The differences between Tea Party protest today and those of the real American Revolution

[DealMonkey]

I've thought for a while now that it was interesting that the Conservative Republicans would choose to emulate the "tea parties" of our country's founding, when little similarity exists between them and the real patriots who fought back against their oppressive British overlords.

I believe this article sums up the tremendous differences:

The differences between Tea Party protest today and those of the real American Revolution

The current Tea Party activists claim they are taking back the government and reclaiming their rights just like the Tea Party protesters of the Boston Tea Party. The Tea Party Express is about to hit the road with the support of Fox News as can be seen in the video below. While Fox News and the protesters try to sell themselves as a genuine, patriotic movement following the footsteps of our forefathers in reality the current Tea Party protests are nothing like the Tea Party of old. Here are some of the many reasons why:

#1: The Boston Tea Party members had no representation in government the current Tea Party member do.

When the citizens of Boston threw British tea overboard their number one complaint was a lack of any representation in the British parliament. They were not complaining about taxes as much as they were complaining about any ability to have a representative vote on the tax issue.

Today's Tea Party members have plenty of representation in Congress as can be seen by the fact that health care reform is stalled. Furthermore, these Tea Party protesters had every right to vote in the last election and many did. Many now seem upset that they lost and Democrats gained control of the White House and Congress.
While the current Tea Party members have every right to protest they should not compare themselves to the Tea Party protesters of old. The Boston Tea Party members had no right to vote, no legal recourse, and even had their ability of free speech and press restricted.

#2: The Boston Tea Party was fighting against a government sponsored monopoly the current Tea Party members are fighting to keep a private monopoly.

The Boston Tea Party member were also upset about the British East India Trading Company being given favorable trading status in America. They effectively opposed the British, a foreign country, enabling a foreign company to monopolize the trade market in America.
In contrast, today's Tea Party members are effectively arguing for a continuance of the current domination of a few private companies in the health care industry. In many states two or three private insurance companies effectively dominate the market. Rather than enabling a public option to provide increased competition Tea Party member today are trying to maintain the status quo monopoly.

#3: Tea Party members of old face the penalty of death for their opposition whereas today's Tea Party member suffer no real threat.

Contrary to conspiracy theories of White House email monitoring no real stories of government oppression have surfaced against the current Tea Party members. The Boston Tea Party members suffered the real threat of being imprisoned or even hung for their forceful opposition to the British crown. No reasonable person today believes Tea Party members face the threat of imprisonment or death. Instead, today's Tea Party members not only enjoy free speech rights but also are aided by the support of a political party and a major media network in Fox News.

#4: The Boston Tea Party members were not part of Constitutional republican like the Tea Party members of today.

After the Boston Tea Party and the Revolutionary War the Boston Tea Party member, among others, created the Article of Confederation which created an unbelievably weak federal government. Even founding fathers opposed to a strong central government recognized the failure of the Articles to deal with issues like Shay's rebellion and the federal debt. So the founding fathers got together and created a new documents which we call the U.S. Constitution.

The U.S. Constitution created a much stronger federal government. In addition, over time the American citizenry recognized the need for an even stronger federal government through he passage of 16th amendment and other laws passed by a democratically elected legislature and president. Put simply, our history is one in which the majority of the people have decided that a stronger federal government is not only necessary but preferable. The idea of an very weak federal government was tried and it failed horribly. The current Tea Party members would be best off learning the lessons from the Boston Tea Party members regarding the strength of federal government.

Conclusion:

Once again I fully support the right of Tea Party activists today to exercise their rights of assembly and speech in opposing President Obama's policies. However, we should not confuse the current Tea Party members with those Tea Party protesters of old. Today's Tea Party members have representation in Congress, the right to vote, the right to protest without disguising themselves, and most importantly live in a land not controlled by a foreign power. There is taxation today but it is certainly not without representation.

http://bit.ly/w5R02

I guess it's only a TPINO (Tea Party in Name Only). Um, wait. What are the Republicans so angry about again?

