Crazed Teabaggers go international with their violent attacks
OH NO! They're escalating!
Whoops. Should have read the whole thing through. I read a story about political violence and given the coverage of late I couldn't help but assume it had to be those lunatics who think that maybe we're paying enough taxes already. I would never have suspected the peace loving environmentalists would harm anyone. I mean, look at Earth Day. They'd sing Kumbaya if it weren't so overtly Christian. (Maybe they change the words and make it about Gaia or just sing "Imagine" or some such dreck)
Seriously. I've been hearing no end to the imminent threat proposed by Tea Partiers. Has there been any violence? No. Does that even matter? No. The problem is that the Left sees their dream crumbling. They had it all in the bag. Obama was the one who was going to give them shelter from criticism. He was a great orator, beloved by all. Handsome and smart. He would make the world love us again. They had a 60 seat majority. Filibuster proof. They had America in the palm of their hand. Then they began the handouts. Spending of unprecedented proportions. Suddenly John Q. Public says; "Hey, wait a minute."
They bailed out the banks and the insurance companies in the name of saving jobs. (Remember Joe Biden's famous line of; "Three letter word, j-o-b-s." Where did that money go? Some of the banks folded and some survived. None were given a choice on taking the money. That, my friend, is Chicago politics. "Take this money or things are going to get very difficult for you." Pablo Escobar used the same tactic. He called it "plomo y plato". Lead or silver.
Next was healthcare "reform". "Reform" has replaced regulation or plan. People like "reform" they are wary of large scale plans. (You'll see tax "reform" next when the V.A.T. passes)
There was a big summit and I credit Obama for at least that much. He had the kabuki theater of having a panel where he "listened" to Republican ideas. Listen in Obama world means to stop speaking briefly to let someone else talk and then resume as if they never spoke and you never heard them.
Republicans wanted to compete across state lines. Did that make it into the bill? No. Republicans wanted to compete with government on equal footing. Did that make it into the bill? No. Republicans wanted Congress to be subject to their own health plan, are they? Yes but only after an amendment by a Republican.
Democrats reacted with surprise when their compatriots from purple states balked at the bill. Knowing that they'd be at risk come the next election. Cue Rahm Emmanuel who made an example of Eric Massa. Message to fence sitters: Get in line or you won't have to worry about November. Dutifully cowed, they did as they were told.
Local Lefty bloggers are decrying the Tea Partiers as alternately child-like tantrums or dangerously unbalanced racists and, for some reason, homophobes. I think this stems from both fear and surprise. They are shocked that the sleeping giant of Middle America has had enough and is actually taking to the streets. Something has finally aroused them from their slumber and they've actually taken days off of work to say "enough is enough". There is an undercurrent of whistling past the graveyard in their blogs. They talk about how stupid, pointless and insignificant the Tea Parties are without realizing how much of the conversation is dominated by Tea Partiers. If they actually were insignificant, like actually racist groups like the KKK, they might merit a mention one day and be gone the next. The KKK shows up to rally and there's some pushing and shoving and it makes the news. Next day, they're back into obscurity. (NB: the best response I saw to a KKK rally was in Idaho where they were completely ignored. They shouted their slogans as people went about their business. No crowds, no cameras, no media coverage.)
I am not a Tea Partier. Not because I don't agree with them but frankly, I don't have the time. That hardly makes me unique. For every person that takes to the rallies there are probably 3 or 4 guys like me at home or at work that agree with them but can't go.
Democrats/Leftists defame and slander Tea Parties at their peril. They think them insignificant but in reality the smarter ones see danger. The basic ideas of the Tea Party are; we're already paying enough taxes and government is getting too involved in everyday life. These are not radical ideas. This is going to be a clash of people who want government involved in all aspects of life (aside from sex I suppose) and those who want to be left to their own affairs.
Democrats want this overarching government structure because they don't forsee the day they'll be in the minority. I ask them to imagine a day when they have all their structures and strictures in place. When government has a hand in every transaction from health care to business, to entertainment, the internet and so on. Now imagine Mike Huckabee or Dick Cheney running that apparatus. Does this sound like a good idea to you?
