Fox News asks: What do YOU think of the Tea Party movement?

[Cry Havoc]

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/02/09/think-tea-party-movement/

http://img.wonkette.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/foxpoll021010.jpg

:lmao

And since this has posted, the lead has grown for the most popular choice.

[Marcus Bryant]

Unfortunately, it should be about something more. If it wasn't clear to what extent the federal government was owned by the financial services industry, it should be now. The people should be pissed off and ready to "take back" their government, as much as I find that notion generally loathsome. But partisan politics got in the way, on both sides. Naturally the out party was more ready to organize on their ideological lines while the in party was more inclined to defend the status quo.

Or, motherfuckers are more happy to yell at each other about teleprompters and cheat notes on palms than anything else.

[Drachen]

Or, motherfuckers are more happy to yell at each other about teleprompters and cheat notes on palms than anything else.

Hah, yeah, if you have to defend yourself about teleprompters and palm notes, you must be doing an otherwise good job.

BTW, if she decides not to run for 2012, what are the chances that Sarah Palin starts advertising for Blackberry? "I upgraded from my Palm!" could be the slogan directed at taking the remaining market share from Palm. I am pegging it at somewhere between 80 and 85 percent.

[boutons_deux]

No matter who gets elected, they are dependent on contributions from corps and capitalists to get elected, and must vote as their contributors intimidate them to vote.

I get the impression here that very few people really understand how UNdemocratic America is, how their votes are essentially meaningless.

The Business of America is Business, has been, always will be.

"Democracy" is just another myth dumbed-down America loves to congratulate itself with.

The teabaggers are dumbed-down, duped fools, all sound and fury, signifying NOTHING.

[Marcus Bryant]

Yes, politicians are content for that to fill the media cycle. Lest we bother to find out who and what Wall Street has been buying over the years.

The bailouts pissed off people across the spectrum. Now we're worried about Palin's palm while Obama is content to find no problem with Wall Street bonuses made off the taxpayer's dime.

BUT DID YOU KNOW HE USES A TELEPROMPTER? HE'S THE TOTUS. HARDEHARHAR.

[mogrovejo]

On line polls. Important stuff. This is alarming.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/2/10/835956/-Fox-News-Poll-about-the-Tea-Party

[Marcus Bryant]

Nah, the Tea Partiers signify something. But it could be much more, and effective. I think left and right could agree that socialism/redistribution/insert your label here for Wall Street is fundamentally and diametrically in opposite to the America they want to see.

[Drachen]

No matter who gets elected, they are dependent on contributions from corps and capitalists to get elected, and must vote as their contributors intimidate them to vote.

I get the impression here that very few people really understand how UNdemocratic America is, how their votes are essentially meaningless.

The Business of America is Business, has been, always will be.

"Democracy" is just another myth dumbed-down America loves to congratulate itself with.

The teabaggers are dumbed-down, duped fools, all sound and fury, signifying NOTHING.

I disagree with the fact that votes are essentially meaningless even though I agree with most of the rest.

Its not the votes that are meaningless, those still get politicians elected to office. It is just that businesses have more money to put a candidate's face in front of the voting public, so the public may not have similar opportunities to see other candidates. Thus the vote is influenced, not meaningless. Also, the amount of money (up to a certain point) adds legitimacy to a candidate.
Imagine a candidate for governor who didn't have a lot of money, but wanted to put his face in front of just as many people. If he decided to drive all over the state and engage the voters directly, face to face he will be able to get his point across better, and answer questions. Unfortunately, I feel that most
people would think, "good guy, I like what he has to say, but if he was a real candidate, you would think I would have seen his commercial by now."

[Drachen]

Nah, the Tea Partiers signify something. But it could be much more, and effective. I think left and right could agree that socialism/redistribution/insert your label here for Wall Street is fundamentally and diametrically in opposite to the America they want to see.

