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The Tea Party Is.....

What is the Tea Party to America?

  • Total voters
    69
sazerac said:
This is such a long thread. Has anybody shown any proof that the Tea Party is racist? Has anybody shown any proof that black people are racist for not joining a white group?. Has anyone come up with a goof reason why being angry about government spending is extreme?
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I'd say the low count of blacks they elect to Congress is a pretty good indication.
 
Sheik Yerbuti said:
I'd say the low count of blacks they elect to Congress is a pretty good indication.
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Less than 13% of America is black....how many of them should be represented by the Tea Party?
 
Sheik Yerbuti said:
What's the difference? How many Tea Partiers ran in a party other than Republican?
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They are fiscal conservatives....what party do you think they would run in?

Do you think much about this before you post?
 
mac said:
They are fiscal conservatives....what party do you think they would run in?

Do you think much about this before you post?
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How about ...... the Tea Party?
 
Sheik Yerbuti said:
What's the difference? How many Tea Partiers ran in a party other than Republican?
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So in other words your comment is as baseless and useless as your reply. Noted.
 
Well done, but can you show me one policy that the tea party as a whole supports that attacks another individuals personal freedoms, of any race, colour, or creed?
This is the same argument that black people are racist against white candidate's because 97% of them voted for Obama. Discuss policies and thier effects and leave the ignorant finger pointing out of the argument. It isn't healthy for either side.
 
Sheik Yerbuti said:
Where is "here?" Cyberspace is rather vast.
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America. The Tea Party is not a Political Party....it's a movement...or a body. It is fundamentally fiscally conservative and supports fiscally conservative Republicans. Until it formalizes in about 100 years.....that's the way it will remain.

Are you familiar with the term Blue Dog? How many Blue Dogs are there in congress....how many of the Blue Dog Party are there? How many Libertarian congressmen are there?
 
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Sheik Yerbuti said:
What's the difference? How many Tea Partiers ran in a party other than Republican?
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Off hand I know the tea party endorsed around 8 or 10 democrats in federal elections in 2010.

However given their goal was to ELECT people who were fiscal CONSERVATIVES, it's understandable that most tea party candidates would run on the republican ticket since they are the only federally viable conservative leaning party. They could go libertarian, but note I said electable. They could go democratic, but note I said fiscally conservative.

The tea party movement in and of itself is not a national political party but rather a political movement, more akin to the anti-war movement than the republicans/democrats
 
Kulterkampf said:
Well done, but can you show me one policy that the tea party as a whole supports that attacks another individuals personal freedoms, of any race, colour, or creed?
This is the same argument that black people are racist against white candidate's because 97% of them voted for Obama. Discuss policies and thier effects and leave the ignorant finger pointing out of the argument. It isn't healthy for either side.
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Policies are not the only way of determining racism. No party could outwardly promote racist policies in this day and age, they'd be swallowed whole if they tried. But just look at the voting record of Republican candidates, who are elected primarily by Conservatives, which is primarily who comprises the Tea Party. In the last 100 years, there have been a grand total of 6 black Republicans. Until three months ago, there were none, and even now, there are only two.

Actions speak for them.
 
mac said:
America. The Tea Party is not a Political Party....it's a movement...or a body. It is fundamentally fiscally conservative and supports fiscally conservative Republicans. Until it formalizes in about 100 years.....that's the way it will remain.

Are you familiar with the term Blue Dog? How many Blue Dogs are there in congress....how many of the Blue Dog Party are there? How many Libertarian congressmen are there?
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That's not entirely true.
The "Tea Party" Is Now Official in Florida

An Orlando lawyer named Frederic O'Neal has registered the Tea Party with the office of the Florida Secretary of State, Politico reports, and intends to run candidates against both Republicans and Democrats in state and national races.

[...]

The Tea Party has been registered with the state since August and is one of 32 minor political parties certified in Florida, Politico reported.
​
And to answer your question, I'm in America. And to answer your other question, yes, I've hear of blue dogs, just don't recall seeing them registered anywhere as a political party.
 
Sheik Yerbuti said:
Well who's supposed to elect them? Democrats?
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West got elected and he is black, and a republican. Maybe (I know this is crazy) they don't vote for them because of there liberal views. :shock: :roll:
 
I see people were too busy discussing how many of this or that race were or are in the "Tea Party" (among other truly important and thought-provoking subjects) to respond to my previous post (like, 225 posts ago? In only 2 days?) that, personally, I thought was a reasonable addition to the discussion.