Democrats, however, need not fear too much. The GOP will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by catering to business instead of markets, catering to the powerful party members instead of the voters, keeping themselves as the party of the God and not that one (or science preserve us, no God).
There will be outliers. Local races where someone steps forward to grab that lightening and steal a seat from a Democrat or Old Guard Republican. How many we'll see and how effective they can be I don't know.
The starry-eyed Right sees Obama delivering a repeat of 1994's political earthquake. What they forget is that that quake was organized by one man who had very specific instructions on what they were going to do if elected and where they stood. There is a new one which says it is not "to" but "from" America. Bottom up, not top down. I like it.
The goals are clear but the GOP hasn't taken it as their own. Why not? Simply put, they didn't write it. Second, they probably don't like it. Their belief in smaller government disappeared when Reagan left. It died and was buried with Bush's proscription drug program.
The Democrats had their civil war. The Clinton era machine against the Young Turks from Chicago. Chicago won. They had the strategy, the charisma and the chutzpah to sideline the most powerful, dynamic political duo since the Reagans. They turned Hillary's dream to ash and brought her in for what has become a minor role in the administration. No small feat that.
Now the Republicans are seeing their own civil war. Will it be the party of Glen Beck or the party of Ron Paul (without the absurd Trutherism)?
Will they wed themselves (pardon the pun) to God and intervention in personal lives or realize that The Middle wants to live and let live?
The question is not if the GOP will have its war but when. Moreover, will it happen before November? Either way, it's going to get interesting.
UPDATE:
"What is uniting everyone right now is fiscal conservatism, and I'm not even sure I like the term conservative. It's just responsibility. Just quit spending all the money," said David Kirkham
h/t: Insty
Mr. Kirkham speaks for me. I am not conservative, I am not liberal. I am simply tired of government pestering me at every turn with regulation and taxes.
Eco-terrorists 'plot to blow up IBM headquarters' thwarted in routine traffic stop
Whoops. Should have read the whole thing through. I read a story about political violence and given the coverage of late I couldn't help but assume it had to be those lunatics who think that maybe we're paying enough taxes already. I would never have suspected the peace loving environmentalists would harm anyone. I mean, look at Earth Day. They'd sing Kumbaya if it weren't so overtly Christian. (Maybe they change the words and make it about Gaia or just sing "Imagine" or some such dreck)
Seriously. I've been hearing no end to the imminent threat proposed by Tea Partiers. Has there been any violence? No. Does that even matter? No. The problem is that the Left sees their dream crumbling. They had it all in the bag. Obama was the one who was going to give them shelter from criticism. He was a great orator, beloved by all. Handsome and smart. He would make the world love us again. They had a 60 seat majority. Filibuster proof. They had America in the palm of their hand. Then they began the handouts. Spending of unprecedented proportions. Suddenly John Q. Public says; "Hey, wait a minute."
They bailed out the banks and the insurance companies in the name of saving jobs. (Remember Joe Biden's famous line of; "Three letter word, j-o-b-s." Where did that money go? Some of the banks folded and some survived. None were given a choice on taking the money. That, my friend, is Chicago politics. "Take this money or things are going to get very difficult for you." Pablo Escobar used the same tactic. He called it "plomo y plato". Lead or silver.
Next was healthcare "reform". "Reform" has replaced regulation or plan. People like "reform" they are wary of large scale plans. (You'll see tax "reform" next when the V.A.T. passes)
There was a big summit and I credit Obama for at least that much. He had the kabuki theater of having a panel where he "listened" to Republican ideas. Listen in Obama world means to stop speaking briefly to let someone else talk and then resume as if they never spoke and you never heard them.
Republicans wanted to compete across state lines. Did that make it into the bill? No. Republicans wanted to compete with government on equal footing. Did that make it into the bill? No. Republicans wanted Congress to be subject to their own health plan, are they? Yes but only after an amendment by a Republican.
