Addressing the "Tea Party" convention yesterday--
(Digression: Is this an official "party," now? Do we need to abandon the scare quotes? Because if we do, then we're REALLY scared. EOD)
--Sarah "Caribou Barbie" Palin said, "I am a big support of this [Tea Party] movement. America is ready for another revolution."
Now, we're all for free speech. But consider what would have happened in 2008 if candidate Barack Obama had used that rhetoric. The Republican howls of "Sedition!" and "Treason!" would still be echoing today.
None dare call it treason? May we at least call it offensive idiocy?
I have had some 20 or so discussions with Tea Partiers recently. The idea of taking up guns in the streets in a real revolution is on the minds of some, but there are calmer heads that realize the resultant chaos from a power vacuum aftermath would be far worse than what we have now, not to mention the unpleasantness of war at home. So, let's put the hot head movement aside and look at what the Tea Party issues are really about. (1)Collusion of big business with gov't, ie, Wall Street bailout, is bad (2)return to the Constitution citing quotations from this nation's forefathers on the thinking behind balance of power and govt of, for, and by the people (3)smaller govt (4)retention of individual rights. These are some of the Tea Party talking points. They are Libertarian and mid Conservative in nature. The original Tea Partiers don't like Barack Obama and they didn't like George Bush. Sarah Palin, while well known, is not really a Tea Partier. She gave a keynote address. It remains to be seen what twists and turns go on from here. But the Tea Party in it's pure state, aside from the hot-headedness, makes some good points about reigning in a govt that has gone amuck.
ReplyDeleteCalls for revolution do not qualify as treason. It is simply freedom of speech. (And a little rabble-rousing). There would never be chaos from a power vacuum as our military is so vast and powerful the very possibility of actual armed revolution is completely impossible. The point I agree with most above is that Sarah is not truly Tea-Party material ideologically. Unless you figure they appreciate her because she quit her governorship. Perhaps they figure once elected she might quit and hand over power to them. Also I fail to see why the Tea-Party shouldn't be a viable party. They are certainly entitled to their beliefs and to gather and profess those beliefs as well as rally others of like mind. Our country has a long and healthy history of just such activity. I'm left wondering is this meant as an indictment of the Tea Party or the Republican Party? They (of course) are not actually the same thing. I guess you went for two birds with one stone. Both pretty easy targets.
ReplyDeleteWe think we wer primarily going after Sarah Palin and other hypocritical and self-righteous Republicans. Also easy targets in their own right, but, hey, why make our own life difficult?
ReplyDeleteIt's actually hypocritical of the Tea-Party to invite such public personalities to speak. Based on her years in office it seems clear she has no problem spending her way out of or into messes. (or dresses).
ReplyDeleteThe Tea Party movement (and it IS a movement, not a party-much like my bowels of late) is comprised of fairly stupid people for the most part ("Keep Goverment away from my Medicare!"). Thus it is fitting that one of their earliest spokespeople is the lovely Sarah who is officially DABOR (i.e. Dumb as a Box of Rocks). Sadly, she is not alone. There are DABOR on all sides of the political spectrum who have power nowadays. On the Right, of course, are Hannitybecklimbaugh; on the left(ish) Dylan Rattigan, most of MSNBC's commentators especially Contessa Brewer and Tamron Hall (but NEVERNEVERNEVER the brilliant Rachel Maddow) and-in a class by himself-Chris Matthews; Almost every CNBC commentator but most especially Jim Cramer who can be more wrong, more often, than anybody else and still be allowed to spout! Indeed, we are surrounded by DABORs. But whose fault is it? I could quote Shakespeare: "The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars, but in everybody but me" or Franklin; "People tend to get the government they deserve (but I don't"). But I won't.
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