:sarcasticclap

So, I’ll quote myself…

The Mark said:
I am not going to read 500+ posts.

So, my take on the Tea Party movement.

I think it was at one point, may still be, and could in the future be a positive influence (depending on how you define positive, of course) on the USA.

However, the individuals and various groups containing those individuals that make up the "Tea Party Movement" must be careful to avoid being co-opted by people who do not agree with them, or who agree with them in part but also have positions they would disagree with (such as some social aspects)...

IF, and I repeat IF, the "Tea Party" is focused mainly on getting spending levels reduced, then I wholly support that aspect, provided they don't take it too far.

Of course, my definition of “too far” is probably far different that some.

The basic issue I see preventing spending cuts is that people don’t want to give up the safety nets and support structure that cost the government so much, even in part.

Personally, I think some peripheral programs should be cut, along with reduced funding and streamlining for the more central ones
I also think that in many cases some programs were unneeded when they were started…the problem being that now people have come to expect and/or depend on such programs.

This, as I understand it, is the major battle/debate/issue that faces the current congress, if they are serious about spending cuts.
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In my perfect world, we would never have any deficit spending…Instead, funds would be cut from less important areas if a need in one area arose.
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A bit off topic there, perhaps.

Assuming the Tea party doesn't go too far into the social issues field, but rather sticks with the spending cuts area, I will have little issue with them, and in general will consider them a positive force.
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Sheik Yerbuti said:
I'd say the low count of blacks they elect to Congress is a pretty good indication.
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I am a minority and Conservative, I have black friends that are conservative but would never run for office, not because their afraid that Republicans would not vote for them they are afraid of the black community calling them names, or throwing oreo cookies at them (Michael Steel incident) calling then uncle toms you name it, they even keep their political views in check when around democratic friends as do I, Yes I am afraid of my minority brothers looking at me like have two heads when I say I voted Republican or that I am a fiscal conservative. This is the real issue why republicans can't enlist more minority or black candidates. the Democrats are masters of demagoguery.
 
Black conservative tea party backers take heat

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) By VALERIE BAUMAN
Associated Press Writer
- They've been called Oreos, traitors and Uncle Toms, and are used to having to defend their values. Now black conservatives are really taking heat for their involvement in the mostly white tea party movement—and for having the audacity to oppose the policies of the nation's first black president.
"I've been told I hate myself. I've been called an Uncle Tom. I've been told I'm a spook at the door," said Timothy F. Johnson, chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation, a group of black conservatives who support free market principles and limited government.

"Black Republicans find themselves always having to prove who they are. Because the assumption is the Republican Party is for whites and the Democratic Party is for blacks," he said.

Johnson and other black conservatives say they were drawn to the tea party movement because of what they consider its commonsense fiscal values of controlled spending, less taxes and smaller government. The fact that they're black—or that most tea partyers are white—should have nothing to do with it, they say.

"You have to be honest and true to yourself. What am I supposed to do, vote Democratic just to be popular? Just to fit in?" asked Clifton Bazar, a 45-year-old New Jersey freelance photographer and conservative blogger.

Opponents have branded the tea party as a group of racists hiding behind economic concerns—and reports that some tea partyers were lobbing racist slurs at black congressmen during last month's heated health care vote give them ammunition.

But these black conservatives don't consider racism representative of the movement as a whole—or race a reason to support it.

Angela McGlowan, a black congressional candidate from Mississippi, said her tea party involvement is "not about a black or white issue."

"It's not even about Republican or Democrat, from my standpoint," she told The Associated Press. "All of us are taxed too much."

Still, she's in the minority. As a nascent grassroots movement with no registration or formal structure, there are no racial demographics available for the tea party movement; it's believed to include only a small number of blacks and Hispanics.

Some black conservatives credit President Barack Obama's election—and their distaste for his policies—with inspiring them and motivating dozens of black Republicans to plan political runs in November.

For black candidates like McGlowan, tea party events are a way to reach out to voters of all races with her conservative message.

"I'm so proud to be a part of this movement! I want to tell you that a lot of people underestimate you guys," the former national political commentator for Fox News told the cheering crowd at a tea party rally in Nashville, Tenn., in February.

Tea party voters represent a new model for these black conservatives—away from the black, liberal Democratic base located primarily in cities, and toward a black and white conservative base that extends into the suburbs.

