Those Loony, Kooky Tea Partiers
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Likely to send local tea party haters to the floor, foaming at the mouth and writhing about in spasms of mortal anguish, tea party candidates are racking up election wins across the country.
While it is still too early to tell what the final outcome of this movement will be, it's been particularly fascinating to watch everyday, ordinary Americans run for office and unseat political dinosaurs and other established incumbents of both parties.
So what do winning candidates like Christine (The Witch) O'Donnell of Delaware, Joe Miller of Alaska, Rick Perry of Texas, Nikki Haley of South Carolina and Todd Emmer of Minnesota have in common? Well for one thing, they were all endorsed by political mega-star Sarah Palin.
Palin has endorsed 37 candidates for office. The above have tea party ties, but others are establishment candidates. Of the 37 Palin picks, 26 won their races. And 14 of those winners are in some way connected to the tea party.
The basic gist of the party is aimed at big government. But what exactly is the platform?
With a little Internet cruising, I quickly found that the movement is more about political doctrine than party politics, and as yet, it's not entirely cohesive. Among the groups are the Tea Party Express, which rode around on bus tours, the Nationwide Tea Party Coalition, the Tea Party Nation, and the Tea Party Patriots, which claims the title of "Official Home of the Tea Party Movement."
This last group had the most visible and easily accessed mission statement and description of their core values. They are these:
Fiscal Responsibility: Fiscal responsibility by government honors and respects the freedom of the individual to spend the money that is the fruit of their own labor. A constitutionally limited government, designed to protect the blessings of liberty, must be fiscally responsible or it must subject its citizenry to high levels of taxation that unjustly restrict the liberty our Constitution was designed to protect.
Such runaway deficit spending as we now see in Washington, D.C., compels us to take action as the increasing national debt is a grave threat to our national sovereignty and the personal and economic liberty of future generations.
Constitutionally Limited Government: We, the members of the Tea Party Patriots, are inspired by our founding documents and regard the Constitution of the United States to be the supreme law of the land. We believe that it is possible to know the original intent of the government our founders set forth and stand in support of that intent.
Like the founders, we support states' rights for those powers not expressly stated in the Constitution. As the government is of the people, by the people and for the people, in all other matters we support the personal liberty of the individual, within the rule of law.
Free Markets: A free market is the economic consequence of personal liberty. The founders believed that personal and economic freedom were indivisible, as do we. Our current government's interference distorts the free market and inhibits the pursuit of individual and economic liberty.
Therefore, we support a return to the free market principles on which this nation was founded and oppose government intervention into the operations of private business.
It's no wonder Democrats and the secular progressive left are riled up. The tea party platform is in direct opposition to the tax-and-spend policies that keep the country in a jobless recovery, while at the same time exploding our national debt.
The tea party message threatens the status quo of business-as-usual Washington politics and calls on both parties for a return to individual primacy and action over government-produced ideas, rights and laws which necessarily must overburden the public with taxation.
Anything but kooks and loons, members of this movement appear poised to overhaul American politics as we know it. Why? Because the contenders in the fight are once again the people versus big government, and the same principles our founders used to forge this great nation are at issue.
It's one thing to disagree with them. To demean these citizen defenders of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is to risk political suicide. Primary elections have already proved this.
Geoff Cutler is owner of Cutler Tree LLC in Southern Pines and is a regular contributor to The Pilot and PineStraw magazine. Contact him at geoffcutler@embarqmail.com.
