Why I Will Never Be a Tea Partier

[sokpupet]

~snip

I have recently realized why I find the Tea Party phenomenon so grating. I have always believed that conservatism means not only a certain set of political views but also (and perhaps even primarily) a certain disposition (and there’s a meaningful distinction between a “conservative” and a “man of the right”). Long before I was old enough to form any political opinions, I was already temperamentally and aesthetically conservative. So right from the start I felt at home in the conservative movement. On the other hand, besides my views on weighty issues like fiscal and foreign policy, there are plenty of other reasons why I could never become a liberal. I get nauseous whenever I catch a glimpse of Oprah. I loathe touchy-feelyness (especially of the “let’s do it for the children!” kind). I hate victimhood and whining. I despise the lefties who stage rowdy demonstrations and/or protest in silly costumes (e.g. dressed as polar bears). Having actually lived in a totalitarian society, I resent when anything outside the proper scope of politics (e.g. arts, entertainment, lifestyle choices, recreation, sex etc.) gets politicized. I detest ideological conformity and intolerance. I abhor demonizing the opponents and questioning their motives instead of addressing the substance of their arguments. I abominate any kind of class struggle, pitting one group against another, dividing America in two (as in my former senator’s “Two Americas” speech).

Conservatives are normally the exact opposite of the liberals on all these counts, and that’s precisely what made me feel comfortable among them. I like cold rational calculation and even a certain mean streak inherent in conservatism. I like a no-nonsense attitude and the vibe of maturity and adulthood. The thing I admire most about Dick Cheney is that he was one of just four House members who refused to join the stampede to ban mythical plastic guns which ostensibly cannot be detected by metal detectors and X-rays – but in fact cannot even exist since it is technically impossible to make a gun without any metal parts. My favorite conservative hero is, of course, Ronald Reagan, who was constantly called an amiable dunce and worse by the media but always remained cheerful and optimistic (as well as deadly effective in front of a camera) and kept telling self-deprecating jokes. I liked it that Bill Buckley was willing to debate just about anybody, since I believe any rational argument can and should be engaged on the merits, no matter how repugnant the argument’s proponent may be as a person (after all, proving in a court of law that David Irving’s historical claims were fraudulent had a much more devastating effect on him than repeated denunciations of him as a Hitler sympathizer).

Rest of article @ Link

This is pretty spot on.

 

[Hoplite]

The teaparty movement thrives off of individuals who are emotional, reactionary, lacking in political education, and above all, willing to accept information from any likely sounding source without questioning it.

The teaparty has no direction, no firm goals, no real leaders, and no actual plan. They are the equivalent of a large ape sitting in it's cage flinging it's waste around because it's angry and doesn't know a better way to express it. The group may be made up of many people who are genuinely upset at the political process, but I contend that many lack the political education necessary to formulate any realistic plans to fix these problems. So the group essentially becomes an angry mob.

The slogans just get repeated over and over with no real plan for how to implement them; "Less government, less taxes". Once I see the teaparty advance a real set of goals and a real plan of how to get there that demonstrates they actually understand causality and has the support of the majority of the teabaggers, then I'll be a little more inclined to take them seriously.

I have no respect for the teaparty at all and even less for those who say I should. I applaud citizens getting into politics but I point to the teabaggers when people ask me why I say that citizens should be INFORMED before they try to dictate politics.

 

[ReverendHellh0und]

hey at least most of em have jobs.... This sort of smear by certain folks in regards to the teaparty is old, played and so full of crap it's hard to take the critisizm like this seriously. You all no matter how hard you try don't get to define us.

Also instead of parroting "spot on" perhaps you can try thinking for yourself for a change, I doubt you would be able to articulate specific issued you have with the tea party.

 

[SingleCellOrganism]

I started out like most people, lots of "teabag" jokes ... now after months of the media and everyone else ripping on them I'm starting to actually listen to what they say and find myself agreeing more times than not. (other than the obvious insanity from the likes of O'Donnell)

Kind of like christianity, the more people rip on it, the more inclined I am to actually listen to its precepts. Basically, when the masses hate something, its my clue to start looking into it!