 

[MovingTarget]

The comparison between the real Boston Tea Party and today's "Teabaggers" doesn't hold up. To call them Tea Parties is nothing more than an exercise in trying to market these opposition rallies to the general public from the far right. I'm sure that historians will call these protests something else entirely, if they remember much of them at all.

 

[WHAMPOM]

Political luddites would be a good label.

edit; Polidites for short.

 

[First]

Tea Party protesters don't seem to know anything about the original American Revolution or American history generally, first off. Some of their grievances about taxes are entirely based on party and religion (conservative, Christian, oh and white). Bush, for example, had been spending more than any previous president had ever spent for a period of time, yet we saw none of these conservative protests. Of course, the most important reality is that they are an extreme minority numbering no more than a couple million people out of 300M+ in the U.S., 100M of whom vote.

Btw, the anti-war protesters (almost exclusively the left) were indeed fringe at the outset of the Iraq war. Of course, they weren't fringe by the time 2006 and 2007 rolled around, and today 60%+ of the country doesn't want to be there. So it's not a minority position the way the tea partiers are.

 

[JKing106]

"Tea Party" is just a catch phrase tied to a past event that is supposed to inspire revolutionary fervor. It works for morons. The rest of us who can read and paid attention in history class no there's no connection whatsoever.

 

[JonathanYoung]

Originally posted by: JKing106
"Tea Party" is just a catch phrase tied to a past event that is supposed to inspire revolutionary fervor. It works for morons. The rest of us who can read and paid attention in history class no there's no connection whatsoever.

Excellent post.

 

[SilthDraeth]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
I've thought for a while now that it was interesting that the Conservative Republicans would choose to emulate the "tea parties" of our country's founding, when little similarity exists between them and the real patriots who fought back against their oppressive British overlords.

I believe this article sums up the tremendous differences:

The differences between Tea Party protest today and those of the real American Revolution

The current Tea Party activists claim they are taking back the government and reclaiming their rights just like the Tea Party protesters of the Boston Tea Party. The Tea Party Express is about to hit the road with the support of Fox News as can be seen in the video below. While Fox News and the protesters try to sell themselves as a genuine, patriotic movement following the footsteps of our forefathers in reality the current Tea Party protests are nothing like the Tea Party of old. Here are some of the many reasons why:

#1: The Boston Tea Party members had no representation in government the current Tea Party member do.

When the citizens of Boston threw British tea overboard their number one complaint was a lack of any representation in the British parliament. They were not complaining about taxes as much as they were complaining about any ability to have a representative vote on the tax issue.

Today's Tea Party members have plenty of representation in Congress as can be seen by the fact that health care reform is stalled. Furthermore, these Tea Party protesters had every right to vote in the last election and many did. Many now seem upset that they lost and Democrats gained control of the White House and Congress.
While the current Tea Party members have every right to protest they should not compare themselves to the Tea Party protesters of old. The Boston Tea Party members had no right to vote, no legal recourse, and even had their ability of free speech and press restricted.

#2: The Boston Tea Party was fighting against a government sponsored monopoly the current Tea Party members are fighting to keep a private monopoly.

The Boston Tea Party member were also upset about the British East India Trading Company being given favorable trading status in America. They effectively opposed the British, a foreign country, enabling a foreign company to monopolize the trade market in America.
In contrast, today's Tea Party members are effectively arguing for a continuance of the current domination of a few private companies in the health care industry. In many states two or three private insurance companies effectively dominate the market. Rather than enabling a public option to provide increased competition Tea Party member today are trying to maintain the status quo monopoly.

#3: Tea Party members of old face the penalty of death for their opposition whereas today's Tea Party member suffer no real threat.

Contrary to conspiracy theories of White House email monitoring no real stories of government oppression have surfaced against the current Tea Party members. The Boston Tea Party members suffered the real threat of being imprisoned or even hung for their forceful opposition to the British crown. No reasonable person today believes Tea Party members face the threat of imprisonment or death. Instead, today's Tea Party members not only enjoy free speech rights but also are aided by the support of a political party and a major media network in Fox News.

#4: The Boston Tea Party members were not part of Constitutional republican like the Tea Party members of today.

