Now Playing at Reason.tv: Is the Tea Party Movement Racist?

Michael Moynihan | 5.6.2010 1:30 PM

Yesterday, The Washington Post reported that the Tea Party movement is "struggling to overcome accusations of racism," some of which has been perpetuated on The Washington Post's own opinion pages. Yesterday's New York Times, home to the most obsessively anti-Tea Party editorial page in America, was stunned to discover that "at least 32 African-Americans are running for Congress this year as Republicans, the biggest surge since Reconstruction, according to party officials."

Previously, The Times reported that Tea Partiers are, on average, people with a high levels of education and higher than average incomes. So it would seem that they aren't, as some editorialists and pundits contend, simply a gang of subliterate militia men or, as actress Janeane Garofalo recently told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, a subsection of the white power movement.

Wandering the recent Tax Day tea party in Washington DC with Reason.tv's Meredith Bragg, we saw some stupid signs—though none that could be considered offensive or racist. We talked to some people that claimed President Obama was both a Czarist and Bolshevik. We spoke to a former star of Saturday Night Live who has previously claimed that president might, in fact, be the anti-Christ. Or a communist. Or both. There were those who fretted that the United States were morphing into a Stalinist state. But mostly we spoke with protesters concerned that the Obama administration was spending recklessly; those interested in auditing the Federal Reserve; and various well-informed citizens seething about the General Motors bailout.

So did we discover a Tea Party movement motivated by race, by the fact that we now have a black president? Did it seem as if their stated concerns about a government take over of health care and a ballooning national debt were simply a smokescreen, designed to concealing a racist agenda?

Not exactly. Here is what we found:

Produced by Michael C. Moynihan and Meredith Bragg. Edited by Meredith Bragg. Approximately 2 mins.

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? 15 years ago

Not being racist is racist.
Warren 15 years ago

Racists or not the Tea Party has elected to be ass clowns.
1. Mike M. 15 years ago
  
  Yeah, if only they could conduct themselves like the Greek government employees and communists do.
  1. Zeb 15 years ago
    
    Because those are the only two options.
    1. sage 15 years ago
      
      There's also "Toga Party."
  2. John Marcotte 15 years ago
    
    @Mike M.: They need to adopt the Euro, losing the ability to adjust their own currency to counter inflation?
  3. usr102 15 years ago
    
    ... or all the really peaceful and civil opponents of the new Arizona immigration law.
2. Tim 15 years ago
  
  Was it a free and fair election?
Dagny T. 15 years ago

The lovelies at Jezebel are so freaking mad that tea parties don't have their preferred diversity quotas, they can't stand it:

"...they're serving up white people, fast 'n fresh!"
1. Dagny T. 15 years ago
  
  In addition to playing count the darkies, there's this gem in the comments:
  
  Does this mean we can enact a series of Jim Crow-like laws for the Teabaggers as well? Because honestly, in that scenario, I think I'd be all for segregation.
  
  Niiiiice.
  1. Mr. FIFY 15 years ago
    
    Meanwhile, over at Freeperville, a poster once said that all libertarians should be deported from the U.S. - who knew they were on similar wavelengths?
  2. Thomas 15 years ago
    
    95% of African American voters in 2008 voted for Sen. Obama over Clinton in the NC primary. THAT is racism and THAT is why there is not enough 'diversity' at Tea Parties. The left knows if the AA vote does not stay solid for Pres Obama, then he does not have a chance. The democrats are abusing the race card diminishing the fact it is still a big problem in this country. The republicans are disgusting in their politicizing the oil spill and other matters, but this offense of attacking grassroots people with lies and premeditated misinformation from the HIGHEST levels is unforgivable.
2. Matt A. 15 years ago
  
  interestingly, if you actually watch the video clip, she never brings up the comparisons of the two words, the host does. She only says that neither word should be used.
  1. cynical 15 years ago
    
    Well, it's ok if Tea-Party Americans use the word teabagga; they've taken something used as a vicious, degrading epithet by others and taken away its power. But if someone like Keith Olbermann used, that would be racist.
matthew terhune 15 years ago

My issue with the tea party is not they they may be racist. It is that they are the republican party. It's not an alternative. Link me to the Tea Party attacking republicans. I know they hate Harry Reid. I know they hate Obama. The are 96% republican. Enlighten me.
1. The Gobbler 15 years ago
  
  "My issue with the tea party is not they they may be racist. It is that they are the republican party"
  
  [citation needed]
  
  BTW, my issue is that you are stupid.
  1. sage 15 years ago
    
    It seems as though the GOP is attempting to hijack the tea party because it's gaining "members" while the crest and colgate parties are losing them (AFAIK). The interesting thing will be if the tea party lets the cancer take over or is able to fight it off.
  2. matthew terhune 15 years ago
    
    Exactly, no links.
    1. nashua 15 years ago
      
      Here's your linky, Huffington post, had this: I think you trust Huff... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....65367.html
  3. Tony 15 years ago
    
    There's been solid polling that indicates the Tea Party is mostly just disgruntled Republicans. Not at all like libertarians.
    1. kev 15 years ago
      
      Nothing necessarily bad about disgruntled Republicans. It's the gruntled Republicans that worry me.
      1. JaneinWVa 15 years ago
        
        LOL~!!!
    2. The Libertarian Guy 15 years ago
      
      Y'know, Tony, some libertarians are disgruntled Democrats.
      
      We don't care... as long as they've truly repented, we'll take 'em.
      1. Drax the Destroyer 15 years ago
        
        Come on man, how many times do we have to get slapped around like an abused housewife to realize that our man (the republicans) is not to be trusted. I would love them to have truly repented, but we all know they are just going to vote in another pile of shit poured into an expensive suit (Romney anybody?) the first chance they get.
        
        Jen 15 years ago
        
        I don't see Romney winning their nomination. In fact, I don't see many viable Republican candidates at all right now. Perhaps Huckabee has a shot if he wants to rejoin politics. Just knowing that Chuck Norris might round-house me in the face if I don't support him would probably sway my vote.
        
        Now, if Chuck Norris ever decides to run for office himself, THAT would be a sure victory...
    3. Lurker 15 years ago
      
      Greg Gutfeld, the host of Red Eye, on this very site..."I became a conservative by being around liberals and I became a libertarian by being around conservatives."
      
      http://reason.com/archives/200.....-is-libert
      
      Many (but by no means all) of the TPs would have been been primarily identified as Republican Conservatives 2 years ago. But there's a major shift in the wind, And I'm guessing the Republican establishment will end up philosophically bending more towards the TPs than the TP will bend towards the GOP.
  4. alan 15 years ago
    
    My problem with the #97 issue with the Avengers is not they may or not be sexist. It is that they were not entirely supportive of Carol Danvers. That is, when she was trapped in an alternative universe. Whether or not what occurred to her could be theoretically in feminist terms or in real world legal law be classified as rape, they still should have respected the choices she made. Enlighten me.
    1. John Marcotte 15 years ago
      
      Before condemning the "sexist" actions of the Avengers at that time, I think you need to remember that they were being impersonated by alien Skrulls, sent to discredit them and force the disbandment of the team.
      
      While Danvers did suffer trauma, our main focus should remain on the Inhumans Maximus' illegal coup of Black Bolt and his subsequent alliance with the Kree.
      
      If saying that Skrulls impersonating Avengers should have their DNA checked makes me a racist, so be it.
      1. OH no not this again 15 years ago
        
        TEH SKRULLS OMG WTF
        
        Who won, oh yeah it just kind of weakened wussed out.
      2. alan 15 years ago
        
        I was being too passive aggressive in my post above. What I was really saying was this -- I hate Chris Claremont's fucking barbarian guts for retconning one of the most sophisticated and morally complex story lines in the history of comics to fit into his simple minded Phil Donahue point of view.
    2. OH no not this again 15 years ago
      
      Fuck Carol Danvers and Marvel GIrl. Fuck Marvel Comics too, DC/Vertigo 4 life.
      1. alan 15 years ago
        
        +!
        
        If Maynard needs some new lyrics to freshen ?nima up, I think you just supplied them.
        
        Timon19 15 years ago
        
        Nicely done.
      2. Drax the Destroyer 15 years ago
        
        Final Crisis was a shit sandwich.
        
        Preacher is/was fucking awesome though, and it will be required reading for my kids when they are 6.
        
        JaneinWVa 15 years ago
        
        Ways to tell a liberal from a conservative:
        
        Liberals use name-calling and vulgarity and profanity MUCH more frequently (due to lack of a rational vocabulary?)
        
        Liberals speak faster, interrupt more often, and speak more loudly (if rational debate doesn't win, maybe you can force your opponent into agree with you through the use of raw emotionalism and rudeness).
        
        My brother tells me a liberal is incapable of answering a yes or no question with a simple yes or no. Do you agree~?
        
        Drax the Destroyer 15 years ago
        
        No I don't agree. Lots of people can't answer simple yes or no questions. If you have a problem with my comments then 1)Go screw yourself and 2)Reply to something with substance. I was referencing comic books here, so if you actually have an opinion other than this cryptic nonsense then make it clear. Oh I forgot 3) in general, Liberals can go suck your brother's small dick for all I care. I am not one of those fools.
        
        Drax the Destroyer 15 years ago
        
        No I don't agree. Lots of people can't answer simple yes or no questions. If you have a problem with my comments then 1)Go screw yourself and 2)Reply to something with substance. I was referencing comic books here, so if you actually have an opinion other than this cryptic nonsense then make it clear. Oh I forgot 3) in general, Liberals can go suck your brother's small dick for all I care. I am not one of those fools.
        
        Drax the Destroyer 15 years ago
        
        No I don't agree. Lots of people can't answer simple yes or no questions. If you have a problem with my comments then 1)Go screw yourself and 2)Reply to something with substance. I was referencing comic books here, so if you actually have an opinion other than this cryptic nonsense then make it clear. Oh I forgot 3) in general, Liberals can go suck your brother's small dick for all I care. I am not one of those fools.
        
        Jimbo 15 years ago
        
        Yes.........................................................................................................................................................................................................
        
        Jimbo 15 years ago
        
        ..................................................................................................................................................That's neat.............................................................................
        
        Jimbo 15 years ago
        
        ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................this is fun...Now I can stop masturbating for a while..................................
        
        alan 15 years ago
        
        Way to tell if someone's political beliefs are a little dated is they still use the liberal versus conservative dichotomy as if it was 1992, and we were talking about a soft liberal (in late 20th century speak) with some socialist tendencies like Bill Clinton and a soft conservative (in late 20th century speak) with some socialist tendencies with a vernacular common to Limbaugh at that time. Hell, listened to him earlier this week, even he doesn't sound as dated.
        
        What are you conserving? Most chatter I see from freepers and out of National Review pundits seem to really love the current corporatist arrangement even to the extent of supporting something like TARP which would have made FDR blush. If that is the case than you should love Sonia Sotomayor and her anti-activist judiciary philosophy. Or do you mean the Constitution? That document written by liberals? Liberals, those people that believe liberty to be the highest social good. Or do you mean something else by that word? Same with Conservative, a word traditionally associated with the idea of preserving rank and privilege. If that is the case than you should love the Stevens's decision in Kelo if a Conservative order is one you most desire.
        
        But anywho, while you think that over you should know only priss pots make a stink about four letter words, and real men prefer the company of whores.
        
        well said 15 years ago
        
        perfect.
  5. Mel 15 years ago
    
    Guys -- "A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows that while 96% of Tea Party activists identify themselves as either Republican or Independent, only 4 percent say they are Democrats."
    
    There's your 96%.
    
    Likewise, a poll in April commissioned by the NYT & CBS revealed (to no one's surprise) that "Tea Party supporters tend to be Republican, white, male, married and older than 45."
    
    How did you miss these? Everybody reported them.
    1. cynical 15 years ago
      
      Oh, Independents are Republican now. Sort of like, if you aren't with us, you're against us.
    2. Ken 15 years ago
      
      http://www.newsmax.com/InsideC...../id/354703
    3. L Ogic 15 years ago
      
      A+B=C, therefore A=C.
  6. inevitable 15 years ago
    
    You took the words right out of my mouth. I have no interest in the Tea Party but I think they should be left alone to state their concerns.They seem to be considerably more civilized than say Code Pink or ELF or dare I say it the New Black Panther Party. Just for fun, the next time you see a N.O.I. gent on the corner with his pies and Final Call ask to buy a copy(if you are white) and see what happens. I suggest discreet use of concealed carry for your own protection.
2. Hugh Akston 15 years ago
  
  My problem with the Tea party is not that they are racist. It is that they are Tamil Tigers. It's not an alternative. Link me to the Tea Party attacking the Tamil rebels. I know they hate Harry Reid, I know they hate Obama. But if they aren't criticizing the the Tigers, they must be Tigers.
3. Hugh Akston 15 years ago
  
  My issue with the Tea party is not that they are racist. It is that they are Cancer. It's not an alternative. Link me to the Tea Party attacking cancer. I know they hate Harry Reid, I know they hate Obama. But if they aren't publicly opposed to malignant meiosis, they must be tumors.
  1. Abject Conformity 15 years ago
    
    Good use of Logic
4. Kpres 15 years ago
  
  Uh, 4 in 10 Tea Partiers are either Democrats or Independents.
  
  http://thehill.com/blogs/ballo.....m-or-indie
5. Ken 15 years ago
  
  scozzafava
6. Ster 15 years ago
  
  They ARE NOT 96% Republican. A recent poll I saw, showed that INDEPENDENTS were the largest % of members. Your 96% number is obviously bogus. 96% would be impossible. These Tea Party folks are also PO'ed at Republicans.
7. JaneinWVa 15 years ago
  
  Matthew Terhune,
  I was an independent from ages 21 to 45. At 45 yrs old, the Republican Party allowed independents to vote in their primaries and Democrats didn't.
  
  Sometime after that, when I renewed my driver's licence, it said ck this box if you want to be registered Democrat. I did NOT ck the box, yet I received my new Democratic voter's registration card in the mail. Of course, I went out and registered Republican.
  
  Though in the past a strong supporter of Independent candidate at all levels, I decline to be tripped up this time by voting for an Independent, so the Democrats can continue the stalinization of America.
  
  Only one time in my life did I not split my ticket among three or between two parties. That was just after Bill Clinton, the Ladies man and alleged rapist, left the White House.
  
  p.s. I voted for Obama, G-d forgive me.
  1. JaneinWVa 15 years ago
    
    correction to above. It said check this box if you want to be registered. I did NOT check the box.
8. S.Walker 15 years ago
  
  Too many to list. See Eric Ericson at Red State/Human Events. Heard of the problems of Crist/Fla. and Bennett/Ut ? You are now enlightened (as long as your bulb isn't burned out)
9. Logan 15 years ago
  
  Matthew, you suffer from an inferiority complex. I am here to 'enlighten' you so that your IQ can go from a 3 to a 4. 49% of the Tea Party are republicans and 43% are INDEPENDENTS! Where did you get 96%? Olbermann or Softball with the guy who gets an erection every time BO speaks.
  
  Here is the link for proof:
  http://www.gallup.com/poll/127.....phics.aspx
R C Dean 15 years ago

Link me to the Tea Party attacking republicans.

Link yourself. Google up "Tea Party attacking Republicans". Most recently, you'll find Tea Partiers lined up against the Olde Republican in the Indiana Senate primary.

You might also try "Republicans attacking Tea Party".
1. matthew terhune 15 years ago
  
  You are the ones looking for more support. I'm not going to research some party headed by a woman who doesn't read newspapers. If you want to convince outsiders that you are not racist and try to get more support, you might want to lighten up.
  1. sage 15 years ago
    
    If you want to convince outsiders that you are not racist and try to get more support, you might want to lighten up.
    
    THAT'S RIGHT, TEABAGGERS! YOU'RE A BUNCH OF RACISTS! PROVE THAT YOU'RE NOT, I DARE YOU!
    1. matthew terhune 15 years ago
      
      Again. No links. No real responses. We get CAPS LOCK!! and exclamations. GOod luck in November, palin fuckers.
      1. sage 15 years ago
        
        Hey, I'll get on that. Really I will. In the meantime would you mind linking us to your assertion that the tea partiers are 96% republican? Thanks in advance.
      2. Rabbit Scribe 15 years ago
        
        http://lmliberty.wordpress.com.....t-minnick/
        
        Rabbit Scribe 15 years ago
        
        Oops. That's a link to the Tea Party Express endorsement of Idaho Democrat Rep. Walt Minnick.
        
        sage 15 years ago
        
        What're you doing, dude? Our friendly troll intelligent commenter matthew can't tolerate that kind of information. Tiny worldviews are easily crushed.
        
        The Libertarian Guy 15 years ago
        
        It's so much easier to believe non-Democrat = racist anti-gay woman-beating capitalist pigs. Requires no thought or study.
        
        Right, matthew?
        
        Tom Griffith 15 years ago
        
        Don't forget that we are sad little white trash clinging to our guns and religon
        
        OH no not this again 15 years ago
        
        Now burn those brain cells a little harder, and ask yourself WHy the endorsed him.
      3. OH no not this again 15 years ago
        
        Terhune, don't waste your time just have fun. These guys are the very definition of denial.
        
        Drax the Destroyer 15 years ago
        
        Come on, give us some credit since we are denying are you a complete biological waste-infused pile of shit.
      4. Abject Conformity 15 years ago
        
        I would have no objection to fuckin' Sarah Palin, if that's who you are referring to. She looks pretty hot in a tight pair of jeans... Hilary must be seething in jealousy.
      5. Logan 15 years ago
        
        You intellectual poverty is noted and now mocked. Here is the link that proves you are nothing but a liberal joke.
        http://www.gallup.com/poll/127.....phics.aspx
        
        It's hard to believe you beat 1 million other sperm.
  2. Colin 15 years ago
    
    Ah, so guilty until proven innocent.
    
    You're just a thug. And an ignorant one, too.
  3. bandit 15 years ago
    
    You're a NAMBLA member - convince me you're not.
2. wayne 15 years ago
  
  Why don't you toddle on back to the daily Kos and resume fellating the Dems.
  1. wayne 15 years ago
    
    Jeebus, I hate threaded comments. My comment was directed at the terhuned one, not at RC.
3. John 15 years ago
  
  Bob Bennett in Utah is about to be sent packing thanks to the Tea Parties. Same with Charlie Crist in Florida. I don't think those two guys find the Tea Parties to be very pro Republican.
  1. Tony 15 years ago
    
    They're the Republican base. They've taken the Reaganian and Gingrichian platforms and made them into a cult, which means the tiniest shred of heresy can't be tolerated.
    1. ap 15 years ago
      
      Dora awoke, shaking. She hadn't had a nightmare for so long. Of course, any kind of unconscious state was preferable to James, she thought ironically, so perhaps she hadn't noticed. She was fading back into reality, pulling herself together. Dora closed the window and crawled back into her bed. Had it really been a nightmare? She had never recalled one that she longed to return to.
Lepus 15 years ago

Don't hate me, but I've always thought Victoria Jackson was a moron. I know thats her schtick, but it makes my head hurt. Also Richard Belzer rules, even though he's probably wrong here...
1. Colin 15 years ago
  
  Belzer is at least funny. But they both make my head hurt.
  1. drax 15 years ago
    
    Belzer isn't funny. He is a paranoid old pot-head.
Ken Shultz 15 years ago

I think the Tea Party is pretty much middle of the road fiscal conservatives, and being a pretty good sample of Americans who share an opinion on something like that, I'd expect it to be about as racist as America itself.

If there are racists in America--and there are, I saw one myself once--then I'd expect to find some in the sample group we're talking about here.

If there weren't any, I'd think they were lying.
1. c3 15 years ago
  
  I think the Tea Party is pretty much middle of the road fiscal conservatives,
  
  but they're WHITE!
  1. jean 15 years ago
    
    There are blacks in the tea party.
    1. Drax the Destroyer 15 years ago
      
      But, as long as a Obama is in the White House it doesn't matter. The democrats have found their talking point du jour and they will not let it go. Heck, once Obama leaves office (especially if loses an election), the cries of racism will balloon to a fever pitch. The consolation will be that Janeane Garofalo (what a cunt) will die of an anuerysm on live television and finally the cold dark winter of our generation will be over. Free at last, Free at last.
  2. AAE 15 years ago
    
    They're not black. That seems more the basis for the racist claim.
George 15 years ago

Isn't the real issue here that there was overzealous spending under Bush, and these same people were nowhere to be found. Now within the first year of a new president a "new party" is created to criticize the spending.
1. pat mawiener 15 years ago
  
  I'm not sure where you go to water, but around my circles Bush took a (well deserved) ass whipping at the canapes table over the spending AND the fucking "patriot" act.
  1. tenletters 15 years ago
    
    The tea peeps aren't much enamoured with a ton of Republicans Georgie, and haven't been for some time. Ask John McCain.
2. jean 15 years ago
  
  You should try listening instead of making comments about things you know nothing about.Spending is not the only issue the tea party is concerned with.
3. Ken 15 years ago
  
  Porkbusters hammered Bush all eight years.
4. CTObserver 15 years ago
  
  It's true that there was overzealous spending under Bush. One interpretation I've seen (can't recall the citation) is that Obama and his Democrats were counting on the fact that the nation has a once-a-generation fling with Big Government, and this was their time. However, the fling was really under Bush, and the country was ready for a swing back to skepticism of the government.
  
