The Rotting Racist Underbelly of the Tea Party Protests 4/15

[Conan71]

I'm not the one who brought up rich benefactors. You just seemed to be unaware that the Tea Party movement is largely funded by Koch. I don't know where you got the idea that I think that him running a business that employs people is a bad thing.

And seriously, the Jew card?

Gaspar: What on earth makes you think that the Tea Partiers are any more civil than the usual 'liberal' protesters? The several hundred thousand that marched in NYC against the Iraq war during the 2004 RNC convention were by and large civil. Of course, the media hypes the few folks who are idiots. Just like the Tea Partiers, who got tarred with a pretty wide brush when a few of their own decided to spew forth racist and homophobic comments and throw bricks through 'liberal' windows.

I cite an article from a Jewish publication and you call that "the Jew card?"  What a baiter.

What difference does it make if David Koch's money is flowing into the Tea Party?  Explain to me please how is that any more or less relevant than Soros' money trying to influence progressive issues via MoveOn, ThinkProgress, the DNC, and all the other progressive PAC's his money trickles into?

He's precisely the "evil" Wall St. type stereotype that liberals love to publicly demonize.  Ah, but he's a good man because he donates a lot of money even though his gains are made largely on other's losses.  Most wealthy people do donate a lot of money to causes they support: political, social, educational, religious, etc.

[nathanm]

I cite an article from a Jewish publication and you call that "the Jew card?"  What a baiter.

What difference does it make if David Koch's money is flowing into the Tea Party?  Explain to me please how is that any more or less relevant than Soros' money trying to influence progressive issues via MoveOn, ThinkProgress, the DNC, and all the other progressive PAC's his money trickles into?

He's precisely the "evil" Wall St. type stereotype that liberals love to publicly demonize.  Ah, but he's a good man because he donates a lot of money even though his gains are made largely on other's losses.  Most wealthy people do donate a lot of money to causes they support: political, social, educational, religious, etc.

Once again, you're getting all fighty towards a straw man. I think Koch has done a lot of good, actually. He supports many causes I agree with. It's unfortunate he has chosen to support the Tea Party movement, but people do sometimes disagree with me. That's OK.

At no time did I make a value judgment regarding either Koch or Soros. You presume I hold these beliefs because that's what you presume all 'liberals' must think. Whatever helps keep your beliefs from being challenged...

It was my mistake in thinking that the "Jewish World Review" was one of those sites talking about the evil jew bankers who are supposedly ruining the world.

[fotd]

David Koch is evil and he has an evil brother. Grass roots leaders? Liars. Boheners boners.

Soros is good because of his pro freedom positions.

Sweet Jesus, you really don't understand the difference between Koch and Soros....you really are from Dumbf@ckistan. Nathanm, please tell me what good these oligarchs from Wishita have brought.

About the Jew card....get real.

[Conan71]

Once again, you're getting all fighty towards a straw man. I think Koch has done a lot of good, actually. He supports many causes I agree with. It's unfortunate he has chosen to support the Tea Party movement, but people do sometimes disagree with me. That's OK.

At no time did I make a value judgment regarding either Koch or Soros. You presume I hold these beliefs because that's what you presume all 'liberals' must think. Whatever helps keep your beliefs from being challenged...

It was my mistake in thinking that the "Jewish World Review" was one of those sites talking about the evil jew bankers who are supposedly ruining the world.

What was your original point about Soros having $4bln less net worth than Koch?

Strawman?

[nathanm]

What was your original point about Soros having $4bln less net worth than Koch?

You invoked Soros as an example of a "wealthy liberal" bankrolling 'liberal' causes. I invoked Koch as a counterexample, indicating that Soros is not unique amongst the ultra-wealthy in supporting partisan causes, and that in fact the right has the support of people even more wealthy than Soros.

[Conan71]

You invoked Soros as an example of a "wealthy liberal" bankrolling 'liberal' causes. I invoked Koch as a counterexample, indicating that Soros is not unique amongst the ultra-wealthy in supporting partisan causes, and that in fact the right has the support of people even more wealthy than Soros.

I guess you didn't click on Jammie's link then, that link pointed out David Koch is a big supporter of the Tea Party, to which I replied about Soros.  At any rate, you arrived late, Nate.

Gates and Buffett love dem some Dims too.

[nathanm]

Gates and Buffett love dem some Dims too.

I may have just not been paying attention, but I don't recall either of them funding organizations like Americans For Prosperity.

On a different subject, what is interesting about the Tea Party movement is how much support they get from the media. Fox News has even branded the tax day protests the "FNC Tea Party Tax Day Protests."

[Conan71]

I may have just not been paying attention, but I don't recall either of them funding organizations like Americans For Prosperity.

On a different subject, what is interesting about the Tea Party movement is how much support they get from the media. Fox News has even branded the tax day protests the "FNC Tea Party Tax Day Protests."

LMAO now.  How much support have the DNC and typically liberal-leaning causes recieved from a multitude of other media outlets over the years?  Global warming? er climate change, pro-abortion, anti war rhetoric including troop dead counts, health care reform, etc. ad nauseum.  Fox has always been open on their commentary shows about who and what they support, as has MSNBC, or the anti-Faux.  The news editing on the big three has always been slanted to favor a more liberal bent.

