Posted on 10/11/2009 2:47:22 PM PDT by Syncro
The Tea Party movement, depending on who defines it, is a collection of American patriots working to preserve democracy, a movement made up of people who don’t understand public policy and want to score cheap political points, or something in-between.
Protests have been held throughout North Carolina and the United States since this spring. Many who have participated describe themselves as fiscal conservatives, but political analysts say there’s a broader range of opinions represented in the Tea Party effort than in a typical protest.
At a Tea Party held in Graham in May, some were critical of the government’s bailout of large financial institutions. Others have been motivated by opposition to plans for national health care.
And while some clearly aren’t fans of President Barack Obama — one sign at the May protest read “Impeach Obama Now” — some are supporters of neither former President George W. Bush nor the national Republican Party.
Mike Munger, a political science professor at Duke University, ran for North Carolina governor last year as a Libertarian.
He has been the keynote speaker at two Tea Party events — one in Raleigh in April, the other in Union County, in south-central North Carolina, in September.
Munger wasn’t sure what kind of reaction he would get when he described himself as a former Republican who blamed that party for beginning what the Democratic Party has continued.
Republicans under the leadership of George W. Bush, he said, embraced massive spending and huge deficits, as well as the Patriot Act, which has been criticized as undermining people’s constitutional rights.
“I expected boos,” he said. Instead, he got applause, though perhaps not as much as speakers who made other points.
ON SATURDAY, the second local Tea Party of the year was held in Graham.
Both have been affiliated with the FreedomWorks Organization, a national group that promotes smaller government, lower taxes and more individual responsibility and choice. The name “Tea Party” recalls one of the best-known events associated with the American Revolution, the Boston Tea Party. TEA is also used as an acronym standing for “Taxed Enough Already.”
This article is leftisted skewed, starting at the very beginning:
Steve Carter, a retired banker who has been active in the Republican Party, said organizers are attempting to create a bi-partisan movement of people who support “fiscal conservatism, lower taxes and self-restraint on the part of government.”
Speakers for Saturday’s event included Barbara Howe, a former candidate for governor who is chair of the state’s Libertarian Party. Eddie Boswell, a Democrat who serves on the Alamance County Board of Commissioners, spoke at both local tea parties. Carter said elected officials of both major political parties were invited to speak.
“We want to encourage debate and discussion,” he said, rather than have the audience hear only from people who are likely to share most of their opinions.
Carter said people who were invited had to agree to answer questions from people at the event as a condition of being allowed to speak.
J.A. FREEMAN, a retired educator who is chairman of the Alamance County Democratic Party, said he has no objections to political protests but is concerned that there’s little constructive communication between people of opposing views at the moment.
Concern about taxation is legitimate, he said, but should be within the context of a “bigger picture” in which people are willing to consider how government can meet people’s needs.
Some have criticized the Tea Party movement as too heavily focused on personal denigration of Obama.
Steve Green, a political science professor at N.C. State University, said there’s little doubt racism has come into play in some of the criticism Obama has received, mentioning images he’s seen online of Obama portrayed as a monkey. While it’s true previous presidents have been caricatured either in that way or similarly, Green said, the history of how African-Americans have been portrayed in the United States requires an added sensitivity in Obama’s case.
A McClatchy News account of the May Tea Party in Raleigh included reports of racially motivated comments made by people critical of the protesters, including one person quoted as calling them “white rednecks.”
Saturday’s event in Graham included one speech by a black political figure, Celo Faucette. He’s a Republican running in a non-partisan race for Burlington City Council. Felice Pete, a black woman who is a nurse anesthetist in Raleigh, spoke about health care, energizing the crowd near the end of the rally.
GREEN DESCRIBED the Tea Party movement as unusual compared to other protest movements in recent American history. Typically, he said, protesters rally around a central idea, such as opposition to a war or promoting civil rights for a minority group.
Munger sees fear over the growing deficit and national debt as the biggest uniting factor among protestors.
He also points to concern over the budget and government debt as producing a recent example of political and policy success: “Bill Clinton did it” by achieving a balanced budget during the 1990s.
Still, he agreed with Green that the anti-big government movement needs a plan of its own to present to the country, and, perhaps equal in importance, an effective messenger.
“You need alternatives,” he said, not just criticism.
While the chances of a majority coalition emerging in favor of smaller government may not look promising, Munger said, it’s important to remember how quickly the political scene can change.
Three years ago, Munger said, few would have thought Barack Obama could be elected president as soon as 2008.
