How the Tea Party Sunk Itself

[cajuncocoa]

The Tea Party emerged about a year after I first got interested in libertarian politics, and I was proud to see people protesting against taxation and supporting individual freedom. They seemed committed to a vision of how to return our country to its roots. Slowly, though, the issues became less pronounced. The movement became little more than a roasting of all things Obama—ACORN, Van Jones, etc.—with no evident purpose beyond producing nifty Republican campaign tactics.


Here are the Tea Party’s eight worst political mistakes:

<snipping out the part of the article where the following people are named, along with the reasons given: Bachmann, Cain, Perry, Santorum, Gingrich, etc>

8. Rand Paul. Rand was the only spinal column holding up the Tea Party—and then he endorsed Romney for president. Mitt—the regulation-friendly, war-prone corporatist—getting an endorsement from Rand Paul was a swift punch straight to the gut. A few people have defended his decision on the grounds that it’ll help his standing with establishment Republicans, but I fail to see how it’ll be possible to keep this up for the next four years without compromising actual principles.

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More: http://takimag.com/article/how_the_tea_party_sunk_itself_brian_lasorsa#ixzz1xmpH9tlr
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[donnay]

The tea party was deliberately hijacked to be discredited after the 2008 elections.

 

[cajuncocoa]

The tea party was deliberately hijacked to be discredited after the 2008 elections.

I agree.

 

[Carlybee]

And before it was hijacked by neocons it was hijacked by rednecks

 

[cajuncocoa]

Completely agree about the hijacking, but don't miss what the article had to say about Rand Paul. He might have been the last honest man standing in the Tea Party...and then, the endorsement.

 

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

And before it was hijacked by neocons it was hijacked by rednecks

I'll accept a hijacking by rednecks because they largely mind thier own business, and ask that others do too. Sounds like many of us, whether you'd accept the redneck label or not.

 

[Sola_Fide]

<snipping out the part of the article where the following people are named, along with the reasons given: Bachmann, Cain, Perry, Santorum, Gingrich, etc>

More: http://takimag.com/article/how_the_tea_party_sunk_itself_brian_lasorsa#ixzz1xmpH9tlr
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He "fails to see" how he can remain principled? Why? Rand has a good record so far, and has worked with both sides of the aisle while remaining principled.

 

[Mr. Perfidy]

Did the Tea Party ever have any legitimacy? It appeared at the exact moment that there should have been a populist Ron Paul movement. Instead the Joe Sixpack Rightwinger was seduced over to the flag-waving mobs of america-firsters. It was always ever only shameful and gross.

 

[jay_dub]

I went to a Tea party rally in my hometown just as the movement was getting started. It was pretty mindless overall as none of the speakers were doing much of anything but parroting Glen Beck. Nothing has changed my opinion since then except that I now see it as an extension of the Grover Norquist pledge.

The Tea Party is a Trojan Horse designed to make us peons feel like we have skin in the game IMO. It plays right into the hands of the Corporatists.

 

[donnay]

I went to a Tea party rally in my hometown just as the movement was getting started. It was pretty mindless overall as none of the speakers were doing much of anything but parroting Glen Beck. Nothing has changed my opinion since then except that I now see it as an extension of the Grover Norquist pledge.

The Tea Party is a Trojan Horse designed to make us peons feel like we have skin in the game IMO. It plays right into the hands of the Corporatists.

Yes, but the tea party was hijacked from the 9/11 truth movement who started the Tea party protests all around the country. The truth movement and liberty movement were working well until the hand wringers and panty wetters started whining that the Truth movement will hurt Dr. Paul's chances of winning the election. Then the tea party was infiltrated by the neocons right after the 2008 elections to co-opt it to the GOP platforms.

 

[ohgodno]

He "fails to see" how he can remain principled? Why? Rand has a good record so far, and has worked with both sides of the aisle while remaining principled.

Rand voted for an act of war. He lost all standing in my eyes with that vote. Do you have an excuse for him selling out then also?

Now he's everywhere touting his toothless new bill that doesn't do what he says it does. Nothing good comes of this endorsement. This movement is being co-opted by the establishment before our eyes.

Apologists that are willing to put up with this endorsement are welcoming it. This is the same thing that happened to the Tea Party — we were different because we NEVER compromise. WHY do we never compromise? Because we're on the side of truth.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

The Tea Party people were played like a Grand Piano... Remember the 1st Nationwide "Tax Day and Obama Protests"?

