Has this article been posted yet?

[Pheidippides]

It should give you an idea as to why this Reagan Republican is so scared of the Tea Party.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/18/101018fa_fact_wilentz?currentPage=all

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/18/101018fa_fact_wilentz?currentPage=all

[Jacob]

Scared of the tea party? The article attacks Skousen, Beck, Birchers and even Benson, but doesn't say much about "The Tea Party."

I am no fan of Beck, Skousen, Birch, etc. but I am a fan of the Tea Party, though i wouldn't consider myself a member. Sure, some tea partiers are fans of the above mentioned people. Big Deal. That shouldn't come as a surprise. You can also find plenty of crazies among the Obama supporters and even friends.

When I look at what the Tea Party stands for, I don't find much to disagree with. And I'd think the same could be said for a "Reagan Republican" (though i don't consider myself a "Regan Republican" and I am certain that there are varying definitions of what that means).

1. Identify constitutionality of every new law: Require each bill to identify the specific provision of the U.S. Constitution that gives Congress the power to do what the bill does. (82.03%)

2. Reject emissions trading: Stop the "cap and trade" administrative approach used to control carbon dioxide emissions by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of carbon dioxide. (72.20%)

3. Demand a balanced federal budget: Begin the Constitutional amendment process to require a balanced budget with a two-thirds majority needed for any tax modification. (69.69%)

4. Simplify the tax system: Adopt a simple and fair single-rate tax system by scrapping the Internal Revenue Code and replacing it with one that is no longer than 4,543 words – the length of the original Constitution. (64.9%)

5. Audit federal government agencies for constitutionality: Create a Blue Ribbon taskforce that engages in an audit of federal agencies and programs, assessing their Constitutionality, and identifying duplication, waste, ineffectiveness, and agencies and programs better left for the states or local authorities. (63.37%)

6. Limit annual growth in federal spending: Impose a statutory cap limiting the annual growth in total federal spending to the sum of the inflation rate plus the percentage of population growth. (56.57%)

7. Repeal the health care legislation passed on March 23, 2010: Defund, repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (56.39%)

8. Pass an 'All-of-the-Above' Energy Policy: Authorize the exploration of additional energy reserves to reduce American dependence on foreign energy sources and reduce regulatory barriers to all other forms of energy creation. (55.5%)

9. Reduce Earmarks: Place a moratorium on all earmarks until the budget is balanced, and then require a 2/3 majority to pass any earmark. (55.47%)

10. Reduce Taxes: Permanently repeal all recent tax increases, and extend current temporary reductions in income tax, capital gains tax and estate taxes, currently scheduled to end in 2011. (53.38%)

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Party_movement"]Tea Party movement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:9.12_tea_party_in_DC.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/9.12_tea_party_in_DC.jpg/300px-9.12_tea_party_in_DC.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/0/07/9.12_tea_party_in_DC.jpg/300px-9.12_tea_party_in_DC.jpg[/ame]

I don't see the Tea Party as a bunch of conspiracy theorist Birchers. I see it as a loose group of people generally supporting a reduction in the size of the federal government, opposing parts of the welfare state, and dedicated to a lightly regulated free-market economy.

[byu71]

It should give you an idea as to why this Reagan Republican is so scared of the Tea Party.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/18/101018fa_fact_wilentz?currentPage=all

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2...urrentPage=all

The tea party movement has gotten so big that you can pick an out of the main stream element that is in it and then pin it on the whole group.

Tea partiers are not racist, radically religious, homophobes nor witches.

In area's where a weird tea party backed candidate is running, there are extenuating circumstances beyond just the "weirdo tea partiers" got them in.

It is though humorous to see a Beck, Limbaugh or Hannity whine and moan about tea partiers getting labeled through the actions of a few and yet their careers are based on doing the same to those they disagree with.

[Pheidippides]

The tea party movement has gotten so big that you can pick an out of the main stream element that is in it and then pin it on the whole group.

Tea partiers are not racist, radically religious, homophobes nor witches.

In area's where a weird tea party backed candidate is running, there are extenuating circumstances beyond just the "weirdo tea partiers" got them in.

It is though humorous to see a Beck, