Palin’s op-ed today comes complete with links to her Twitter and Facebook page. Not that she’s recruiting supporters for 2012 or anything. She defends herself, but also makes the broader case for the Tea Party movement, which others have mentioned as well. That having started out as crazy “death panel” “birthers,” the movement has picked up steam through, not only conservatives, but also independents. Andrea Mitchell made the comparison to the Ross Perot movement in her interview with V.P. Joe Biden yesterday, on which he demurred. Is it more Ross Perot or crazy aunt? Mrs. Palin picks Perot, as she goes on defense for speaking at their convention, doing her best to legitimize the Tea Partiers who haven’t found a hero just yet.
… Their vision is what drew me to the Tea Party movement. They believe in the same principles that guided my work in public service — whether I was working on the PTA and city council or serving as a mayor, commissioner or governor. I look forward to meeting some of these great Americans this weekend.
Recently, some have tried to portray this movement as a commercial endeavor rather than the grassroots uprising that it is. Those who do so don’t understand the frustration everyday Americans feel when they see their government mortgaging their children’s future with reckless spending. The spark of patriotic indignation that inspired those who fought for our independence and those who marched peacefully for civil rights has ignited once again. You can’t buy such a sentiment. You can’t AstroTurf it. It springs from love of country and the knowledge that we can make a difference if we just stand up and stand together. [...]
Ignoring Palin for the moment:
It’s the corruption of our Constitutional principles; the corruption of our government that, I think, drives the Tea Party movement, by and large, not “right wing” ideologies. I’m sort of bemused by the demonization of them; if people really knew what their government was doing, they might understand what drives these protests. They might even join them. Don’t think so? Well, if you read some of these articles, and you don’t get angry, then you’re safely immune; but if you read the following [or watch Dylan Ratigan's video, which you should], and you feel a slight tinge of fury, then you might be susceptible to Tea Party “solidarity.”
Go on, I dare you. Be not afraid. You really need to know what Obama, Bernanke, Geithner and the rest of the Oligarchy are up to. It will affect you:
“After the Stimulus Binge, a Debt Hangover: Trillions of dollars have been spent keeping the global economy afloat. But now fears about the Great Recession are giving way to worries about something else: The Great Reckoning” when massive debts come due. Then the debt bomb explodes “and the results won’t be pretty for investors or elected officials.”
Poll: 20 economic weapons of mass destruction triggering ticking Global Debt Time Bomb
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/our-debt-time-bomb-is-ready-to-go-ka-boom-2010-02-02
Dylan Ratigan: Barack Obama Is Lying, The Banks Aren’t Even CLOSE To Repaying The Bailout
http://www.businessinsider.com/dylan-ratigan-barack-obama-is-lying-the-banks-arent-even-close-to-repaying-the-bailout-2010-2
More News on the Economy:
http://www.businessinsider.com/
The New Depression and the Fed’s illusion
Recent positive GDP numbers lay bare the extent to which the supposed recovery is based on government paper-hanging and wishful thinking and is, in the end, non-sustainable. The New Depression began in 2007 and will run through 2011 or longer depending on policy. Semantic back flips, such as calling our condition the Great Recession to avoid using the word depression, will not change this fact.
http://dailycaller.com/2010/02/01/the-new-depression-and-the-feds-illusion/
Barry Ritholz at The Big Picture on Sen. Chris Dodd:
“….[T]he only thing more corrupt than a congressperson whoring for campaign donations to get re-elected, is a congressperson not seeking re-election, whoring for a job.”
>http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/02/dodd-interviews-for-future-banking-job/
Dodd Calls Obama Plan Too Grand
SEWELL CHAN
NYT, February 2, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/business/03regulate.html
Not mad at all? Then don’t worry; the Tea Party Movement is irrelevant to you.
I’m so sick of hearing about Sarah Palin and can’t be the only American who feel this way…It’s to the point where I just laugh at everyone who takes her way to serious…I remember when McCain picked her in 2008…I said to myself and friends let’s give her a chance…Well, we did and learned she was a rightwing talking point hack…Whether she runs for President is entirely up to her and supports….After all there is no law stopping Sarah Palin from running in 2012…she can if she wants too…and if she does I careless…
As for the Tea Party movement she is helping to push…GOOD LUCK…My brother in law…who is a libertarian is part of that so called movement and believes it helps get the message out about big government…I think it hurts there movement by being to closely tied to Republican candidates…it makes them appear as just another arm chair of the Repub party and not serious about their issues…I have not witness any “big name Dems” being invited to their parties in the past or now…Like I told my brother in law I’ll stick to my theory that this Tea Party movement hoopla will end once Republicans get the House, Senate and White House in 2012…Then it’s back to bailouts and high deficits like under Bush…
Marie205, I agree with your sentiments 100%. Peace
Like I told my brother in law I’ll stick to my theory that this Tea Party movement hoopla will end once Republicans get the House, Senate and White House in 2012…
You should re-read this again, Marie205, because it blows the rest of your comment away.
