Posted on 09/15/2010 6:10:46 AM PDT by Taggart_D
First of a three-part series, excerpted from "Mad as Hell: How the Tea Party Movement is fundamentally remaking our two-party system"
The Tea Party movement has become one of the most powerful and extraordinary movements in recent American political history.
It is as popular as both the Democratic and Republican parties. It is potentially strong enough to elect senators, governors and congressmen. It may even be strong enough to elect the next president of the United States -- time will tell.
But the Tea Party movement has been one of the most derided and minimized and, frankly, most disrespected movements in American history. Yet, despite being systematically ignored, belittled, marginalized, and ostracized by political, academic, and media elites, the Tea Party movement has grown stronger and stronger.
The extraordinary turnout on April 15, 2010, at rallies across the country speaks volumes to the strength, power, and influence of the Tea Party movement, with more than 750 protests held across the country, demonstrating a level of activism and enthusiasm that is both unprecedented and arguably unique in recent American political history.
Survey data collected at about this time bears out the same point. In mid-April 2010, a Rasmussen Reports survey in which nearly one quarter (24 percent) of the electorate self-identified as being members in the Tea Party movement -- up from 16 percent a month earlier.
And a mid-April 2010 CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey showed that 10 percent of Americans say they have actively supported the Tea Party movement: Gone to a rally, contributed money, or taken specific steps to support the movement.
Even a New York Times/CBS News poll showed that close to one in five Americans call themselves supporters of the Tea Party movement.
On April 15, 2009, in honor of Tax Day, seemingly spontaneous tax protests sprung up across the country. At the time, no one in the media or in the political elite thought that these protests were important. In fact, many said they were irrelevant. Some, ignoring the obvious, said they did not exist at all.
In an April 15, 2009, interview, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "This initiative is funded by the high end -- we call it Astroturf, it's not really a grass-roots movement. It's Astroturf by some of the wealthiest people in America to keep the focus on tax cuts for the rich instead of for the great middle class."
"[They are] evil-mongers" spreading "lies, innuendo, and rumor," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
When the elite looked, their first reaction was to say: "Well if it was real (which we really don't believe it was), it is a one-time occurrence, it is no big deal, and it is worth neither our time nor attention."
This was evidenced in the findings of an April 2010 study conducted by the Media Research Center, which found that ABC, CBS and NBC aired 61 stories or segments on the anti-spending movement over a 12-month period, and most of that coverage is recent.
"The networks virtually refused to recognize the tea party in 2009 (19 stories), with the level of coverage increasing only after Scott Brown's election in Massachusetts" in January, the report said, referring to the Republican's win of the Senate seat long held by Edward M. Kennedy.
The first reaction from political and media elites was that these were insignificant gatherings, just small numbers of people inflated by the media.
"It's incredibly stupid," said former Atlantic Monthly writer Matthew Yglesias on the early Tea Party movement.
"It can be expected from the margins, but it's troubling to see it [The Tea Party movement] embraced and validated by more mainstream entities," said writer Stuart Whatley in a post on the Huffington Post, April 14, 2009.
Next, they said that these protests were by no means spontaneous, that the Tea Party movement was not a legitimate grass-roots movement. Rather, it was being fed and fueled by conservative talk radio and cable television.
"Our number two story tonight, the sad reality behind the corporate sponsored Tea Parties, visual proof that this is not about spending, deficits, or taxes, but about some Americans getting riled up by the people who caused these things, and finally about some Americans who just hate the president of the United States. According to both the conservative organs, the New York Post and The Washington Times, see there was another double entendre coming, the protests only drew tens of thousands nationwide, despite relentless 24-7 promotion on Fox News, including live telecasts from several locations," said Keith Olbermann, MSNBC host.
Scott Rasmussen is founder and president of Rasmussen Reports polling firm. Political consultant Douglas Schoen is a partner in the firm of Penn, Schoen and Berland.
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/One-nation-under-revolt-859047-102901454.html#ixzz0zbQVLpjV
The Counter Revolution is underway. Full Speed Ahead!
Not Astroturf but Astrosurf as we ride the wave.
These beltway and establishmenet hacks are PETRIFIED and think we are going away.
“O” was the revolution ... (AKA a media-driven coup)
The Tea Party is the COUNTER REVOLUTION!!
I know MSNBC constantly belittles the Tea Party. I would wager that the Tea Party is much more popular than MSNBC.
They will learn. We want to liberate ourselves from them. We know there is no Calvary coming to save us.
I’m telling you, folks, we are soon going to see action from our Rulers towards stifling free communication — internet regulation, talk radio, along those lines. They are excreting gold bricks up and down both sides of the aisle this morning. This “uprising” must be squelched.
People in the Tea Party need to start specifically articulating that we intend to disempower the elitists.
“You think you ‘know better’? YOU’RE OUT!”
In an April 15, 2009, interview, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "This initiative is funded by the high end -- we call it Astroturf, it's not really a grass-roots movement. It's Astroturf by some of the wealthiest people in America to keep the focus on tax cuts for the rich instead of for the great middle class."Wow, this is classic Lenin.
I would note that one of the Tea Party’s greatest strengths is that it is decentralized and has no single “leader”. Thus, it is protected from corruption and not subject to fading away when its “leader” falls out of favor, a la Ross Perot. I certainly hope it stays that way. It would be a tragedy if it became just another centralized third party; we’ve seen too many of those come and go over the years.
A day or so later, Neal Cavuto was interviewing someone who was commenting on the movement. Cavuto predicted that the movement would last a couple of weeks and then dissipate.
However, it didn't dissolve into obscurity. Numerous times in the ensuing months, Cavuto has had to report about various Tea Party events.
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The establishment is in shock and awe that the Tea Party movement has held together as well as it has — especially since it has no central head, leadership, organization.
Neither establishment Dems nor Republicans know how to combat the Tea Party movement, and it has them quaking in their collective boots.
“the great reckoning” james dale davidson
“atlas shrugged” ayn rand
B.S. Most of the tea party people I know paid their own way to attend rallies in DC. Thousands from across the country bought plane tickets and hotel stays. The tea party movement is hardly corporate sponsored. In fact, most of them are moms and dads, grandparents, business owners, doctors, retirees, republicans, independants and democrats. Nancy and the rats are full of it and they won't know what hit them come November.
We tried to tell them all - but they wouldn’t listen, perhaps they’ll listen now.
ADVERTISERS on the news channels should take note.
Why advertise on MSNBC and CNN if the reality is the MSM is only a fringe?
Sharon Angle, Christine O’Donnell , John Raese $25 X 1,000,000= 75 million and screw the RINOS
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