  So, the Tea Party could be more of a reaction to the last 10 years of wild expansion of government, runaway growth of entitlements, flagrant fiscal irresponsibility, and much more of the same on the horizon. Bad luck for the Democrats that they missed the chance to host the (wild spending) party, but the party's over. The purpose of the Tea Party crowd is to tell the politicians (both parties) to get back to business.
James 15 years ago

Do you hate the Tea Party? Remember the Boston Tea Party? If not for them, you wouldn't be here being a human cockroach, spreading your filth! The Tea Party represents patriotic Americans who are against corruption in our government... you know, the lie upon lie upon lie .. stuff that Obama does? You know, the crisis after crisis Obama preaches about, and blames Bush for, then spends boatloads of taxpayer dollars and claims to fix (like Al Gore invented the internet) .. but somehow, his fixes don't translate into any positive changes, like all the jobs he promised he would create, then he just switches and he blames that on Bush .. Obama is a dismal failure, our country is being gutted by this phoney and cockroaches like you are spewing forth your filth because patriotic Americans are angry, organizing and vocal .. you fear the Tea Party, and you should, but not because they are evil, because you are evil and they are gonna getcha at the polls, and then they're going to eradicate all the entitlements and permissive garbage that you revel in!!

That's Tea Party, a clean representation of patriotic Americans, NOT tea baggers, which I believe represents filthy acts that are spawned in the minds of vermin like you and your favorite representatives like Barney Frank!!
1. matthew terhune 15 years ago
  
  You have Sarah Palin as a spokeswoman. You really think she is the honest politician who will protect your rights. No politician gives a damn about you. Self Reliance. Learn it.
  1. Colin 15 years ago
    
    You have Sarah Palin as a spokeswoman.
    
    Says who? You won't find one positive post about Palin on this site. But, of course, you wouldn't want the truth get in the way of your lie.
    1. St. V 15 years ago
      
      I'd bone her. That's a positive.
      1. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
        
        I don't think you would, actually. It's awfully difficult to bone a woman after she's blown your nuts off with a shotgun.
        
        Tiger Woods 15 years ago
        
        Some guys are into that. I prefer gold clubs though.
  2. The Chad 15 years ago
    
    A troll telling Reason commenters about self reliance. Is it too much to ask that we get trolls who actually know who they're talking to?
  3. ap 15 years ago
    
    glad to see the picture business is working out for you...
  4. The Libertarian Guy 15 years ago
    
    "No politician gives a damn about you."
    
    Odd, coming from an obvious Obama supporter...
2. Rabbit Scribe 15 years ago
  
  That word, "entitlements" - I do not think it means what you think it means.
3. OH no not this again 15 years ago
  
  James @ 227,
  
  I point to this as bsais for the Tea Baggers being racist, ah forget it, just this guy. He might me racist. If not, i wonder if he's the type that still blames Clinton for all our woes going on 2 decades later.
4. Dave Raach 15 years ago
  
  It seems that the tea party is being opted by the Republican party as a means to float extreme ideas without taking any backlash that may come their way. No intelligent/sane person could want Sarah Palin to run this country. Is she using the tea party to see what ideas may viable for the Republicans to use in the next election? She is better to look at and can stir citizens up fairly well. Are they letting her put out radical concepts just so they can dismiss her if there is derision to these ideas?
Mel 15 years ago

"as actress Janeane Garofalo recently told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann . . ."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Mr. Moynihan, how do you define "recently"? The most "recent" visit to Countdown that I could find for Garofalo was over a year ago, and you make it sound like it was last week.
ed 15 years ago

The Tea Party are those bland working-people who have somehow managed to hold a job over the years and buy a house and go to church and raise some miniature humans to adulthood and who probably believe in a Christian God and all His Goodness and who can't wait till the NFL starts again but Major League Baseball is pretty good too, who think they are paying too many taxes but agree, philosophically, with the idea of Social Security and Medicare and National Defense, and who have never read Hayek or Mises or Rand but who feel, deep down in their anti-intellectual souls, that Something Is Wrong with America. And they are right. But they don't know why. So they probably aren't dangerous. Probably.
1. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
  
  People in golf carts can be very dangerous, if they can catch you.
Bill 15 years ago

Being accused of racism isn't just a malicious ad hominem but also could be grounds for termination. The rhetoric from the anti-teaparty folk is getting strong enough to make a frivolous HR action against an teapartying employee (on their own time of course) a realistic scenario.

What a lawsuit that'll make.
WTF 15 years ago

Leonard Pitts explained a few days ago that yes indeed, the Tea Party is just a mob of racists and bigots.
1. J.T. 15 years ago
  
  >>>Some even faxed the McClatchy news bureau in Washington to suggest, without offering a shred of evidence, that the episode was sparked by Democratic plants within the crowd.
  
  Interestingly enough, they have the exact same amount of evidence for that that anyone has for them using racial slurs.
Libertymike 15 years ago

You mean the negro racist, Leonard Pitts?
Libertymike 15 years ago

If one is black and one voted for Obama, is there a chance that one did not consider race in casting her ballot?

IMO, a much higher percentage of blacks were motivated by race than whites in casting their 2008 presidential ballots.
1. an aggressive three 15 years ago
  
  i wrote-in Ron Paul not because of his race but because he loves looking at pussy.
  
  and, really, who can't support a man like that?
  1. donner 15 years ago
    
    Which makes you, and him, a mysogynist, but then you had already considered that, and said "fuck it".
    1. gloria 15 years ago
      
      A mysogynist, really? Would that make a woman who enjoyed looking at male tackle a misandrist?
      1. CTObserver 15 years ago
        
        I think the term is "misanthropist".
      2. Bob H 15 years ago
        
        I believe the current PC term would be Msandrist
    2. FromPartsUnknown 15 years ago
      
      Ron Paul looks at pussy all day because he's an Ob/Gyn. The man delivers babies for a living, learn to laugh.
Colin 15 years ago

These attacks on the tea parties isn't much different than the attacks by conservatives on the antiwar people. They called them traitors and antisemites.

If only each side could see their own hypocrisy.
Andrew 15 years ago

Don't like 80% of teabaggers still think Obama is muslim and not American.
1. rac 15 years ago
  
  The two are not mutually exclusive. he could be a muslim, but still be an American. Or he could be a Kenyan, but not be a muslim. But you don't have to call him Mr. Johnson.
2. Ken 15 years ago
  
  No.
3. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
  
  I don't know, but there's one who thinks you're an ignorant jackass.
  
  Just sayin...
Andrew 15 years ago

"In short, no matter how one slices the data, the Tea Party crowd appears to believe that federal taxes are very considerably higher than they actually are, whether referring to total taxes as a share of GDP or in terms of the taxes paid by a typical family.

Tea Partyers also seem to have a very distorted view of the direction of federal taxes. They were asked whether they are higher, lower or the same as when Barack Obama was inaugurated last year. More than two-thirds thought that taxes are higher today, and only 4% thought they were lower; the rest said they are the same."

Maybe the fact that they're morons makes it seem like they are racist?
James 15 years ago

Most of the tea party people are far from racist...but why does THIS particular movement ATTRACT racists? I think it's a fair question. For example, the "Witch Doctor" signs, and the signs in Tennessee which claimed that Obama was a Muslim because he removed his shoes in the Oval Office. Go to youtube and see the chanting and the signs yourself. Its not that the movement is racist...but that this movement attracts racists for SOME reason. Why be scared to discuss it?
1. James 15 years ago
  
  Tea Partiers: Obama's a Muslim because he takes his shoes off
  
  By Sahil Kapur
  Monday, April 5th, 2010 -- 10:14 am
  
  President Obama's most vigorous opponents have gone to great lengths to paint him as a Muslim, despite all evidence to the contrary. At a recent event, a Tea Party organizer pushed those limits even further.
  
  "In the yellow cinder-block meeting room of the Munford, TN, municipal building, the Tipton County Tea Party convened on a recent evening to raise money for billboards, organize a tax day protest and encourage attendance at a state convention planned for Gatlinburg at the end of May," the Washington Post reported in a recent feature story.
  
  The 40-person-large gathering was treated by organizer Vince DiCello to jokes about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and encouraged to raise money to help swing the November elections against Democrats.
  
  DiCello then circulated a photograph that showed Obama with his shoes off, which WaPo reported that he deemed "evidence that the president prays with Muslims but not Christians."
  
  READ MORE HERE: http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/04.....lim-shoes/
  1. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
    
    Sahil Kapur backwards is Rupak Lihas.
    
    Fucking IRA, causing trouble again.
James 15 years ago

As for whether they are actually non-partisan freedom fighters or just Republican party hacks, where were these protests when Bush increased government spending 5 fold, increased federal Department of Education spending, ran deficits, supported protectionism on steel and softwood lumber, etc.?

And the obvious question? If they aren't just a Republican movement, why are Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann their guest speakers? In California, why are they holding a rally where all the speakers are local Republican candidates and Tom Del Becarro (vice chairman, California Republican Party)?

Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining!
1. alan 15 years ago
  
  As for whether they are actually non-partisan freedom fighters or just Republican party hacks, where were these protests when Bush increased government spending 5 fold, increased federal Department of Education spending, ran deficits, supported protectionism on steel and softwood lumber, etc.?
  
  Look up Ron Paul 2008 Tea Party Money bomb so you can avoid making an ass out of yourself in the future. When you leave the confines of the Kos, you can't just pick up the faulty bull horns of the echo chamber you are use to and expect them to work. Our echo chamber has sound proofing.
2. deet 15 years ago
  
  "As for whether they are actually non-partisan freedom fighters or just Republican party hacks, where were these protests when Bush increased government spending 5 fold, increased federal Department of Education spending, ran deficits, supported protectionism on steel and softwood lumber, etc.?"
  
  Well, it's certainly not our fault that you've chosen to ignore everything many of us have stated about the GOP, Bush, and everything else over the last eight years.
  
  But please feel free to check out Porkbusters.org, Reason.com, and The Instapundit archives if you feel you need some sort of proof.
  
