Star headline writers are on a roll

by David Safier

Yesterday, the Star's Creative Headline Writing Team (CHWT) said the slightly-less-birthy birther bill in the Senate was easing the way for ballot eligibility. Quite the jaw dropper.

Today, they refer to the slash-and-burn budget Brewer signed as a budget-balancing plan.

Brewer signs budget-balancing plan

While not exactly false, the head is just a wee bit slanted toward patting Brewer and the Russell Pearce Republican legislature on the back for its efforts.

Other papers headed the same Howie Fischer article differently.

BUDGET SHARPLY CUTS AID TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS (Daily News-Sun, Glendale/Peoria)

Brewer signs budget slashing education and health care, restoring transplant coverage (East Valley Tribune)

Gov. Brewer signs $8.3 billion state budget (Yuma Sun)

Governor signs 'balanced budget' $8.3 billion spending plan (Verde Independent)

Even the last head, which mentions the balanced budget aspect, puts the phrase in quotes, which says, "That's how they typify the budget, not us."

The Republic wrote its own article and headlined it, Brewer signs off on a slashed budget.

I was beginning to wonder if the Star was changing its wicked ways when it came to headlines, since I haven't spotted many howlers lately. Wrong. Maybe the CHWT was on vacation or something. They're definitely back on the job.