Sort of tongue in cheek, but ... sort of not.

 

[Vicki]

I am 100% for the tea partiers. I am a hard working person that doesn't take hand outs. The people we elect are suppose to represent us. Both parties have been ignoring the majority of the people and some of us are fed up with it. To say they are an angry mob is slighty ignorant and IMO you haven't actually listened to them. 8/28 rally with Glen Beck was amazing call to fundamental values without any anger. There are different types of tea partys....the one I am joined with is providing and teaching more about how government works and what our lawmakers are doing. It just states the truth. Our lawmakers are suppose to represent us. I honestly don't believe that is happening today.

I think some people feel so much dislike of them is because they are making a difference and now government is listening. The tea party group I am with doesn't support candidates but provides information about each person running. It's to allow people to have a more informed vote. If you hire someone, pay them, and they don't do the job the way you have asked them, YOU FIRE THEM! I think it's great!

 

[VanceMack]

~snip


Rest of article @ Link

This is pretty spot on.

Im sorry...did you actually read the blog that was posted? So...its pretty much spot on...YOUR reason is the same is HIS reason...and THE reason is because Glenn Beck acts like Oprah Winfrey and some people are swilling lattes and expressing 'feelings'? Funny...I read the article and didnt see ANYTHING on the Tea Party's actual position on fiscal responsibility, financial responsibility, responsible government etc.

So...you...like the author...despise the left and the handout crowd...but could never be a Tea Party supporter because Glenn Beck behaves like Oprah Winfrey.

 

[samsmart]

Im sorry...did you actually read the blog that was posted? So...its pretty much spot on...YOUR reason is the same is HIS reason...and THE reason is because Glenn Beck acts like Oprah Winfrey and some people are swilling lattes and expressing 'feelings'? Funny...I read the article and didnt see ANYTHING on the Tea Party's actual position on fiscal responsibility, financial responsibility, responsible government etc.

So...you...like the author...despise the left and the handout crowd...but could never be a Tea Party supporter because Glenn Beck behaves like Oprah Winfrey.

Well, to be fair, I'm not a conservative and I don't like Oprah Winfrey.

 

[Guy Incognito]

The Tea Party is the best thing to ever happen to the Democrats.

Whoever can play best to the middle wins the elections, all the right-wing had to do to take back Congress in November and the presidency in 2012 was stay slightly more moderate than Obama, and they could paint the Democrats as radical leftists by comparison. But this Tea Party thing feel right into the Democrats lap, and the Republicans have veered so absurdly far right it puts the Democrats smack in the center.

So the only thing the Tea Party is really serving to accomplish is to send the majority right back to Obama. Now that I think about it, there was all that talk about the Tea Party being an "astroturf" grassroots movement, you gotta wonder if it was actually the Democrats who had a hand in the astroturfing.

 

[snbl11225]

hey at least most of em have jobs.... This sort of smear by certain folks in regards to the teaparty is old, played and so full of crap it's hard to take the critisizm like this seriously. You all no matter how hard you try don't get to define us.

Also instead of parroting "spot on" perhaps you can try thinking for yourself for a change, I doubt you would be able to articulate specific issued you have with the tea party.

I would note that you did not reply to any of the specifics of the logic and arguments presented. In overview, I would suggest that you strongly supported the premise that Hoplite was presenting. Was that not "emotional" & "reactionary" and showing anger rather than any rational expression of a constructive response?

 

[spud_meister]

hey at least most of em have jobs....

Do ya reckon they'd still be tea partiers of they lost their jobs?

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

Do ya reckon they'd still be tea partiers of they lost their jobs?

Actually yes

How else do so many have the time to attend so many rallies if they were actually working, and not on unemployment or disabilit

 

[TurtleDude]

Actually yes

How else do so many have the time to attend so many rallies if they were actually working, and not on unemployment or disabilit

reminds me of the Obama Inaugural

1.4 million attended

14 people missed work doing so

 

[R. Shackleferd]

Glenn Beck has a monopoly on the party and founded it? All be damned.

 

[Donc]

The tea party is mostly a state of mind; they know that the two parties we have now both suck at governing.