  If you don't want to, then STFU and go concern troll elsewhere.
  1. James 15 years ago
    
    What foes "Reason" have to do with the Tea Party?
3. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
  
  Ok, I'll just pee on your leg. You can call me Obama, if you like.
alan 15 years ago

matthew terhune|5.6.10 @ 2:36PM|#

You have Sarah Palin as a spokeswoman. You really think she is the honest politician who will protect your rights. No politician gives a damn about you. Self Reliance. Learn it.

Holy fuck, you are an entirely new species of stupid.

The number of Sarah Palin supporters here, you ask. Would you like a show of hands, you presumptuous fuckhead?
roguepatriot 15 years ago

So what if they are racists (which I don't believe they are), freedom of speech cannot be limited by offensiveness.

Charles Rangel once called "racist", anyone who wanted tax cuts.

TPers are exercising their 1st Amendment rights.

I love hearing that guy who said with a straight face that the 1st AM is predicated on "responsible speech". That was rich!!!

BTW, Janeane G. ain't looking too good these days.
Nitori Kawashiro 15 years ago

Maybe we should be asking the questions "are tea party protesters smashing windows, burning down building and murdering people" and "will American moonbats quit bitching about the tea party movement for 5 minutes and condemn the psychopathic socialist anti-guvmunt protesters in greec"? Just saying.
1. Nitori Kawashiro 15 years ago
  
  Greec, I don't know what that means. I think I meant Greece.
Marcia 15 years ago

The Tea Partiers are the perpetually deranged, low information rage monsters that make up anywhere from a quarter to about a 3rd of today's voting public. They're the ones who were enraged at Clinton during the boom year 90's for getting a blowjob, and dreamed up black helicopter paranoid fantasies and white house murder conspiracies in the absence of anything substantive to worry about. As soon as someone who looked and sounded like them was elected (an evangelical hick with lots of swagger), they stopped paying attention - they didn't give a shit as long as it was their guy launching an absurd invasion of Iraq, a permanent tax cut during wartime that depleted a budget surplus, and sundry other fuck-ups. They were the 27% that stuck with Bush until the very end (except on immigration reform - that pissed them off). As soon as the Dems took the Exec branch though, they turned the crazy back on - where's the birth certificate!?! He's a Muslim! He's a terrorist! The bail outs are unconstitutional (though not a peep when TARP was enacted by Bush)! Deficits matter (unless promoted by Bush and Cheney)!

These people are the same cranks we've been dealing with since the culture wars began back in the late 60s - they're the resentiment filled assholes who think that the educated, urban, "elites" are looking down on flyover country and trying to take away everything they have, when the reality is that no one really gives a shit about them or their stupid hang-ups, as long as they're not foisted on the rest of us. They really don't have anything worth taking. Innovation, decent jobs, good restaurants, tax revenue, and the arts all for the most part come out of America's big, blue cities.
I don't know what percentage of the Tea Partiers are racist - but they sure are OLD. And that's the silver lining to this movement. It's old, batshit crazy, and limited in terms of growth potential. It will get even more absurd as the senility and resentiment set in deeper. In 10 to 15 years most of these folks will be dead, or too incapacitated to cause that much trouble. In short, we should appreciate these tantrums while they last.

The Tea Partiers make for good TV, and even though I don't agree with their politics, it's fun as shit watching their bad decisions come back to bite them in the ass, over and over again (their goofball signs and "protests" are a hoot too - as good if not better than the WTC nutters and 9/11 truthers). And it's true - take a look at any Tea Party, conservative majority community and I guarantee you it's hurting more than urban, blue, "elite" America. When Bush had his brilliant plan to invade Iraq, the idiots who would later be "real American, Sarah Palin, Tea Party Patriots" are the dumbasses who signed on for it. During Bush's campaign of "patriotism via shopping" and its related home buying binge, it was largely the Tea Party types who tried to "get theirs" in exurban shithole McMansions in greater Phoenix, Las Vegas, outer LA, and FL who wound up woefully underwater with destroyed credit. The financial meltdown, which was in part facilitated by inattention to financial regulation due to a political allegiance to big business and free markets, wiped their meagre 401Ks out, not ours. Drill Here, Drill Now? A huge ass oil slick heading for coastal Louisiana and Mississippi. Alternative energy and mass transit are for fags, you say? Can't wait for the price of gas to skyrocket. It'll be really, really rich watching those suburban bubbas making cuts and exercising some personal fiscal discipline to try to get to work in the near future. Maybe the Tea Partiers can print up some of those "Drill Here, Drill Now" bumper stickers like they did the last time prices spiked. As far as their fixation on legislating morality goes, that's pretty fun to watch too, but maybe they need that kind of thing and it actually does help them out - my understanding is that most of the really vocal same sex marriage opponents are closet cases, and that conservative rural and suburban America has more issues with divorce, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse than communities like Westchester and Marin, or any urban environ. The bottom line though is that If by some fluke the Tea Partiers are able to elect Palin or someone similar, I say bring it. More good TV, and trust me - folks in my neighborhood won't be the ones who get hosed or have to pay for whatever idiotic decisions she makes. My guess is those god fearing, good and decent patriotic Tea Partiers will eat their cat food and forgo heat with glee, as long as they know Saint Sarah was involved with social security or medicare going tits up.

Anyway, I don't think the Tea Partiers are racist or dangerous. They're just angry and stupid. They always have been, and they always will be. As they move ever closer towards the big nothing, they'll probably ratchet up the noise level - they want and need the attention. I guess they need the validation. Maybe it comes from a life of being unpopular and unloved, and the growing knowledge that they've led meaningful, small, unsatisfied lives. Who knows? They've always been a bunch of authoritarian killjoy assholes, and they always will be. They lost the culture war, got cut out of the race for riches, and all they have left is their guns, religion, and resentment. Fortunately they're old and feeble, unlike their brother and sister rage monsters on the other side of the pond (various shades of Taliban). When they were younger and more vital they could pull off a McVeigh, Waco, or Ruby RIdge - but now all they have are these ridiculous Oath Keepers and Hutaree types. And Ken Star has been replaced by Orly Taitz. Like I said, it's good TV, funny stuff. Nothing to worry about. Temporary stuff - enjoy it while it lasts!
1. donner 15 years ago
  
  Oh my! And you'll apologize when they vote your sorry ass to oblivion in November?
2. tenletters 15 years ago
  
  And that folks, is a hissy fit.
  1. Chris 15 years ago
    
    Seriously....me thinks the lefties are getting a bit nervous about November
3. alan 15 years ago
  
  You really thank anyone is going to read through that? I would not even try that, and I'm funny.*
  
  *funny looking.
  1. alan 15 years ago
    
    You really thank anyone is going to read through that?
    
    Stupid homophones.
    
    I meant --
    
    Are you going to thank anyone who reads through that because you should.
  2. Nitori Kawashiro 15 years ago
    
    Here's the gist of it: "The Tea Partiers are the perpetually deranged, low information rage monsters". Marcia has been very merciful in laying out the premise of the 1017 word rant in the first sentence so we don't have read beyond it.
    1. iamtheeviltwin 15 years ago
      
      Yeah, my mind started to wander after finishing that sentence. The rest of the rant quickly started to sound like blah, blah, blah...
    2. alan 15 years ago
      
      Thanks Nitori for putting yourself through that so that I don't have to.
4. J.T. 15 years ago
  
  >Waco, or Ruby RIdge
  I believe it was the FBI who did Waco and Ruby Ridge, not future Tea Partiers.
5. J.T. 15 years ago
  
  >Waco, or Ruby RIdge
  I believe it was the FBI who did Waco and Ruby Ridge, not future Tea Partiers.
6. OH no not this again 15 years ago
  
  You hit a few nails on the head, and the direct comments are typical as usual.
  
  Freedom equals usury, unemployment, depressed wages, freedom of association for corporations/pro market people only, bullying and threats for those who dare say otherwise. Need proof look south of the border, and wonder why Mexicans are desperate to come here.
  1. Drax the Destroyer 15 years ago
    
    Oh you mother fucker.
    
    "Freedom equals usury?"
    
    Bullshit. If you are being forced against your will to do something, your rights are violated. If you fucked up in life and ended up working at McDonalds, you have no one to blame but yourself.
    
    "?unemployment?"
    
    Bullshit. Minimum Wage doesn't help that problem. Neither does taxing the shit out of people who actually make something in this country.
    
    "?depressed wages?"
    
    Bullshit. Well, then, let's raise the minimum wage to 1000 bucks an hour. That will solve all our problems. The minimum wage is bullshit that just increases unemployment, creates a black market sector for labor, and limits the amount of people that can be hired while increasing the barriers for entry into the marketplace.
    
    "?freedom of association for corporations/pro market people only?"
    
    Bullshit. You are a fucking dumb piece of shit if you think this represents your opponents. If people want to live in a commune, share their wealth and labor, they are free to do so AS LONG AS NO ONE IS FORCED. My uncle once lived in commune, but since he was a doctor most of his wages were given away to leaches from the city who integrated only so they could get a free car and some cash. He doesn't live in a commune any more, but no one forced him to in the first place. If people want to unionize they should, but they should not use force or the implicit force of the government to keep out/conscript people who don't want to unionize.
    
    "?bullying and threats for those who dare say otherwise?"
    
    Bullshit. Violence and threats of violence are and should be illegal/punished. If people could protect themselves, they might be less likely to be harassed. If a corporation threatens or injures someone they are committing a crime, plain and simple. Maybe if fools like you didn't let those fucks take over the government via lobbying by giving them all sorts bonuses and competitive advantages, they wouldn't be as hard to prosecute. Ultimately, the only way to maybe control this completely is a with a total horrific police state that checks everyone's asshole on a 3 hour basis. Then again, I bet you would like that.
    
    "Need proof look south of the border, and wonder why Mexicans are desperate to come here."
    
    Bullshit. Maybe if their piece of shit government didn't have draconian drug laws on the books and maybe if they didn't take their marching orders in the War on Drugs from the piece of shit U.S. government, there would be less of all of that horrific crap you think is caused by what you hate.
    
    Go to hell you would-be slaver. You can say hi to all the true racists down there (many of them progressives who believed Eugenics).
7. Thomas 15 years ago
  
  You cast millions all in the same light. That in itself invalidates all your mean-spirited opinions. Since 40% od Tea Partiers are for Ron Paul and 30% Sarah Palin, how can you stereotype people you no doubt never took the time to engage? By the way, many in the Tea Party were going nuts about TARP and will tell you McCain would have been worse for the country since none of the Rep. crowd would have joined. TARP was the greatest sin of all. Reagan is to blame for bailing out Chrysler. Reagan is to blame for the trend towards huge deficit. Bush and Obama are to blame for ensuring nothing but pain for our children. Congress has the 2nd most to answer for. The Fed is at the heart of the problem.
  
