I just don't get the Tea Party

[lurkingdirk]

So...20% of Tea-partyers make more than $100k/year. 70% describe themselves as "well-off." Taxes have gone down for 90% of Americans this year (yes, that is a provable stat). So what's up? Can someone explain this to me without bullshit rhetoric, party catch phrases, and not in an angry tone?


Some views from the (obviously biased) New York Times:
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/what-tea-party-backers-want/

 

[LukeEl]

I am going to really start worrying about them when they start hunting human beings like in that Jean Claude Van Damme film "Hard Target" That is when I lead them into the bayou's and have a showdown with them in a Mardi Gras parade float warehouse.

 

[lurkingdirk]

I am going to really start worrying about them when they start hunting human beings like in that Jean Claude Van Damme film "Hard Target" That is when I lead them into the bayou's and have a showdown with them in a Mardi Gras parade float warehouse.

Let me know, man. I'll cover your back in the warehouse.
:ak47:

 

[~~whimsy~~]

I honestly don't know. If I wasn't busy on Tax Day I was thinking of checking out a Tea Party group and see what exactly it is and going on for myself, not what a blogger writes, not what a supporter writes about, I wanted to see exactly what it was for myself.

Individuals in a group are often lumped together as a group and treated as one body. However, each one is individual, they have their own mindset. They all just happen to agree on one thing, maybe more than one, either way, they are coming together to express their views and let the government know how many people are thinking the same thing.

Now if one of them happens to be a Tea Party supporter and does something that lands him in hot water, well, it will be magnified and he will be known as a Tea Party supporter; not his individual name and what it is he did on his own time with no Tea Party backing. Maybe not even part of the Tea Party.

At least people are finding their voice and using it against the government. It's going to show how many people are generally upset with big government. I am sure of these Tea Party folks got pissed off at the last President (Bush) for things he wanted to do and they expressed similar discontent.

It's hard to really explain about exactly what Tea Party is and who the people are who joins in with them. However, if you are different views politically, personally, or similar to theirs... everyone will have their own opinion about it. Some might listen to hearsay about them and go with that.

Go to the voting polls when any kind of voting happens and vote! You want to protest? Vote!

 

[LukeEl]

Let me know, man. I'll cover your back in the warehouse.
:ak47:

No I leave that for my Cajun uncle conviently played by Wilfred Brimley, but sure you can come along too.

 

[Facetious]

Yeah ! fookin expended soggy teabaggers !!! Get 'em, by all means necessary !!

:shakesfistwhilstwearingcheguevaratshirt,tornjeansandsoiledbirkenstocks,passthejointplease:

 

[Hot Mega]

GOPers and so called "conservatives" playing politics. Bringing in Palin to "speak"??? Are you fucking kidding?? Whatever legitimacy these goobers ever thought they had went out the window with propping up that clown to "speak".:1orglaugh

 

[LaLiLuLeLohan]

So...20% of Tea-partyers make more than $100k/year. 70% describe themselves as "well-off." Taxes have gone down for 90% of Americans this year (yes, that is a provable stat). So what's up? Can someone explain this to me without bullshit rhetoric, party catch phrases, and not in an angry tone?


Some views from the (obviously biased) New York Times:
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/what-tea-party-backers-want/

Wouldn't it make sense that people who have high incomes are the most upset about taxes? It's hard to bitch about income taxes when you don't make enough money to have to pay them

A hundred grand a year sounds like a lot, and it is, but not as much after Federal income taxes, state income and sales taxes and property taxes. I can understand the frustration when it feels like your endlessly subsidizing spending and programs that you don't agree with and/or don't benefit from. Even if you're fortunate enough to have a reasonably comfortable life at the moment.

I think this Tea Party business will die down after the Democrats lose their sizable majority of Congress in November. Republicans and independents seem to calm down when Democrats don't have both the White House and both chambers of Congress. Unless, of course, the democratic president gets a blowjob from an intern.

 

[Hot Mega]

Wouldn't it make sense that people who have high incomes are the most upset about taxes? It's hard to bitch about income taxes when you don't make enough money to have to pay them

A hundred grand a year sounds like a lot, and it is, but not as much after Federal income taxes, state income and sales taxes and property taxes. I can understand the frustration when it feels like your endlessly subsidizing spending and programs that you don't agree with and/or don't benefit from. Even if you're fortunate enough to have a reasonably comfortable life at the moment.

I think this Tea Party business will die down after the Democrats lose their sizable majority of Congress in November. Republicans and independents seem to calm down when Democrats don't have both the White House and both chambers of Congress. Unless, of course, the democratic president gets a blowjob from an intern.

Why if their taxes haven't changed except for going down??

So it will die down after GOPers bluster their way back into office?? Sounds like they don't really stand for anything but GOPer politics like I said.

 

[LaLiLuLeLohan]

So it will die down after GOPers bluster their way back into office?? Sounds like they don't really stand for anything but GOPer politics like I said.