 

[Barbbtx]

The Tea Party is the best thing to ever happen to the Democrats.

Whoever can play best to the middle wins the elections, all the right-wing had to do to take back Congress in November and the presidency in 2012 was stay slightly more moderate than Obama, and they could paint the Democrats as radical leftists by comparison. But this Tea Party thing feel right into the Democrats lap, and the Republicans have veered so absurdly far right it puts the Democrats smack in the center.

So the only thing the Tea Party is really serving to accomplish is to send the majority right back to Obama. Now that I think about it, there was all that talk about the Tea Party being an "astroturf" grassroots movement, you gotta wonder if it was actually the Democrats who had a hand in the astroturfing.

30 more days, then see if you feel the same.

 

[winston53660]

30 more days, then see if you feel the same.

What promises do you expect the Tea party candidates to uphold?

 

[Barbbtx]

Do ya reckon they'd still be tea partiers of they lost their jobs?

Yes, because this administration is all about killing jobs in the private sector. If they'd get out of the way, people could get back to work.

 

[Ned Racine]

If the Tea Party could truly deliver the Middle to the GOP then both Meg Whitman & Carley Fiorina would have jumped aboard with both feet by now. However it is not to be, and it appears that in Kentucky that Rand Paul is slowly blowing his lead and a Safe GOP seat is in jeopardy.

 

[ender1]

Im torn regarding the Tea Party. I disagree with 90% of what they stand for. Not that anyone really understands what they stand for. I am however very impressed that instead of just crying that the country is going the wrong direction they actually did something about it.

If only more Americans stopped voting for the lesser of two evils we may actually have real change.

 

[deltabtry]

Im torn regarding the Tea Party. I disagree with 90% of what they stand for. Not that anyone really understands what they stand for. I am however very impressed that instead of just crying that the country is going the wrong direction they actually did something about it.

If only more Americans stopped voting for the lesser of two evils we may actually have real change.

Funny then you would actually agree with the tea party with your last sentence. Actually change is not needed, abiding by the confines set forth by the constitution is what needed. The government has become a behemoth so large it has forgotten what it is suppose to do...represent the people.

 

[Donc]

Im torn regarding the Tea Party. I disagree with 90% of what they stand for. Not that anyone really understands what they stand for. I am however very impressed that instead of just crying that the country is going the wrong direction they actually did something about it.

If only more Americans stopped voting for the lesser of two evils we may actually have real change.

America is drifting to where we will have 15% of the left representing one party and 15% of the right representing the other party.

Which will leave 70% of Americans pinching their nose when voting, and no, it wasn’t a mistake on my part in not referring to the parties as Democrats or Republicans’.

 

[ender1]

America is drifting to where we will have 15% of the left representing one party and 15% of the right representing the other party.

Which will leave 70% of Americans pinching their nose when voting, and no, it wasn’t a mistake on my part in not referring to the parties as Democrats or Republicans’.

Bob Barr was on all 50 ballets. He was not invited to debates or receive federal funding.

...... because thats what the republicans and democrats want.

 

[ender1]

Funny then you would actually agree with the tea party with your last sentence. Actually change is not needed, abiding by the confines set forth by the constitution is what needed. The government has become a behemoth so large it has forgotten what it is suppose to do...represent the people.

I agree with the beleif that the people can make a change. I disagree with their political stands on the issues.

 

[deltabtry]

I agree with the beleif that the people can make a change. I disagree with their political stands on the issues.

I think most tea Partyer's stand on issues is pretty much what our founding fathers have written in the constitution and Bill of Rights. Of course their are procedures for change and our government today seems to ignore these rules, again another issue that tea partyer's have taken up. Our government has become to big and can no longer represent the people effectively in all manner of methods. Tea partyer's IMO wish to rein in government and put a leash on it, enough is enough and needs to be done before it destroys this country.

 

[Donc]

Kinda makes one wonder what the future holds for America; when the name is changed to CorpAmeica and if they will be using the colors of Red White and Blue in the flag.

Of course I guess the Corp. masters would be more partial to green wouldn’t they? :2wave: