How Do You View The Tea Party Movement

[Dr.Traveler]

No tax cuts here.
I got $6000 back last year at tax time.
This year I am getting a little over $4000.

I'm at essentially the same tax burden as last year, but I got the first time homeowners credit. So for me, things are looking up.

 

[Dr.Traveler]

I'm split on the Tea Party.

I'm sympathetic to the more sane members. I understand their goals and can appreciate them.

On the other hand, you just have to read the posts by some of the more flamtastic posters here that claim to support the Tea Party and suddenly those signs you see in media look a lot more likely to be legit. Anyone that thinks the Tea Party is being invaided by liberals trying to discredit them ought to come here and read some of the posts people make.

The problem right now is the "leaderless" nature of the Tea Party. Its allowing the GOP to manipulate the group like crazy, co-opting a bipartisan message and turning it into a pawn of the corrupt politicians they claim to be fighting. Perhaps even worse, its allowing out right racists, birthers, truthers, and violent anti-Federalists to cloak themselves in the guise of mainstream Tea Parties and not get called out.

Until the Tea Party finds a way to purge the fringers from its ranks and take back the movement from the GOP power brokers, it will remain a joke. Should that happen, I'm likely to be a lot more sympathetic to them.

 

[Vanquish]

And that's why there's no compromise and things get worse. That right there.

Amazing.

And that is what the Obama admin. is hoping for; a collaspe, so they can take over the country, as they attempt to achieve their goal of a One World Order. Right now they control 51%. And we ain't seen nuttin` yet! America, the weakening.

GROW UP!!!!

Beck started that idea ...quoting some book ...the name of which I forget...I heard him one afternoon during lunch...

that is a complete crock of shit with no fucking support. it's partisan douchebaggery at its worst.

normally I try hard not to curse or insult, but you're really pushing it.

 

[uscitizen]

I see the teaparty movement as another deception by the right.
Let the sheep think they are doing their own thing and are the wolves.

 

[George Costanza]

A bunch of concerned citizens who, egged on by conservative talk radio, Fox News and similar "sources," genuinely think they are correct.

 

[FrankieGA]

Just like a few concerned citizens who were egged on by Democratic Politicians that egged a bus in Nevada...

 

[George Costanza]

Just like a few concerned citizens who were egged on by Democratic Politicians that egged a bus in Nevada...

Is this worth responding to? What the hell . . .

There is a significant difference between literally "a few" citizens and 24% of our entire country, if the OP is correct which I seriously doubt.

How about them Dodgers, huh?

 

[AquaAthena]

And that's why there's no compromise and things get worse. That right there.

Amazing.

And that is what the Obama admin. is hoping for; a collaspe, so they can take over the country, as they attempt to achieve their goal of a One World Order. Right now they control 51%. And we ain't seen nuttin` yet! America, the weakening.

GROW UP!!!!

Beck started that idea ...quoting some book ...the name of which I forget...I heard him one afternoon during lunch...

that is a complete crock of shit with no fucking support. it's partisan douchebaggery at its worst.

normally I try hard not to curse or insult, but you're really pushing it.

I haven't heard Beck mention what I have written. One should not assume things like that. I am entitled to my opinion and in regards to your PM, I stand by my opinion that Obama is socializing our country. Because you have started using profanity, I am out of this conversation. Your negative reps hold no meaning for me other than a good, lol.

*Bygones*

 

[Vanquish]

If you'd read my post...

I actually heard him spout this drivel on his radio show during my lunch hour. Somehow that filtered down to you ...and you're assuming it's your own idea. The idea of breaking the government to get more power wasn't even original with him. He quoted it from a book.

So, to recap, I think it somehow filtered into your subconscious and you're spouting it out like a person who tells a joke to the person that told them the same joke.

 

[NYcarbineer]

[
And that is what the Obama admin. is hoping for; a collaspe, so they can take over the country, as they attempt to achieve their goal of a One World Order. Right now they control 51%. And we ain't seen nuttin` yet! America, the weakening.

There's your Tea Party, in the proverbial nutshell.

 

[Zona]

I am worried that if the Tea Party decides to have a candidate of their own, it will split the conservative ticket, giving The Anointed One, another win. I think the Democrats are counting on it. They DO know how to campaign.

True, but when we win, we dont lock step with our ideas like the republicans do. I give you guys that one.

When this administration wins anything, America loses. You will soon see, if you open your eyes and ears. Think bankruptcy and soon.

Respectfully,

Aqua*

Do you have any idea how close we came to a depression under bush. Seriuosly...now look at the market. Obama is doing something right..dont you agree?

3000 points up...Bush had us losing 700 thousand jobs a month at one point. Even a blind man can see something is better now.