How Fox News and the other corporate propagandists covered it in cities across the nation. Amazing how FOX NEWS, Manhattan based lead anchor and NEWSCORP board executive, Neil Cavuto, with a slew of guests from Michael Reagan, Michele Malkin, Mark Meckler, etc... just all happen to travel and show up on TV/Radio from Sacramento, California. Sponsors included Tea Party Patriots, who's leader Mark Meckler, was ousted years later, for his close ties with the NEOCONS and corporate sponsors flying him around the country in their Lear jets. Ultra right zealot orgs, like Pajamas Network, PNAC, the well funded TEA PARTY EXPRESS all were there together. BTW, included all of the above and more like Sarah Palin, your TEA PARTY Profiteers, who sucked time, life, and money from the unsuspecting Tea Party goers. Hey where's those morons with the Sarah Palin song again... since we're talking about another phony

Here's a one stop shop if you want a little more info: http://battlebornpolitics.wordpress...express-and-corrupt-intentions-part-1-of-3-2/

TPX – Sal Russo, The Tea Party Express & Corrupt Intentions (Part 1 of 3)
NOTE 1: I do not normally do this but I am asking that you please SHARE THIS THREE PART SERIES with friends in any way you can. Facebook, e-mail, however. I believe exposing corruption is necessary.
NOTE 2: I support the Tea Party Movement 100% and the original goals set forth: a) to promote fiscal responsibility b) to promote government accountability and c) promote government transparency.

By coincidence the national NEOCON GOP marketing firm, Russo, Marsh, & Rogers, just happens to be based out of Sacramento too. ( http://www.rmrwest.com/ & http://www.rmrweb.com/ ) Sal Russo of R,M, & R, also rallied up laundered backroom money for the False Flag Phonies, like; @ RESISTNET, Tea Party Express, and Patriot Action Network, all backed by Fascists/Globalists/Neocons.

Russo Marsh + Rogers, Inc. exposed: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Russo_Marsh_&_Rogers

Move America Forward
(MAF), part of a pro-war lobby, is headed by California Republican activists, talk show hosts and staff members of the public relations firm Russo Marsh & Rogers, which has strong ties to the Republican Party. PR professional Sal Russo is the chief strategist for MAF. It is a conservative 501c3 not-for-profit organization formed in early 2004 by Howard Kaloogian and "acclaimed radio and television personality" Melanie Morgan (formerly of KSFO 560 AM -- San Francisco). As a non-profit organization it is not required to reveal its funders to the public

Our Country Deserves Better
A political action committee formed to oppose Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, called "Our Country Deserves Better," has several officers currently or formerly leaders of MAF. These include MAF co-founder and former chair Howard Kaloogian, who chairs the PAC; PR executive Sal Russo, who serves as chief strategist for both MAF and the PAC; Russo Marsh & Rogers principal Joe Wierzbicki, who serves as grassroots coordinator for MAF and coordinates the PAC; and Marine mom Deborah Johns, who is MAF's director of military relations and the PAC's spokesperson.

Non-partisan, bi-partisan or neocon lobbyists?

Funded by Republican Jewish Coalition / Freedom's Watch
"Working behind the scenes through most of the summer" 2007, Freedom's Watch president Bradley A. Blakeman "assembled big-dollar donors and quietly helped pro-war groups ranging from the American Legion to Rolling Thunder make a case for Bush's war strategy. Freedom's Watch also formed partnerships with other groups backing the war, such as Families United, Vets for Freedom and the Veterans of Foreign Wars," Jim Kuhnhenn reported September 28, 2007, for the Associated Press.

VFF staff and members have extensive ties to George W. Bush, Bill Kristol, and Neoconservative Republican Party

Too bad the Tea Party attendees spent more time watching FOX NEWS and listening to NEOCON radio puppets, then doing their research/homework.

Welcome to the MATRIX... Americans are played like Red & Black ANTS fighting over a crumbs of bread.

 

[cajuncocoa]

Rand voted for an act of war. He lost all standing in my eyes with that vote. Do you have an excuse for him selling out then also?

Now he's everywhere touting his toothless new bill that doesn't do what he says it does. Nothing good comes of this endorsement. This movement is being co-opted by the establishment before our eyes.

Apologists that are willing to put up with this endorsement are welcoming it. This is the same thing that happened to the Tea Party — we were different because we NEVER compromise. WHY do we never compromise? Because we're on the side of truth.