After the Boston Tea Party and the Revolutionary War the Boston Tea Party member, among others, created the Article of Confederation which created an unbelievably weak federal government. Even founding fathers opposed to a strong central government recognized the failure of the Articles to deal with issues like Shay's rebellion and the federal debt. So the founding fathers got together and created a new documents which we call the U.S. Constitution.

The U.S. Constitution created a much stronger federal government. In addition, over time the American citizenry recognized the need for an even stronger federal government through he passage of 16th amendment and other laws passed by a democratically elected legislature and president. Put simply, our history is one in which the majority of the people have decided that a stronger federal government is not only necessary but preferable. The idea of an very weak federal government was tried and it failed horribly. The current Tea Party members would be best off learning the lessons from the Boston Tea Party members regarding the strength of federal government.

Conclusion:

Once again I fully support the right of Tea Party activists today to exercise their rights of assembly and speech in opposing President Obama's policies. However, we should not confuse the current Tea Party members with those Tea Party protesters of old. Today's Tea Party members have representation in Congress, the right to vote, the right to protest without disguising themselves, and most importantly live in a land not controlled by a foreign power. There is taxation today but it is certainly not without representation.

http://bit.ly/w5R02

I guess it's only a TPINO (Tea Party in Name Only). Um, wait. What are the Republicans so angry about again?

I agree with the points made about the Boston Tea Party, but:
1. We have little to no representation anyways, sure all of our officials are elected, but on both sides of the political isle, they have to many special interests mind, and little worry about losing office, especially if they have wealth and power outside of the political arena. Health Care topic aside, a Senator and Congressman should go up for reelection every 4 years as well, and two years after the President, then term out after serving two terms total in their life. Or would that be to much CHANGE?

2. The Government is the monopoly. We are fighting against more than Health Care, also Cap and Trade, and damn near every other case of over spending, waste, fraud and abuse.

3. Well the penalty of death isn't carried out our current administration is resorting to calling people racist, sexist, Nazis, etc for protesting them. Having people report to the White House website fellow citizens, etc. So not nearly so bad, but still a very disturbing trend.

4. Citing the creation of the Constitution would mean something, if it were adhered to. Most of us that believe in the Constitution do not support either political party in power.

Conclusion:

Nice try, but this isn't Dems vs Repubs anymore. The Republicans alone do not have the votes to stop anything, so obviously there are some democrats putting a halt on the Health Care bill as well as other bills in the House. Which would mean, they aren't my representative, so they must be someones, and if for once they are listening to a constituent, then they must be listening to at least some of their Democratic base.

 

[herm0016]

the "tea parties" are not all about health care. this is the point at which this artical becomes partisan rhetoric.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I don't think many of the current Tea Party attendees can quote even a part of the Constitution or the Bill of Rights or knows the difference between the two.

Hell, I'm amazed they manage to get their Rascals plugged in at night.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: JKing106
"Tea Party" is just a catch phrase tied to a past event that is supposed to inspire revolutionary fervor.

It works for morons.

Oh cont rare, the fervor is there, against the pussy Republicans using old history names nefariously.

 

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by: SilthDraeth

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
I've thought for a while now that it was interesting that the Conservative Republicans would choose to emulate the "tea parties" of our country's founding, when little similarity exists between them and the real patriots who fought back against their oppressive British overlords.

I believe this article sums up the tremendous differences:

The differences between Tea Party protest today and those of the real American Revolution

The current Tea Party activists claim they are taking back the government and reclaiming their rights just like the Tea Party protesters of the Boston Tea Party. The Tea Party Express is about to hit the road with the support of Fox News as can be seen in the video below. While Fox News and the protesters try to sell themselves as a genuine, patriotic movement following the footsteps of our forefathers in reality the current Tea Party protests are nothing like the Tea Party of old. Here are some of the many reasons why:

#1: The Boston Tea Party members had no representation in government the current Tea Party member do.

When the citizens of Boston threw British tea overboard their number one complaint was a lack of any representation in the British parliament. They were not complaining about taxes as much as they were complaining about any ability to have a representative vote on the tax issue.

