American Politics: The Tea Party Tidal Wave

[path_of_one]

John Stewart is such a hoot and now he brings us his anti-Glen Beck/tea party rally: the Rally to Restore Sanity
Rally to Restore Sanity - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 9/16/2010 - Video Clip | Comedy Central earl

This made me laugh so hard tears came to my eyes. But it's so true. Even most idealists like me are, de facto in life, busy people who act moderately (if not conservatively!). I am not sure why the moderate majority doesn't demand something better than the two-party bickering (with a generous helping of wackos) that we get... except that most of us really are too busy with things like work and family and we really do lack the theatrics that command media attention.

I mean, I see fabulous interfaith programs happen all year long where I live- that bring together people with vastly different religious and political views. People are generally polite, focused on collaborating toward a goal, etc. But that stuff doesn't pervade the news because people think it is boring. It's not filled with screaming, signs, and nut-jobs, so it goes unnoticed. Meanwhile, everyone's TV is filled with the fringe. I just don't get it. The moderate majority needs to have a blockade-the-media strike indefinitely until our collective buying power forces more competent, accurate, and meaningful coverage of America.

The power of the unobtrusive, reasonably rational, and mostly peaceful majority of Americans is really in our pocketbook. Somehow, we need to organize and start using it.

 

[citizenzen]

Conservative values: ... Always know your place in and impact on the community.... Respect your community... Charity is a virtue... Self-indulgence is to be avoided.

Nice values. But why don't you embody them?

This forum is a community, yet there has been little, if any respect shown by you. Charity is defined by generosity, benevolence and leniency in judging others, yet none of those descriptions could be applied to you. Your posts have been little more than self-indulgent rants where you call people idiots and claim you possess the truth.

Can you please explain Dogbrain, why there is this gap... this wide chasm, between what you value and how you actually behave?

 

[Janz]

^ I agree Citizen those are good values to live by but conservative Christians teach that only those who believe in their God can embody those values. I have known compassionate atheists who embody those values and conservatives who don't walk the talk..they just want everyone else to live by them.

I believe in self-government that comes from thinking of others before yourself; of respecting the common good and giving those who have some bad luck through no fault of their own, a hand up. My children have received an excellent public education thanks to the taxpayers and now that they are grown, I am willing to pay taxes for the children of the next generation to receive it as well. I don't mind my taxes paying for the arts, libraries, public transportation, fire and police protection; but I know many here in this ultra vulgar Libertarian county who will vote against any taxes for any reason for purely selfish and paranoid reasons...crippling local, state and federal government is their goal. Cutting off their noses to spite their face is what my grandmother would say. She was a very community minded woman who taught Latin and Geometry in a small school district in Lusk, Wyoming. She died in 1986 at the age of 88 and for years she held office as the elected County Superintendent of Schools..a woman ahead of her time.

@ Brian, I often wondered what a country looks like when it is in the throes of losing its dominant economic status..I think it is safe to say, that what is happening here in the USA is a picture of that. I thought it would be a violent crash esp after 9-11-2001; but instead it is this painful notion that somehow if we as a nation return to the "God of our Forefathers" we will be saved from any discomfort and destruction. I blame this on Premillennialism Dispensationalism, a distinct American strain of conservative Christianity which you will find many of our recently elected officials follow.

 

[nativeastral]

My observations: Americans do not like the "political party establishments."

Republicans and Democrats are both out-of-touch and inept.

(Have you noticed the Congressional approval ratings?)

same over here in UK and certainly in other countries as we are affected by each other - such is the global economic machine.

both local and national governments and the private sector/corporations are targets of derision spilling into the odd violent protest...nationalism of course is also being questioned but countered by the usual facile cunning but surprisingly effective [patriotic] means.

we're in the throes of 'the' [past] paradigm breaking down, the tusnami is taking a long time before the tidal wave happens, we've known it all along but what ultimately can poor ol me do but share my opinions at another tea party?

 

[citizenzen]

we're in the throes of 'the' [past] paradigm breaking down...

Sorry to here that.

I'd hoped that idiocy was a uniquely American affliction... but I suppose not.

The maze is getting more crowded.

The rats, more desperate.

 

[nativeastral]

Sorry to here that.

I'd hoped that idiocy was a uniquely American affliction... but I suppose not.

The maze is getting more crowded.

The rats, more desperate.

yeh its a www [a world wide woe if a pessimist or wake up call if you are an optimist], or in your case, wise up..cheers

 

[Snoopy]

Looks like Sarah Palin is going to run for President in 2012 (God help us)

Now look, your lovely system gave us Dubya and I know you're sorry. And we gave the world Thatcher. And of course we apologise for that. But now Palin...really...c'mon...you're joking right? You gotta be...

Or has Armageddon just been brought forward?

s.

 

[Janz]

Now look, your lovely system gave us Dubya and I know you're sorry. And we gave the world Thatcher. And of course we apologise for that. But now Palin...really...c'mon...you're joking right? You gotta be...

Or has Armageddon just been brought forward?

s.

I wish that I could be the bearer of good news but from everything that I have read, she is building momentum to run. Sorry..I don't know if Armageddon is what will happen but I agree with nativeastral that a huge paradigm shift is happening and I choose to believe that it will be for the good of humanity. The dying breath of the old order is gasping for it's long lost power while most of us are working for change in our daily lives. By living out our beliefs of equality, social justice, compassionate understanding, we are transformed from the inside out and we then become a true agent of change to influence others with our actions of love.