+1 rep

 

[Weston White]

And before it was hijacked by neocons it was hijacked by rednecks

lolol

Golly gee, I can hear it now... If you have ever "open-carried" at a Tea Party, you might be a redneck. Now, that be good stuff there. Go Jeff Foxworthy!

 

[angelatc]

And before it was hijacked by neocons it was hijacked by rednecks

I don't even know what this means. That's a very liberal remark.

Oh wait - Feb 2012....

 

[Mr. Perfidy]

defending the Tea Party is stupid- why did it ever exist? To distract from ron paul, duh. It literally started as there should have instead been a ron paul populist emergence. Instead we lost a significant chunk of support to the tea party.

 

[thoughtomator]

Rand voted for an act of war. He lost all standing in my eyes with that vote. Do you have an excuse for him selling out then also?

Personally I was more disturbed by the fact that he allowed the TSA to detain him like a sheep instead of asserting his explicit Constitutional privilege as a Senator.

 

[Southerner]

The Tea Party HAS been hijacked from its original intent and focus on FISCAL CONSERVATIVE / ANTI SPENDING Principles... but it has brought THAT message to millions of Americans.

As an aside, using words like "rednecks, crackers, hillbillies" on internet forums is about as bright as using the "N word or trailer trash", its just not a good idea.

 

[Victor Grey]

I went to a Tea party rally in my hometown just as the movement was getting started. It was pretty mindless overall as none of the speakers were doing much of anything but parroting Glen Beck. Nothing has changed my opinion since then except that I now see it as an extension of the Grover Norquist pledge.

The Tea Party is a Trojan Horse designed to make us peons feel like we have skin in the game IMO. It plays right into the hands of the Corporatists.

I attended two of them, when the tea parties started coming out. Back in 09' before the elections, I mean. Protested, actually.

First one I went to, they'd set it up in a park. I still believe that the ones that set that one up were probably some honest grassroots type people.
I'm sure there are others that are honest. I tend to speak of the movement in general.

Had the protest line, along the sidewalk.
I got up on the roof of my car with a lawn chair and an american flag. Wrote on my protest sign, "Taxed through the roof!"

Heh. I remember this one guy there, he was a Libertarian. Had a nolan chart out there, surveying people.
Wanted to take a picture of me. I remember him saying "yeah, you're one of us."
Guess he might of been on to something.

I thought the movement was going to be a real move toward fiscal conservatism, and shrinking the government.

I was wrong.

Turns out, the liberal criticisms were in large part right. It just turned into an anti-obama reactionary movement. People complaining that the democrats were in power, really.

After the elections and the debt ceiling deal, I don't have much for the whole theme. They aren't serious.
It was all about disliking Obama, and cheer leading for Team Republican. Any republican, really.

2012 election canned it with me on the Tea Party. That no one but Paul even offered to close a single executive department, sealed it for me. (No I don't count Perry)
They had every opportunity to get behind someone, anyone, who was a least a fiscal conservative. Even if it wasn't Paul.

Instead they've fell in behind Santorum, and Newt, and Romney and all the others. It proves what I say exactly; they aren't serious. They don't really like Romney, the lack of enthusiasm is clear they don't. However the Tea Party movement's all really just about fuming at Obama being the President. They want Team R to win, for nothing but the sake of Team R being who wins. So mindless.

The empty rhetoric beyond that is just so lacking in presence it's clownish. It's a joke, it never was really there. That "crazy uncle" many of them dislike, was the only one around that lives up to what they all say.

Bachmann-style rhetoric of laser focusing on the Obamacare just doesn't do it for me anymore. I see the bulk of the Tea Party at large, as just aging republicans that want to keep social programs, ("hands off my medicare" signs come to mind) unless a democrat pens them. Yet if it's a Bush or well, a Republican, they could add new social spending programs and they'd not raise a fuss at all.


If the Tea Party aren't for shrinking government, then they aren't conservative. If they aren't for electing people who are going to, then they're not genuine. If they aren't for cutting spending, to allow for those lower taxes, then they aren't moral.

& if they aren't for doing anything but beating Obama with anemic alternatives, even if it means not beating was Obama represents

then they're useless.

 

[John F Kennedy III]

Yes, but the tea party was hijacked from the 9/11 truth movement who started the Tea party protests all around the country. The truth movement and liberty movement were working well until the hand wringers and panty wetters started whining that the Truth movement will hurt Dr. Paul's chances of winning the election. Then the tea party was infiltrated by the neocons right after the 2008 elections to co-opt it to the GOP platforms.

This ^