“…and help these people who are dependent on the government. I think it’s wrong to be dependent, and you’re right it shouldn’t happen. We should work for the day when these individuals can take care of themselves once again, be self-reliant.” – Rep. Ron Paul
After Paul’s “self-reliant” rant, Lawrence O’Donnell pounced: “…That’s just code language to abolish Medicare. You want to get rid if Medicare.” That’s the bottom line, even if Rep. Paul won’t be honest about it.
People supporting Tea Party candidates just don’t understand the impact of what these candidates want to do, or already have done in the case of Ken Buck, even if none of them have calculated what it means themselves. Caterwauling about “smaller government” is convenient, but specifics matter. A lot.
See Sean Wilentz in the New Yorker, who makes the same case I’ve been making for well over a year:
[...] In 1906, early in the Progressive era, the humorist Finley Peter Dunne’s fictional barroom sage, Mr. Dooley, put the social and political tumult of the day into perspective. “Th’ noise ye hear is not th’ first gun iv a revolution,” Dooley remarked. “It’s on’y th’ people iv th’ United States batin’ a carpet.” A century from now, or even a year from now, Americans may say the same about the Tea Party. For the moment, though, it appears that the extreme right wing is on the verge of securing a degree of power over Congress and the Republican Party that is unprecedented in modern American history. For defenders of national cohesion and tempered adversity in our politics, it is an alarming state of affairs.
It’s the Republican Party’s “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” mentality on steroids. So it’s no wonder wingnut radio candidates like Ron Paul and Ken Buck are running into walls when they have to explain the Tea Party’s foundational tenets, especially when real life events are involved.
Ken “vote for me because I don’t wear high heels” Buck’s Tea Party mantra has now exploded in Colorado, because it goes so far as to blame a rape victim for her attack. It’s causing him further troubles, with women’s groups already having issues with Buck who’s proven he’s a misogynist pig. Part of a transcript is below, which is going public in a very big way:
(139) KB: Because when you look at what happened earlier in the night, all the circumstances, based on his statements and some of your statements, indicate that you invited him to come to your apartment… that you told him how to get in …. It would appear to me and it appears to others that you invited him over to
have sex with him. Whether that you, at that time, were conscious enough to say yes or no… ?
(147) V: So you’re telling me that previous sexual relations is enough to provide consent, and you’re telling me that because of me calling him and because of previous sexual relations and because I invited him up and told him how to get in, that invited him up for sex…
(153) KB: I’m telling you that’s what the circumstances suggest, to people, including myself, who have looked at it. Although, you never said the word yes, but the appearance is of consent.
V: Even though, he also stated that I told him no.
“Small government” sounds great in theory, especially considering the very real financial crisis we’re facing, which no Democrat disputes. But when Gov. Chris Christi starts scuttling infrastructure projects that create jobs because he doesn’t understand the purpose of basic economic recovery programs, or Tea Party candidates like Ron Paul or his son Rand start opining about Medicare recipients being “self-reliant,” or deductibles being raised, people should wake up and take a look at the consequences of installing Tea Party candidates who don’t know what they’re doing.
The Tea Party plan for America is just now getting drawn out and it’s not going to be good for anyone.
It’s a further illustration of why Obama and Democrats getting sidetracked with the foreign money “stealing” elections meme was so ludicrous.
Lawrence O’Donnell did more to advance the Democratic ball last night, as did Rachel Maddow with Ron Paul, than Tim Kaine, Barack Obama and the DNC have combined. The argument against the Tea Party platform is not that hard to make at a time of maximum populism interest. It’s just many of the current Dems can’t sell it. It’s also the reason Bill Clinton and Joe Biden are more effective this midterm than anyone else, especially Pres. Obama.
This post has been updated.
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“… current Dems can’t sell” populism, because they aren’t populist. Of course they should be smart enough to know how to sell what they don’t want / plan to do, when it’s politically expedient. That’s what pols routinely do, after all. But in general, the Dems can’t / won’t do that now.
So many opportunities, so many fails.
Oh, I think many of the Dems are populists.
The problem is the Dem leadership, especially Obama, doesn’t want to fight on that hill. They’re taking the party off the cliff of foreign money “stealing” the election, an argument of campaign finance that is good to have, but not when your opponent is eating your election lunch 3 weeks before midterms.
