(no subject)

[oportet.livejournal.com]

I'm not a liberal, but if I was, I can't imagine what I would have against the Tea Party movement - so hopefully a liberal/democrat could help me out with this.

I understand the movement is made up mostly of conservatives, so wouldn't that either be a good, or at worst, neutral thing for you when elections come around?

Sure, the Tea Party isn't an official party with representatives, but when a big (or the big) election comes around, they'll most likely endorse someone (If they don't, that would fall under neutral). If the person/people they back are Republican, you saw it coming, and you'll pretty much have the same outcome there would have been if the TP never existed (again, neutral result). If the person/people they back aren't Republican, it wouldn't be taking many, if any, votes away from your side - nowhere near the number it would be taking away from Republicans (this would fall under good for you).

Or am I missing something?

Comments

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

They make us embarrassed to share nationality with them.

[oportet.livejournal.com]

What they do/say shouldn't embarrass you too much, if you are separating yourselves from them.

They're like your rivals JV team, only helping you, only hurting them, why care so much?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Just like the Liberals are embarrassed by Code Pink or World Can't Wait but NEVER voice their disgust/opposition, right?

[paft.livejournal.com]

You don't get how some of us liberals might be a bit put off by signs like "I came unarmed THIS time?" You don't get how some of us liberals might object to being equated with Communists and traitors? You don't get that the messages of tea party heros like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Sarah Palin might alienate us just a wee bit?

[oportet.livejournal.com]

Alienate you? I'm not going to go around looking for numbers, but I'm pretty sure there are more of you.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

In the same way that you don't get how some of us non-liberals might object to being equated with racists and Nazis. What goes around, comes around.

[mijopo.livejournal.com]

Presumably what people have against them is the views that they hold.

[debergerac.livejournal.com]

I understand the movement is made up mostly of conservatives,

ding ding ding. we have a winnah.

[chessdev.livejournal.com]

Yes, that would be the *only* reasons Liberals would support them...
uh huh..

not the calls of Socialism/Marxists/Fascists against Liberals?

not the calls of anti-intellectualism?

not the implicit threats of violence ("If they want my gun, I'll give them the bullets first")?

not the backing of racist policies (see Arizona)?

not that the premise of the "Taxed Enough Already" party looks silly when taxes this year were record low and next year will follow suit?


... yeah, it couldn't be any of THOSE things....

just that their conservatives....uh huh...

[xforge.livejournal.com]

They shriek about being marginalized, ignored and losing their "freedoms" and in the very same breath they talk about marginalizing, ignoring and taking freedoms from anyone who opposes them.

They're a legion of drooling fucking idiots. Come on already.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

You mean like these people, at this protest:

Saturday, March 15, 2007 - The ANSWER Coalition sponsors a March and "Die-In" at the Capitol in D.C. 5,000 protesters and 200 arrests.
Meanwhile, what was the count from the Tea Party March on Washington? The Public Information Officer of the D.C. Fire Department unofficially estimated attendance "in excess of 75,000" people (the number quoted by most if not all news agencies) and there were ZERO arrests.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Listen, besides their unofficial leader, Sarah Palin, champion of all things wrong, I don't mind Tea Partiers who are doing things like running for office. If they want to challenge the GOP status quo, more power to them.

It's the Birthers, the HCR hysterics and the more fringy sign makers(who in fact are mostly not liberal plants) making them seem scary and out of touch.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

oh, they won't challenge the GOP, they are the GOP, and then some people the GOP could fool to join are tagging along.

[girlspell.livejournal.com]

The Tea Party is mostly Republican (or has that party's blessing) There are Libertarians but they would be in the minority. Libertarians don't want government messing in their private lives, something the Republican would dearly like to do. My husband is one. Yes, he has the Gladston flag waving outside our house. He's opposed to the universal sales tax, in addition to the income tax. So Obama is not his guy. So he'll tolorate the Republicans, even though he thinks most of them are morons. He'd love to tear Palin to ribbons, but she's the party's darling

[chessdev.livejournal.com]

I agree the Universal Sales Tax is a bad thing and would screw the poor over badly; As far as income tax -- well, does your husband like little things like Defense? National Guard? Street lights? etc....?

[readherring.livejournal.com]

I'm not a liberal, but if I was, I can't imagine what I would have against the Tea Party movement - so hopefully a liberal/democrat could help me out with this.