One thing about the Tea Party which does amaze me is the homoginization of the Tea Party movement as a bunch of gun-toting right wing extremists.  In reality, they seem to me to be to be a bunch of citizens who are tired and afraid of business-as-usual and favor tossing out incumbents including Republicans.  Of course, it's to the benefit of incumbents and Democrats in particular to try and discredit Tea Party members as loner bomber types or beer-swilling racist red necks.  In reality these people are their constituents and they are tired of being ignored.  It's a mistake they are being marginalized as I believe that is leading to more and more people joining with the ranks.  Poll numbers seemed to show that less than 50% of the TP members identify themselves as Republican.  The majory are Ind. and Dem.

I think it will have an impact on the November elections.  I have no affilliation nor particular affinity for the Tea Party movement, just calling it as I see it.

I applaud people who seek to be active in their government process.  Even those with whom I disagree.

So far as who's checkbook is biggest and who contributes the most to which partisan cause, that's nothing more than a big d*** contest to get our eyes off the important issues.

[nathanm]

LMAO now.  How much support have the DNC and typically liberal-leaning causes recieved from a multitude of other media outlets over the years?  Global warming? er climate change, pro-abortion, anti war rhetoric including troop dead counts, health care reform, etc. ad nauseum.  Fox has always been open on their commentary shows about who and what they support, as has MSNBC, or the anti-Faux.  The news editing on the big three has always been slanted to favor a more liberal bent.

Yeah, that big media, it was real supportive of not going to war in the first place. They covered the hundreds of thousands protesting in NYC in '04 so well. </sarcasm>

If that's truly how you see things, this discussion simply can't be productive, because one of us is not engaged with reality as it relates to the media, which in my view, is all about whatever makes money for their owners.

[we vs us]

Whether or not its members claim themselves to be Republicans, they're drawing almost exclusively from the right side of the political spectrum.  You might find a conservative Democrat in there, or independents who lean rightward, but it's just not nearly as representative of the US as a whole as it portrays itself. 

This CNN poll says it pretty straightforwardly:  it's the Party of Guido

"Washington (CNN) -- Activists in the Tea Party movement tend to be male, rural, upscale, and overwhelmingly conservative, according to a new national poll.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday also indicates that Tea Party activists would vote overwhelmingly Republican in a two-party race for Congress. "

I'd be shocked, honestly, if it was any different.  All the Tea Party ideas at their core are classic Reagan-era ideas.  It's Sun-Belt, Don't Tread on Me-stuff.  People are just WAAAY more intense about them than ever before.

And really the problem with the Tea Party isn't that it has a rightwing gun-toting fringe.  All major political movements have their fringes.  The Tea Party's problem is that, without strong leadership to shape the message, the loudest voices are the guys screaming into the congressman's face at the townhall meetings, or the moron who brought his Glock to the rally, or to the birthers who still think Obama isn't legit.  The Tea Party may have legitimate underpinnings, but it's getting drowned out by the crazy, and if it's not careful, the crazy will chase away the independents and the centrists leaving only the nutjobs.

[we vs us]

If you don't watch out we're going to have to yank that whole "independent thinker of the rightish persuasion" badge you keep so carefully polished.  That's a lot of ripe GOP claptrap up there, including the "Fox is only biased during their opinion programming,"  conveniently leaving out that pretty much everything except for the stray Major Garrett segment is opinion.

[we vs us]

Okla. tea parties and lawmakers envision militia

Okla. tea party leaders and legislators envision militia designed to fight federal mandates

SEAN MURPHY and TIM TALLEY
AP News

Apr 12, 2010 17:54 EDT

Frustrated by recent political setbacks, tea party leaders and some conservative members of the Oklahoma Legislature say they would like to create a new volunteer militia to help defend against what they believe are improper federal infringements on state sovereignty.

Tea party movement leaders say they've discussed the idea with several supportive lawmakers and hope to get legislation next year to recognize a new volunteer force. They say the unit would not resemble militia groups that have been raided for allegedly plotting attacks on law enforcement officers.

[guido911]

I cite an article from a Jewish publication and you call that "the Jew card?"  What a baiter.

This is a thread about racism after all. What did you expect?

[guido911]

Whether or not its members claim themselves to be Republicans, they're drawing almost exclusively from the right side of the political spectrum.  You might find a conservative Democrat in there, or independents who lean rightward, but it's just not nearly as representative of the US as a whole as it portrays itself. 

This CNN poll says it pretty straightforwardly:  it's the Party of Guido

"Washington (CNN) -- Activists in the Tea Party movement tend to be male, rural, upscale, and overwhelmingly conservative, according to a new national poll.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday also indicates that Tea Party activists would vote overwhelmingly Republican in a two-party race for Congress. "

I'd be shocked, honestly, if it was any different.  All the Tea Party ideas at their core are classic Reagan-era ideas.  It's Sun-Belt, Don't Tread on Me-stuff.  People are just WAAAY more intense about them than ever before.

And really the problem with the Tea Party isn't that it has a rightwing gun-toting fringe.  All major political movements have their fringes.  The Tea Party's problem is that, without strong leadership to shape the message, the loudest voices are the guys screaming into the congressman's face at the townhall meetings, or the moron who brought his Glock to the rally, or to the birthers who still think Obama isn't legit.  The Tea Party may have legitimate underpinnings, but it's getting drowned out by the crazy, and if it's not careful, the crazy will chase away the independents and the centrists leaving only the nutjobs.

Have you ever been to a tea party or are you basing your opinions of its participants on what you see on TV?

[fotd]

Let's go crazy!

Me and Shadows will take you to this show!
Wevus will drive!