What is the Tea Party?

[Cenedril_Gildinaur]

I don't think the Tea Party's sincere followers will go away once Republicans are back in power. Not at all. I just think the deep pockets that have helped get their message out, and the strong backing of Fox News, will go away. That will make it very difficult for a movement that is, by nature, centerless and leaderless to grab headlines or win primaries at the rate they have been doing.

I think that is probably true. But maybe, just maybe, those sincere followers will end up co-opting the power and energy brought by the political operatives and build on it long-term. And while I don't necessarily agree with all of the views and goals of those followers, I respect them, and I think in many ways it would be a good thing. Certainly anything that helps transform the current paradigm is potentially a good thing.

It will be interesting. The test will be what happens in 2012 when Republicans take the White House. I do anticipate that many late-comers will leave, and many of the original tea partiers will return. The national media will cover it a lot less, because it will return to its fairly (but not completely) libertarian roots.

Or the movement will be completely co-opted by then and will continue as a regular part of the machine and my use of the name to continue protesting after the Republicans win in 2012 will be seen as infringing on their turf.

[Lidless]

Did you know that when a CEO gets divorced, the stock price of the company does down on average 15% over two years, and when his mother in law dies it goes up 7%?

I have a plan to get us out of this dip...

[N.E. Brigand]

The attempt to justify wasteful spending and gross corruption based on moral superiority is disgusting.

Do you really think anyone here holds that position?

[halplm]

The attempt to justify wasteful spending and gross corruption based on moral superiority is disgusting.

Do you really think anyone here holds that position?

I see it all the time.

[N.E. Brigand]

OK, all those HoF members in favor of wasteful spending and gross corruption, please say "aye".

[halplm]

OK, all those HoF members in favor of wasteful spending and gross corruption, please say "aye".

I didn't say people are in favor of it, I said people try to justify it based on moral superiority.

[Inanna]

OK, all those HoF members justifying wasteful spending and gross corruption, based on moral superiority please say "aye".

(My citation training requires me to add: modified from N.E.B. 2010)

[halplm]

what exactly is your point?

By the mere fact someone is trying to justify it, they don't think it is wasteful or corrupt, but that doesn't change the truth, nor does it change the fact I find it disgusting and have no problem saying so.

I find most attempts at moral superiority to be disgusting anyway.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Describing the views of any of our members as "disgusting" violates our Laws and Customs. Please find a way to express your views more civilly.

[N.E. Brigand]

So what you're saying is that some people here disapprove of wasteful spending and gross corruption, but that when these things are brought to their attention (by you?) they justify it on the grounds that they feel they are morally superior (to you?) -- is that right?

[halplm]

So what you're saying is that some people here disapprove of wasteful spending and gross corruption, but that when these things are brought to their attention (by you?) they justify it on the grounds that they feel they are morally superior (to you?) -- is that right?

Well, their position.

[N.E. Brigand]

So what you're saying is that some people here disapprove of wasteful spending and gross corruption, but that when these things are brought to their attention (by you?) they justify it on the grounds that they feel they are morally superior (to you?) -- is that right?

Well, their position.

I don't understand. "Well, their position" what?

[halplm]

So what you're saying is that some people here disapprove of wasteful spending and gross corruption, but that when these things are brought to their attention (by you?) they justify it on the grounds that they feel they are morally superior (to you?) -- is that right?

Well, their position.

I don't understand. "Well, their position" what?

People make arguments based on the idea that their position is morally superior to others'.


I'm also pretty sure everything after Lidless's post is not relevant to the topic.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I split off the posts about the Small Business Lending Bill because it clearly was a separate subject.

[N.E. Brigand]

Given that the amorphous nature of the Tea Party, I wonder: have its members put forward a plan for the budget to cut taxes and spending? I see that the House Republicans' "Pledge to America" would actually increase the deficit more than the President's budget would, but I am led to understand that the Tea Partiers don't support the "Pledge" anyway.

[halplm]

Given that the amorphous nature of the Tea Party, I wonder: have its members put forward a plan for the budget to cut taxes and spending? I see that the House Republicans' "Pledge to America" would actually increase the deficit more than the President's budget would, but I am led to understand that the Tea Partiers don't support the "Pledge" anyway.

Budget projections are always wrong, and when your opponent projects your budget, it's always worse than it actually is.

The Tea Party movement can't possibly put forward a single unified plan for the budget... nor is it in any way their responsibility to do so. The president's attempt to attack the members of the Tea Party Movement by saying they don't have such a plan was childish and absurd.

The movement wants to elect people that will cut taxes and spending, balancing the budget. If the people elected fail to do so, then they'll be voted out the next time.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

A very interesting article in the Washington Post that shows the frankly irrational attitude that some people have when learning that people they know are affiliated with "the tea party".

The tea partiers next door: Friends, neighbors divide over party lines

[River]

The movement wants to elect people that will cut taxes and spending, balancing the budget. If the people elected fail to do so, then they'll be voted out the next time.

But achieving those goals is going to require leadership and leadership really requires a plan. Leading effectively is hard under any circumstances but it's pretty much impossible without a plan. There's nothing quite so miserable as being the peon when your leader lacks a plan.

[halplm]

The movement wants to elect people that will cut taxes and spending, balancing the budget. If the people elected fail to do so, then they'll be voted out the next time.

But achieving those goals is going to require leadership and leadership really requires a plan. Leading effectively is hard under any circumstances but it's pretty much impossible without a plan. There's nothing quite so miserable as being the peon when your leader lacks a plan.

Why do you think the people in the tea party movement are so miserable? They have no one in government that can be their leader.

The difference between now and in the past is that the movement is building up from the bottom, trying to elect local leaders that they agree with. They're not waiting for the word to come down from washington about who they should vote for, they are picking their own leaders.

And those leaders better have a plan, but a "plan" does not mean having a complete budget mapped out that you have to get passed for your plan to be put in motion. It means that whatever opportunities you have, you stick to your principles... for the tea party movement, those being smaller government in general.

[Nin]

Today's editorial of my Swiss news-paper is about the tea party and it's clearly called an extremists movement which is imho right according to European standards.