I disagreed with Hellraiser that the movement is entirely a mobile Republican convention system at this point. There are clearly many people who are truly fed up with politics on both "sides" of the isle, but it's obvious that much of the "movement" is due to frustrated conservatives who figured that the GOP was a dead duck and lost their faith in the party and it's potential to regain congress. So yeah, many of the Tea Party folks are Repubs who forked off when things got hot.

Remember all the talk about Republicans needing to spend time to wander in the wilderness? After the '08 election, the common belief was that the GOP was finito. Well, thanks to the Healthcare bill, they didn't need to wander all that much.

Still, I truly believe there are lots of people who genuinely want change other than more Bush-era Republican spending and expansion or re-imagined Reagan-era "Conservative good ol' days." I think a lot of folks actually woke up and finally saw a problem with the immense role that government is playing in our lives. But unfortunately that's masked or diluted by Conservative band wagoners and cliche megaphone "Patriotic" rah rah sis boom bahs from idiots like Palin.

Why if their taxes haven't changed except for going down??

Maybe because things like TARP, the stimulus, the auto bailout, cash for clunkers and the healthcare overhaul are things that they're paying for even though the don't see any of that benefiting them directly. Imagine being a tax-paying small business owner that still can't get a loan from the banks that were supposedly bailed out by citizens.

 

[Hot Mega]

I disagreed with Hellraiser that the movement is entirely a mobile Republican convention system at this point. There are clearly many people who are truly fed up with politics on both "sides" of the isle, but it's obvious that much of the "movement" is due to frustrated conservatives who figured that the GOP was a dead duck and lost their faith in the party and it's potential to regain congress. So yeah, many of the Tea Party folks are Repubs who forked off when things got hot.

Remember all the talk about Republicans needing to spend time to wander in the wilderness? After the '08 election, the common belief was that the GOP was finito. Well, thanks to the Healthcare bill, they didn't need to wander all that much.

Still, I truly believe there are lots of people who genuinely want change other than more Bush-era Republican spending and expansion or re-imagined Reagan-era "Conservative good ol' days." I think a lot of folks actually woke up and finally saw a problem with the immense role that government is playing in our lives. But unfortunately that's masked or diluted by Conservative band wagoners and cliche megaphone "Patriotic" rah rah sis boom bahs from idiots like Palin.

It's all about GOPers hijacking a circumstance for politics. They ALWAYS do this...climb on some theme then repeat it incessantly irrespective of the facts.

Maybe because things like TARP, the stimulus, the auto bailout, cash for clunkers and the healthcare overhaul are things that they're paying for even though the don't see any of that benefiting them directly. Imagine being a tax-paying small business owner that still can't get a loan from the banks that were supposedly bailed out by citizens.

Really?? If they understood the facts...why would they have a problem??? Most of them probably have some g'ment subsidized or underwritten loan themselves. Can you explain what the problem could be with the g'ment loaning money?

Frankly, if they paid attention to the facts they would see the money is being paid back well ahead of time...so again, what exactly is the bitch?

To any reasonable person it sounds like bitching just to keep from being quiet. ESPECIALLY in light of the fact that the previous POTUS spent nearly a trillion dollars in Iraq...never set aside a penny to pay for it and it was virtually for not. Wasn't the silence conspicuously deafening??? Like I said...nothing more than GOPer politics.

 

[sporty_carr]

So what's up? Can someone explain this to me without bullshit rhetoric, party catch phrases, and not in an angry tone?

: angry tone on :

NO!!!!!!

: angry tone off :


Actually, I think it's just a bunch of regular people getting together because they feel the government is out of control with their spending, taxing, and forcement of regulations that aren't real popular with the public.

 

[calpoon]

Go to the voting polls when any kind of voting happens and vote! You want to protest? Vote!

I agree with everything that you said, except for this sentence.

That wasn't mean to be a criticism. Good post.

 

[titsrock]

I would like the Tea Baggers to be around so that the GOP wastes time and resources courting and assimilating them and their "message" :dunno:

The economy is turning around now, and if the job number starts moving north, and IF Obama will expedite bringing our men and women home from the Middle East...the GOP will actually lose ground in 2010. :hatsoff:

 

[lurkingdirk]

I would like the Tea Baggers to be around so that the GOP wastes time and resources courting and assimilating them and their "message" :dunno:

The economy is turning around now, and if the job number starts moving north, and IF Obama will expedite bringing our men and women home from the Middle East...the GOP will actually lose ground in 2010. :hatsoff:

Wow, you think so? That's the most optimistic Democratic position I've heard in over a year.

I do think your first statement demands attention - will the Tea Party just dilute the GOP's attentions?

 

[E-Ann-Hilden]

Where they when the defiect skyrocketed under the last administration? Where were they when sons and Daughters were dying in 2 endless wars costing billions? Where were they in 2004? I dont understand the logic?

They were enjoying less than 2% inprovement in wages over the last 20 years that allowed them to buy a overpriced house, spent with cheap credit, debit to buy a SUV and they were happy. So called socialism is creeping in to some how now take away their guns, take away the Constitution and ruin the nation. They have been asleep for 8 years!

Misplaced anger in my book!

 

[Straight Shooter]

Taxes are actually down this year. Congress cut individuals' federal taxes by about $173 billion shortly after Obama took office.