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Comments
Matt_Woodruff 2 years, 8 months ago
I you are talking about O'donnell and Palin's belief that evolution is myth then loony and kooky are appropriate adjectives.
blessherheart 2 years, 8 months ago
The Palin pick in SC - In an op-ed published this week in "The State", Cyndi Mosteller, former first vice chair of the SCGOP and former chair of the Charleston County Republican Party, called into question her party's gubernatorial nominee. Mosteller wrote, "Though running on a platform of transparency and accountability, Mrs. Haley has not paid her taxes by April 15 for the past five years, and has not even filed them by the end of her extension in three of those years — years she served in our General Assembly. And Mrs. Haley's company [Exotica International], where she was the accountant, incurred three liens for withholding and income taxes not paid until 19 months past due. Yet Mrs. Haley continues to campaign on such statements as: 'I know I'm the right person to go into this next position because I'm an accountant, who knows what it means to stretch a dollar.'" The former Charleston GOP head even questioned Rep. Haley's ability to tell the truth, specifically whether or not the nominee had sexual relations with two other Palmetto State politicos, FITSNews blogger and former Sanford spokesman Will Folks and political consultant Larry Marchant, a former associate of Folks and Haley. There goes "taking our country back".
lindy888 2 years, 8 months ago
If Rep Haley is running a small business...based on 50 years of it myself...this discribes the problem for small business accurately...therefore she is an excellant candidate....She's been there!!!!
melogos 2 years, 8 months ago
Geoff Cutler has hit a home run. The Tea Party has indeed become a great motivational force within American politics. Rob Gaudet of the Tea Party Patriots stated: "Our only message is that, in this democracy, people should be involved in their government, and should hold those that govern them responsible," he said. "And that's what people are doing, holding their leaders responsible.That's the big thing that's going on." Should the Republicans win the majority in November they must follow through or the Tea Party Revolution http://www.christianretirement.com will sweep them out during the 2012 cycle just as they are poised to sweep several Democrats and Republican incumbents from office in November. For the masses to once again become involved in government and have an impact on congress at this point of lethargy is a good thing.
dustyrhoades 2 years, 8 months ago
Rick Perry's suggested that Texas might secede from the Union again if the TPers don't get their way. O'Donnell, as noted above, claims she used to "dabble in witchcraft." And then we have these folks...
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/09/more-reason-from-the-right.html
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/09/the-kid-with-that-poster.html
No loonies there, no siree....
dustyrhoades 2 years, 8 months ago
Oh, and let's not forget the "birther" contingent in the TP:
http://www.frumforum.com/birthers-crash-the-tea-party
And Sharron Angle, who's single handedly managed to revive Harry Reid's chances by her raving about "Second Amendment remedies" and phasing out Social Security.
Nope, no loons there.
(Predictable hypocritical whining about name-calling begins in five...four...three....)
Ross 2 years, 8 months ago
lindy888 says...
"If Rep Haley is running a small business...based on 50 years of it myself...this discribes the problem for small business accurately...therefore she is an excellant candidate....She's been there!!!!"
yeah - she would be great at advising on how not to pay taxes......
perhaps we can get convicts to advise on how to run prisons too!
dustyrhoades 2 years, 8 months ago
"To demean these citizen defenders of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is to risk political suicide. Primary elections have already proved this."
But will the general election do the same (despite all the pre-gloating here?)
As noted above, Angle's managed to make Harry Reid a viable candidate again, after it looked like he was certain to be defeated. And now from Kentucky comes the news that Jack Conway's pulled within the margin of error against Rand Paul, after a huge lead.
The opera ain't over yet, folks.
moonchild7 2 years, 8 months ago
The masses SIR were very involved in 2008 and WE elected Barack Obama. What exactly IS the motivation of a TEABAGGER? To take us back in time to when everyone knew their proper place in society? It's appalling. Christene O'Donnell believe's that scientists have bred mice and humans together. Forget the witch stuff. This kind of INSANITY is destructive to our humanity(what's left of it). And STATES RIGHTS?!.....OMG, there we go with the Battle Cry of the Confederacy again. Is this really happening in the year 2010? The States have been oppressive to the people and the FEDERAL Government has had to step in on many occassions to right the wrongs. When will you begin to get this thru your teabrains? Please start your adjustments now.
nothingspecial 2 years, 8 months ago
In my opinion, Mr. Cutler's well thought out commentary doesn't claim that the Tea Party is perfect, but effectively explains why it clearly is an important voice for the people and not something that can be defeated by typical Democrat bad mouthing.
