The TEA Party Movement - Pondering the future

This article posts a copy of an e mail letter, from Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele, addressed to supporters, urging members to send virtual tea bags to President Obama and several members of the Democratic Party, like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in support of the Tea Party Movement, as well as soliciting donations for the Republican Party.  

CP, one of the posters above mentioned frustration at continually being asked to donate money to the Republican Party.

My comment addresses the issue raised by that poster.

It is not politics of fear to state that the RNC chairman sent e mails to supporters directing them to send virtual tea bags to Democrats in support of the Tea Party Movement while simultaneously raising funds.

That is confirmed fact, unlike non policy related issues, re: the use of hypnosis, an incarnation of the anti Christ etc., types of mindless fear addressed in my article, The Politics of Fear .    

For someone who claims they "will waste little time on you because your bias as a political shill, hack or "Kool aid drinker is so obvious in your writings", sure took plenty of time and effort to write your manifesto in such attack fashion. You assume just as much as well. I will try to be a little less hawkish in my retort, than your response to my initial posting.

I DO think that the bi-cameral system of government is antiquated. Unfortunately, room for a third party never comes to fruition, usually because of disorganization and money. A lot of the questions you ask can be applied to ANY administration past or present, Republican or Democrat(and usually are). I am extremely frustrated with both parties, and dont affiliate with either due to these frustrations, but do feel I have the right to be critical of either when I so choose...( are we not both patriots in that respect?) I served in the Army (2 tours Iraq) and do put country first, BUT, I also believe we should give the man more than 6 months to fix what we know he didnt create instead of chomping at the bit to crucify him. These events need time to play out to ultimately gauge their success/failure. 

If the TEA movement comes across with a more clear,concise course of action ( not just tax rants) and obtains a true leader, then yes, I will be more receptive to what they have to say and maybe a true third party can be formed. In their current form, they seem erratic and disorganized to me, more concerned with wasting their time attacking Obama, instead of creating a platform full of NEW ideologies (not re-hashed old ones from the Reagan administration). Again, just my opinion.

I have the same problems with the GOP as I have been a republican since Regan. They send me donation mailing monthly and when I stick a letter in there instead asking "What are you going to do to make a difference this time?".  "How are you going to make a difference by saying what you mean and sticking to it".  They have never answered my emails or writing so just gave up.  It is very frustrating when your own party sees you as a donation bank and nothing more.   Now my senators and congressman hear from me on a daily bases!

Thanks for posting your article.

People of ALL parties are hurting and they're upset and they are venting at the tea parties. Why do Dems label them ALL Conservatives as if it's a dirty word?

Obama is supposed to represent ALL Americans of ALL parties, not just his special interest groups, like ACORN, ACLU, MSM, union leaders, etc.

Conservatives believe in individualism, Dems collectivism. If anyone is overly-organized look to Obama's special interest groups.

We will lose our individualism and right to freedom of expression if these people have their way. Look how union members have lost their right to secret ballots already. Thank Obama.

Civil Liberties is a joke played on folk by special interest groups, and these people aren't usually Conservatives. THAT is why Republicans are attacked.

It's simply a grassroots effort that is slowly shaping its own platform.

One of the biggest pushes right now is get as many people as possible from all sides of the political spectrum to register as Independents to force politicians stop taking their bases for granted.

Also, and I'm apart of this effort, is the "Bring Home The Politicians" movement to relocate US Reps and Sens to our State Capitols and State Reps and Sens to our City Halls or Courthouses in our districts so their are surrounded by their constituents while telecommuting with their political counterparts.