  Ron Paul 2012
  
  En
  1. CTObserver 15 years ago
    
    >Reagan is to blame for bailing out Chrysler.
    
    Umm, I assume you mean the first Chrysler bailout? If memory serves, that was authorized by a Congressional act of 1979, and signed by Jimmy Carter in January 1980. What's the Reagan link?
8. Just a Kid 15 years ago
  
  Ever heard of stereotyping?
9. fish 15 years ago
  
  Marcia, Marcia Marcia......
  
  We have been saving that rant up for a while now haven't we? It probably doesn't matter what happens in the next election, or if the Tea partiers have any impact at all in November. Actually, I hope they don't so that you, the dems and their empty headed government fellators can wear this failure for the next hundred years!
  1. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
    
    Damn you beat me to it.
10. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
  
  Marcia, Marcia, Maria!
11. Bubril 15 years ago
  
  Good Lord, what is wrong with you?
12. R 15 years ago
  
  When they were younger and more vital they could pull off a McVeigh, Waco, or Ruby RIdge -
  
  I could address several points in that rant, but I'll just note that the fact that you're grouping in the OKC bombings with the other two incidents shows you're not too well-informed.
Dr. K 15 years ago

The tea party people are the only ones trying to put the brakes on this run away socialist freight train that is Obama,Pelosi, Reid.

Actually physically working towards the limited government the high minded people at Reason allegedly pine for.

And for now it seems they are making an impact. So much so Team Obama and their media lapdogs have had to pull the race card.

Stop looking down your noses at them and at least temporarily help them get America back to a divided government. At least that way for a little while perhaps nothing in DC will get done.

Come on down off the high horse and wade amongst the pig slop for a while.

Unless of course the Libertarian party is poised to oust them all.
1. OH no not this again 15 years ago
  
  Socialist freight train? What a crock, i think someone is counting their chickens before they're hatched.
  1. Dr. K 15 years ago
    
    Obamacare wasn't hatched.
    Government Motors wasn't hatched.
    
    Shovel ready jobs wasn't hatched?
    
    Cap n Trade isn't in the oven?
    
    Would type more but my Obama approved light bulb just went out.
    1. Tony 15 years ago
      
      You people have developed a wonderful self-reinforcing system. Everything Obama does is bad, and it's bad because Obama did it.
      1. Ken 15 years ago
        
        Like the anti-Bush crowd?
        
        Obama has continued nearly every major anti-terror policy of Bush that the left went crazy over, but now that Obama is doing it it's okay? Tony you're comment is priceless.
        
        Tony 15 years ago
        
        Well Dr. K didn't mention any of that. He mentioned the policy changes Obama campaigned on and a couple emergency measures no sane president would have neglected to do if he wanted to keep his head.
        
        I don't get why we're supposed to vomit with disgust because Obama passed healthcare and is working on energy. Those are the things he was supposed to do. If you don't like it then try not being in a party that's batshit insane that nobody wants to vote for.
        
        Ken 15 years ago
        
        "Those are the things he was supposed to do."
        
        Wrong. The constitution limits the federal government to thirty some powers, none of which talk about healthcare or a national energy policy. In fact, in the ninth and tenth amendments the constitution explicitly denies the federal government any power NOT in the constitution. No later amendment overides either one of them. If you find any reference in the constitution to healthcare or energy let me know.
        
        So again Tony you don't have any idea what you're talking about. In anticipation of the stupid line "Bush did it", we aren't talking about Bush. Just because some president ignores constitutional limits doesn't mean it's all right for the rest of them. Also, many of the people ragging on Obama for shredding the constitution ragged on Bush.
        
        Tony 15 years ago
        
        If obamacare is unconstitutional then someone will initiate litigation and it will be declared so. I wouldn't bet on it though.
        
        Just say you don't like the policy, stop pretending like you possess the ultimate wisdom of what's constitutional and what's not. Because centuries of precedent disagree with you. Obama was elected after having campaigning on healthcare and energy reform, among other things. If you didn't realize it then you should have paid more attention.
        
        Even if you're right that almost nothing Congress does is constitutional, then we need a better system, because letting health costs as a percentage of GDP spiral out of control and letting the planet continue to warm are not good things, and if our federal government is as impotent as you claim it is, then we need a new system. Luckily your fringe interpretation of the world isn't reflective of reality.
        
        Ken 15 years ago
        
        "Just say you don't like the policy, stop pretending like you possess the ultimate wisdom of what's constitutional and what's not."
        
        I don't like the policy. For a number of reason, only one of which is that it's unconstitutional. I oppose it mainly because it is a wealth transfer from taxpayers to insurance companies that will be guaranteed a profit regardless of the level of service.
        
        And I know that this policy is unconstitutional. You know why? Because I can speak and read English. Because the constitution is one of the most clearly written documents in the English language. It clearly states what the US federal government can and cannot do.
        
        You clearly speak and read English. Cite the section or sections of the constitution that authorize the federal government to pass Obamacare.
      2. Dr. K 15 years ago
        
        "You people"????
        
        and thank you Ken. Obama has taken Bush war policies and expanded them. He's taken Bush's socialist policies and fiscal excesses and grown them exponentially so if you were grumbling under Bush you should be absolutely out of your mind over Obama.
        
        Of course that's a racist thing to say.
        
        "You people" have told us that.
      3. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
        
        Yeah, and dogs like dog food. What's your point?
Marcia 15 years ago

I'm not a politician, and I don't have a govt. job - votes one way or the other won't really have an effect on me. Truth be told I'll probably do better financially under the GOP than under the Dems, even though my house rep and district are as blue as blue can be with no chance of changing. It was an inconvenience under Bush for me mainly because I travel overseas quite a bit, and more then once I had to defend being an American (easy enough, just trash Bush!). If the Dem majority gets tossed in the midterms, or 2012, it won't really effect me. But I really do believe that people in the middle, and the tea party types, are going to be the ones who get royally fucked if the Tea Party agenda goes through. In the long run I might have to get a legal landscaper, but I'll get a tax cut and will be able to count on a bigger cut of an estate inheritance. I'm serious about the Tea Party folks being good TV - it's like god has cursed them or something, and they have a really impressive track record when it comes to being wrong about policy outcomes (war in Iraq, off shore drilling, financial dereg, tax cuts will generate more govt. revenue, etc). They're the same deadenders who fight against legalized weed, amnesty for illegals, same sex marriage, and a national health care program. 40 years ago they were protesting racial equality - always the losers!

If they win electorally in this case, I win financially and they'll likely lose even more than they've already lost (either in another useless war, more financial turmoil, or some other disaster that they wind up paying for) - which provides humor value to me. Either way I win. It's just funny watching the rage monsters. The schadenfreude that came with the 2006 midterm victories, Obama's victory in 2008, passage of ARRA and healthcare reform, an economy that's improving, and the oil rig disaster are cool and all, but conservative failure is enriching on its own too. I know I'm a mean and spiteful cunt, but it was genuinely nice seeing America founder in Iraq, watching the economy meltdown under Bush, watching Palin on the campaign trail, and listening to Bush butcher the language. So many rich "I told you so" moments.

Honestly it's hard to tell when I'm happier - watching progressive Democrats succeed at governance, or watching the conservative GOP fail. Bottom line though is that I won't be carrying a misspelt sign around with a bunch of angry prunes, because I've taken care of my shit and am doing fine.
1. Dr. K 15 years ago
  
  You call what America has now successful Progressive governance? Now that's funny (in a spiteful cunt kind of way)
  
  Holding up ARRA and Obamacare as shining examples of the Libertarian positions Obama holds.
  
  Obama domestic policy. "Let's be more like Greece"
  
  Obama foreign policy. "America sucks and I'm sorry. BTW Seen my new X-Box game Drone Wars"
  
  Obama national security policy. "Hope their bombs don't work"
  
  Obama leadership policy "It's somebody else's fault. And if there is nobody else it's Bush's fault"
  
  The Tea Party is a golden opportunity for Libertarians to make progress. There is a clamoring for fiscal government restraint that crosses all party lines. That should be priority one. Secondly there is a growing feeling that government has gotten to intrusive. Once the brakes have been at least applied to the spending then the opportunity to broach topics that are on the social side of the equation will arise.
  
  Atlas Shrugged is a top seller. People are educating themselves. There is an awakening. Libertarians should be out there running for office or educating those that are not sneering at the dumb masses from on high.
  1. Tony 15 years ago
    
    Atlas Shrugged is a top seller. People are educating themselves.
    
    These things do not go together.
    1. Dr. K 15 years ago
      
      You prefer Mein Kompf?
      1. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
        
        No, he likes Hillary's autobiography. A classic, full of wisdom, as they say.
      2. Tony 15 years ago
        
        You're truly a moron.
Marcia 15 years ago

Pig slop indeed! I went to a tea party on April the 15th. I live within walking distance of my state's capital dome, and it was funny how many of the Tea Partiers drove for more than an hour to get there. I observed the same phenomenon at a health care town hall earlier in the year - a bunch of redneck hicks driving into MY congressional district to protest MY house rep. I understand they can't afford to live around these parts, but they get to vote for redneck representatives that reflect their community's values - why do they need to muck up our community by coming to our political events?

Eventually my hope is that blue, urban America will cut off the gravy train, and let the rednecks and hicks fight for scraps out in the boonies. It's a fact that rural America lives off of the teat of progressive America - and yet they bitch and moan about big govt.
1. pat_mawiener 15 years ago
  
  I saw you there!! You pasty, scrawny assed, vegan wrecked twatess! I was the one that keyed your fucking Volvo.
2. Marcia's Therapist 15 years ago
  
  Man, I really need to double up on this bitches meds. 1000mg of lithium, stat!
  1. Kpres 15 years ago
    
    HAHA!
3. J.T. 15 years ago
  
  >>Eventually my hope is that blue, urban America will cut off the gravy train, and let the rednecks and hicks fight for scraps out in the boonies. It's a fact that rural America lives off of the teat of progressive America - and yet they bitch and moan about big govt.
  