Black voters have overwhelmingly backed Democratic candidates, support that has only grown in recent years. In 2004, presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry won 88 percent of the black vote; four years later, 95 percent of black voters cast ballots for Obama.

Black conservatives don't want to have to apologize for their divergent views.

"I've gotten the statement, 'How can you not support the brother?'" said David Webb, an organizer of New York City's Tea Party 365, Inc. movement and a conservative radio personality.

Since Obama's election, Webb said some black conservatives have even resorted to hiding their political views.

"I know of people who would play the (liberal) role publicly, but have their private opinions," he said. "They don't agree with the policy but they have to work, live and exist in the community ... Why can't we speak openly and honestly if we disagree?"

Among the 37 black Republicans running for U.S. House and Senate seats in November is Charles Lollar of Maryland's 5th District.

A tea party supporter running against House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Lollar says he's finding support in unexpected places.

The 38-year-old U.S. Marine Corps reservist recently walked into a bar in southern Maryland decorated with a Confederate flag. It gave his wife Rosha pause.

"I said, 'You know what, honey? Many, many of our Southern citizens came together under that flag for the purpose of keeping their family and their state together,'" Lollar recalled. "The flag is not what you're to fear. It's the stupidity behind the flag that is a problem. I don't think we'll find that in here. Let's go ahead in."

Once inside, they were treated to a pig roast, a motorcycle rally—and presented with $5,000 in contributions for his campaign.

McGlowan, one of three GOP candidates in north Mississippi's 1st District primary, seeks a seat held since 2008 by Democrat Travis Childers. The National Republican Congressional Committee has supported Alan Nunnelee, chairman of the state Senate Appropriations Committee, who is also pursuing tea party voters.

McGlowan believes the tea party movement has been unfairly portrayed as monolithically white, male and middle-aged, though she acknowledged blacks and Hispanics are a minority at most events.

Racist protest signs at some tea party rallies and recent reports by U.S. Reps. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Barney Frank, D-Mass., that tea partyers shouted racial and anti-gay slurs at them have raised allegations of racism in the tea party movement.

Black members of the movement say it is not inherently racist, and some question the reported slurs. "You would think—something that offensive—you would think someone got video of it," Bazar, the conservative blogger, said.

"Just because you have one nut case, it doesn't automatically equate that you've got an organization that espouses (racism) as a sane belief," Johnson said.

Hilary Shelton, director of the Washington bureau of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, suggested a bit of caution.

"I'm sure the reason that (black conservatives) are involved is that from an ideological perspective, they agree," said Shelton. "But when those kinds of things happen, it is very important to be careful of the company that you keep."
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2K05GT said:
I am a minority and Conservative, I have black friends that are conservative but would never run for office, not because their afraid that Republicans would not vote for them they are afraid of the black community calling them names, or throwing oreo cookies at them (Michael Steel incident) calling then uncle toms you name it, they even keep their political views in check when around democratic friends as do I, Yes I am afraid of my minority brothers looking at me like have two heads when I say I voted Republican or that I am a fiscal conservative. This is the real issue why republicans can't enlist more minority or black candidates. the Democrats are masters of demagoguery.
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Black Republicans run for office, even if the ones you know don't. In the last election, 32 blacks ran as Republicans -- two got elected. Those would also be the only 2 black Republicans in all of Congress and only the 5th and 6th black Republican since 1900.

Conservatives and Republicans don't like electing blacks.

You can invent any excuse you want -- history speaks louder than excuses.
 
Boo Radley said:
If you see socialist everywhere, you are extreme, if not a little paranoid as well. :coffeepap
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If you aren't seeing them you are blind and deaf. They are starting to voluntarily come out from under their rocks.
 
haymarket said:
Did you miss the article links which gave the crowd estimates or is this some feeble attempt at sarcasm?

When I gave my crowd estimate to several people at the capitol today - including one veteran capitol police officer - they all said I was way too high in my estimate. It looks like the largest paper in the state also finds fault with my estimate

Tea party members attack plans for new Detroit bridge, taxes during Lansing rally | Detroit Free Press | freep.com



I guess I should stick to politics and leave the crowd estimations to the professionals. Apologies for the earlier numbers.
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Why? Do you trust a newspaper over your own eyes? Didn't you say judging from the ground covered by people, the tea party was about a third of the size as the Union protesters?
 
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