Today's Tea Party members have plenty of representation in Congress as can be seen by the fact that health care reform is stalled. Furthermore, these Tea Party protesters had every right to vote in the last election and many did. Many now seem upset that they lost and Democrats gained control of the White House and Congress.
While the current Tea Party members have every right to protest they should not compare themselves to the Tea Party protesters of old. The Boston Tea Party members had no right to vote, no legal recourse, and even had their ability of free speech and press restricted.

#2: The Boston Tea Party was fighting against a government sponsored monopoly the current Tea Party members are fighting to keep a private monopoly.

The Boston Tea Party member were also upset about the British East India Trading Company being given favorable trading status in America. They effectively opposed the British, a foreign country, enabling a foreign company to monopolize the trade market in America.
In contrast, today's Tea Party members are effectively arguing for a continuance of the current domination of a few private companies in the health care industry. In many states two or three private insurance companies effectively dominate the market. Rather than enabling a public option to provide increased competition Tea Party member today are trying to maintain the status quo monopoly.

#3: Tea Party members of old face the penalty of death for their opposition whereas today's Tea Party member suffer no real threat.

Contrary to conspiracy theories of White House email monitoring no real stories of government oppression have surfaced against the current Tea Party members. The Boston Tea Party members suffered the real threat of being imprisoned or even hung for their forceful opposition to the British crown. No reasonable person today believes Tea Party members face the threat of imprisonment or death. Instead, today's Tea Party members not only enjoy free speech rights but also are aided by the support of a political party and a major media network in Fox News.

#4: The Boston Tea Party members were not part of Constitutional republican like the Tea Party members of today.

After the Boston Tea Party and the Revolutionary War the Boston Tea Party member, among others, created the Article of Confederation which created an unbelievably weak federal government. Even founding fathers opposed to a strong central government recognized the failure of the Articles to deal with issues like Shay's rebellion and the federal debt. So the founding fathers got together and created a new documents which we call the U.S. Constitution.

The U.S. Constitution created a much stronger federal government. In addition, over time the American citizenry recognized the need for an even stronger federal government through he passage of 16th amendment and other laws passed by a democratically elected legislature and president. Put simply, our history is one in which the majority of the people have decided that a stronger federal government is not only necessary but preferable. The idea of an very weak federal government was tried and it failed horribly. The current Tea Party members would be best off learning the lessons from the Boston Tea Party members regarding the strength of federal government.

Conclusion:

Once again I fully support the right of Tea Party activists today to exercise their rights of assembly and speech in opposing President Obama's policies. However, we should not confuse the current Tea Party members with those Tea Party protesters of old. Today's Tea Party members have representation in Congress, the right to vote, the right to protest without disguising themselves, and most importantly live in a land not controlled by a foreign power. There is taxation today but it is certainly not without representation.

http://bit.ly/w5R02

I guess it's only a TPINO (Tea Party in Name Only). Um, wait. What are the Republicans so angry about again?

I agree with the points made about the Boston Tea Party, but:
1. We have little to no representation anyways, sure all of our officials are elected, but on both sides of the political isle, they have to many special interests mind, and little worry about losing office, especially if they have wealth and power outside of the political arena. Health Care topic aside, a Senator and Congressman should go up for reelection every 4 years as well, and two years after the President, then term out after serving two terms total in their life. Or would that be to much CHANGE?

2. The Government is the monopoly. We are fighting against more than Health Care, also Cap and Trade, and damn near every other case of over spending, waste, fraud and abuse.

3. Well the penalty of death isn't carried out our current administration is resorting to calling people racist, sexist, Nazis, etc for protesting them. Having people report to the White House website fellow citizens, etc. So not nearly so bad, but still a very disturbing trend.

4. Citing the creation of the Constitution would mean something, if it were adhered to. Most of us that believe in the Constitution do not support either political party in power.

Conclusion:

Nice try, but this isn't Dems vs Repubs anymore. The Republicans alone do not have the votes to stop anything, so obviously there are some democrats putting a halt on the Health Care bill as well as other bills in the House. Which would mean, they aren't my representative, so they must be someones, and if for once they are listening to a constituent, then they must be listening to at least some of their Democratic base.