But for the time being, we must endure the rants and ravings of the lunatics gone amok..here is another article that presents the schizoid behavior of the Religious Right:

Coalition of fear: Tea Party, the religious right and Islamophobia - Joe Conason - Salon.com

A quote from the above article:

"Here in the United States, the fear, prejudice and ignorance broadcast by many opponents of the Park51 cultural center in Manhattan have found receptive audiences far beyond the evangelical right. For leaders of the religious right, attacking Islam offers an opportunity to contrast their own professed commitment to religious liberty with the strictures of Shariah law – and by doing so, to attract more secular independents to the ranks of the far right. That theme was clearly sounded by Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association, one of the loudest anti-Muslim bigots in America today. Although Fischer explained that he believes all elected officials should be regarded as “literally ministers and servants of God” who must "align policy with the will of God," he denied that makes him a theocrat.
Instead, said Fischer, "If you believe in theocracy, then the dark and dangerous and devious religion of Islam is the religion for you."

 

[c0de]

But now Palin...really...c'mon...you're joking right?

why not?

govt by the ppl, 4 the ppl, rite?

Exhibit A:

^^ worldwide blockbuster, remember? What does that tell ya?

 

[earl]

Like Kim has said about actually being a socialist, I, too, tend in that very liberal direction and always have. That said, I think the reason that in tough socio-economic times you tend to see political discourse split into very diametrically opposed views, lending itself to an upwelling of extremists such as tea partiers or some of the equally "unreasoned" extremist liberal wackos who we don't hear as much about, (they're just not as colorfully wacko as the right wingers), as opposed to a moderate and Reasoned discussion is because of fear for the future or even of present personal circumstances. Fear often pushes folks to want to find "easy" answers or explanations for getting out of fixes. There are no easy uncomplicated responses to our collection of woes as a society now that are likely to work well. earl

 

[Snoopy]

the schizoid behavior of the Religious Right

Fortunately our religious fundy nutters got fed up of having the pee taken and got in a boat and left these islands a long time ago.

I wonder whatever happened to them...


s.

 

[citizenzen]

The dying breath of the old order is gasping for it's long lost power while most of us are working for change in our daily lives. By living out our beliefs of equality, social justice, compassionate understanding, we are transformed from the inside out and we then become a true agent of change to influence others with our actions of love.

Unfortunately, the old order has most of the money and guns.

So while it may be gasping its last breaths, the throes of its death are likely to be an unpleasant experience for everybody.

I hope it transpires as peacefully as possible.

 

[path_of_one]

This is about how I feel as an independent (originally on graphjam.com):

 

[wil]

This is about how I feel as an independent (originally on graphjam.com):

Nice chart...

 

[Janz]

POO..LOL..that chart says it all.

Here is another article that I found today that hit the nail on the head.

The Tea Party movement has two defining traits: status anxiety and anarchism. - By Jacob Weisberg - Slate Magazine

The Right's New Left:

"In this sense, you might think of the Tea Party as the Right's version of the 1960s New Left. It's an unorganized and unorganizable community of people coming together to assert their individualism and subvert the established order. But where the New Left was young and looked forward to a new Aquarian age, the Tea Party is old and looks backward to a capitalist-constitutionalist paradise that, needless to say, never existed. The strongest note in its tannic brew is nostalgia. Tea Partiers are constantly talking about "restoring honor," getting back to America's roots, and "taking back" their country."

 

[seattlegal]

The Westlake Tea Party: Photos and Stories of How It Really Went Down - Seattle News - The Daily Weekly

 

[seattlegal]

Here the Tea Party movement is examined from the outside, by The Telegraph from the UK

Tea Party insurgents prepare to seize power in 2012 - Telegraph

 

[Janz]

From the above link that seattlegal shared:

"Some tea partiers fear that the type of cash Palin brings in could distort or even corrupt the movement. 'As Tea Party types ascend, they are likely to be overwhelmed and compromised by the money and lavish surroundings that come with power,' a Texas conservative warned me."

This is the downfall of American politics..only those with money can win. The other challenge for them is the majority of the candidates that they support are now going beyond fiscal conservatism. The social conservatives are the ones the Tea Party has rallied behind. They are going the same route as the Moral Majority did back in the 80's.

See: TAPPED Archive | The American Prospect

Now for those who want to read what a true Populist looks like, Jim Hightower is the man. He has been rabble rousing while most of the Tea Party founders were in grade school. Too bad, he doesn't have the backing of money and power..hmm I wonder why?

National radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of Thieves In High Places: They've Stolen Our Country And It's Time to Take It Back, Jim Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.

Jim Hightower | Home

http://www.jimhightower.com/node/7248

http://www.hightowerlowdown.org/node/2357

 

[NiceCupOfTea]

So whats the problem with this T Party thing, what all the fuss ?

 

[Saltmeister]

So whats the problem with this T Party thing, what all the fuss ?

You of all people should know the answer to this, NiceCupOfTea. It's a chance for the T-Bag and T-Shirt to rule the world!!!

T-Bag - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You would have seen it happening while you were a kid. Now it's happening again.