There is NO modern upstart political movement, including Perot, that has accomplished 1/10th of what you just proposed in your comment.
So, if they succeed in doing what you yourself suggest they will have done more than any other upstart, outside force in modern political history, accomplishing something beyond what they dreamed possible.
Stunning comment from you, truly.
Couple it with this article from Politico:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/32454.html
Oh, one other thing can someone explain to me why many tea partiers carry signs telling Obama to go back to Kenya?….what in the world does that have to do with balancing the budget or his policies…my brother in law showed me photos of one event he attended and there was photos of posters with Michelle Obama pictured as a Slave…can someone explain the purpose of that poster too…and why it be connected with Mr. Obama policies?….Because I asked my brother in law all he called say was “We every now and then get some wackos”…Yeah, that was a pretty large number of wackos in those photo if you ask me…
Marie205, could you ask your brother-in-law why every single T-bagger is a white person? Peace
Ah, Sarah Palin.
IN order to be the Democratic nominee for President one has to be . . . intelligent. Our candidates are usually steeped in the ISSUES. We like and admire brains: Carter, Clinton, Gore, Kerry, Obama.
The Republicans on the other hand, have absolutely no shame, and they don’t have to worry about hypocrisy. They could nominate Joe the Plumber and sell him with evangelical conviction as the second coming. They do not care about substance, ideology is all — God, Country, Flag, Family, Taxes. Repeat.
Taylor Marsh, I’m wishing them good luck in my original statement…We do need a third, fourth , fifth serious party…I’m Independent and really would like to see a serious party threaten the Dems and Repubs…But I’m being sarcastic when I say they could push the Repubs to higher goals…I loved to see the Tea Party movement give a thumbs eye in Sarah Palin and Fox News…they really need to show that neither Republicans or Dems will have an influence on them…but asking a “REPUBLICAN” Vice President candidate to speak at your event tells me many things about this so called movement…It’s being to closely aligned with Repubs for my taste and does not show and independent streak….They are allowing themselves to be exploit by the Republican party.
Ramsgate, your last paragraph sounds very much like the formula used to get the fascist Mussolini elected the first time. Peace
Get real, Marie205. You’ll please excuse my abruptness, but I really get a little annoyed by people who resort to cheap epithets, insinuating racism or anti-semitism anytime they can’t make an argument, or are just completely ignorant about an issue. It’s just lazy, mindlessness, if you’ll pardon my saying.
You are engaging in what is commonly known as STEREOTYPING–the very same thing you’re accusing Tea Party protesters of with your insinuations about racism.
Your brother-in-law gave you the correct answer, but you prefer to taint with a broad brush. You must really dislike your brother-in-law, but don’t confuse your personal animosity of him with the reality about others.
I am not a member of the Tea Party Movement; I don’t join “movements” at all. But, I really feel contempt for the inflammatory demogoguery and sweeping ignorant judgments about people who, by and large, are doing nothing more than our founding fathers did in the original tea party movement. It is tantamount to smearing our own origins, our own founding fathers, and nothing less.
You don’t have to join them in condemning the rampant theft and corruption of our national treasury, by our own government officials, but don’t embarrass yourself by exposing your own ignorance of history in the process.
Noogan, are you saying that Marie205 is “white baiting?” Peace
“could you ask your brother-in-law why every single T-bagger is a white person? Peace”-Imhotep
Not, every Tea Partier is White…believe it or not…I’ve seen Asians, Hispanics and some Blacks at these things…But there numbers are not that large at Tea party events…Some of these minorities that show up at these events are there to support social issues like mainly abortion, pray back in school etc…and some are just rebels who like to go against the grain…But one could easily notice the large number of White Males who show up at this event…I met two guys who took off work to protest Obama expanded unemployment benifits…They were angry that illegals will get those checks…lol
Now, keep in many Americans are out of work looking for jobs and you have two yahoos…missing a day of work to protest there fellow Americans from getting unemployment…I swear sometimes I think people are extremely selfish in this country…
Marie205, so what you’re saying is that the majority of these people have broken away from their moorings and are in serious need of some mental health counseling? Peace
“You’ll please excuse my abruptness, but I really get a little annoyed by people who resort to cheap epithets, insinuating racism or anti-semitism anytime they can’t make an argument, or are just completely ignorant about an issue. It’s just lazy, mindlessness, if you’ll pardon my saying.”-Noogan
Why are you so defense about me stating something I’ve seen?…I’m to pretend to not notice the signs of certain offense protesters and only focus on the enlighten one’s?….Sorry, I like to look at the whole picture…and what I’m seeing is people who are yes showing at these Tea party events to express outrage at the government…but also another segment that display really weird signs that have nothing to do with Big Government…and I’m sorry if I refuse to pretend I don’t see these things…I look at the good and bad in a movement not just only the great points…
Maybe it’s just me, but I rarely understand what Marie205 is saying.