There were federal elections held in 2006 and 2008 where the Democratic party won control of the two elected branches of government. There will be a federal election held next year where every house seat and a number of senate seats will be subject to will of the voters.

That sounds like a representative federal government to me. If it wasn't the Democratic party would not have won control of the White House or Congress in 2006 and 2008. This is very different from what the people who fought the American Revolution were facing.

 

[Craig234]

Here's the essential difference (apart from personal issues like ignorance).

The revolution-era protestors were protesting the elites of the day, the royals and nobility of England who they had no say over, who had created the first big global corporation, the East India Company, and given it immunity from very high taxes they imposed on the colonists, in order to give the East india a compelling business advantage since its profits were their profits. The colonists were opposing the corruption of the elites at the expense of the public, and fighting for the right to have popular representation determine taxes.

Today, we have the system the revolutionary era protestors fought for, and the taxes the modern teabaggers are fighting against are the taxes the *democracy* has created - and their tax war is following the *agenda* of the elites, who want to thwart democracy and lower *their* taxes.

In other words, the modern tea baggers are fighting FOR the interests of today's elites - the opposite side of the battle.

They're fighitng against the taxes of the public *democracy* - not against the tyranny of the elites.

Now, there is a part of their movement that could be said to be opposing the taxes not of legitimate democracy, but of the elites who get government to serve them, just as with the British elites. And that would make them a lot more similar. But it's funny how the tea baggers are closely aligned with the Republican party and the Libertarians, both of whom are aligned with the interests of the elites, not democracy, even if they don't understand that very well.

The original tea party protestors were 'terrorists' committing property violence by destroying large amounts of tax-exempted British tea they couldn't compete against.

The modern tea baggers are protesting against things like the democracy in the US ensuring Americans get healthcare. Those are pretty radically different agendas.

In short old tea party = anti-elite fighting FOR representative taxes; modern tea baggers = unwittingly anti-democracy, pro-elite agenda fighting AGAINST representative taxes.

One of the key things the modern tea baggers miss is the deception by which the elites today take their interests, and then state them in terms of the 'average American'.

If the elites - who have grabbed nearly all the nation's growth for 25 years - want to pay even lower taxes, they ask tea baggers, 'don't you want to pay less taxes? Cut taxes!'

The tea baggers don't really understand very well the class differences - they think the 'elites' are the people they elect to office, who don't have enough money to be butlers to the real elites, while they think that they and the billionares are on the same side politically.

The modern tea baggers are the equivalent of if the revolutionary era peope had formed groups to protest the big taxes of the founding fathers to pay for the revolutionary war.

They'd go on and on about the oppressive taxes and never notice that they were serving the interests of the British elite who were their real enemy.

Nowhere do they notice the irony of how the primary organizer of the 'movement' is Fox News, owner by pro-elite billionare Rupert Murdoch. Sure, Fox no doubt can't wait to whip up enough of a 'movement' that it takes off on its own and they can pretend it's 'independant' after they create it, but it's all about the 'elites' manipulating the suckers into supporting their agenda.

It'd be nice if the tea baggers could be re-oriented to be anti-corporatist, but the pupet string holder like Fox aren't likely to let that happen.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: herm0016
the "tea parties" are not all about health care. this is the point at which this artical becomes partisan rhetoric.

They're not only about health care, they're about all kinds of pet issues, sometimes at odds with one another; it's hard to single out other issues compare to healthcare.

That hardly makes the citing of healthcare as the clearest example 'partisan rhetoric', though I'm basing this comment on your post and not the article's actual argument.

It's a largely incoherent 'movement' - a bit like 'the Monkees', who were created for commercial gains, compared to the other 60's rock bands with 'social messages'.

It sort of grabbed the superficial things - the music and noise and funny hair and danicng and energy - for basically no political agenda. (And the Monkees outsold the Beatles then).