Here's the link if you want to do more research:

http://bringhomethepoliticians.com

I am glad i found this site. I,too, am tired of being told that my thoughts aren't in balance with the rest of the country and that i would be considered one thing or another if i did not follow the crowd. all my life i have not been a follower, i see no reason for starting now. i would love to participate in a tea party. and regardless of what is reported by the media, if the movement gets looked at as an act of sour grapes on the Republician party, then that's their problem, not mine. i am just as tired paying for services that are either reduced or omitted entirely, i am tired of hearing about sacrifice, i am tired of watching the people get nothing in return for their efforts and i definitely am tired of hearing how patriotic it is to pay more taxes.where do i sign up?I live in the great state of shame, i'm sorry, Illinois.  But I love my state, i love my country, i believe in God and the constitution and we as a nation, have traveled too far to go back. we need to perserve the values that make us Americans. We  need to bring common sense into the reality of things and our voted officials need to remember that they do work for us. if Tea parties are the way to do it, then i am all in.

Hello:

In the least offensive way I can express myself, your logic is way out in left feild.

I find your assertion that the lack of a centralized, coherent leadership indicates that this was some republican ruse.  In fact, the very opposite is true, lack of organization and lack of centralized leadership is the hallmark of a true grassroots movement. If the TEA Parties were a contrivance of the republicans, there would be a central source of leadership. I reject your argument that lack of organization and lack of centralized leadership is an indication of Republican involvement as non-sequitar and duplicitous. I assert to you that the average citizen will find those characteristics as self-evident that no such assertion can be made.

I will waste little time on you because your bias as a political shill, hack or "Kool aid drinker is so obvious in your writings, I doubt i can say much to you to persuade you to a more reasoned understanding. You appear to put party loyalty over loyalty to our country.

I will end by asking you to try to stop looking through the rose colored dogma of your political party and just look at the facts.  Ask your self these questions. Is government corruption out of hand?  Have your civil liberties been eroded? Is the country on the brink of collapse? Should elected officials be held accountable for broken campaign promises?  Should persons that commit treason be prosecuted?  Should the government keep records of every Americans DNA on file? Should the government required to have a balanced budget? Do you think your taxes are too high? Do you think your taxes should go higher? Do you think there is waste in government? Do you think there are to many conflicts of interest that go unaddressed? Do you think the bank bailouts were wrong? Do you think the failure to provide a full accounting of the bank bailout money was wrong?

If your answer to more than 3 of those questions is yes, welcome to the tea party?  This is not about politics. This is about saving our country and our culture. Both of the 2 major political parties have betrayed us.

Look into your heart and put your country first.  I don't care if you are a liberal.  Stop letting the politicians divide us.  Let us unite on those issues we can agree on. Let us throw the corrupt politicians out and once we have saved the country, we can go our separate ways.  Once we have saved the country, we can even beat the snot out of each other on the issues on which we disagree.

But neither of us will win, if the country, our culture, our liberties and our economy is destroyed.

The ball is in your court, "What Say You?" 

Respectfully,

Don Mashak
The Cynical Patriot

 Hello iliquilite1   It seems you are frustrated that some 3rd party group does not spring up, all shiny and ready to go.   That is the nature of a grassroots movement. Representative Republic(Democracy) is messy.   If you read my article, you will understand that I am trying to grow consensus out of chaos. That is exactly what i was reporting.   But i say to you, did you answer more than 3 questions yes?   I am just another insect on the windsheild of life.  I cannot promise you that the government can be forced to reform. i can only tell you i will try to the best of my ability.  The very country and culture you fought for is in danger of collapse.   And with that, i will close.   Thank you for your service to our country, you willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice is the only thing that stands between us and the barbarians outside, standing at the gate.   PS Just making sure you read the whole article - Click on the Examiner link to read the whole article.   Thank you for your comments.   Respectfully,   Don Mashak The Cynical Patriot

Despite my portrayal of government (past or present), I'm curious about all people's views and have read many different materials ranging from ultra-liberal (GLAAD) to ultra-conservative (White Nationalist Party) . I will read whatever material you have to make a better informed decision.

Please fix your "please click here" link--it takes you directly to a login, not a page or register.

Helli liquilite1:

Please try that link now. sorry...

Please advise if the link works now.

Thanks for pointing that out.

Respectfully,

Don Mashak

The Cynical Patriot

Yes, the link works now, thank you.

