The Tea Party

[2861U2]

Which politicians have denounced their behaviour?

Who do you want to hear from? Palin? Pawlenty? Romney? Huckabee? Boehnner? McConnell? Cantor? Because they've all denounced any threats of violence or Obama as Hitler signs or anything of that sort. So what are you asking to see?

What I'd like to see are remarks from Democratic leaders over the past 8 years denouncing protesters' signs that flat-out said "Kill Bush." Or a denouncement of half the things Howard Dean- a man who could have been president- has said about Republicans. But I won't hold my breath. I never do when it comes to these things.

Now, I'm on my way to a Tea Party. I'll report back on all the racist remarks I hear and the tally of Obama mustaches I see...

 

[corianderstem]

I would agree there needs to be some tit for tat. If we want the Repubs to distance themselves from the racists, those who threaten violence, or your run-of-the-mill nutjob, then it's only fair that it should happen on both sides.

Probably not gonna happen, but that's not the craziest idea I've ever heard.

 

[Vincent Vega]

I don't see the need for those Republicans who do not associate with the Tea Party whatsoever having to disassociate from those lunatics in that movement, or the Democrats having to distance themselves from the lunatics in the anti-war movement.
If you are embracing one of those, then you have another responsibility to take. But otherwise it's as silly as if we here in Germany were demanding Conservative politicians to distance themselves from all right-wing lunatics and all left-wing politicians to do so from the fringe on their side.
This demand for everyone to always run up and say, "I do not agree with those people!" is more of a hurdle than anything, and takes us nowhere.

 

[corianderstem]

I think it's more about perception. Maybe I don't have the best perspective on the whole thing, but were I a Republican, I'd be worried about the nutjobs coming to be the face of the right wing, since that's all you seem to hear about these days.

Maybe it's because I'm a lefty myself and can't see it clearly, but from my perspective, I don't know that the nutjobs lefties being perceived as speaking for the whole party.

I don't see it as a need for leaders to distance themselves, I see it more as a reaching out to say "Hey, we're reasonable people as a whole - don't let the few become the face of what we stand for."

Then again, maybe it's just all the media's fault.

 

[Vincent Vega]

The media certainly is having a field day with the Tea Party. They are an easy target with lots of potential for good headlines. I'd like to know figures how many Conservatives really do play an active role and participate in that, and what percentage they make of the whole electorate for the Republicans. I guess it's much lower than it seems to be. But make it big, and you got your news.
If you now throw in every Republican who wasn't fast enough to distance himself you'll indeed get in trouble in future times every time on either political side some nutjobs are taking to the streets, because it can quickly become a blame game where one side says, "They didn't denounce that!" to which the other simply replies, "But they didn't disassociate themselves with that movement!"

But of course you are right, public perception quickly goes toward seeing all being in the same boat if they didn't make clear otherwise. Something which can do harm to the Republicans as a whole long-term, because the more moderate conservative voters might feel uncomfortable supporting a party which is seen to be taken over by the fringe. So they might find themselves in the situation where they do indeed have to say, "We are not part of that, we have brains."

 

[BVS]

Who do you want to hear from? Palin? Pawlenty? Romney? Huckabee? Boehnner? McConnell? Cantor? Because they've all denounced any threats of violence or Obama as Hitler signs or anything of that sort. So what are you asking to see?

What I'd like to see are remarks from Democratic leaders over the past 8 years denouncing protesters' signs that flat-out said "Kill Bush." Or a denouncement of half the things Howard Dean- a man who could have been president- has said about Republicans. But I won't hold my breath. I never do when it comes to these things.

I saw Palin deny there was any violence out of the tea party so I'm not sure how she can have it both ways. If any of these guys have done so then I applaud them, it's about a year too late but I applaud them. I haven't seen them, and I haven't seen the AM guys applaud them for doing so...

I think the difference is that the Republican party seems to embrace the tea party a little more than fringe elements of the left are embraced by the Democrats.

Now, I'm on my way to a Tea Party. I'll report back on all the racist remarks I hear and the tally of Obama mustaches I see...

Let's be honest...

 

[corianderstem]

Pfft, Palin. I wish the republicans would distance themselves from her.

 

[INDY500]

Since when have you started believing journalists?

What do policemen have to do with it?

They could collaborate the congressmen's story for one thing. The police certainly would have intervened, if not made arrests, if the situation was as threatening as it's being portrayed.

Do you have a link to that compilation of the hundred recording devices present? Can you please share? Thanks...

Are you kidding me, it's 2010. Everyone, including members of the congressional entourage, had H-D video cameras, cellphones, digital cameras and such.

In an age where "don't tase me bro" gets caught on tape from several angles don't you think an angry crowd yelling the N-word (up to 15 times remember) at a group of black congressmen in suit & tie wouldn't cause just a few Zapruder wannabes to whipout the old camera?

 

[Irvine511]

Who do you want to hear from? Palin? Pawlenty? Romney? Huckabee? Boehnner? McConnell? Cantor? Because they've all denounced any threats of violence or Obama as Hitler signs or anything of that sort. So what are you asking to see?

i'd like to see a denunciation of the Tea Party's general lack of grammar and poor spelling skills.

 

[Irvine511]

Are you kidding me, it's 2010. Everyone, including members of the congressional entourage, had H-D video cameras, cellphones, digital cameras and such.

as ever, charges of racism are far, far more serious than actual racism itself.




and calling Barney Frank a "faggot" is just good fun.

 

[BVS]

They could collaborate the congressmen's story for one thing. The police certainly would have intervened, if not made arrests, if the situation was as threatening as it's being portrayed.

Police not arrest for saying the 'N' word?

Are you kidding me, it's 2010. Everyone, including members of the congressional entourage, had H-D video cameras, cellphones, digital cameras and such.

I know and where are the Tea Partiers videos, since I'm assuming they made up the majority of these crowds, they know how to work their phones, right? Where's the footage exonerating themselves? It goes both ways in a he said/ he said bullshit fight.

In an age where "don't tase me bro" gets caught on tape from several angles don't you think an angry crowd yelling the N-word (up to 15 times remember) at a group of black congressmen in suit & tie wouldn't cause just a few Zapruder wannabes to whipout the old camera?

How many non-tea partiers do you think were there?

 

[Bluer White]

FOXNews.com - Tea Party Going Mainstream? Polls Suggest Movement Gaining in Popularity

Tea Partiers have been dismissed as a fringe, but two new polls suggest the conservative movement might be going mainstream.

A Rasmussen poll released Monday found more Americans identify with the Tea Party groups than with President Obama.

According to the survey, 48 percent of voters said the average Tea Party activist is more aligned with their views on major issues than the president. Forty-four percent said Obama's views are closer to theirs.

That came on top of a USA Today/Gallup poll that found more than a quarter of Americans affiliate themselves with the Tea Party movement.

The poll of 1,033 adults, conducted March 26-28, found 28 percent of people call themselves Tea Party supporters, while 26 percent call themselves opponents.

The survey also found that Tea Party supporters are not disproportionately dominated by any one demographic group. The characteristics of Tea Party supporters -- in age, education, income and race -- roughly follow the characteristics of the nation as a whole.

The Gallup poll had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

The Rasmussen poll of 1,000 likely voters was taken April 2-3. It had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

 

[anitram]

They could collaborate the congressmen's story for one thing.

I'm highlighting your wrong word choice not because I want to be anal but because in this case it's really really funny.

 

[BVS]

FOXNews.com - Tea Party Going Mainstream? Polls Suggest Movement Gaining in Popularity

I would LOOOOOVE to see this real poll.

I live in the land of conservatives and that number wouldn't even be that high...

 

[Vincent Vega]

FOXNews.com - Tea Party Going Mainstream? Polls Suggest Movement Gaining in Popularity

If those figures are correct, then it has some more sway and also might explain any conservative politician's reluctance to distance himself from it. Would love to know what exactly are these major issues, besides taxes obviously, and how much they differ.

 

[Bluer White]

as ever, charges of racism are far, far more serious than actual racism itself.

and calling Barney Frank a "faggot" is just good fun.

As ever, two favorite straw men. The race card and sexuality

 

[deep]

I would LOOOOOVE to see this real poll.

I live in the land of conservatives and that number wouldn't even be that high...

here you go

Tea Party 48% Obama 44% - Rasmussen Reports�

this is not a surprise to me at all, in this place there is a lot of group think, consensus,
out there in the real world things are not as simple.

If those figures are correct, then it has some more sway and also might explain any conservative politician's reluctance to distance himself from it. Would love to know what exactly are these major issues, besides taxes obviously, and how much they differ.

in this forum these people have all been painted with the same brush, the wacko extremist brush

elections are won in this country by getting the independent, non-aligned voters, there is a reason they call them swing voters

 

[BVS]

here you go

Tea Party 48% Obama 44% - Rasmussen Reports�

this is not a surprise to me at all, in this place there is a lot of group think, consensus,
out there in the real world things are not as simple.

