OUR VIEW: Republican fundraising mailer causes flap
If you’re a Republican, the Associated Press and leaders of the U.S. Census Bureau apparently think you are stupid. In January, Republicans began receiving a fundraising mailer from Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee. It’s titled “2010 Congressional District Census,” accompanied by a political preference survey.
The letter begins: “Strengthening our Party for the 2010 elections is going to take a massive grassroots effort all across America.” A bit later it asks for donations of $25, “or even $500” to help Republicans win.
The return envelope is addressed to “Republican National Committee.” The mailer looks and reads like a political party’s fundraising and information-gathering tool. Several Republican politicians have sent out similar mailers.
Nothing about the mailers would mislead anyone with enough intelligence to read them. But an overtly partisan AP story this week led with this: “Republican groups are raising money under the guise of the U.S. Census Bureau...” Who says they’re doing this? The AP reporter, because the statement contains no attribution. The journalist goes on to tell us how Census Bureau officials fear Republicans will confuse the “misleading letters” with the federal census.
Yeah, right. Americans are going to read letters from politicians — letters that ask for money to help Republicans win — and confuse them with the federal government’s census. If federal officials and AP editors are wise, they’ll stop insulting the American public. — Wayne Laugesen, editorial page editor, for the editorial board