The Politics of Smears

Hello Hatter

First I point out to the viewing audience that you have not responded to my Comment in your article "The Politics of Fear".  Are you conceding my points?

Nextly, I think your post is misleding. You use the term "This Article" to make it appear that my article contains a republican request persons to send Tea bags to Democrats. 

My article is about possilbe directions the Tea Party might take. In my article I suggest, among other things, form their own party, and/or supplant and instill there principals in the Democrat, Republican or Libertarian Party.  Please look up the definitions of "Supplant" and "form their own Party"  Please note that I suggested they might Supplant any other existing political party that they felt most closely reflected their political leanings.  I did not even try to identify what those leanings were.  For the record, if there is enough support, i think they should form their own party because the corruption and infrastruture of doing things the old way, are to entrenched in both of the 2 major poltical parties. But I am not a leader nor organizer of this movement.  I am just a follower, another insect on the windsheild of life, if you will.

I feel that both your post and the Huffington Post article you quote are examples of some of what is wrong in politics.  Instead of sincere, truthful political discourse; this seems to be an example of less than truthful political spin. 

Correct me if i am wrong but the base fact here is that the "Republicans have endorsed the Tea Party Movement".  Both you and the Huffington post try to spin this as evidence of the Republican Parties contrivance of the Tea Party movements in their evil bid to regain political power.  (Please correct me if i have mistated your and/or the Huffington post's aricles's intent.)

The reality is that the TEA Party Movement is about Lower Taxes, Balanced Budgets, Fiscal Responsibility, Reform of Government Corruption, Reversing the erosion of Civil Liberties, and stopping the general breaches of the public trust and other trespasses against the American Citizenry that both parties are guilty of.

If the Republican endorsement is sincere in belief and action, then we TEA Partiers welcome it.  How do you turn such an endorsement into something negative? I think you and the Huffington Post display a lack of integrity in misrepresent this issue to the American public. What say you to this thought?

Further, if the Democrats would make a endorsement sincere in belief and action regarding the TEA Party Movement, we would also welcome that endorsement also.  As a representative of the Democrats, please tell me if you will endorse Lower taxes, Balanced Budgets, fiscal responsibility, reform of Government Corruption, reversal of the erosion of civil liberties, prevention of further trespassess against the American citizenry and breaches of the public trust?  Can you give the TEA Party endorsement by the Democratic Party Please advise.

Now, at the end of my artilce, I state that I am trying to right a history on the grass roots movement known as the TEA Party.  I include 3 paragraphs as a "PS" because that source purports to be the true origins of the TEA Party movement.  I specifically ask if those facts are accurate.  If you have facts which disprove that alleged beginning of the grassroots TEA Party Movement, please present them to me.  If I can verify them, I will print them.  My loyalty to the truth, my country and the TEA Party movement transcends any allegence to any political party. Period.  Now stand and deliver or go away and let us True American Partriots try to save the blessed USA.

Next, I consider you false representation that my article contains your untrue allegation, a personal attack.  This is your warning that I prefer not to get personal, but if you want to get down in the mud, I am up to the challenge.  Choose your manner of response wisely.

Lastly, let us, you and I, submit to a polygraph test on the extent to which each of us consult with their political parties in drafting these articles and forming their opinions, loser pays for both polygraphs.  Are you game?

In closing, I repeat that the TEA Party Movement welcomes the endorsement of any US Political Party that  believes in an will follow through on the course of actions delineated within the main article and this post. 

Are you for us or against us us Democrats? Libertarians? Green Partiers ? et al.?

Thank you for your time.  I await your response.

Respectfully,

Don Mashak
The Cyncial Patriot

Hello:

Before, I move to other topics, in case you did not realize, if post your comment as a reply, it will show up under the correct comment.

Next, you confuse the two articles, it would be appropriate for you to respond to my comment under your "Politics of Fear" Article so people could read everything in context.

Next, I wonder if any Democrats complain about constant Solitications of Money from the Democrats.