I meant the actual poll. What the questions actually were, how were they worded, was it over the phone, who were these thousand people.

Like I said, I live in TX where I would think a higher number would align themselves with the tea party, higher than most states, and the numbers still wouldn't be that high here...

 

[Bluer White]

If those figures are correct, then it has some more sway and also might explain any conservative politician's reluctance to distance himself from it.

Some of these folks used to be called the Silent Majority in this country. Getting louder now.

 

[deep]

Do a little digging, you should be able to find it.

Most would not call themselves a member of the Tea Party, sure.

This is not about aligning oneself with a party,

The question was about views or something like that.

What do most perceive as the issues of the Tea Party?

Like all Americans, most Tea Party members said the economy is the most important political issue, but 21 percent -- twice as many as Americans overall -- named the national deficit and national spending as their top issue. Eighty-five percent of Tea Party members polled in January said tax cuts for small businesses would create more jobs than government spending on infrastructure, while 61 percent of Americans overall preferred tax cuts.

Tea Party: 4 in 10 are Dems, Independents, Survey Says - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

 

[BVS]

But, what do most perceive as the issues of the Tea Party?

Well maybe this is where the problem lies. I don't even think the Tea Party really knows the issues of it's platform.

 

[deep]

Like I said, I live in TX where I would think a higher number would align themselves with the tea party, higher than most states, and the numbers still wouldn't be that high here...

Really?

What did / does your Governor's race indicate, that more people in Texas are in line with Obama's agenda or the Tea Party issues?

 

[martha]

Now, I'm on my way to a Tea Party. I'll report back on all the racist remarks I hear and the tally of Obama mustaches I see...

Please give us a count of the signs equating Stalin and Hitler and Obama. Because those are at T. P. rallies whether you like to think so or not.

 

[BVS]

Really?

What did / does your Governor's race indicate, that more people in Texas are in line with Obama's agenda or the Tea Party issues?

This is my point about the poll, is ^^^ this how it was worded? If that's the case then it probably is that high, and it's a crap poll.

You're not listening to me, most here do not believe Republican = Tea Party. Our Tea Party percentage may be high but not as high as the 48% would suggest, and I would think it's even less in other parts of the country.

 

[martha]

As ever, two favorite straw men. The race card and sexuality

Wow. So much for a problem with name-calling here.

 

[2861U2]

Please give us a count of the signs equating Stalin and Hitler and Obama. Because those are at T. P. rallies whether you like to think so or not.

In a crowd of 2,000, I neither saw nor heard any racial references or any mention of Hitler, so I don't accept your premise, martha.

There were even.... black people and Hispanics there!

 

[deep]

This is my point about the poll, is ^^^ this how it was worded? If that's the case then it probably is that high, and it's a crap poll.

You're not listening to me, most here do not believe Republican = Tea Party. Our Tea Party percentage may be high but not as high as the 48% would suggest, and I would think it's even less in other parts of the country.

I get it. and I agree that most would not call themselves a member of the Tea Party movement.

I did find one Rasmussen poll where only about 16% self identified as being a part of the Tea Party movement.

I did not call myself a member of the 'Obama Nation movement' in 2008

I did vote for him,

I do think many will vote with Tea Party issues over the current Administration

here is another poll

Tea Partiers Are Fairly Mainstream in Their Demographics

 

[martha]

In a crowd of 2,000, I neither saw nor heard any racial references or any mention of Hitler,

'Tea party' protesters in Nevada target health law, Reid - latimes.com

Fred Kubitz of San Diego carried a sign branding Obama, Stalin and Hitler "three socialists."

"I believe that we're heading down the same road" as Stalin and Hitler, he said, adding that he did not see his sign as exaggerated

Just because you haven't seen them, doesn't mean they're not there.

 

[BVS]

In a crowd of 2,000, I neither saw nor heard any racial references or any mention of Hitler, so I don't accept your premise, martha.

There were even.... black people and Hispanics there!

It's hard to believe not one mention of Hitler since I've seen several at both rallies I've been to. And as far as the racial reference you don't have the greatest track record of admitting or recognizing racism when it's been presented to you in here in the past, so I'll take that with a grain of salt.

But I hope you had fun

 

[INDY500]

Well maybe this is where the problem lies. I don't even think the Tea Party really knows the issues of it's platform.

They just know they hate black people in positions of power, right?