“so what you’re saying is that the majority of these people have broken away from their moorings and are in serious need of some mental health counseling?”-Imhotep
People protest for many different reasons…Folks can show up at a Tea Party even but be motivated for another issue of why there at it and it may have nothing to do with Big Government etc…The same can be said on liberal movements in the past and now…
kris, I must disagree with you on this. Marie205 is making herself quite clear in this particular discussion. Still friends? Peace
Provide me some clarity will you Imhotep in 25 words or less?
Always friends, my friend.
Marie205, so in our own unique way we’re all a bit daft? On that point I couldn’t agree with you more. Peace
kris, see my 11:15 comment. Peace
“Maybe it’s just me, but I rarely understand what Marie205 is saying.”-Kris
That’s strange many other folks have commented on here and say they got what I was saying…Perhaps, I’m channeling Sarah Palin and talking in gibberish for some…lol
Commonly called word salad marie205.
“so in our own unique way we’re all a bit daft? On that point I couldn’t agree with you more. ” -Imhotep
That’s kind of true.
Bye, everyone I’m heading out. ( For those that didn’t understand it means I’m leaving this website for the day…lol)
Thanks for that Marie205 but that was the most concise, understandable comment you have made all morning.
But then again, maybe it’s just me.
BTW – A statement is either true or it’s not. “kind of true”?
kris, why so mean today? Somebody steal the “i” key on the old keyboard? Peace
I don’t know imhotep. I have a relatively high tolerance level for commenters, but marie205 gets under my skin sometimes. For me alot of her comments are just whacky and don’t make sense. Guess I don’t have the same level of patience today.
That’s because Marie205 sometimes tries to post AND im/talk to friends at the same time
kris..I just thnk she is open minded and does not have strong ideology either way. She has told us she has been an independent for a long time.She observes what she considers to be right and wrong on both sides.Anyway that is the way I read her.I think she is a hoot! She never gets mad and just kind of laughs when other do.She has also told us she multi tasks while leaving comments.That might explain the sentence structure.
All of your observations are correct. Like I said, it’s probably just me today.
On the other hand I would like to ask Noogan a question,knowing full well I am likely to get a lecture in return. Noogan have you ever really attended a Tea Party event or an event dominated by them?
In my experience,and I will admit in advance than Missouri is pretty good at growing wingnuts,founding fathers they are NOT!
Anyone been over to Koz to see the results of his poll of Republicans? Pretty amazing.He makes a very good point that with a base like they have the Repubs have no choice but to be non cooperative. Another good reason for Obama and the Independents to give up on the unicorn of bi-partisanship.
Can there be any more pathetic example of this than John McCain?
Lake Lady says:
03 February 2010 at 12:06 pm
LL, If you think those poll results are awful, here’s the nail in the coffin.
STILL we hear that Obama is going to invite these people to the WH & to Camp David for weekends to try more “reaching-out.”
Read it and weep or laugh: http://2su.de/SBU
Ramsgate~This has been obvious for a long time. The Pres said today that everytime the Democrats extend a hand to Republicans they get a fist in return.Maybe he is trianglulating??? One can hope. It would better if he could find a way to communicate this knowlege to Independents.
The pundits are worthless at this. Many of them if not all are so invested in establishment Washington that they cannot see the forest for the trees.They are also lazy and dumb and invested in their own mythical narrative tales as has been well documented by Bob Somerby.
Lake Lady
I’ve personally seen a Tea Party Rally. There were plenty of racist signs even though there were 3-5 AA’s including right wing conservative black singer.
The Tea Party Movement is simply participating in their government and exercising their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. Good for them.
Same for Sarah Palin. She dared to compete. And, she’s taken more incoming than anyone in contemporary politics and whatever happens, she picks herself up, brushes herself off, and keeps on keepin’ on. Good for her.
In fact, Obama could learn a few things from Sarah about leadership and fighting for what you believe in.
JoeChi
While I was dismayed at the Tea Party folks I saw, I certainly understand the anger that surely inspires some in the movement. Perhaps it is a “no where else to go” notion. But I just noted on CNN that the TeaParty group who backed Scott Brown in Ma were actually members of the Republican Party – Could that be the reason Scott didn’t want to identify himself in any campaign lit as a Republican?
http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/03/welcome-to-the-tea-party-infighting-plagues-conservative-group/
JoeCHI~ I guess I need to ask you the same question. Have you ever been to a Tea Party gathering?
The people I saw last summer at a McCaskill townhall identified themselves as Tea Party and acted in an organized pre planned way.They were anything but peaceful. One of them spit in my face. I wrote about here at the time. They were rude,low information,nasty,snarling and could have easily become dangerous.
You have probably seen some footage from it because it is replayed everytime the summer protests are discussed. It was the one where you see three AA women being hustled out for having the nerve to carry pro Obama signs. They were being hustled out because the crowd reaction to them was so frightening the security was scared to death they would get hurt.
I will give this to them at least they are protesting. Why liberals are not protesting is a mystery to me.
I guess you are hanging out trying to sell something?