Now, it is my personal opinion that if you read that letter without applying the Democrat Dogma, you will see that glassbeadlady is being critical of the Republican Party; the party she feels an affiliation with; the that you and your ilk imply are the duplicitous founder's of the TEA Party Movement. Did you catch that, she is being critical of the party that she claims affiliation with?  Is it possible for you to be sincerely critical of Democratic Party?

TEA Partiers are Equal opportunity Critics; If a politician is corrupt, wants to raise our taxes, wants to erode our liberties and/or is just plain unaccountable, we are against them -Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, et. al regardless of whether we feel an affilations with their politcal party or not. WE put Country, truth, law and ethics above Party.

IT IS NOT REPUBLICAN VS DEMOCRAT, NOR CONSERVATIVE VS LIBERAL NOR RICH VS POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS - THE TRUE FIGHT IS AVERAGE CITIZEN VS CORRUPT POLITICIANS AND GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATS.

I note that you did not even address my offer to have you provide the Democrats' endorsement of the TEA Party's goals of  Lowering Taxes, Balancing Budgets, Fiscal Responsibility, Reform of Government Corruption, Reversing the erosion of Civil Liberties, and stopping the general breaches of the public trust and other trespasses against the American Citizenry that both parties are guilty of.

As a test of your Loyalty to Country, truth, fairness and ethics over Party, I call on you to identify what of those real issues identified in this article and this comment that you are ready to pledge your loyalty and commitment to resolving.

Next, as a suggestion, do what you like - but it helps the reader understand the storyline better if you don't rebutt other articles that they may not have read in the comment thread of another story in this story.

That having been said, I raised the issue of your misrepresentative spin. I will point out again that it is misleading to use the phrase "This Article" as a hyperlink giving the appearanc that my article references the "Republican Teabag Postcard"  It would be proper and correct to say instead, "This <Huffington Post article>"

Next, in your first comment on this article you said; "e mail letter, from Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele, addressed to supporters, urging members to send virtual tea bags to President Obama and several members of the Democratic Party," It is a letter from the RNC to its members, not to members of the "Tea Party Movement"

Unless Public Education has failed us totally, You should already know about the Original Boston TEA Party as a prelude to the American Revolutionary War.  You should already know that in that context, Tea Party and Teabag in America have come to mean "Patriot Protest against injustices of Government"

Further, if you are being intellectually honest, you should know that as such, we the participants in the various TEA Parties, have no copyright to prevent others from using the Tea Party and Teabags as symbols in their political campaigns. The Republican Web Page you try to site as an indication of a Tea Party Movement Affiliation with the Republican Party says "GOP.com Tea Party". I think it is apparent that the Republicans made a marketing decision to take advantage of the Rising Visibility of the Tea Party movement, in much the way soda manufacturers have Rock Stars endorse their products. 

But you try to put the misrepresentative spin of some evil conspiracy or act of Republican duplicity on the Tea Party Movement because the Republican Party used the American Universal Sign of Protest - the teabag for there own political purposes.  Shame on you and the Huffington Post.

Can you please get down to truthful, reasoned political discourse based on facts.

To that end:

Please provide evidence of the Republic Party starting the Tea Party Movement.  If I can corraborte it, I will print it.

Please provide evidence of the Republican Party Usurping the Tea Party Movement.  If I can corraborate, i will print it.

Please stop engaging in duplicity and misrepresentation unless you have the facts to back up your allegations and inferences.

Respectfully,

Don Mashak
The Cyncial Patriot

Some of your idea has great appeal to me. 

Lot more expensive and time consuming for lobbyists if Senators and Reps scattered all over the 50 states....

But I prefer a more permanent homecoming of voting all the incumbents out so they can stay home permanently.

Respectfully,

Don Mashak

The Cynical Patriot

I understand the current outcry to vote out all incumbents, but

1) Not all incumbents are up for reelection in 2010.

2) The problems are so large that they are the result of broken system more so than any one political party.  Voting out one batch only to put in another who may start out as "clean" doesn't do anything to fix the current problems.

Clearly, new IDEAS not INDIVIDUALS is the only way out of this mess.