For some time now there has been a lot of talk in the news about the Tea Party Movement. Some, mostly on Fox News, say it is the future of American Politics. They say that politicians, especially incumbents, from both parties are running scared. Newscasters on the left are saying the Tea Party is just a bunch of right wingers who don’t like Obama and his measures to bring the economy back from the brink. In either case their influence is yet to be determined.
The Tea Partiers don’t like government spending. And they really don’t like taxes. I don’t have any idea how they hope to improve the economy or stimulate jobs growth. They are generally dissatisfied with the way things are. The deficit is too high. Banks don’t loan enough money to small business and employment is too low. All are legitimate concerns. So far though they have only offered criticism of those who are trying to fix the problems but have offered no solutions of their own other than going back to the policies that got us to where we are.
One problem I see with the Tea Party Movement is that it doesn’t seem to have any clear agenda aside from replacing a bunch of incumbents, especially Democrats, with Tea Party candidates. The movement seems to be a conglomerate of wing nuts who are still pushing the notion that Obama really isn’t an American citizen and “Birthers”, disillusioned Republican moderates, and Independents who don’t feel that either party is listening to them but acting on behalf of special interests instead of on behalf of the common citizen.
The Tea Party doesn’t seem to have a dominant leader either. Tom Tancredo, Sarah Palin and several other Republicans seem to be trying to hijack the movement and bring it into the Republican Party. Others seem to be worried that the Tea Party movement will fracture and further weaken the Republican Party. Meanwhile the Democrats are also divided as to the affect the Tea Party will have on their ability to keep their majority in the Congress and the Senate. Unless a strong leader with a clear agenda can get control of the movement I see them as a divisive element to the Republicans. Because of this I don’t see them as being a great threat to the Democrats. I think the general public sees them as a bunch of dissidents and will dismiss them come election time and vote for the major party candidates as usual. I think history will remember the Tea Party as another passing phenomenon like Ross Perot.
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As a person who believes in the Tea Party movement, I resent the characterizations you give it. I am not a wing nut; I am not a birther. President Obama's mother was an Amiercan citizen, therefore no matter where he was born HE is an American citizen. He may be hiding something by not disclosing information from his birth certificate, but it is irrelevant. He is President and will not be impeached for any past impropiorties - even if they exist, which I doubt.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am against is a President who says he will operate with complete transparency and then operates behind closed doors. What I am against is a President who states that there will be no room in his administration for lobbyists, and then brings over 30 on board. What I am against is a President and administration who characterizes anyone who disagrees with them as a racist or stupid. What I am against is a President who talks down to me as if I cannot understand the working of the economy or government or health care. What I am against is a President who dismisses me as irrelevant.
Very good points Diana. These issues you cite are however mutually inclusive to most current politicians, upseating them as long as money is power will result in more of the same.
ReplyDeleteEric is right: we will never clean up this mess until we get private money out of the electoral process. We will never accomplish that until we clean house in Washington. My hope for the Tea Party Movement is that they will help toward that end.
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