Former House majority leader and presumed head of the Tea Party movement Dick Armey should perhaps be congratulated for excommunicating the anti-immigrant zealot Tom Tancredo. When I talked several weeks ago with Freedom Works, the group Armey leads that is behind much Tea Party activity, a representative authorized to speak for Armey expressed similar sentiments, telling me that they were "worried about Tom Tancredo" who could alienate the "libertarian branch" of the movement.
The spokesman contrasted the failed candidacy of the (very) culturally conservative gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell in Ohio in 2006 to the surging (by his account) campaign of the (very, like eliminate the state income tax) fiscally conservative John Kasich. The implication is that Tea Party candidates will succeed if they can focus attention on so-called pocketbook issues, such as cap-and-trade, the stimulus package, and earmarks. But if attention turns to divisive cultural issues, of which immigration is presumed to be one, the Tea Party will shatter like so many delicate teacups.
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March 10, 2010
March 8, 2010
Jon Scott Ashjian, Harry Reid’s Tea Party Challenger, Owes More Than $200,000 in Back Taxes
The chips may already be stacked against Jon Scott Ashjian, the man who recently filed as a Tea Party candidate for Harry Reid's Nevada Senate seat.
A report last week uncovered that the successful business owner owes more than $200,000 in back taxes. On top of that, recent polls appear to confirm Republican worries that a Tea Party candidate might skim enough conservative votes to change the election in the Democrats favor.
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A report last week uncovered that the successful business owner owes more than $200,000 in back taxes. On top of that, recent polls appear to confirm Republican worries that a Tea Party candidate might skim enough conservative votes to change the election in the Democrats favor.
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March 6, 2010
What “Small Government” Looks Like in Real Life …
There was a funny story in the New York Times on March 5th about Arizonans getting upset about the state shutting down highway rest stops. Arizona has a serious budget gap to fill, like most states.
This is what smaller government looks like on the ground. You can't fund anything that people have come to expect with no tax revenue. The Tea Party movement doesn't seem to understand this basic fact.
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This is what smaller government looks like on the ground. You can't fund anything that people have come to expect with no tax revenue. The Tea Party movement doesn't seem to understand this basic fact.
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March 5, 2010
“Mexicans Are Filthy Stinking Animals”- Teabaggers: That’s Really Not Racism
Mainstream media has time and again given the Tea Party and teabaggers a free pass and the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their use of racism to recruit and engage followers.
If they use bigoted, discriminatory language, it's really purely as a matter of argument. If they spew spiteful rhetoric at their rallies, it's really only one portion of the group - not everyone. If Tom Tancredo advocates for a literacy test to be eligible to vote, it's really just a way of saying that we must all come together under one nation. If they call us - Mexicans - filthy stinking animals, well they were only referring to the illegal ones anyhow.
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If they use bigoted, discriminatory language, it's really purely as a matter of argument. If they spew spiteful rhetoric at their rallies, it's really only one portion of the group - not everyone. If Tom Tancredo advocates for a literacy test to be eligible to vote, it's really just a way of saying that we must all come together under one nation. If they call us - Mexicans - filthy stinking animals, well they were only referring to the illegal ones anyhow.
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March 4, 2010
Tea Party Patriots Get iPhone App
Those who dismiss the Tea Party movement as a bunch of rednecks may be interested to know that the Tea Party Patriots now have their very first iPhone app.
The application, "Tea Party Finder", was created by Ryan Ninneman and is available as a free download from the iPhone store.
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The application, "Tea Party Finder", was created by Ryan Ninneman and is available as a free download from the iPhone store.
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March 3, 2010
New Populist Heroine Sparks a Movement (VIDEO)
The New York Times and the Washington Post both recently reported on young women who have lit grassroots fires: Keli Carender, who hosted the first Tea Party, and Annabel Park, who launched the Coffee Party.
Well, here's my nominee for new populist heroine: Jessica Sharp, a young mom from Maryland who is the subject of a video profile I just produced for the coalition FreeSpeechforPeople.org. If you're looking for a glimmer of hope in these dark political days, please watch the video Making a Movement.
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Well, here's my nominee for new populist heroine: Jessica Sharp, a young mom from Maryland who is the subject of a video profile I just produced for the coalition FreeSpeechforPeople.org. If you're looking for a glimmer of hope in these dark political days, please watch the video Making a Movement.
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March 2, 2010
Dylan Ratigan Goes Off On Tea Party Guest, Kicks Him Off Show: ‘You’re Offensive’ (VIDEO)
On Tuesday afternoon, MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan got so upset with one of his guests, "Tea Party" leader Mark Williams, that he cut off his mic mid-interview, dispatching him off the air prematurely. Williams was on MSNBC talking about his upcoming Tea Party Express nationwide bus tour culminating in Washington, DC on tax day, and the conversation heated up almost as soon as the segment began.
Ratigan began the segment by asking Williams how he draws the line between the "admirable and understandable" principles advocated by many in the Tea Party, and the radical and racist views of some "hiding" under the Tea Party umbrella.
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Ratigan began the segment by asking Williams how he draws the line between the "admirable and understandable" principles advocated by many in the Tea Party, and the radical and racist views of some "hiding" under the Tea Party umbrella.
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March 1, 2010
The Tea Party: D.O.A
Had too many sleepless nights recently worrying about the Tea Party and its anti-Washington, media-pleasing antics? Mad at the Republicans at the President's Health Care Summit last week for playing to Tea Party rage against "Washington" when these Republicans are themselves also Washington?
Take a deep breath and read the Pew Foundation's new report on its ongoing study of the Millennial Generation (13-29 years old), because the Millennials are our future, while the Tea Party is, demographically speaking, well, D.O.A.
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Take a deep breath and read the Pew Foundation's new report on its ongoing study of the Millennial Generation (13-29 years old), because the Millennials are our future, while the Tea Party is, demographically speaking, well, D.O.A.
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Vulnerable Senate Incumbents: The 8 Most At-Risk Senators (SLIDESHOW)
The news that Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) will face a primary challenger from her own party underscores the anti-incumbent wave sweeping the country.
Combined with the growth of the Tea Party movement, many incumbents will be in a tough position heading into the November midterm elections.
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Combined with the growth of the Tea Party movement, many incumbents will be in a tough position heading into the November midterm elections.
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February 28, 2010
Democrats: Harness the Rhetoric of the Tea Baggers for States’ Rights If You Want to Pass Health Care Reform
The prediction of 2010 is that states will become much more integral to governance, management and rebuilding the economy.
Go figure! Who would have thought that the rhetoric of the Tea Party loonies would be laden with gems? Those spin doctors have always been better than ours. So why not hijack "their" rhetoric, strip away the absurdities, create new "hybrid" state and federal programs, and make it the new Democratic message? Borrow from their spin doctors and use it for good! We can do this because we need good solid social programs that retrain the work force. We need jobs. We need affordable health care. We need local finance -- like community banking. We need incentives for companies that retool workers for the new economy. We need to give control back to the people who can reclaim their dignity through their day-to-day lives.
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Go figure! Who would have thought that the rhetoric of the Tea Party loonies would be laden with gems? Those spin doctors have always been better than ours. So why not hijack "their" rhetoric, strip away the absurdities, create new "hybrid" state and federal programs, and make it the new Democratic message? Borrow from their spin doctors and use it for good! We can do this because we need good solid social programs that retrain the work force. We need jobs. We need affordable health care. We need local finance -- like community banking. We need incentives for companies that retool workers for the new economy. We need to give control back to the people who can reclaim their dignity through their day-to-day lives.
More...