Dems who are going populist are having some luck, especially when they do the compare and contrast (which Bill Clinton does so well), staying away from in the weeds arguments like “stealing” the election.
You go against leadership at your peril.
The Dems hid from the middle class tax fight, because the leadership is AFRAID of it. Fear is a killer, especially when your ideas are better, with likely voters still listening to hear your case. The problem is the case Dems are making are turning them off.
Members of the Dem party, yep, I think many are populist. I’m skeptical at how many of the Dem Electeds are actually populist, however, especially at the DC level. Perhaps they are more than I think. I’d certainly like to be proven wrong, but for quite some time now, neither their actions or policies look remotely populist influenced.
Definitely, though, I agree that the Dem leadership is afraid of a fight. Or maybe it’s that they are afraid of a fight about the things that actually concern their constituents the most.
What did Clinton say yesterday? I can’t remember the exact words? He meant they are lying to you but he said so much better.
You are right Taylor about Maddow and O’Donnell last night the only problem is they are singing to the choir and it is not getting picked up by MSM that I know of.First time I have seen Ron Paul flummoxed.
I could have done without the Green segment with O’Donnell. It was uneccessary and mean.
He said, “they are playing you.”
What is really disgusting is how much money goes down the drain for an election.
Think of it as redistribution of wealth. Look at the trifecta of losing Republican women candidates: Carly, Meg, and Linda. All told thats almost a third of a billion out of their pockets and into the economy. Thanks, Ladies!
Ken is really horrible. As much as I want to punish Dems this election, he might be a deal breaker. Luckily, I am in NC. I’m going to vote for Elaine Marshall even though I don’t think she has a snowball’s chance. I campaigned for her in the primary, and she’s definitely light years ahead of Burr.
She didn’t do very well, though, in the debate last night. But her main problem is she hasn’t received any funding. Obama party cut her off. They were pissed that their preferred candidate, Cal Cunningham, lost to Marshall.
However, I’m voting against David Price. He was one of the architects of the Michigan-Florida theft, and is, to this day, a complete Obot.
Sorry but President “throw the welfare recipients under the bus” Clinton has no standing in bringing up populist themes.
“The Era of Big Government is over”
We always look back on our past President’s fondly. They also have immunity on the campaign trail.
I hesitate to bring this up democratz but some welfare reform was necessary. The key was well funded daycare programs.I believe Headstart was expanded at that time.
It is not helpful for children to have a parent who never works. The homes were not condusive to getting kids ready for school.Things like daily routines,regular bedtimes and a good preschool experiences are all important.One of the downfalls was not focusing on getting enough jobs developed in the most depressed areas.
It could have had a good progressive outcome but that would have taken years of a cooperative congresses.
oh that ken buck is dangerous as hell. so is angle. miller. paul and the list rolls on. why the dnc doesnt run natl ads telling the public exactly wwhat these peopel propose i have no clue. dscc and dccc is doing it in local ads ive seen. the race is nationalized. so hell go for it dnc!
fineman on huffpotalks about the powerful effect of bill on the trail in ky where he is beloved. obama not mentioned once. the crowd goes wild for bill. conway hits dem themes in populist way. again no mention of obama. u have 2 party leaders here. im serious. clinton goes to certain places, greeted like a king, obama cant go to certain places etc..
let us not forget joe miller- he has his own problem in ak. the media is uing him bc he is saying no one may ask him anymroe personal questions. ever! see miller likelyw as on meicaid, his wife on ui. he may have illegally helped knock out a palin opponent using state resources too. ppp says mcadams can win this- he has to get mroe dems to come home to him over murkowski. if he can get enough dem he will win. this is a sleeper race but one dems can well win.
The sad part is there is going to be tea party candidates that are going to win it just depends on which ones.
For a stolen election theme that you believe isn’t working, the Chamber certainly changed its spending habits abruptly.
The jobs went to India and China which has nothing to do with NAFTA. Please you are believing a myth.
The problem is that we live in a county that thinks everyone else should make a $1.00 an hour but ourselves.
NAFTA was a corporatist abomination.
Jobs went to India and China (who Clinton gave WTO status to), but a lot of manufacturing, especially of cars, went to Mexico, hurting our unions.