This blog article from Britain is interesting and includes:
“The reason for the Tea Party’s stunning success and President Obama’s equally remarkable decline is relatively simple. A truly popular grassroots movement has captured the fears and concerns of tens of millions of Americans over the relentless rise of Big Government and the growing threat to economic and individual freedom under the Obama administration, while channeling their hopes and aspirations for the future based upon a return to the founding ideals of the Constitution.
In contrast, an out of touch presidency that exudes arrogance and elitism at every turn continues to contemptuously spend other people’s money with abandon, building up a crippling debt that will ultimately destroy America’s long-term prosperity if left unchecked.
It is a stark choice that the two sides offer, and it’s not surprising that a clear majority of Americans are opting for political revolution rather than the status quo.”
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100055508/the-tea-party-is-now-more-powerful-than-president-obama/
moonchild7 2 years, 8 months ago
82soldier: I do not resort to name-calling Sir, but I do like to use a lot of adjectives and descriptive nouns because it makes the dialogue more interesting. An awful lot of the remarks here are boring and meaningless. Spice is nice.
I do try to NOT be abusive in terribly demeaning ways but try to have any reader of my comments understand my inflections and feelings with my words. Some people need to stop being so serious. I've been called quite a few things since I've been commenting. Life goes on doesn't it?
dustyrhoades 2 years, 8 months ago
82soldier: right on schedule...
dustyrhoades 2 years, 8 months ago
"I've been called quite a few things since I've been commenting."
Me too, and when I start seeing some handwringing about that, I'll take the people complaining about name-calling a little more seriously. But so long as IOKIYAR, it's just more noise from the wingnut noise machine as far as 'm concerned.
Easygoing 2 years, 8 months ago
Although I found Geoff's article mildly interesting, it (and the whole Tea Party Agenda) is lacking any specific realistic practical idea of improving the country's position with regards to health care, solving the growing inequality in economic position, energy, education, consumer protection, declining infrastructure, or immigration, to name just a few examples. Just more vague references to the Constitution and the old Libertarian platform.
JER 2 years, 7 months ago
James, repeat the thing three times then tap your head twice while sprinkling salt in a circle around you and your thoughts will become lucid.
dustyrhoades 2 years, 7 months ago
James appears to be off his meds again.
dustyrhoades 2 years, 7 months ago
James: That thing where you just toss out words for things that bug you? Like "public assistance", whether or not that phrase has any relevance at all to the person to whom you're speaking? That's a symptom, dude. Really. Get help.
dustyrhoades 2 years, 7 months ago
"[Here, Mr. Rhoades fires up Google to see what The Huffington Post has to say about it...it may take a few minutes, but he will come back with biting words like "wingnut"...it's what he does.]"
James: that fantasizing about what I'm doing at some given moment? Another symptom.
JER 2 years, 7 months ago
No James, you have to say it three times for it to be lucid. Aren't you paying attention? And, I'm sure you'll be sorry to hear my mother passed away this past February. But the good news is: You ARE paying for my health insurance (Medicare) and I don't have a mortgage on my house (paid cash for it by working all my life) so you can get your panties out of your crack over that. You may now return to counting your money.
boboberg 2 years, 7 months ago
The tea party has no answers to our problems, the tea party IS our problem. The tea party is just a sad group of old, white, racist bigots who are all going to die naturally very soon so they have NOTHING to say about our future. They can't stand the fact that we have a black president and when they howl "TAKE BACK AMERICA!!!" they mean to take it back from the minorities. They represent only the top 3% richest Americans so they are our cultural enemies. Barrack, don't dignify those low lifes by asking them for suggestions. Mark Montgomery boboberg@nyc.rr.com
None 2 years, 7 months ago
The mantra of the TEA Party ACTIVISTS is to "take our country back" not alluding to whom they are taking it back from and the reasons or lack thereof.