I lean more to the left, and I think (though I may be wrong) that you lean more to the right and yes I agree that this whole Wall Street thing is a clusterF*ck, not a single act of contrition. If I have a friend who desperately needs some cash for bills, rent, etc because of bad luck/decisions (even if it was his own doing), I will probably loan it to him to help him out. If I go visit him the day after I loaned him the money, and he is just getting back from the store with a few cases of beer, and some smokes. I will be thoroughly pissed. Now, Wall Street is not my friend, I would have preferred that we allow those banks to go down, shrink a lot and allow the mid-level banks which were doing it the right way, come in and fill the vacuum (even with government help, if necessary). Since we did, however, give them the money, you would think they would be a bit more humble, for at least a year or two.

[mogrovejo]

Scott Brown got ahead/close on the polls after spending less that $0.5 millions. In a very expensive media market like MA. Then he raised money from multiple small-donors nation-wide who started to believe he could win. With a few exceptions, good, smart, hard-working candidates can overcome an initial lack of funding.

[rjv]

Scott Brown got ahead/close on the polls after spending less that $0.5 millions. In a very expensive media market like MA. Then he raised money from multiple small-donors nation-wide who started to believe he could win. With a few exceptions, good, smart, hard-working candidates can overcome an initial lack of funding.


another example would be medina here in the texas gubernatorial race

[ElNono]

Scott Brown got ahead/close on the polls after spending less that $0.5 millions. In a very expensive media market like MA. Then he raised money from multiple small-donors nation-wide who started to believe he could win. With a few exceptions, good, smart, hard-working candidates can overcome an initial lack of funding.

He was also much more centrist than most of what the Tea Party movement supposedly stands for.

[Drachen]

Scott Brown got ahead/close on the polls after spending less that $0.5 millions. In a very expensive media market like MA. Then he raised money from multiple small-donors nation-wide who started to believe he could win. With a few exceptions, good, smart, hard-working candidates can overcome an initial lack of funding.

Initial. Yes. How much total, though.

[DarrinS]

This proves to me that liberals actually DO have a sense of humor. Who'd have known?

[mogrovejo]

another example would be medina here in the texas gubernatorial race

Exactly.


He was also much more centrist than most of what the Tea Party movement supposedly stands for.

Obviously, he's a career politician from MA, pretty much a pro-guns Weld Republican (a bit more conservative than Weld himself though). The only ones trying to paint him as a Tea Party guy were the democrats. I think that's a very bad tactic for them in the future.



Initial. Yes. How much total, though.

I don't know the final numbers, but he raised like $7 millions in a single internet money-bomb during a few days and was raising like $1million per day, via internet contributions, during the final days of the campaign. And obviously, without that money the Democrats would have buried him and his message. But the point is that he put himself in a position to raise that money for the final couple of weeks in the campaign because people started seeing him as a serious candidate before he had money.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

so we can't judge obama after being in office for "such a short time" yet we can pass judgment on a movement that's younger than him?...............ok. i'll buy that.

i'm not defending the tea party movement. it has a bunch of kooks. it's not focused, but what group,organization, movement has come out the chute with everything in place and not have any hangups? anyone?

this is just something dems, libs, "progress"ives can do a nany-nany-boo-boo at.
nothing more. nothing less.

[ElNono]

Obviously, he's a career politician from MA, pretty much a pro-guns Weld Republican (a bit more conservative than Weld himself though). The only ones trying to paint him as a Tea Party guy were the democrats. I think that's a very bad tactic for them in the future.

I'm not so sure about that. Back then, sure. But now that Palin is trying to hijack the image of said movement, they might actually want to pursue it more often. Anything that they can use to deflect conversation about deficits, spending, the economy and jobs would work for them.

Let's not forget that Brown also rode the Healthcare gravy train, when it looked like the Dems had the majority all sewn up.

[coyotes_geek]

The problem with the tea party movement, imo at least, is that what started as a pro-fiscal responsibility / anti-big government movement got distorted by republicans who wanted to turn it into an anti-obama movement. Yes, it's true that Obama is about as big government and fiscally irresponsible as they come, but the republicans seem to have forgotten the role that they played in us ending up where we are. It quit being about an idea and ended up being about the same bs "us versus them" game.

[Marcus Bryant]

The problem with the tea party movement, imo at least, is that what started as a pro-fiscal responsibility / anti-big government movement got distorted by republicans who wanted to turn it into an anti-obama movement. It quit being about an idea and ended up being about "us versus them".

Yep.

At this point I think the social cons crave power enough to keep quiet through the November elections. Of course, that's the true motivator for their "movement."