Some of these reasons are my own, some are not. But I think these are the ones why liberals don't like 'em:

* The TPers portray Obama et. al. as Marxists, Socialists, Nazis, Dictators, Terrorists, etc.
* The TPers believe and promote myths like "Obama will take your guns away", "We are becoming a socialist state", etc.
* The TPers don't fact check.
* The TPers rely heavily on Fox News, and they don't fact check.
* The TPers blame "progressives" for everything.
* The TPers are believed to be racists.
* The TPers threaten sedition and flaunt firearms.
* The TPers claim to be patriots, while bitching and moaning about the American government. Yet, two years ago when the liberals were bitching and moaning about the American government.
* The TPers adore Sarah Palin, whom they regard as a twit.
* The TPers don't help America's image overseas.
* The TPers insist that this is a Christian nation.

Did I miss any?

[oportet.livejournal.com]

And in your opinion, these didn't apply to any other group before the TP came around?

[readherring.livejournal.com]

Edit:

* The TPers claim to be patriots, while bitching and moaning about the American government. Yet, two years ago when the liberals were bitching and moaning about the American government, the TPers were calling them 'un-American'.

[girlspell.livejournal.com]

No. A list sadly fits many of them. But there are well meaning people in there who are tired of losing themselves out of the middle class. The backbone of any nation's well being. Depressing that they don't see where they are being dragged to slaughter.

I'm an immigrant. I wasn't born here. I came to the US when I was 5. So I became a cititzen when my parents did. I'm assimilated. I speak English, not Italian. I consider the US my home and the rights promised my rights. I can understand people's fears about that too. Granted I am European and my parents were educated. So I'm the kind of immigrant the US would not mind coming over. So I can see the racists in the Tea Party also.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

You're missing the anger, the indignation, the repugnance that liberals feel towards those who dare speak up and claim that they are wrong.

[mcpreacher.livejournal.com]

yeah, remember when liberals got together a couple years ago and started characterizing themselves as "Real Americans" and, among other things, claiming that 9/11 affected the patriotic heartland folk more than those undesirables in their ivory towers? those assholes.

[rainynights.livejournal.com]

I would consider my self a tea party member. When in the states I tried to go to meetings and I donate to their cause. I agree with their ideals.

I think they are judged based on a few bad apples. I myself am not a racist although I have been called one because I do not agree with Obama's policies so therefore I must be a racist right?

I am a good hardworking American. I raise my two boys to be God fearing and respectful and patriotic. My husband is active duty military, I have survived two deployments so far. My husband has been in total deployed 5 times and has never complained. He too is alot more conservative than I am. He loves his country. We are what most Tea Party members are like average every day Americans who are scared of what is happening to Americans. I recently learned there are over 140 new government regulations that were created in this new health care bill. That alone should scare people. Do you really want the government regulating your life more. Like in CA trying to ban toys in happy meals... sigh.. Anyway my point is we are not right wing nut jobs or fear mongers. We just want better for America.

I have never ever called a liberal vulgar names that my husband and I have both been called by the media and several of the people in here who do not agree. It is childish and crude. I think if we could all learn to respect each other and be civil it would be a much more pleasant world.

[chessdev.livejournal.com]

Start disavowing the nutjobs who keep galvanizing those protests; Until people start actively decrying the nuts who are advocating violence or secession, then its taken as agreement through omission.

If we saw more on the right actively shouting down the loons it would be a LOT more likely a real discussion could happen...

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

Actually as a liberal I DO hope they rise into prominence as a Libertarian Party. I think siphoning off GOP votes would be great. But then I hope as a result we'll also have a split in the Democratic Party, where liberals leave and we finally break this 2 party system that is ruining our electoral process.

Masochist.

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

Parties are irrelevant (http://abomvubuso.livejournal.com/378455.html) anyway.

[thinkatory.livejournal.com]

As a progressive Democrat, my issues with the Tea Party:
- Protesting policy, without being able to give a coherent reason why they oppose it without referring to talking points
- Protesting policy without being able to give coherent policy suggestions
- The interchangeable use of Nazism, Socialism, and Communism by this group, as well as interchangeable use of imagery from historical versions of these movements
- A complete lack of knowledge or disinterest in politics or policy predating October 2008
- A sudden interest in civil liberties which never seems to exist during Republican administrations

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Pretty much this, plus the hysteric tone of their campaigns.

"TP" Fantastic! That's after the wipe, of course.

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

I love the way that Tea Partier Palin showed up at the McCain rally and stole the show. She seemed like more of a liability than an asset to McCain.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

Where there's a cliff directly in front and the frothing crowd has convinced themselves its a liberal conspiracy, yes it is.