 

[Rinata]

Tea Party Profile: Many Ways To Describe A Movement

The number of people who say they're part of the Tea Party Movement nationally has grown to 24%. That's up from 16% a month ago, but the movement still defies easy description. Some on the political left see nothing but hate, while some on the right see a threat to Republican prospects. Others see a grass roots movement that is challenging a corrupt Political Class and trying to save the nation from politicians.

I tend to see it in two ways, in which I have highlighted in bold.

rasmussenreports.com

I'm beginning to seen how it's not very different from issues that caused the civil war and the unrest of the 1960's over civil rights.

 

[Rinata]

True, but when we win, we dont lock step with our ideas like the republicans do. I give you guys that one.

When this administration wins anything, America loses. You will soon see, if you open your eyes and ears. Think bankruptcy and soon.

Respectfully,

Aqua*

Do you have any idea how close we came to a depression under bush. Seriuosly...now look at the market. Obama is doing something right..dont you agree?

3000 points up...Bush had us losing 700 thousand jobs a month at one point. Even a blind man can see something is better now.

I don't think that's what is bothering a lot of Obama haters. They are not being honest about their real issues. They couldn't care les about the economy. That's what I think.

 

[momonkey]

I'm split on the Tea Party.

I'm sympathetic to the more sane members. I understand their goals and can appreciate them.

On the other hand, you just have to read the posts by some of the more flamtastic posters here that claim to support the Tea Party and suddenly those signs you see in media look a lot more likely to be legit. Anyone that thinks the Tea Party is being invaided by liberals trying to discredit them ought to come here and read some of the posts people make.

The problem right now is the "leaderless" nature of the Tea Party. Its allowing the GOP to manipulate the group like crazy, co-opting a bipartisan message and turning it into a pawn of the corrupt politicians they claim to be fighting. Perhaps even worse, its allowing out right racists, birthers, truthers, and violent anti-Federalists to cloak themselves in the guise of mainstream Tea Parties and not get called out.

Until the Tea Party finds a way to purge the fringers from its ranks and take back the movement from the GOP power brokers, it will remain a joke. Should that happen, I'm likely to be a lot more sympathetic to them.

All that just to call us names?

Why did you even bother?

Sane or not, no one needs your sympathy or your condescension.

 

[edthecynic]

I have it on authority from a very vocal supporter that the teabaggers are "AN IRATE MINORITY."

 

[Dr.Traveler]

All that just to call us names?

Why did you even bother?

Sane or not, no one needs your sympathy or your condescension.

See it how you want. I've said here before that I don't agree with a lot of the entitlement programs being run at a Federal Level on both constitutional, and simply practical, grounds. I don't support healthcare at the Federal level. I'm certainly worried about the debt, and whether it is sustainable.

However, I don't get involved with the Tea Party because there are a lot of folks that vocally support the Tea Party that I wouldn't want to be associated with in real life.

The recent talking point around here is that the "Leaderless" nature of the Tea Party is a good thing. I'll grant that it gives some legitmacy to the complaints, but it is hardly a good thing. The French Revloution was essentially leaderless at the start too, and it fed into the Reign of Terror and a dictatorship by Napolean.

Nature abhors a vacuum. Eventually a leader will rise in the Tea Party. This celebration of being "leaderless" just means that when that leader rises, you won't be the one that choose them. The GOP is viewing the Tea Party as a useful tool for winning a few seats at the midterms. Militia groups like the one just arrested in Indiana are looking at using the Tea Party as cover to get their violent message out there. Outright KKK members are showing up to get their message out there soon.

The lack of leadership means you have no clear champion to keep the Party truly bipartisan or to weed out the extremists. Should the GOP co-opts the movement, you'll lose the moderate Democrats. Should an extremist group co-opt the movement, you'll lose everything.

 

[geauxtohell]

How do you see the Tea Party?

As a well-meaning group of citizens that have no-idea they have been co-opted by big money and political parties to serve as their skirmish lines in legislative fights.

That's how I see them, and thus that is my opinion.

 

[uptownlivin90]

I don't know what the Hell those people want. One thing I'll note though, it seems to differ state to state, which is why this is such a widespread movement, because it simply does not have a set ideology at this point in time. It's "leaders" range from Ron Paul to Sarah Palin to Sam Brown who ideologically barely agree on ANYTHING. The only thing that seems to hold the tea party together is opposition to Obama. So what you have here are those who are legitimately opposed to Obama for various reasons, and those who are opposed to Obama for reasons that aren't so legitimate.

