Posted on 03/28/2010 8:01:00 AM PDT by ejdrapes
Is the tea party movement being hoodwinked by the establishment? The one thing I take away from today's rally in Searchlight Nevada, is that the tea party is without question coalescing, and fiercely I might add, around a single Presidential candidate for 2012. . .Already. It's early in the game yet, and the whole idea behind the Tea Party movement was to objectively review all of our potential choices, so we would never be led down the path again. At least that's what I thought. After today, I'll never again look at the Tea Party movement as one made up of Constitutional Conservatives. They may be Conservative, but sadly, not my brand of Conservatism. Independent thinkers? I think not. Group thinkers? Indeed. After a rip-roaring reception for the Keynote Speaker, I was sadly disillusioned at the lack of criticism toward the former Alaska Governor and Republican Party "Cover Girl," Sarah Palin. Wasn't it just yesterday, she was in Arizona campaigning for the former "Maverick" suddenly turned rock-ribbed conservative "reach-across-the-isle" moderate "RINO" John McCain of McCain/Feingold, McCain/Kennedy fame? And who also voted for Amnesty for illegal aliens? That gang of 14 John McCain? The same John McCain who tenderly re-assured us during the 2008 campaign: "Barack Obama is a good man...If he's elected President you don't have anything to worry about." That John McCain? Yes, indeed Sarah Palin is supporting that same John McCain who sided with Bill Clinton against the Republicans and voted for the tobacco tax in the 90's that led to trial lawyers raking in millions at the expense of Americans. The same John McCain who voted in favor of campaign finance reform, and FDA regulation of vitamin supplements, the Patriot Act, and more. Sarah Palin spent Friday campaigning for John McCain against the true conservative and former Arizona Congressman J.D. Hayworth who has a true conservative record, and is campaigning on true constitutional values. Nothing conservative about that. Then she spent Saturday spouting conservative talking points like some kind of right wing warrior with Tea Partyers screaming like 12 year old girls at a Jonas Brothers concert. Nothing especially objective about that, or conservative as far as I'm concerned. I realized long ago that you can't listen to what politicians say, you have to watch what they do, and Sarah Palin's actions do not match her words. I never thought the Tea Party crowd could be so easily manipulated by the main-stream establishment machine. I only wish they would stick to true conservative values and consider the other candidates before they hitch their wagons to the apron strings of pretty ms. Palin. As I made my way through the crowd voicing my dis-approval of their irrational and exuberant support for Sarah Palin, I was yelled at and ridiculed by Tea Party attendees. I was subjected to near violence in one instance. I was told to "Get the hell out of here." and "You don't belong here boy." "Go back to Obama where you belong you commie." and other select less than flattering remarks about my looks and my political beliefs, and my sexual preferences. Striking behavior when you consider we are all conservative adults. The thought that was going through my head was: "Obama Zombies" only worse..."Palin Zombies!" It was the exact same group-think mentality with absolutey zero tolerance for my opinion. I was actually told that "I am the reason this country is so screwed up, and if I knew what was good for me I'd get the hell out of here..." I realized I was dealing with a group-think mentality who had already drunk the Koolaid. There was no reasoning with them. Apparently, Conservatives are so desperate for leadership, they'll line up behind the first pied-piper who comes along, regardless the consequences to the country. Sound at all familiar? The same machine that was behind the election of obama is hard at work drilling the brains of the Tea Partyers. Maybe not the exact same people, just the exact same political establishment machine... What did I take away from today's Tea Party rally in Searchlight? There's another "Hoodwink" coming in 2012 and it scares the hell out of me. Brian K. Shoemake
Brian Shoemake
Pahrump, NV
Hi Reagan69. Thank you - this fighting is getting ridiculous! We should have the freedom to express our opinions and to repect others opinions. And you are right - 2010 is our priority RIGHT NOW.
What is a Brian Shoemake ?
Are you saying the Tea Party Express wasn’t selling items there?
So you decide who addresses YOUR Tea Party. Don;’t tell the Nevada Tea Parties and the Tea Party Express(who organized this event), who they should or shouldn't invite to THEIR rallies. Get it?
My gawd, you think it was all about selling t-shirts?
Get help. Seriously, there are some very good new anti-pyschotic meds out nowadays.
The tone of the article is that of a drama queen.
Check out post 63 if you want a good laugh.
McCain did such terrible damage to us - you have no idea. You are about to lose your country because of McCain-Feingold. That illegal law put the Democrats in total control. Bush should have veto’ed it.
McCain is evil. He called Americans against Amnesty “racists.” He uses the same methods as Obama.