You had the tv industry manufacture the Monkees leeching off of the 60's bands; you have Fox manufacturing the tea bagger movement leeching off the liberal protests.

The Beatles would get interviewed and might say things like why the war was wrong; the Monkees sould be interviewed and, as paid employees of the network, would provide a sort of irreverent silliness that appealed to young people but could be counted on not to say muc hcontroversial. The Monkees were in effect an act of war against the revolutionary spirit of the 60's to siphone off followers, just as the Tea bagger movement is an act of war against the anti-corporatocracy movement, to ensure that the tea baggers are kept protesting the 'right' things - Obama and Democrats - and don't get any crazy ideas about turning on Wall Street. Here are funny hats and signs for yiou, have fun! You're protestors now! Wheee! It's a lot easier to co-opt their anger - anger which Fox has generated for years - than to defend Wall Street and the corporatist politicians (of both parties).

The sad thing is, if half the people in the country are idiots - I'm not saying they are or they aren't - then you need them for political power, and co-opting them is important.

 

[Cuda1447]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: JKing106
"Tea Party" is just a catch phrase tied to a past event that is supposed to inspire revolutionary fervor.

It works for morons.

Oh cont rare, the fervor is there, against the pussy Republicans using old history names nefariously.

You're such a tool. You're just pissed half the country is starting to see the bullshit for what it is. Face it, you elected a bad president and now you're pissed because a lot of the country is turning on his lying ass.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

It is undemocratic to question or protest the government once it's elected. We need to be quiet and obedient since the representatives in power have a mandate. The minority has no right to be heard or considered in any way. Since the Democrats are in power we need to give them everything they want because that's how America is supposed to work. After all, it says that in the Constitution doesn't it? Besides, anyone who opposes The Agenda is stupid, because our masters know better than any of us. We need to be willing servants of government, as long as that government does what we want it to do, and excludes everyone else.

Anyway, I'm not into the Tea Parties. Not my thing. The real point is that people who don't like what is going on are banding together to protest a powerful government who wants something they do not, and has no intention of even considering their position.

Again I'm not a Tea Party type, but it's good to see people exercising their rights. I wish those who look down their noses at them had participated to the same degree against Iraq before war.

 

[SammyJr]

Originally posted by: SilthDraeth2. The Government is the monopoly. We are fighting against more than Health Care, also Cap and Trade, and damn near every other case of over spending, waste, fraud and abuse except when it involves the military, wars, corporate welfare, or faith based initiatives.

Fixed for you.

 

[SammyJr]

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider
Anyway, I'm not into the Tea Parties. Not my thing. The real point is that people who think they don't like what is going on but really don't know what is actually going on are banding together to protest a powerful government who wants something they do not, and has no intention of even considering their position.

Fixed for you. If the protests weren't centered around "death panels" and "socialism" and Palin worship and "keep the Gub'mint outta my Medicare" and had been going on for the last 30 years, I might have agreed with your interpretation.

There's plenty to hate in the health care reform bills presented, especially in Baucus's turd. It would be easy for the Teabaggers to have a reality based complaint...

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey

The differences between Tea Party protest today and those of the real American Revolution

The American Revolutionaries were Patriots, the Tea Baggers are uninformed morons, many with racist motives.

 

[DealMonkey]

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider
It is undemocratic to question or protest the government once it's elected. We need to be quiet and obedient since the representatives in power have a mandate. The minority has no right to be heard or considered in any way. Since the Democrats are in power we need to give them everything they want because that's how America is supposed to work. After all, it says that in the Constitution doesn't it? Besides, anyone who opposes The Agenda is stupid, because our masters know better than any of us. We need to be willing servants of government, as long as that government does what we want it to do, and excludes everyone else.

Anyway, I'm not into the Tea Parties. Not my thing. The real point is that people who don't like what is going on are banding together to protest a powerful government who wants something they do not, and has no intention of even considering their position.

Again I'm not a Tea Party type, but it's good to see people exercising their rights. I wish those who look down their noses at them had participated to the same degree against Iraq before war.