It's a movement I can't say that I don't agree with and a movement I can't say I agree with. Simply because I have absolutely no clue what the "movement" is about. There is no clear set of principles or goals. They really should break up their rallies based on issue instead of just having "tea party" rallies. There should be a rally specifically regarding the deficit and fiscal responsibility, there should be a rally about birtherism, and a rally about Tom Tancredo's plan to bring back southern civil literacy tests. As well as rallies about abortion, the homosexual agenda, and saving our "christian heritage". I'll attend the first one, proudly. However right now, the other issues often do a lot to overshadow that "fiscal responsibility and small government" message.

One thing I've heard though is that that's not the case everywhere, and I believe that. I heard the Tea Partiers in Kentucky are pretty much social libertarians, and in Minnesota and parts of Texas. I heard in Alabama and South Carolina they're mostly social conservatives concerned about christian rightism. In Maryland they seem more pissed off at the governor then Obama, but the vast majority of Maryland tea partiers represent the classical Maryland republican values. They're basically Sam Brown folks out here. A lot of them probably did vote for Obama in 2008. It's just one big free for all of a movement I guess that has it's pros and cons. People are angry, concerned, and confused I understand that.

Hell I am.

I'm not going to jump on the tea party bandwagon, because there are way to many people on that bandwagon I refuse to associate myself with.

 

[Rinata]

I don't know what the Hell those people want. One thing I'll note though, it seems to differ state to state, which is why this is such a widespread movement, because it simply does not have a set ideology at this point in time. It's "leaders" range from Ron Paul to Sarah Palin to Sam Brown who ideologically barely agree on ANYTHING. The only thing that seems to hold the tea party together is opposition to Obama. So what you have here are those who are legitimately opposed to Obama for various reasons, and those who are opposed to Obama for reasons that aren't so legitimate.

It's a movement I can't say that I don't agree with and a movement I can't say I agree with. Simply because I have absolutely no clue what the "movement" is about. There is no clear set of principles or goals. They really should break up their rallies based on issue instead of just having "tea party" rallies. There should be a rally specifically regarding the deficit and fiscal responsibility, there should be a rally about birtherism, and a rally about Tom Tancredo's plan to bring back southern civil literacy tests. As well as rallies about abortion, the homosexual agenda, and saving our "christian heritage". I'll attend the first one, proudly. However right now, the other issues often do a lot to overshadow that "fiscal responsibility and small government" message.

One thing I've heard though is that that's not the case everywhere, and I believe that. I heard the Tea Partiers in Kentucky are pretty much social libertarians, and in Minnesota and parts of Texas. I heard in Alabama and South Carolina they're mostly social conservatives concerned about christian rightism. In Maryland they seem more pissed off at the governor then Obama, but the vast majority of Maryland tea partiers represent the classical Maryland republican values. They're basically Sam Brown folks out here. A lot of them probably did vote for Obama in 2008. It's just one big free for all of a movement I guess that has it's pros and cons. People are angry, concerned, and confused I understand that.

Hell I am.

I'm not going to jump on the tea party bandwagon, because there are way to many people on that bandwagon I refuse to associate myself with.

Looks as though you're not alone.

The leaders are striving to keep the rallies from presenting another image: one of fringe groups, extremists or infiltrators obsessed with hateful messages.

Sensitive that poor public perception could sink their movement, some rally planners have uninvited controversial speakers, beefed up security and urged participants to pack cameras to capture evidence of any disrupters.

"We don't want to be misrepresented, whether it's by someone who is not part of the group and has their own agenda, or whether it's by some fringe extremist who may actually be a racist," said Jim Hoft, a political blogger and tea party activist who is one of the speakers for a rally in suburban St. Louis.

At least two local tea party groups have shunned speakers who originally were scheduled for Thursday's rallies.

Alabama attorney John Eidsmoe, who has spoken previously to white supremacists, withdrew from a tea party rally in Wausau, Wisconsin, after organizers questioned his views. Coordinators of a tax-day rally in Pleasanton, California, rescinded the speaking invitation of Orly Taitz, an attorney who has filed lawsuits claiming Obama was not born in the U.S. and is ineligible to be president.

Tea party leaders also are concerned that opponents may pose as tea party participants and cause a ruckus to damage the reputation of the movement. A Web site has urged people to "crash the tea party" to draw attention to the party's least appealing qualities.


Tea party leaders anxious about extremists - More politics- msnbc.com

 

[Dr.Traveler]

I'm not going to jump on the tea party bandwagon, because there are way to many people on that bandwagon I refuse to associate myself with.

Ditto.

Once leadership emerges, and we begin to see what the Tea Party will eventually stand for, we'll see. But right now there's nothing stopping the loonies from running the asylum as it were.