  Actually, my red district in my red state is doing quite well, thank you. And unlike virtually every blue state in America, our economy is actually growing. Where are all the manufacturing jobs going? Down South.
4. Ken 15 years ago
  
  Is that why Texas is in a better fiscal than CA and NY, with a better infrastructure, better education system, and is barely being affected by the recession? Those rednecks down in Texas are doing a hell of alot better than you pretentious lefties on either coast. CA and NY will collapse without sucking of the teats of states like that redneck Texas.
5. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
  
  You're not one of those "lobbyists," are you? wink wink
6. Peetsker 15 years ago
  
  yeah, I'll tell my southern red-state employees that the jobs and medical insurance I'm providing them are really just me sucking the teat of some puffed up progressive bitch that says I have too much money and therefore should fire them, liquidate my business, and send all my remaining money to the government for them to divide up and send to some fat-ass lobbyist whiner trying to save a poor rat's ass in the desert of some state that is over run with desert rats and 25 year olds on disability because they've been told they're skitzo by some whining liberal doctor who got his degree in Barbados.
  1. Ken 15 years ago
    
    I'm willing to bet money there are more people, as a percentage of the population, there are more people on welfare in deep blue states than in deep red states. So Peet, let me know when you find this information and share it with everyone here.
    1. Peetsker 15 years ago
      
      Look for it yourself
7. RockLibertyWarrior 15 years ago
  
  I actually wish what Martha said, I'd be more than happy to cut myself loose from their police state, PC, progressive bull shit. What will happen is nobody will be fighting for scraps in the so called "red" areas because businesses will flow to the areas where there is the most freedom and progressive "blue" areas will choke just like their doing now. Marcia fucking explain to me Cali and Oregon. Why do they both suck economically and Texas a red more economically free state is doing better? Because she can't, when the red sector does better what will the progressive blues do? Probably send in the military to "nation build" like good ole Wilson and Bush did!
Lizard 15 years ago

Victoria Principal was always pretty annoying in the 80's when she was on Lorne Green's Saturday Night Veriety show, and now that she's a shrill voice in the New Right Guard appearing on Foxy Boxing every now and then, I get taken back to the days when Ecstacy was still called MDMA.
Lizard 15 years ago

LOLZ@Marcia:

"I understand they can't afford to live around these parts..."

ELITIST!!!!

LOLZ......
Marcia 15 years ago

To be true - we have our share of poors (a lot actually), but they're black. At least they're not giant pussies though - they actually do something with their weaponry from time to time, instead of clutching and showing it off, and just talking big. When they get pissed, woe be the man who's in their path. If you piss a Tea Partier off, you might get spittled on, but that's about it. They actually serve a purpose - they scare the redneck hicks away, and keep the squares from moving intown. Ghetto denizens are god's protection against Applebees. It'll be interesting to see if the skyrocketing gas prices of the near future are enough to push the Tea Party types over the moat.
1. Dr. K 15 years ago
  
  Blacks actually "serve a purpose"?
  
  And it's the tea partiers that are racist?
2. J.T. 15 years ago
  
  You're just kind of a cunt aren't you?
3. deet 15 years ago
  
  Yeah, there's nothing like stoking racial tensions between poor blacks and poor whites in order to keep them busy and away from your neighborhood.
  
  Man, I fucking despise elitist progressive scum like Marcia...
4. Peetsker 15 years ago
  
  good god, do you even know what you're saying??? Jesus christ, what bullshit!
5. Bubril 15 years ago
  
  Marcia, again: What is wrong with you?
Marcia 15 years ago

That sounded bad, I misspoke. I meant that there is a symbiotic relationship between wealthy white urbanists and poor black urbanists. We generate money for programs and uplift, while they provide urban character and protection against the squares. We serve a purpose too - as far as they are concerned. We are both opposed to white squares. It is a symbiotic relationship not unlike that between those two alien species on the planet of Naboo, in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (the best episode of the series, by far).
1. Dr. K 15 years ago
  
  You elitists misspeak a lot. But at least your protest signs have no misspelled words and are grammatically correct.
  
  I get what your saying. Margaret Sanger had similar views to yours. "We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population," she said, "if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members."
  
  Just replace Negro with Tea Bagger.
  
  Because the Negros...well, they serve a "purpose". Especially the light skinned, clean and articulate ones.
2. alan 15 years ago
  
  We are both opposed to white squares. It is a symbiotic relationship not unlike that between those two alien species on the planet of Naboo, in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (the best episode of the series, by far).
  reply to this
  
  By chance, did you come across this --
  
  http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2.....k-machine/
  
  in your readings today?
  
  Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate ? what's the difference?
3. Timon19 15 years ago
  
  Exactly what does "urban character" mean?
4. Douglas Fletcher 15 years ago
  
  God, that's weird. Do your eyes glow in the dark?
5. Esoteric 15 years ago
  
  If it wasn't already obvious, the Star Wars Episode I reference awkwardly shoehorned into this post should have made it clear THAT THIS IS COMPLETE TROLLERY.
  
  Pretty well done stuff too. I would have preferred the author not escalate from post to post, and kept it going longer.
Ender Wiggin 15 years ago

I have a proposal, let's make every day don't feed the trolls day.
1. Just a Kid 15 years ago
  
  I work Tuesdays and Fridays, will that work?
2. alan 15 years ago
  
  Get off my lawn, Wiggin! Really, that trail from the novel you and your sister are walking has a decent chance of being land owned by me. So off! Off, I say, you little fascist.
3. Peetsker 15 years ago
  
  kinda difficult to tell who the trolls are sometimes
carmachu 15 years ago

The tea party isnt struggling to overcome rcaists accusastions. The press and Dems are desperate to paint them as such.
Dave 15 years ago

Marcia, did Daily Kos kick you out for making them look even more like a lefty stereotype? Noone cares about your Trust Fund Limosuine Liberal thoughts and values.
Jared 15 years ago

I'm sure they're no more racist then any other political group in the country, but I do find it funny that the lone compliment I heard about Obama from these guys is "He's SO well spoken!"
csteeljewelry 15 years ago

Stainless steel jewelry
youtube 15 years ago

I'm sure they're no more racist then any other political group in the country, but I do find it funny that the lone compliment I heard about Obama from these guys is "He's SO well spoken!"
Abject Conformity 15 years ago

Ok, I am racist. I'm a white, lower-middle class man that likes to have my cock sucked by a white woman who has beautiful silky smooth hair. I believe a white man in a Versace suit and tie with a full set of teeth is superior to a bitchy black woman on drugs fighting on a subway bus any day.

Let it sink in for a second....

Now try to form an opinion about the issues that have been presented below.

-Excessive taxation on private companies.
-"The Nanny State"
-State Protectionism
-Regulation of individual and private decisions
-The war on drugs, and the police state
-Hysterical Political Correctness and language control
-The war on entrepreneurs
-Excessive surveillance, and invasion of privacy
-Driving American companies out of America
-An increasing unemployment rate, and a skyrocketing cost of living.

The list goes on...

I bet after reading some of these talking points, and actually thinking about the real concerns that affect the entire nation...you probably weren't thinking about me being a racist.

Stick to the issues.
D-man 15 years ago

You liberal brain dead robots really need to read Alinsky and understand that the easiest way to marginalize a perceived threat is to cry racist.By the way ,according to ex-KGB Yuri Bezmenov, once a country embraces the leash of socialism ,then the shock collar of communism is easily slid around their neck,aided by academia,the media,and the bureaucrats.
Peetsker 15 years ago

I'm not racist. I hate his white half too. Fucking bastard.
Seth 15 years ago

In general, in America, we don't appreciate anyone who expresses an actual political opinion. We're supposed to spend our lives buying useless crap, dig ourselves into debt, talk incessantly on the cellphone, but to actually protest on the streets, that's considered un-American, whether on the Right or Left. It's sad.

----

These attacks on the tea parties isn't much different than the attacks by conservatives on the antiwar people. They called them traitors and antisemites.

If only each side could see their own hypocrisy.
1. Stewart 15 years ago
  
  The tea partiers are not "conservatives." Their consensus is that they want some degree of fiscal responsibility.
jdcarmine 15 years ago

I am a tenured philosophy professor of nearly 30 years. I am a tea party advocate. This is fundamentally a group of a-political people who have had more than they can stand of so many years of fraud and lying in the name of political correctness. That's it. The raving lunatic hatred of Anita Hill and her entourage marked the beginning of the tea party. I am waiting for a few more Democrats to join the tea party movement. As one of my liberal students recently told me in confidence: "Yeh, it's time for the Democrats to grow some tea bags too!"
Brett 15 years ago

The democrats have been screaming racism for years, this is nothing new. Without energizing minorities, democrats could never come close to winning a national election. BTW, a majority of americans love the arizona law. See all polls released on it.
lausyone 15 years ago

Being a creationist, I can sometimes see the possibility of a decendance from apes which manifests itself in Liberals.Most of the comments entered here by Leftists are crude,ignorant,childish,and bigoted. I see this sort of thing anytime an issue gets emotional for them. No logic or common sense is applied by them and leads one to believe it doesn't exist in them. Grow up, Lib's!
bonncaruso 15 years ago

Three things:

Not all tea party-ers are racists, but there are enough racists among their ranks to spoil it all for their movement, which is not grassroots, but rather, astroturf.

The Tea Party does not know how to handle this problem as it is such a loose collection of individuals astroturfed together by CNBC and FOX but lacking in identifiable leadership out in the field.

The Tea Party is either wildly inconsistent or it doesn't know what it believes.

It claims to be against higher taxes, yet it rails on Obama for having pushed a tax cut through.

It rails against government intrusion into our lives, but says not a word of protest over this abomination of a law that just came out of Arizona. Apparently, the rights of hispanics are not nearly as important as the rights of "real americans".

The Tea Party screams from the rooftops about Health Care Reform, but at the same time it clutches to Medicare/Medicaid and social security as if they were magic potions. Just nuts!!!

Facit: the Tea Party is mad, hoppin mad. Only it is not really sure what it is mad about, and since it really has no idea what the hell it is mad about, it runs about like a chicken with it's head cut off, screaming "socialism, socialism" and some such crap.

That's it in a nutshell.

And there ARE racists in the Tea Party, many more than Monyihan wants to admit.
1. Ster 15 years ago
  
  Wow. You are SO mistaken!
  
  The Tea Party is all kinds of people, a BIG tent. They don't all agree on everything.
  
  They DID NOT rail on Obama for the tax cut. They did say it was tiny, and basically meaningless... also, it was just an adjustment in withholding.
  
  They agree that Soc. Sec. & Medicare will go bankrupt and ALSO need reform.
  
  The Tea Party was NOT astroturfed, like the Obama rallies were, and the unions bussing in supporters were. THAT'S WHY they don't all agree. It is grass roots. You are blind if you cannot see that.
  
  It is the Liberals and Democrats that are racists. I have been called an UNCLE TOM for attending one by an Obama supporter. By the Tea Party people I was called "friend", "sir" and "buddy". By people like you I was called a traitor.
  
