Just when I thought Star’s headlines were getting a little better

by David Safier

I hadn't spotted a truly bad Star headline for awhile. Maybe the paper was being more careful not to slant stories with misleading heads, I thought.

It looks like I was wrong. Maybe the paper's Creative Headline Writing Team was on vacation for a few weeks.

Today's front page, tax day headline in the Star:

US tax is actually down – but enjoy it while you can

The clear message: OK, folks, maybe Obama lowered your taxes temporarily, but be ready for them to skyrocket soon.

Here's the headline most of the rest of the nation saw for the same AP story:

Tax Day rhetoric aside, Americans' bills are lower  (Forbes.com, ABC News, San Jose Mercury News, Texarkana Gazette, Miami Herald, etc.)

The clear message from other papers: Tax bills are lower, even though some people want to convince you they're higher.

Here's the second paragraph of the story.

Congress cut individuals' federal taxes for this year by about $173 billion shortly after President Barack Obama took office, dwarfing the $28.6 billion in increases by states.

True, the story says taxes are likely to go up. But only for people making more than $200,000.

In the next few years, however, many can expect to pay more. Some future increases were enacted as part of Obama's health care overhaul. And former President George W. Bush's tax cuts expire in January. Obama and the Democrats want to renew only some of them, thus raising taxes for individuals making more than $200,000 and couples making more than $250,000.

But the Star's Creative Headline Writing Team is having none of it. "Don't be fooled! That Obama is a tricky one! He wants you to think your taxes are going down, but soon all of you will be paying through the nose again!"

I know this is patronizing of me. They're the journalists, and I'm a retired English teacher who writes on a blog. But so far as I know, a good headline is supposed to give the reader an accurate sense of the story below it. Editorials belong on the op ed pages, not in misleading banner headlines floating over news stories.