Yes, [the Tea Party] are, for the most part, emphasizing economic and fiscal issues, which is wonderful, even though they have no actual realistic plans to cut spending by the amount they would have to if taxes are not to rise. But that does not mean they have in any way forsaken the social issues substantively. Name a tea-party candidate who is pro-choice. Name one who backs marriage equality. Name one who wants to withdraw from Afghanistan beginning next year. Name one who has opposed torture. Name one who has the slightest qualms about police powers. Name one who would end the military ban on gays serving openly, and take even the slightest political risk on any of these subjects.
I welcome the belated right-wing opposition to out-of-control government spending. But the one thing you have to note about tea-party fervor is that none of it existed when they had real leverage over a Republican president, who spent us into bankruptcy. That tells you something. And if you think a party led by Palin will not embrace every neocon crusade or Christianist social policy, you're dreaming.
9.17.2010
the tea party is a scam
Sullivan nails it to the wall, here.
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8 comments:
not sure cause i seriously have paid little attn, but i think rand paul holds some of those views.
Rand Paul is already equivocating so he can pass the purity test.
All I needed to hear was that the Tea Party wasn't getting along with Alan Simpson to recognize what a load of horseshit they truly are.
If Alan Simpson is too moderate for you, you're not only an idiot, you're probably also dangerous.
Adjustment; it has been pointed out to me that Senator Simpson is now back in the good graces of the Tea Party, having criticized social security and trying to cut veteran benefits.
I was talking about the Tea Party's initial reaction to Obama's creation of the commission Simpson is on as being ill-conceived and something no conservative would want to have any part of.
Apparently Simpson is now back in line again. My error.
simpson is one dude i can trust, at least i think i can, to at least try to do the right thing from a idealogical standpoint.
but politics often makes the right thing unlikely, so you gotta do something else instead.
i think thats why he decided against running for president.
I do think Rand Paul made some noises about putting DoD on the table for balancing the budget. I haven't followed him really, so I don't know how far he really goes on that. That puts him closest to being an answer to Sully's question of any TP candidates that I'm aware of, and that ain't much.
Like I keep saying when I write about the right these days...I'd really rather be wrong about all of this. I know the GOP isn't going to morph into the LP, but I really would like it to be a strong party rooted in ideas. The Tea Party may have started as a real grassroots movement in that direction (he said, generously) but it has been co-opted by the same old culture war obsessed establishment.
As far as I'm concerned, it's just a re-branding at this point. And not even a very good one.
wow, i really have not been paying attn then.
seriously, i havent been. i'm so burned on the whole politics thing.
i still like opinions and ideas and issues for discussion purposes, but as for voting, or taking part in actual democracy...
i dont care anymore, and my caring gets incrementally lesser each day.
the last two yrs have done that to me, i think.
maybe losing my sis, and everything else since, has directed a different focus of what things are more important to me.
i'll let you and RW solve the problems and save the world.
i can barely save myself as it is.
BTW...I'm actually hoping that the Tea Party thing kind of flames out this year, so that Mitch Daniels can run for the GOP nomination in '12 without being labeled a "Tea Party" candidate. I'm pretty sure I could vote for him. (Don't tell my neighbors.)
it will.
in order for a movement to make the changes they want made, you need a party s a vehicle.
as it is, the GOP is engaged in a bit of a civil war right now, which usually spells ultimate defeat.
seems all those conservatives diagree on what 'conservative' means.
this is normal for the GOP, and conservatism in general. they always fight over purity, and even when united they always got one or two that turncoat for their own advantage.
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