Our local TEA activists are so caught up in having TPo3 receive STIMULUS money [4 million plus] from the Obama Administration for infrastructure in Pinehurst and school system grants and $43,000.00 for the Sheriff’s Office. TEA activists should coin the phrase, “we want our money back” in the form of bigger government spending like the out-of-control spending in Carthage.
JER 2 years, 7 months ago
Once again, someone is offended by the use of a word that has multiple meanings, including one that is evidently sexual. ( I had to google it to find out what all the fuss was about). Why would a good, conservative christian even know what that one, obscure meaning was? Makes you wonder!
coffecreme 2 years, 7 months ago
I guess it is unacceptable to use the word "nuts" now too.
moonchild7 2 years, 7 months ago
TEABAGGER: A person who runs a teabagging machine(someone's gotta do it).
82soldier: When was the last time you were in the military? FOUL TERMS? You're kidding right? What kind of terminology would you prefer? Oh, I know!!!!!!!
"Dear, Dear Teaparty People...what's wrong with you? My Oh, My. Gee Whiz." Is that better 82soldier? Are your sensibilities better now?
And taxed2death if there were problems at voting booths in 2008 then why has it taken 2 yrs for anything to be done about it? Too late to cry foul or if not then let the law take care of it. Are you really sure you called a black person a racist and got removed or did you really say SOMETHING else?
There were no mistakes made by me or anyone else who voted for Barack Obama. If those people want to vote differently now, then they have all the rights in their fingertips to do so.
None 2 years, 7 months ago
TEA Party ACTIVIST moment in time:
Go back a month or two when they held their TEA Party Picnic and invited Howard "the walking dead" Coble to speak. After being introduced by John Marcum, he turned and thanked the minister for introducing him. Short term memory is shot. Dementia and Alzheimer’s is coming on strong at an alarming rate. He thinks he is Deity?
dustyrhoades 2 years, 7 months ago
James just can't stop thinking about me, even when reading someone else's posts.
teufelhunden 2 years, 7 months ago
Narcissistic personality disorder = an inflated sense of self-importance and an extreme preoccupation with one's self.
dustyrhoades 2 years, 7 months ago
Hey, guys, check how many times James mentions my name, even when addressing someone else, and tell me I'm wrong about him.
And while I'm here, here's a great quote from a great article about your TP:
"At the voter level, the Tea Party is a movement that purports to be furious about government spending — only the reality is that the vast majority of its members are former Bush supporters who yawned through two terms of record deficits and spent the past two electoral cycles frothing not about spending but about John Kerry's medals and Barack Obama's Sixties associations. The average Tea Partier is sincerely against government spending — with the exception of the money spent on them."
The whole article will make your little heads explode:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/210904?RS_show_page=0
dustyrhoades 2 years, 7 months ago
This writer really has you guys pegged:
"...the Tea Party doesn't really care about issues — it's about something deep down and psychological, something that can't be answered by political compromise or fundamental changes in policy. At root, the Tea Party is nothing more than a them-versus-us thing. They know who they are, and they know who we are ("radical leftists" is the term they prefer), and they're coming for us on Election Day, no matter what we do — and, it would seem, no matter what their own leaders like Rand Paul do."
(the reference is to the fact that Rand Paul rails against government spending and has denounced Medicare as "Socialized medicine", "But this spring, when confronted with the idea of reducing Medicare payments to doctors like himself — half of his patients are on Medicare — he balked. This candidate, a man ostensibly so against government power in all its forms that he wants to gut the Americans With Disabilities Act and abolish the departments of Education and Energy, was unwilling to reduce his own government compensation, for a very logical reason. "Physicians," he said, "should be allowed to make a comfortable living."
Heh. No principles at all.
moonchild7 2 years, 7 months ago
Why is it that when I reply to other posters and ask them questions they seem to seldom answer? What's that about? Where are the answers from all of these righties who are so upset? Where? They can spout quite a bit of rhetoric but can't give any definitive answers. Is that because they have NO ANSWERS.
James seems to be smitten with Mr. Rhoades yet keeps wanting to know how he and I seem to be connected. I've told him over and over that there is no connection but he's NOT receptive to my answers. What reality are they living in or maybe I should ask what nether-world could they be floating thru now?