[balli]

The problem with the teabagger movement is that a thoroughly older and white class of barely coherent idiots started dressing up in revolutionary garb while screaming loudly about the horrors of tyranny in an attempt to disrupt coherent debate from even taking place. As if the healthcare bill were the equivalent of Stalin's rise.

It is a movement grounded entirely out of reality and comprised mostly of racist, hysterical, malcontented idiots who each and every one would gladly and humbly take Obama's America over that of any truly tyrannical nation. Were it that they were presented with a choice.

It is a movement devoid of ideas or logic and exists solely to tear down and divide and destroy. It is worthless; a form of vicious, dystopic nihilism.

[doobs]

They should be deeply ashamed.

[balli]

They should be shot in the streets.

[ElNono]

Isn't this movement a spin-off of the Town Hall yelling crowd? I might be mistaken here...

[DarrinS]

The problem with the teabagger movement is that a thoroughly older and white ...

It is a movement grounded entirely out of reality and comprised mostly of racist...





Chris Matthews agrees with you. You know, the same guy who said


I was trying to think about who he was tonight. It's interesting: he is post-racial, by all appearances. I forgot he was black tonight for an hour.

[balli]

Isn't this movement a spin-off of the Town Hall yelling crowd? I might be mistaken here...

It is, the town hall yelling crowd.

[DarrinS]

They are a thoroughly older and white class of barely coherent idiots.


So, basically, you're saying that they resemble the fans at a Utah Jazz home game?



http://cdn.bleacherreport.com/images_root/image_pictures/0047/8074/utah_jazz_fans_feature.jpg

[Marcus Bryant]

The left is content to graft their grab bag of sins such as racism and the usual anti-conservative tropes on the protestors, and defend the status quo. Most likely this will continue until the inevitable drubbing in November.

[balli]

So, basically, you're saying that they resemble the fans at a Utah Jazz home game?
Are you seriously so retarded as to think that liberal voters don't exist in red states. And vica-versa. I know racial, social and political homogeneity is pretty much the unstated but primary goal of tea baggers and/or morons such as yourself, but let it go. Diversity exists. The sooner your ass retarded brain gets a handle on that, the better off we'll all be.

[Marcus Bryant]

Diversity exists, except where it doesn't, because it would destroy my meme. Yawn.

[mogrovejo]

I'm not so sure about that. Back then, sure. But now that Palin is trying to hijack the image of said movement, they might actually want to pursue it more often. Anything that they can use to deflect conversation about deficits, spending, the economy and jobs would work for them.

Let's not forget that Brown also rode the Healthcare gravy train, when it looked like the Dems had the majority all sewn up.

Voters aren't stupid. They didn't buy the idea that Scott Brown was a tea-bagger and they won't buy the idea that X or Y are tea-baggers. If the Dems want to attack candidates for teapartiism, they better limit themselves to those who are actually tea-baggers. What I'm seeing reading democrat operatives, writers and blogs is that every Goper is now a tea-bagger. Bad, bad move.

[Marcus Bryant]

Voters aren't stupid. They didn't buy the idea that Scott Brown was a tea-bagger and they won't buy the idea that X or Y are tea-baggers. If the Dems want to attack candidates for teapartiism, they better limit themselves to those who are actually tea-baggers. What I'm seeing reading democrat operatives, writers and blogs is that every Goper is now a tea-bagger. Bad, bad move.

True.

But please, continue to tell the people that if they are fed up with the bailouts, the spending increases, and the deficits that they are a bunch of old white racists.

Now who's "retarded," again?

[rjv]

i agree with CG but i also think that this has been as much about spinning an image for the voters about the new conservative voice. it has been effective in that regard as it has given palin a platform to work with.

nevermind that most of the people who buy the BS will not even consider that most of the politicians involved in the movement are essentially the same as that which they are protesting against.

[balli]

True.

But please, continue to tell the people that if they are fed up with the bailouts, the spending increases, and the deficits that they are a bunch of old white racists.

Now who's "retarded," again?
Fed up with what they themselves created. GMAFB with that tired bullshit. Each and every tea bagger is a fucking hypocrite, fed up with and unwilling to accept blame or the consequences of their own shitty governance during the 2000's.

they aren't motivated by bailouts, etc. They're motivated by hatred for the side that won the right to hold the mop handle.