She needs to be “loyal” to conservatives not a Democrat trojan horse like McCain.
I like her. I think she is great but the McCain thing is wrong.
Just keep drinking the Kool-Aid Alice. From a member of the First Coast Tea Party (JAX, FL) get this into your head;
THE TEA PARTY IS NOT ABOUT ANY ONE PERSON AND THE MEDIA IS DESPIRATE TO LABEL ONE. DON’T FEED THE BEARS (MSM)
Sarah’s first timeline commitment was to make some campaign appearances for Juan because she lives by her commitments and promises. I am holding my tongue in support of her until this phase passes. If she were set in concrete with the McCain campaign do you ever think she would have been permitted to speak at a Tea Party event when it is the Tea Party in Arizona who is against McCain?
Her second timeline commitment is to supporting “common-sense conservatives” to run for office and win with SarahPAC. She made the announcement she would be doing some appearances in March for the McCain campaign and now that time is past. Please join with me and others on cutting her a little slack until we see what she does from here on out. She has said she is looking at supporting Rubio from SarahPAC. If that does or does not happen will be some indicator but one now has to wonder if Marco is actively seeking that endorsement since McCain has endorsed Crist. Plus Marco is plastering Charlie’s keester so he may very well no need it.
She lived up to her promises to this point, now the real test begins for us to determine if she warrants our support in the future.
The GOP has been successful in taking what at first was a genuine grass roots movement and co-opted it.
If you try actually reading the article instead of mindlessly emoting how much you hate McCain and everyone even remotely associated with him you see it all though this article.
Basically the whole argument in this article boils down to "whaaa people don't share my emotion based based opinions about Palin, Whaa!"
There is not one serious, thoughtful statement in this article.
It is just a collection childish bitching and personal attacks directed at everyone who does not worship the same political dogmas this author does.
If this guy is such a great political intellect and heavy weight, tell him to get off his ass and get in the fight rather then just sitting at his computer endlessly whining hysterically at everyone else who IS in the fight for not being 100% in lockstep with HIS personal political opinions.
This author is a perfect example of what is wrong with the "Conservative" elements of the Establishment Media. They are all gutless afraid to ever attack the Leftists on anything. So, instead of ever getting in the fight, they all sit on their asses bitching endlessly about this supposed flaw or that supposed flaw in their own side.
Not even Reagan in ‘79 and ‘80 aroused the kind of mass hysteria that Palin has since she came on the scene (and the same can be said for Obama).
I’m from Alabama. There’s only one politician in Alabama history that has ever drawn rock star crowds. My father did business with his administrations. I also know that the energy he generated ended up making him a target and he was shot on May 15, 1972 while working the crowd.
And understand that he used that popular frenzy that he whipped up among the ordinary people of the state to rule it by fiat for 25 years. My father was with Wallace for the whole time. He grew to personally like him but the main reason was always that you were either in with Wallace or you were shut out of the process. On a single command Wallace could get the legislature to do whatever he wanted and in the 60s if you defied Wallace, you were soon portrayed as an “enemy of normal Alabamians”
Sorry if I don’t want to see that aspect of Wallacism repeated on the national level.
You hit the nail right on the head!
I happen to be a Palin supporter and wouldn’t have voted McCain had Palin not been on the ticket. My reference to Palin haters is aimed at the American Thinker for publishing such a divisive hit piece.
What are you, eight?
I can’t believe a thinking person would write “I was sadly disillusioned at the lack of criticism toward the former Alaska Governor and Republican Party “Cover Girl,” Sarah Palin.” What rock has this guy been living under? Palin has been criticised, defamed, marginalized and berated in a hundred different ways by the media ever since she came on the scene. I am sadly disillusioned that anyone could be so uninformed and make such idiotic and outrageous statements and expect anyone to take him seriously. And therein lies the
problem with liberals, just incapable of dealing with reality.
I agree. McCain is bad for this country, he needs to go, and there is no loyalty which should outrank loyalty to the good of the nation, except loyalty to God. I can’t imagine George Washington, or any of the Founding Fathers, putting “loyalty” to a fellow politician over loyalty to the nation. They were considered “traitors” against King George, after all, and they certainly didn’t hate him personally-most were torn over the decision to outright rebel against Britain. But the good of the not-yet-born nation came before their personal discomfort in taking that stand.
BWAHAHA! You're killing me!
I dont see Romneybots or Paulinistas energizing the population.
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They’re sitting on the sidelines, sniping away to ease their jealousy that their candidate isn’t receiving similar attention and huge crowds.
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