  It is YOU that is the racist.
Tim0 15 years ago

I went to a TP rally in Texas - to see what was what with my own eyes. I have never seen such a bunch of racist wahoos all in one place in my life. Now I still would not say that the TP is racist. But if you are a racist which party would you affiliate yourself with? If the TP doesn't want to be painted as racist, then they need to tamp down on these elements. It seems to me that they have done so a little bit, which is why their crowds are shrinking. Now it's just the TPGOP. Big whoop.
1. Ster 15 years ago
  
  So easy to see that you are lying.
  
  Are you a Democrat? Yes? The party of the KKK... the party that has a former KKK member in the Senate? The party that BLOCKED the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
  
  Please, do not lie. We DO NOT see race. You are SO RACIST, it's impossible for you to NOT see race. Yes, that makes YOU the racist.
  
  I am black (half-black) and have been to several TPs.
  
  The only racist thing I was called, was an Uncle Tom... by an OBAMA SUPPORTER.
  
  You lost. It's over. We see through your lies and racism. You think blacks like me should tow your line for you. We should be good little black folk and vote like you think, right? Who's the racist? It ain't the TP people. That's for sure!
2. RockLibertyWarrior 15 years ago
  
  Tim0 more Dim0. I have been to numerous tea parties and not once have I seen racism. In fact some guy with a swastika t-shirt showed up and we all shouted him out of our demonstration. I really think you haven't been to a tea party and like most liberals are lying out your ass.
Right Thinker 15 years ago

Michael: please, please stop whining.
anthony pierulla 15 years ago

Perception is reality and me doth think thou protest too much.
Ster 15 years ago

It is the same Democrats who called MLK names, called them violent and said they would riot... The same people are saying the same things about the Tea Party people.

Dear Tea Party people: Just remember, you're in good company. MLK would understand and be proud.

The Democrats prevented MLK from marching, saying it would be violent. It wasn't. They say the same things about you.

Funny how it's elite Liberals that berated MLK and now berate the Tea Party. Coincidence? I think not!
1. Persecution Tea 15 years ago
  
  We shall overcome
  We shall overcome
  We shall overcome some day
  
  Oh, deep in my heart
  I do believe
  Government will get its hands off my medicare and a fascist Alaskan dingbat will be president... some day
jack carlson 15 years ago

TimO, I suggest you take off your blindfold next time. And, by the way, all the racists I have ever met (quite a few) were Democrats.

We Tea Partiers do have an unfair advantage: we are much smarter than our opponents.
1. Ster 15 years ago
  
  Good one!
  
  It's so sad that people like Tim0 do not see that it's the Democrats that want to keep black people down.
  
  They could no longer enslave them, so they did the next best thing. Welfare. Break up thier families and keep them dependent on govt handouts... essentially, keep them poor, uneducated (inner city schools and no school choice) and dependent on Democrats for handouts... all the while saying it's the man keeping them down. Don't do anything for yourself, we'll give you this or that... just vote for us.
  
  The Democrats have imprisoned my people. It's become SO BAD that illegal immigrant families now make more than black families.
  
  Democrats = Racists
Typical White Person 15 years ago

The surest sign of a true racist is an overwhelming concern with the color of your fellow man's skin. Now lets see.... what sort of semi-americans just can't seem to get over the whole "color" thing?
Ron 15 years ago

If you want to see how racist the Tea Party goers are, just show up to the next Charleston, SC Tea Party in a white robe and a pointy hood and see what happens. Better stock up on oxy clean first though.
Holy Cow 15 years ago

Anyone comparing Bush's spending to Obama's is a fool. Yes, Bush spent too much. But Bush's spending, like Obamacare, was not designed (purposefully or not) to fundamentally change the relationship between the citizen and the State.

Oh, but wait, some mooooron mentioned the Patriot Act. So, brainiac, the Pat Act has been around for a decade. Gimme your best shot, tell me its greatest horror....
Holy Cow 15 years ago

I was kinda clunky: Obamacare is meant to fundamentally change this country.

But oooh, the Med. Prescription Drug plan, the horror, the horror.
Holy Cow 15 years ago

I was kinda clunky: Obamacare is meant to fundamentally change this country.

But oooh, the Med. Prescription Drug plan, the horror, the horror.
CK 15 years ago

Well, you lay down with dogs...expect some fleas.

Everybody has seen the racial overtones at these events. Your little article is not going to change that.

These people have not shown themselves to be a very powerful a the polls thus far.

They are a subset of the GOP. Nothing more, nothing less.
1. jack carlson 15 years ago
  
  CK, you just hang on to that attitude and opinion. We will be TAKING OVER the GOP, in order to save the country. Sadly, we will even be saving your sorry a$$.
RockLibertyWarrior 15 years ago

Name calling i.e. racist, anti American etc. is the last refuge of a scoundrel who can't debate the issue:)
1. Elmer 15 years ago
  
  RockLiberyWarrior - Thank You, You are correct. Anything they can do to avoid talking the issues they will do.
Joe Pachibelle 15 years ago

The Teabag Party represents the fringe of America. To most Americans, President Eisenhower was a decent man and American hero. Not so with the Teabaggers, for whom Ike was a filthy socialist because of his tax policies.
just askin 15 years ago

Andrew|5.6.10 @ 3:20PM|#
Don't like 80% of teabaggers still think Obama is muslim and not American.
------
if they did would that be a racist concept in your opinion?
Joe Pachibelle 15 years ago

The Teabag Party represents the fringe of America. To most Americans, President Eisenhower was a decent man and American hero. Not so with the Teabaggers, for whom Ike was a filthy socialist because of his tax policies.
Joe Pachibelle 15 years ago

The Teabag Party represents the fringe of America. To most Americans, President Eisenhower was a decent man and American hero. Not so with the Teabaggers, for whom Ike was a filthy socialist because of his tax policies.
Joe Pachibelle 15 years ago

The Teabag Party represents the fringe of America. To most Americans, President Eisenhower was a decent man and American hero. Not so with the Teabaggers, for whom Ike was a filthy socialist because of his tax policies.
Joe Pachibelle 15 years ago

The Teabag Party represents the fringe of America. To most Americans, President Eisenhower was a decent man and American hero. Not so with the Teabaggers, for whom Ike was a filthy socialist because of his tax policies.
enlighten me, please 15 years ago

Joe Pachibelle|5.7.10 @ 2:07PM|#
The Teabag Party represents the fringe of America. To most Americans, President Eisenhower was a decent man and American hero. Not so with the Teabaggers, for whom Ike was a filthy socialist because of his tax policies.
-=-==

where is your information that backs that up? has there been such interviews with the teapartiers on IKE?
seems to me their concerns are about THIS present administration and the future of the country.
1. Elmer 15 years ago
  
  Joe Pachibelle|5.7.10 @ 2:07PM|# - has the typical liberal agreement, Allot of Rhetoric but no facts to back it up. The Tea Party is a true grassroots movement of the people in the USA and that scares the Left.
jack carlson 15 years ago

Joe, you need help. I haven't heard anyone even mention Eisenhower, who incidentally would be very welcome today. At least he was a patriot.
Jake Lipton 15 years ago

Joe is right. The Teabaggers need to learn history. Eisenhower raised taxes to pay for his government programs. That is Socialist! Obama cut taxes for 95% of all Americans. Ike and Obama are patriots, but for Teabaggers, Ike is a tax raising Socialist.
1. Elmer 15 years ago
  
  How has Obama cut taxes for 95% of Americans?
  1. Mort 15 years ago
    
    Here's how:
    http://www.politifact.com/trut.....ade-it-so/
    1. Dave 15 years ago
      
      And here's the rebuttal...
      
      http://taxprof.typepad.com/tax.....s-tax.html
Milton T. Verde 15 years ago

To the John Birks Society, Eisenhower was a communist. To the Teabaggers, Obama is a communist. Coincidence?
1. jack carlson 15 years ago
  
  hey Milton, it is "Birch". I think you are the one who needs to study a little history.
  
  And, btw, BHO freely admits that one of his mentors growing up was an avowed Communist.
Red in Denver 15 years ago

What exactly is the definition of racism these days? I thought racism was hatred or dislike of a specific ethnic group for no other reason other than their ethnicity.

How can a movement which contains African-Americans (granted, a small percentage) or a political party whose leader is an African-American be considered racist?

It's obvious (to anyone without their own agenda) that the criticism of Obama/Democrats is based on their policies rather than anyone's ethnicity.

The only reason the 'race card' is played so much is that it fires up the Democratic base.

Shame on those who diminish the term 'racism'/'racist' in this manner.
Greg 15 years ago

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's racist. If it's all white people saying Obama is a commie, unamerican (i.e. black), etc.. and any hispanic, asian or hispanic at their events is as rare as a summer snowstorm, then they are racists. anything else is just used to excuse the inexcusable. anyone who is non-white, be afraid, very afraid of these extremists.
1. Dr. K 15 years ago
  
  Umamerican means black? That's a new one. Where did you get your Tea Party decoder ring. You might want to request a refund.
Greg 15 years ago

REPUBLICANS - WHITE PEOPLE'S PARTY - I THINK THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE FOR THESE TEABAGGERS TOO. AND I MEAN THAT IN THE SENSE IT APPEARS WHEN YOU GOOGLE IT!
Paul Thiel 15 years ago

Republicans, Democrats, Tea Party...it makes no difference. The problem here is the Baby Boomers.

Republicans -> increase spending on the stuff they want, lower taxes on the upper middle class / rich, and borrow the shortfall

Democrates -> increase spending on the stuff they want, eliminate taxes on the poor / middle class, and borrow the shortfall

Tea Party -> Slash spending on everything but Medicare, Social Security, and Defense, lower taxes on everyone, and borrow the rest.

What do all three parties have in common? An entire generation of dumbass Boomers at the helm.

They're just hoping they can keep the party going on until they kick the bucket.

I'm not sure we've ever had a generation rape the next quite like this at any other time in American history.
Phillymiss 15 years ago

I am African American and there was a tea party near my workplace, so out of curiousity I went to see what was going on. I saw one Asian guy and a few black people, but most of the teapartiers were middle-aged and white. I listened to a few boring speeches and left. I was surprised because I expected screaming, shouting, etc., but it was pretty tame. I didn't hear any racial slurs, but then again, this tea party was held in the middle of a large, racially diverse city. Things might have been different if it had been held somewhere in the sticks.

While I wouldn't call myself a tea party supporter, they have the right to peaceably assemble, just like any other group of Americans do. Not long after the tea party, the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) held a rally. This union is largely black, but I didn't hear anyone say they were racist.
FromPartsUnknown 15 years ago

A pianist plays piano, a harpist plays harp, a racist plays race. You're not a racist until you make it part of your performance. Shartpton, Jackson, Farrakhan, etc... are all professional racists because race is how they make their money.