[ElNono]

Voters aren't stupid.They didn't buy the idea that Scott Brown was a tea-bagger and they won't buy the idea that X or Y are tea-baggers. If the Dems want to attack candidates for teapartiism, they better limit themselves to those who are actually tea-baggers. What I'm seeing reading democrat operatives, writers and blogs is that every Goper is now a tea-bagger. Bad, bad move.

Democrats want to minimize the impact of the movement. The more they peg it to a diversity of people, the bigger the arsenal where they can talk shit about it. I do think they're NOT going for a complete kill. The best that could happen to the Dems is that the Republican party fractures in two factions.
What I think the Dems are trying to avoid is the two factions aligning under one umbrella by election time.

[Marcus Bryant]

Fed up with what they themselves created. GMAFB with that tired bullshit. Each and every tea bagger is a fucking hypocrite, fed up with and unwilling to accept blame or the consequences of their own shitty governance during the 2000's.

they aren't motivated by bailouts, etc. They're motivated by hatred for the side that won the right to hold the mop handle.

Keep telling yourself that. I didn't realize there were so many racist rednecks in MA and NJ. The angst is real and currently a majority of independents have it. You don't win elections insulting the other side, especially with the same old tired and decades old caricatures.

[rjv]

Keep telling yourself that. I didn't realize there were so many racist rednecks in MA and NJ. The angst is real and currently a majority of independents have it. You don't win elections insulting the other side, especially with the same old tired and decades old caricatures.

hell yeah, there are a bunch of racists up there. philly is awful as well (grew up there). boston is really bad and jersey wops are full of hate.

[balli]

You don't win elections insulting the other side, especially with the same old tired and decades old caricatures.

I'm not trying to win. I'd rather have Obama than Palin, by a long shot, but I'm fucking crazy, radically left, hoping for a violent anarchist state in which I can get away with the worst offenses. I want to be what the teabaggers irrationally fear most.

My goal isn't to win elections for Democrats. It's to cleanse earth of it's worst inhabitants, i.e. teabaggers. At the present, that's an impossibility I know, but just FYI, I'm not viewing this movement through the lens of 2010 or 2012.

And yeah, you didn't know Boston is generally thought of as one of the more racist parts of the country?

[Marcus Bryant]

So you hate white people and hope for the breakdown of civil society so you can kill them. Grand.

[DarrinS]

http://www.synthstuff.com/mt/archives/2009/racecard.jpg

[mogrovejo]

hell yeah, there are a bunch of racists up there. philly is awful as well (grew up there). boston is really bad and jersey wops are full of hate.

No surprise they're democrat strongholds.

[mogrovejo]

The best that could happen to the Dems is that the Republican party fractures in two factions.
What I think the Dems are trying to avoid is the two factions aligning under one umbrella by election time.

What two factions? Tea-baggers had no problem giving their support for a NE republican like Brown. Palin is endorsing establishment republicans. The kind of big issue that divides parties, like the civil rights laws, simply doesn't exist.

[rjv]

No surprise they're democrat strongholds.

yes because there sure are no GOP strongholds that are equally as racist.

and what is the point of this one sided post anyway? you think it would have been surprising that there are racist democrats?

who the hell didn't know this already?

[Cry Havoc]

I didn't realize there were so many racist rednecks in MA and NJ.

Wow. So you're saying that racist rednecks only exist in the predefined cliche areas like the deep south?

That's a pretty racist statement to make yourself, skippy.

[Marcus Bryant]

Yawn.

[ElNono]

What two factions? Tea-baggers had no problem giving their support for a NE republican like Brown. Palin is endorsing establishment republicans. The kind of big issue that divides parties, like the civil rights laws, simply doesn't exist.

The 'official' Republican party candidate vs the 'independent' teabagger candidate. Don't forget that the party didn't endorse or fund Brown's campaign at least until Dede Scozzafava stepped down from the race.

[EVAY]

Hah, yeah, if you have to defend yourself about teleprompters and palm notes, you must be doing an otherwise good job.