The Tea Party movement, depending on who defines it, is a collection of American patriots working to preserve democracy, a movement made up of people who don’t understand public policy and want to score cheap political points, or something in-between.Couldn't be more wrong, judging from the hundreds of people I talked to at Tea Parties when I traveled across the country on the Tea Party Express Tour last month.
movement made up of people who don’t understand public policy
NO—they do understand policies—but the politicans don’t.
That’s the issue.
It's about the Constitution, pure and simple.
J.A. Freeman said: Concern about taxation is legitimate, he said, but should be within the context of a “bigger picture” in which people are willing to consider how government can meet people’s needs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT? How Government Can Meet People’s Needs is the PROBLEM not the Solution. Government is there to PROTECT Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. . . not to meet ANYONE’s “needs.”
Someone please write letters to the Editor and remind people of that FACT.
T(axed) E(nough) A(lready) is a sentiment that appeals to me.
LOL you are RIGHT!
Sounds like the Libertarians are hijacking the tea party movement.
The Tea Party movement isn't about (D), (R), or "public policies."Yup, that's it.It's about the Constitution, pure and simple.
You got it DTogo.
It's a little too simple for the leftists to figure out.
I know several hundred people personally involved and maybe at least 1,000 or more on line and I don't know one who is "working to preserve democracy".
Just wait til they get VAT and Cap & Tax. Oh, and mandatory health insurance. Do we get to keep anything? I feel Obama is Pharaoh, leading us all back into slavery.
It's about the Constitution, upon which our country was founded.
A Constitutional Republic.
It always hits a nerve when the USA is called a "democracy" or when they say they want to spread democracy all over the world.
Democracy leads to socialism, and socialism leads to communism.
*Sounds like the Libertarians are hijacking the tea party movement.*
They are, have seen it here and Freepers in other states have said the same thing.
They are pushing anti war, 9/11 Truther propaganda.
I have gone especially to educated these loons. some didn’t even understand what is in the background of
these Paulites.
It is like going to a Code Pinko rally.
I think this article should be on the “Must read” list for the TEA Party organizers. I say that because this tells a lot about the perception of the movement from outsiders. Also, the last bits of the story are valuable feedback.
Still, he agreed with Green that the anti-big government movement needs a plan of its own to present to the country, and, perhaps equal in importance, an effective messenger.
“You need alternatives,” he said, not just criticism.
While the chances of a majority coalition emerging in favor of smaller government may not look promising, Munger said, it’s important to remember how quickly the political scene can change.
Whether you agree with this or not, that is the perception that many people have of the TEA party movement. And those are the things we need to work on. I believe that we are better with a lot of messengers, rather than one charismatic leader. I don’t necessarily view that as a weakness of the movement. But the message does need some refining and focus.
| From the desk of cc2k: |
More tea please
The same Constitution Libertarian and Paulite Judge Andrew Napolitano uses as a source why illegal aliens have a Constitutional right to Health insurance.
This is a massive movement OF THE PEOPLE and will not be stopped.
As one who was part of the million plus in DC on 9-12 I can say without a doubt that nothing of this nature has ever occurred in this country (at least in my lifetime).
The impact may be "uncertain" as to its final outcome, but it is going to be, and already has been, huge. We just need to keep up the pressure to get our country back.
Amen! Vote against every incumbent. And here’s why I say that. Even if the guy is a conservative if he hasn’t been standing up and naming names, he needs to go.
check these patriots out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdzspfkujHQ
and know who has the best interest of this country at heart...
what it will come down to is, who has the stronger constitution...
hehehe
t
Whaa, whaa, whaa.
Concern about taxation is legitimate, he said, but should be within the context of a “bigger picture” in which people are willing to consider how government can meet people’s needs.
We don't need you to tell us how to meet our needs...
The ongoing problem is that too many politicians DO UNDERSTAND, but they pretend that they don’t understand. I’m excluding all of the “truely dopey”-the other problem-politicians that do exist from that statement.
Well said! No more go-along and get-along politicians!
How about the Constitution? Uncertain impact?
But, all of these Tea Parties end the same way: The leftists are still in control of everything important throughout the U.S.! Election day on November ‘10 will really be too late, because too much leftist legislation will already be put into place before then. Socialized health care, amnesty for illegal immigrants, “cap and trade”, and a finite number of other “very damaging” leftist legislation, will already be in place, prior to November ‘10!
I agree.
We must vote them all out. That is the ONLY way the newly elected will know they work for us.
It sends a definite message that will not be forgotten.
It is up to us to make voters aware how important it is to not vote for ANY incumbant.
Ya think?
"The Tea Party is made up of a bunch of misguided idiots, or right-wing bigots, depending on your viewpoint."
Whatta jackass.
Congressman Billybob
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