I don't think the Tea Party is racist, I think does not nor does it want to understand it's own anger. It doesn't want the government in the doctors office, but it does want it in a uterus. It wants to make sure no welfare baby goes unborn, but it doesn't want welfare. It wants minimal government in 130 nations, at the phone company tapping your phone and kicking down doors and shooting household pets because some guy smokes pot after the kids go to bed. I have heard nothing from them about eliminating the Federal Reserve, I would think stable currency would be the most important thing a fiscal conservative would want to focus on since all the tax breaks in the world won't matter if your savings are worth a fraction of what you started with. They also think that the former governor of the state receiving the most Federal Aid of any in the Union and who also campaigned on a pro-bailout platform is somehow a fiscal conservative who believes in minimal government.

I think they're a bunch of angry idiots who want big government, but they only want it big in a way they find agreeable. They're just complaining because it isn't the style of government expansion they're comfortable with. Bush's Partiot Act, his overruling of states' rights in regards to medical marijuana and his faith-based socialism were perfectly acceptable, not a single protest. I doubt Tea Partiers can be sold on ideological minarchy because there wouldn't be enough government left to use against the people they don't like.
MChris 15 years ago

Where were the teabaggers when Geo Bush spent us into oblivion in Iraq?????
1. The Flame 15 years ago
  
  I think they was busy watching FOX news.
Logan 15 years ago

For those who watch Olbermann and Softball with the prick who gets an erection everytime BO speaks, here are the facts: 49% of the Tea Party is REPUBLICAN; NOT +90%. Believe it or not, 43% of the movement is INDEPENDENT. It shocking to see that 8% are democrats since every dem I know hates the TP. Stop being naive and/or in denial. Here is the link to scientific poll:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/127.....phics.aspx

Majority of Democrats: Diarrhea of the mouth; constipation of the ideas.
jawschicago 15 years ago

Chicago, where there are no Republicans had one of the largest tea party's at the very start of this movement. I saw blacks, jews, gays, women, children, young and old, latino, religious, aetheist, anarchists, independents, liberals, conservative, etc etc.

I was for Hillary and was called a rascist then for the first time in my gay gay life and also for the first time i was called a "bundle of sticks."

And all that from self avowed Democrats and those of privileged backgrounds and superior academic credentials.

Many are self-hating affluent white people displacing and assigning guilt and blame on everyone else whilst basking the hypocritical afterglow of liberal agenda - one that liberally applies disdain and contempt in one large orgy of obfuscating blither and blather and froth and lather.

-JW
TaterSalad 15 years ago

Please let your voice & opinions be heard and join the following Tea Party websites to become part of the movement in taking our country back from liberal/progressive left wing loons who are destroying capitalism and the Free Market System that has built this great country:

http://www.teapartyrevolution.com/

http://www.TeaParty.org

http://www.TeaPartyExpress.com

http://www.TeaPartyNation.com

http://www.TeaPartyPatriots.com

http://www.The9.12Project.com

If you ever wondered what side of the fence you sit on, this is a great test!

If a Conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one.
If a Liberal doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a Conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat..
If a Liberal is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

If a Conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life.
If a Liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

If a Conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation.
A Liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a Conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don't like be shut down.

If a Conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church.
A Liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced. (Unless it's a foreign religion, of course!)

If a Conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or may choose a job that provides it.
A Liberal demands that the rest of us pay for his.

If a Conservative reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have a good laugh.
A Liberal will delete it because he's "offended".
Johnny Eleven 15 years ago

Thanks for clarifying nothing. I could defend the Tea Partiers better, and I think they're deluded. Maybe what really happened is that the far-right politicians who used to appeal to this group have revealed themselves to be buffoons, and they're searching for someone competent to take their place.
Abject Conformity 15 years ago

Suppose the secret motivation behind the Tea Parties was actually racial white supremacy... How do you logically refute the claims made by Tea Party advocates?

If Euclid of Alexandria asserted that 25 X 4 = 100, and then muttered something racist, would 25 X 4 cease to equal 100?

It's absurd to me that the liberal tendency to reduce opposition to "racism" still holds so much sway.

evolve or die off. Thanks.
G. G. D. 15 years ago

The real racists in this political mess are the ones calling others "racist". The left seems to be the one predominantly using race for their anger and political agenda. What shameful behavior.
1. Abject Conformity 15 years ago
  
  Hysterical political correctness is the new witch hunt. Be prepared to prove that you're not a racist if you disagree with mainstream liberals. Pitiful.
Disconcordian 15 years ago

Tea Parties racist? maybe not--do they attract racists? probably.
ABUSE 15 years ago

In democratic societies like the United States, the voting process is a means by which citizens hold their government accountable, conflicts are channeled into resolutions, and power transfers peacefully. Our system of representative government works only when honest ballots are not diluted by fraudulent ballots. When elections become corrupted, democracy becomes threatened.
The FBI has a limited role in ensuring fair and free elections in the United States. Election crimes become federal cases when:
The ballot includes one or more federal candidates;
The crime involves an election official abusing his duties;
The crime pertains to fraudulent voter registration;
Voters are not U.S. citizens.
First Name: kenyan born at the white house
Last Name: TRUTH
Address: AMERICA
Address: INPEACH OBAMA
City: USA
State: usa THE END OF AMERICA
NPR archive describes Obama as 'Kenyan-born'
Michelle say Barack born in Kenya
Obama's grandmother say he was born in Kenya
Subject: OBAMA SAID approval ratings are still very high in the country of my birth.
Message: INPEACH OBAMA TO THE WEAK-KNEED REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRAT
obama people have no idea of the extent to which they have to be gulled in order to be led." "The size of the lie is a definite factor in causing it to be believed, for the vast masses of the nation are in the depths of their hearts more easily deceived than they are consciously and intentionally bad. The primitive simplicity of their minds renders them a more easy prey to a big lie than a small one, for they themselves often tell little lies but would be ashamed to tell a big one." "All propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those towards whom it is directed will understand it. Therefore, the intellectual level of the propaganda must be lower the larger the number of people who are to be influenced by it." "Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise. "pelosi don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social &^% ...obama feelings against Americanism are feelings of hatred and deep repugnance ... everything about the behaviour of American society reveals that it's half &^%, and the other half &^& How can one expect a State like that to hold TOGTHER.They include the angry left wing bloggers who spread vicious lies and half-truths about their political adversaries... Those lies are then repeated by the duplicitous left wing media outlets who "discuss" the nonsense on air as if it has merit? The media's justification is apparently "because it's out there", truth be damned. State: *usa Obama chuckles at America*
If YOU PASS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YRS HARD LABOR, YOU PASS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET SHOT. Under the Mexican law, illegal immigration is a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison,There is no immigration allowed in China, India, Bangladesh, Russia, Japan, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Turkey and MOST other countries YOU PASS THE AMERICAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET A JOB, DRIVER'S LICENSE, ALLOWANCE FOR A PLACE TO LIVE, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT SO YOU CAN READ A DOCUMENT. WE CARRY PASSPORTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES OR FACE JAIL TIME. REPOST THIS IF YOU AGREE!! ((STOP COMMUNIST OBAMA)) THE COMMANDER
ABUSE 15 years ago

INPEACH OBAMA In democratic societies like the United States, the voting process is a means by which citizens hold their government accountable, conflicts are channeled into resolutions, and power transfers peacefully. Our system of representative government works only when honest ballots are not diluted by fraudulent ballots. When elections become corrupted, democracy becomes threatened.
The FBI has a limited role in ensuring fair and free elections in the United States. Election crimes become federal cases when:
The ballot includes one or more federal candidates;
The crime involves an election official abusing his duties;
The crime pertains to fraudulent voter registration;
Voters are not U.S. citizens.
First Name: kenyan born at the white house
Last Name: TRUTH
Address: AMERICA
Address: INPEACH OBAMA
City: USA
State: usa THE END OF AMERICA
NPR archive describes Obama as 'Kenyan-born'
Michelle say Barack born in Kenya
Obama's grandmother say he was born in Kenya
Subject: OBAMA SAID approval ratings are still very high in the country of my birth.
Message: INPEACH OBAMA TO THE WEAK-KNEED REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRAT
obama people have no idea of the extent to which they have to be gulled in order to be led." "The size of the lie is a definite factor in causing it to be believed, for the vast masses of the nation are in the depths of their hearts more easily deceived than they are consciously and intentionally bad. The primitive simplicity of their minds renders them a more easy prey to a big lie than a small one, for they themselves often tell little lies but would be ashamed to tell a big one." "All propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those towards whom it is directed will understand it. Therefore, the intellectual level of the propaganda must be lower the larger the number of people who are to be influenced by it." "Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise. "pelosi don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social &^% ...obama feelings against Americanism are feelings of hatred and deep repugnance ... everything about the behaviour of American society reveals that it's half &^%, and the other half &^& How can one expect a State like that to hold TOGTHER.They include the angry left wing bloggers who spread vicious lies and half-truths about their political adversaries... Those lies are then repeated by the duplicitous left wing media outlets who "discuss" the nonsense on air as if it has merit? The media's justification is apparently "because it's out there", truth be damned. State: *usa Obama chuckles at America*
If YOU PASS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YRS HARD LABOR, YOU PASS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET SHOT. Under the Mexican law, illegal immigration is a felony, punishable by up to two years in prison,Mexicans who help illegal immigrants are considered criminalsThere is no immigration allowed in China, India, Bangladesh, Russia, Japan, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Syria, Turkey and MOST other countries YOU PASS THE AMERICAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET A JOB, DRIVER'S LICENSE, ALLOWANCE FOR A PLACE TO LIVE, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT SO YOU CAN READ A DOCUMENT. WE CARRY PASSPORTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES OR FACE JAIL TIME. REPOST THIS IF YOU AGREE!! ((STOP COMMUNIST OBAMA)) THE COMMANDER
cotton 15 years ago

http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....ty_vi.html

OK, for the last time, EVERY STUDY SHOWS that tea partiers has overwhelmingly disfavorable views (compared to everyone else) of Minorities and Gay people.

Yes, they are racist. Just because they dont want to be called racist, or in the minds of racist, "blacks and mexicans are racist because they stand up for themselves against systematic statistically proven white racism", does not make them NOT racist.

Statistical study after study after youtube video after video shows it...tea partiers are the White Racialist Movement. Dont believe me, go to one of the white power websites.
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