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| If only the Tea Party tasted this good. |
For two years now, tea partiers have stood firmly on principle and helped shape the political debate in this country. They believe in time-honored American values, principles and systems including the freedom to innovate and employ people to implement and distribute one's ideas to the public. They believe freedom from government allows entrepreneurs to try new things, see what works and discard what doesn't. They don't believe corporations are inherently evil, nor should bankers be beheaded. They do not believe this country should be divided by class, but united in a return to the principles that undergird our nation's success. In fact, they want more of what made America great: more Constitutional restraint on government so that the people have more freedom to achieve the good things the country offers.I find the most fascinating thing about the Tea Party is the way they try to lend the movement credibility by placing themselves in the "good ol' days". "Time-honored American values, principles and systems" sounds great, right? I can almost smell the Apple pie right now. What about the "time-honored" American value of oppressing blacks? It certainly was "time-honored" with segregation only ending in the 20th century. Another obvious example is the name "Tea Party" which seeks to connect their movement with the American Revolution. It's pretty absurd if you give it any level of thought. What does small government have to do with representation in Parliament?
The Tea Party certainly doesn't believe that corporations are inherently evil. Nearly every move they've made in Washington is to cut their taxes and allow them to plunder the environment more and more by squeezing the EPA. And bankers definitely shouldn't be beheaded, I agree. They should be indicted, right Tea Party? Aren't you guys for fiscal responsibility? It's plastered all over your homepage like porn ads on CoolRom. What's more fiscally irresponsible than breaking the law and creating a massive financial crisis?
Stating that America should not "be divided by class" is simply wishful thinking. It is divided by class with the gap between the rich and poor ever growing. That's what the Occupy Wall Street movement is pointing out. "...united in a return to the principles that undergird our nation's success"? There's that "good 'ol days" thinking again. What exactly do we need to "return" to? They keep using this language about going back and returning but they never seem to give a cogent definition of where that place is. Did you not see that episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit! where they pointed out that the "good ol' days" never really existed? It's just a fictional space you invented in your mind that doesn't suck as bad as your life sucks now.
By contrast, those occupying Wall Street and other cities, when they are intelligible, want less of what made America great and more of what is damaging to America: a bigger, more powerful government to come in and take care of them so they don't have to work like the rest of us who pay our bills.
The tea party, meanwhile, was a spontaneous, organic and fast-moving movement, but it has maintained a cogent message: a demand for fiscal responsibility in government.Please don't go there, Tea Party Patriots:
Because we all know your movement is known for its intelligence and wit. OWS isn't about welfare and the government taking care of anyone. It isn't about laziness.
The Tea Party wasn't spontaneous and organic, first of all. Let's not continue to engage in that mass delusion. Secondly, OWS message isn't as muddled as you're attempting to imply. The movement is about massive income disparity and political representation. It's about accountability. It's about holding the people that, for lack of a better term, fucked our economy responsible for their actions: something the federal government doesn't seem too interested in doing. We are tired of bought politicians and special interest groups controlling our government.
Tea party rallies have always been safe and clean. Unlike in New York, we can find no reports of tea partiers being arrested, individually or en masse, at the thousands of tea parties across the country with millions of attendees that have taken place for years now. They are not lawbreakers, they don't hate the police, they don't even litter. A quick glance at the TV reveals the sharp contrast posed by the Wall Street occupiers.That's true, no arrests. However, Tea Party events were one-off deals: one day of protest and misspelled sign waving and then we all go home. And you accused OWS of being lazy! They're actually putting forth some effort. That's why you see the backlash. Most OWS protesters haven't broken the law as you're so authoritatively implying. Most OWS protesters don't hate the police. If you guys are looking for a cop hater, look no further then this guy.
You are certainly right about that last sentence, though. There is a sharp contrast between the Tea Party protesters and the OWS protesters: one is truly revolutionary and one just isn't. Care to guess which one isn't? I'll give you a hint: it's the one with guys getting pepper sprayed, beaten, and arrested.
Yet the Leftist media cheers for a group of lawbreaking troublemakers who occupied a park in New York, blocked the Brooklyn Bridge, were arrested by the hundreds and treated law enforcement with disrespect and disdain all while trying to tear down the foundations of the greatest nation on earth.
Such a media response is expected. But when you compare these people with tea partiers' now you've got a problem with We the People.I hate to break it to you, Tea Party Patriots, but you are not We the People. You are currently the most hated group in America, according to polls. For real. Problem? I know it stings. You've been outdone in every conceivable way. OWS is very much We the People. They don't need to shoehorn that 1776 bullshit into their movement to lend it undue credibility either. We are the 99%
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