Some of you seriously need to come down to earth(it hasn't blown up yet)and admit to the way things have changed for the probable future and are going to CONTINUE to change whether you like it or not.
THE PAST IS THE PAST and we're NOT going back. I've been waiting since the early '70's, when I made my first Presidential vote for McGovern for some of these changes. I hope the changes can come even faster and more furious now. Changes to move us forward NOT backward.
dustyrhoades 2 years, 7 months ago
"The average Tea Partier is sincerely against government spending — with the exception of the money spent on them."
Case in Point: Sharron Angle, who hates hates hates government run health care, except her own:
"Angle's campaign acknowledged to Nevada journalist Jon Ralston Monday that both the candidate and her husband receive health care from the federal government. Spokeswoman Ciara Matthews said in a statement: "Mr. Ted Angle receives his pension through the (federal) Civil Service Retirement System. While it is not supplemented by the federal government, current civil servants pay into the program to pay the schedule of those already retired - much like how the Social Security Program works today. Mr. Angle does not qualify - nor does he receive Social Security benefits. His health insurance plan (the Federal Employee Health Program), which also covers Sharron, is a continuation of what he was receiving while he worked for the federal government."
dustyrhoades 2 years, 7 months ago
Waah waah waah. I get comments removed too, ya big crybaby.
moonchild7 2 years, 7 months ago
I guess what that means 82soldier is that you and the other's can't debate these important and interesting issues without being: abusive, defamatory, illegal, libelous, or obscene.
How about looking up the definition of THOSE words and the ones you've been using and give it another try? Maybe what you need is a THESAURUS to use when you feel you need to "really let us on the left have it."
So let's start again. What could possibly be wrong with you guys over there in the TEABAG MOVEMENT as you sit and stew in your boiling pots of yucky goo? What is it that you all are LACKING? What are your LEGITIMATE BEEFS? And I'm not talking about the one that seems to bother all of you the most....the fact that we have an AFRICAN-AMERICAN President for the first time in the HISTORY of our country!!!!!!!!
plumblevel 2 years, 7 months ago
Hey 82nd, Dusty gets removed more than anyone else. At least, he is consistent.It just makes me want to know what was really said. The Pilot ruins all of our fun.
Go look at You Tube "Senator Kay Hagan Visits Moore County". Watch Dee Parks, head of Moore Tea Citizens, get her knickers in a twist over Senator Hagan being 20 minutes late (she was meeting with Veterans).Hear some of the intelligent Tea Party questions asked Senator Hagan like "What do you think of bailouts for unions?" Yep. We breed 'em right here at home.
None 2 years, 7 months ago
TeaBagger definition from the world famed Urban Dictionary:
"A whining fool shouting loudly for liberty but not willing to pay the bill."
"After most American workers saw more money in their paycheck due to the lower tax rate, the teabaggers at Fox News railed against high taxes, but did not discuss how much Jesus hated hypocrisy."
None 2 years, 7 months ago
plumblevel => isn't Dee Parks from Vermont? She's really not from around here, one can tell from her comments and her obvious lack of compassion for our military veterans.
US Senator Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) Visits Moore County by AspiringVideographer
Such an outspoken person is Dee Parks. I wonder what her comments are about Howard Coble? Interesting to hear what she would say about him....
None 2 years, 7 months ago
mauiman => I have never heard a more precise discription of Larry Caddell, Nick Picerno and Jimmie Melton...here's your atta-boy!
BTW - Are you saying Jesus was a liberal? If one considers giving His life on the cross and his committment to all of mankind being a liberal ~ I suppose I would. But - He was honest and the Son of God. He is many things to many people of faith.
BTW: that wasn't my quote ~ the definition from the world famed Urban Dictionary....
Easygoing 2 years, 7 months ago
The level of discussion in these user comments is sad.
To use an old saying: "Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience." I suspect this applies to all of us in some degree