A Movement

Reuters reports that the 55,000 people attended the protest rally against the governor's attempt to destroy the public employee unions Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin and that of those 55,000 attendees, only 5000 were tea partiers, who were brought in on 10 buses to protest the protesters.  (Bussed in, hmmm . . . kind of reminds me of November 2000 Bush Gore election when protesters were being boarded onto buses in Atlanta, bound for Florida to intimidate election officials down there.)  On Friday, 30,000 people were present in Madison to protest the governor’s plan.  I recall all the media attention that the tea partiers received  in their early days when only 17, 25, 60, but never more than 100 people, would show up at tea party rallies.  Despite the small crowds, the media dubbed it a movement, and became so obsessed with it that their coverage actually created a movement.  Without the obsessive media coverage, none of those people would have bothered to attend those rallies.

So, why hasn’t the media declared this a revolution, revolt or populist uprising?

This is America . . .

. . . where Sarah Palin has the constitutional right to graphically encourage the shooting and killing of her political foes. It is now more than a day following the tragic, right wing inspired shooting of Representative Giffords, and Palin continues to promote her graphic map with the gun targets trained on Democratic politicians around the country.

A Vote For a Tea Partier Is a Vote For-

This is what a Republican/tea party vote gets us:

• Privatization of Social Security.  All of these candidates want to privatize Social Security.  Had George W. Bush's efforts to do this been successful, there would be no Social Security today because all of the money would have been lost in the Wall Street crash of 2009.  Also interesting is that many who support these candidates also carried signs to the town hall meetings during the summer of 2009 that read, "Keep the government's hands off my Medicare!"  It makes no sense.
• Extremists with kooky fringe beliefs running our country.  We have Sharron Angle,  Republican and tea party candidate for Senate from Nevada, who claims that Dearborn, Michigan is governed by Shari'a Law.  Although there is a large population of Muslims there, it is not governed by Shari'a Law.  Then, there's Christine O'Donnell, Republican and tea party candidate for Vice President Joe Biden's Senate seat in Delaware.  First, she admits to having "dabbled" in witchcraft when she was younger.  Second, she falsely claimed to have studied at Oxford University, Princeton University and Claremont Graduate University.  Although she criticizes her opponent for opposing the teaching of creationism in the schools, she did not know that the establishment clause is in the constitution.  Ohio Republican House candidate Rich Iott dresses up like a Nazi officer.   Jan Brewer, Republican governor of Arizona insisted  that illegal-immigrants are responsible for a reign of terror in Arizona, including beheadings. And, don't forget those who claim that Barack Obama was not born in the United States and that he is a Muslim, with absolutely no evidence to support such claims.  Republican Congressman  and tp'er Trent Frank said, referring to Obama, "He has no place in any station of government and we need to realize that he is an ENEMY OF HUMANITY."   Tea Party member and Delaware congressional candidate  Glen Urquhart: "The exact phrase 'separation of Church and State' came out of Adolph Hitler's mouth, that's where it comes from. So the next time your liberal friends talk about the separation of Church and State, ASK THEM WHY THEY'RE NAZIS."   South Dakota tea party U.S. House candidate Kristi Noem on her 30 traffic and multiple arrest warrants for skipping court: "Obviously, I'm not proud of my driving record, but I've been working hard to be a better example to young kids and young drivers out there."    Carl Paladino, New York Republican gubernatorial candidate, said the following in support of  housing poor people in prisons: "These are beautiful properties with basketball courts, bathroom facilities, toilet facilities. Many young people would love to get the hell out of cities."  
• Unqualified leaders. When was the last time you applied for a job where having no experience or any other qualifications is a good thing?  A common sentiment in the tea party movement is first and foremost, the ideal candidate is a "Washington outsider" who is not a politician.  Why?  And the less educated, more below average intelligence the candidate the better.  Smart, intellectual people scare the tp'ers.  I don't know about you, but that goes against my grain.  I think it is important to have leadership consisting of people who are much smarter than I am and who have experience.

If that doesn't scare the bejeebers out of you, I don't know what will.  Think about it.  Please.  Before you vote.

More Tea Party Shenanigans

From the Huffington Post:

Security guards for Alaska senate candidate Joe Miller handcuffed and detained the editor of the online magazine "Alaska Dispatch" on Sunday while he tried to interview the Republican nominee, according to multiple reports.  The Anchorage Daily News reports that Tony Hopfinger, who founded and edits "Alaska Dispatch," was arrested by Miller's private guards at an Anchorage school. The senate hopeful was on hand as part of a town hall event.  The firm that handles Miller's security says that Hopfinger shoved a man, but Hopfinger claims that he only pushed back at a guard after the guard began pushing him.  According to an article at the website for "Alaska Dispatch," Hopfinger was warned that he would be charged with trespassing if he did not cease asking questions and leave the premises:

"Hopfinger had been trying to ask Miller questions when two or three guards told him to leave or risk being charged with trespassing.  When Hopfinger continued to try to ask questions, one of the guards put the reporter in an arm-bar and then handcuffed him.  Hopfinger was released after police arrived.  The reporter was on public property where a public event was being held at the time of the incident."

The incident occurs one week after Miller, a Tea Party favorite who stunned incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the state's Republican Primary in August, abruptly announced that he would no longer answer questions from the press. "We've drawn a line in the sand. You can ask me about background, you can ask me about personal issues, I'm not going to answer them. I'm not," he said at the time.

Miller has recently faced accusations of an ethics breach. Last week, the former mayor of Fairbanks said that Miller nearly lost his job after a 2008 incident. Miller, Murkowski and Democratic nominee Scott McAdams are currently locked in a close three-way race for the seat.

Geezz Louise, these Republican/tea partiers have a lot of nerve don't they? They are lucky Hopfinger didn't have them arrested.  They think they are the law.  So typical.  I hope Hopfinger sues Miller for false imprisonment, violating his civil rights and whatever else will hold up in court.   

Sarah Palin over-brewed

Brooklyn Beagle thinks that we've all been listening to Sarah Palin and her tea partiers Oolong. And as every tea-degreed citizen knows, over-brewed tea not only tastes bitter, it is harmful to the health.

Howling,
Brooklyn Beagle