No one is suggesting that anyone be silenced. Feel free to ride a horse, just don't call yourself Paul Revere.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
#1: The Boston Tea Party members had no representation in government the current Tea Party member do.

Democrats and Republicans do not represent me.

#2: The Boston Tea Party was fighting against a government sponsored monopoly the current Tea Party members are fighting to keep a private monopoly.

You're talking about healthcare?

This has very little to do with it and is more about the structure of our distant and unrepresentative government. I fight for local government and your misrepresentation of that position is an expected strategy. Lying about your opponent builds a good strawman.

#3: Tea Party members of old face the penalty of death for their opposition whereas today's Tea Party member suffer no real threat.

Times have changed, but don't think for a second that once blood is spilled that government opponents won't be labeled terrorists. There are already official government agency memos indicating such. Once the Tea Party becomes an actual threat, then it'll be dealt with accordingly. The response given is in proportion to the threat.

#4: The Boston Tea Party members were not part of Constitutional republican like the Tea Party members of today.

Congress's approval ratings have spent a long time below 20%. The two party system has grown an elite ruling class who is never removed from power and whose faces change through an ever revolving door. All those who gain power are government proponents and government opponents are never represented by the actions of our government.

There continues to be a clear divide between the will of the majority of our people and the actions of its representatives.

You can claim our structure of government is working, is functioning, but I would expect nothing less from government proponents than to defend themselves and their faith. It is not working, and those of us who agree with that sentiment are growing in number. Your apt response to dismiss us is symbolic that nothing has yet changed.

We remain unrepresented.

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: Jaskalas

There continues to be a clear divide between the will of the majority of our people and the actions of its representatives.

You can claim our structure of government is working, is functioning, but I would expect nothing less from government proponents than to defend themselves and their faith. It is not working, and those of us who agree with that sentiment are growing in number. Your apt response to dismiss us is symbolic that nothing has yet changed.

We remain unrepresented.

No you don't, you had an opportunity to vote in a free and fair election, and whoever you supported lost. Just because your candidate didn't win doesn't mean you aren't represented.

I would be interested to hear what 'will of the majority' you think your representatives are not acting upon.

 

[Pliablemoose]

While I perceive the Tea Party folk are perhaps not really up on the issues (that's being kind) I respect their right to assemble & dissent.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: Craig234
The Monkees were in effect an act of war against the revolutionary spirit of the 60's to siphone off followers, just as the Tea bagger movement is an act of war against the anti-corporatocracy movement, to ensure that the tea baggers are kept protesting the 'right' things - Obama and Democrats - and don't get any crazy ideas about turning on Wall Street. Here are funny hats and signs for yiou, have fun! You're protestors now! Wheee! It's a lot easier to co-opt their anger - anger which Fox has generated for years - than to defend Wall Street and the corporatist politicians (of both parties).

This sounds entirely plausible.

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
You're such a tool. You're just pissed half the country is starting to see the bullshit for what it is. Face it, you elected a bad president and now you're pissed because a lot of the country is turning on his lying ass.

Then guess what, if that's the way people REALLY feel then it will show in next year's elections. Of course, if it's just a kooky 2-3% then that will also show. I wonder if they'll disappear if they lose the next election too?

 

[alchemize]

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider
It is undemocratic to question or protest the government once it's elected. We need to be quiet and obedient since the representatives in power have a mandate. The minority has no right to be heard or considered in any way. Since the Democrats are in power we need to give them everything they want because that's how America is supposed to work. After all, it says that in the Constitution doesn't it? Besides, anyone who opposes The Agenda is stupid, because our masters know better than any of us. We need to be willing servants of government, as long as that government does what we want it to do, and excludes everyone else.

Absolutely. This type of dissent must be quelled, by force if necessary. It's sedition.

 

[1prophet]

Originally posted by: JKing106
"Tea Party" is just a catch phrase tied to a past event that is supposed to inspire revolutionary fervor. It works for morons. The rest of us who can read and paid attention in history class no there's no connection whatsoever.

Very important post but there are those that will argue that such knowledge is not relevant today as seen in this thread here.

75 Percent of OK High School Students can't name the first POTUS