget.

During Rick’s rant, he called for a “Chicago tea Party” where advocates of the free-market system could join in a protest against out of control government spending.

A few days later, grassroots activists and average Joe Americans began organizing what would soon become the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party effort.

On February 27th, an estimated 30,000 Americans took to the street in 40+ cities accross the country in the first nationwide “Tea Party” protest.

Organizers of the February 27th events pledged to continue on with an even bigger and better protest to follow the first. With April 15th being “Tax Day”, it was decided to schedule the second round of Tea Party protests to ride alongside the tax deadline.

And with that, the “Tax Day Tea Party”, the second round of the Nationwide Tea Party protests, moved into reality.

The Tea Party Movement

In the weeks leading up to the 2009, April 15th Tax Day Tea Party, we began experiencing the birth of a fresh grassroots movement. Following the April 15th effort, groups like the American Liberty Alliance, 9/12 Coalition, ResistNet, Smart Girl Politics, Tea Party Coalition, Tea Party Patriots, Oath Keepers and many others witnessed record growth in membership.

During the summer of 2009, these groups worked countless hours and dedicated themselves to putting out information about deadly legislation and townhall events where it was being debated. It’s our belief that the Tea Party Movement played a critical role in stopping, or at least slowing down, several pieces of legislation that are dangerous to our country.

An element of the Tea Party Movement that beltway insiders get red faced about is its self driven, true grassroots foundation. The Movement cannot be controlled, driven, directed, or even calculated. It’s an animal unlike any other in politics, and the typical players of the free-market movement haven’t grasped the nature of the activism behind it."
http://taxdayteaparty.com/about/