Democrats reacted with surprise when their compatriots from purple states balked at the bill. Knowing that they'd be at risk come the next election. Cue Rahm Emmanuel who made an example of Eric Massa. Message to fence sitters: Get in line or you won't have to worry about November. Dutifully cowed, they did as they were told.
Local Lefty bloggers are decrying the Tea Partiers as alternately child-like tantrums or dangerously unbalanced racists and, for some reason, homophobes. I think this stems from both fear and surprise. They are shocked that the sleeping giant of Middle America has had enough and is actually taking to the streets. Something has finally aroused them from their slumber and they've actually taken days off of work to say "enough is enough". There is an undercurrent of whistling past the graveyard in their blogs. They talk about how stupid, pointless and insignificant the Tea Parties are without realizing how much of the conversation is dominated by Tea Partiers. If they actually were insignificant, like actually racist groups like the KKK, they might merit a mention one day and be gone the next. The KKK shows up to rally and there's some pushing and shoving and it makes the news. Next day, they're back into obscurity. (NB: the best response I saw to a KKK rally was in Idaho where they were completely ignored. They shouted their slogans as people went about their business. No crowds, no cameras, no media coverage.)
I am not a Tea Partier. Not because I don't agree with them but frankly, I don't have the time. That hardly makes me unique. For every person that takes to the rallies there are probably 3 or 4 guys like me at home or at work that agree with them but can't go.
Democrats/Leftists defame and slander Tea Parties at their peril. They think them insignificant but in reality the smarter ones see danger. The basic ideas of the Tea Party are; we're already paying enough taxes and government is getting too involved in everyday life. These are not radical ideas. This is going to be a clash of people who want government involved in all aspects of life (aside from sex I suppose) and those who want to be left to their own affairs.
Democrats want this overarching government structure because they don't forsee the day they'll be in the minority. I ask them to imagine a day when they have all their structures and strictures in place. When government has a hand in every transaction from health care to business, to entertainment, the internet and so on. Now imagine Mike Huckabee or Dick Cheney running that apparatus. Does this sound like a good idea to you?
Democrats, however, need not fear too much. The GOP will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by catering to business instead of markets, catering to the powerful party members instead of the voters, keeping themselves as the party of the God and not that one (or science preserve us, no God).
There will be outliers. Local races where someone steps forward to grab that lightening and steal a seat from a Democrat or Old Guard Republican. How many we'll see and how effective they can be I don't know.
The starry-eyed Right sees Obama delivering a repeat of 1994's political earthquake. What they forget is that that quake was organized by one man who had very specific instructions on what they were going to do if elected and where they stood. There is a new one which says it is not "to" but "from" America. Bottom up, not top down. I like it.
The goals are clear but the GOP hasn't taken it as their own. Why not? Simply put, they didn't write it. Second, they probably don't like it. Their belief in smaller government disappeared when Reagan left. It died and was buried with Bush's proscription drug program.
The Democrats had their civil war. The Clinton era machine against the Young Turks from Chicago. Chicago won. They had the strategy, the charisma and the chutzpah to sideline the most powerful, dynamic political duo since the Reagans. They turned Hillary's dream to ash and brought her in for what has become a minor role in the administration. No small feat that.
Now the Republicans are seeing their own civil war. Will it be the party of Glen Beck or the party of Ron Paul (without the absurd Trutherism)?
Will they wed themselves (pardon the pun) to God and intervention in personal lives or realize that The Middle wants to live and let live?
The question is not if the GOP will have its war but when. Moreover, will it happen before November? Either way, it's going to get interesting.
UPDATE:
"What is uniting everyone right now is fiscal conservatism, and I'm not even sure I like the term conservative. It's just responsibility. Just quit spending all the money," said David Kirkham
h/t: Insty
Mr. Kirkham speaks for me. I am not conservative, I am not liberal. I am simply tired of government pestering me at every turn with regulation and taxes.
Comments
Ditto. I work for a living and have a long commute. It doesn't help that the DE tea party doesn't seem well organized at all.