BTW, if she decides not to run for 2012, what are the chances that Sarah Palin starts advertising for Blackberry? "I upgraded from my Palm!" could be the slogan directed at taking the remaining market share from Palm. I am pegging it at somewhere between 80 and 85 percent.

:lmao

[mogrovejo]

yes because there sure are no GOP strongholds that are equally as racist.

and what is the point of this one sided post anyway? you think it would have been surprising that there are racist democrats?

who the hell didn't know this already?

Maybe the same people who didn't know that there were racists in Boston? I wasn't the one bringing up the issue - and I doubt that people would be mentioning that there are racists in Boston if a democrat candidate like Kennedy, Kerrry, Coakley or Patrick had won the seat.

[EVAY]

He was also much more centrist than most of what the Tea Party movement supposedly stands for.

You are right, and I have been wondering how long it will be before the far-right social conservatives in the Republican base turn on him.

[mogrovejo]

The 'official' Republican party candidate vs the 'independent' teabagger candidate. Don't forget that the party didn't endorse or fund Brown's campaign at least until Dede Scozzafava stepped down from the race.

I don't understand the connection with Scozzafava. I think the NRSCC didn't spend money on Brown's campaign. Other than that he had the support of the party establishment since early in the primary.

The tea party candidates in Illinois got behind a liberal, almost leftist, republican like Mark Kirk very quickly. Most Medina voters, if not all, in Texas will gladly vote for Perry or Kay. That kind of stuff simply won't happen. NY.23 was an exception due to Scozzafava's exceptional peculiarities.

[ElNono]

I don't understand the connection with Scozzafava. I think the NRSCC didn't spend money on Brown's campaign. Other than that he had the support of the party establishment since early in the primary.

The tea party candidates in Illinois got behind a liberal, almost leftist, republican like Mark Kirk very quickly. Most Medina voters, if not all, in Texas will gladly vote for Perry or Kay. That kind of stuff simply won't happen. NY.23 was an exception due to Scozzafava's exceptional peculiarities.

The Republican party funded and supported Scozzafava up until polls showed that she was not going to win. Funding and support that Dede used, among other things, to fight both Martha Coakley and Scott Brown. You can't say that Brown 'had the support of the party establishment' when he did not. The national party was entirely aligned with Dede.

There's even people that will argue that Brown is actually more liberal (http://bshor.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/scott-brown-is-a-more-liberal-republican-than-dede-scozzafava/) than Dede, and that's exactly why he was a better fit for the extremely liberal NY region.

[mogrovejo]

The Republican party funded and supported Scozzafava up until polls showed that she was not going to win. Funding and support that Dede used, among other things, to fight both Martha Coakley and Scott Brown. You can't say that Brown 'had the support of the party establishment' when he did not. The national party was entirely aligned with Dede.

There's even people that will argue that Brown is actually more liberal (http://bshor.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/scott-brown-is-a-more-liberal-republican-than-dede-scozzafava/) than Dede, and that's exactly why he was a better fit for the extremely liberal NY region.

Uh? What? THis seems like a Miterrand was a socialist moment.

[ElNono]

Uh? What? THis seems like a Miterrand was a socialist moment.

What do you mean? (http://michellemalkin.com/2009/10/16/calling-them-out-nrcc-rnc-gingrich-back-margaret-sanger-award-winner/)

[mogrovejo]

What do you mean? (http://michellemalkin.com/2009/10/16/calling-them-out-nrcc-rnc-gingrich-back-margaret-sanger-award-winner/)

That Scozzafava never "used [that money to], among other things, fight both Martha Coakley and Scott Brown ". Mostly because she was running a different race, for a different seat in an entire different state.


You can't say that Brown 'had the support of the party establishment' when he did not. The national party was entirely aligned with Dede.

Brown - Massachussets - Senate
Dede - New York - Congress

[ElNono]

That Scozzafava never "used [that money to], among other things, fight both Martha Coakley and Scott Brown ". Mostly because she was running a different race, for a different seat in an entire different state.
Brown - Massachussets - Senate
Dede - New York - Congress

LOL, I got them mixed up. :lmao

I actually meant what happened in NY23 with Dede and Hoffman, that handed the election to Owens. That's the two 'factions' I was talking about.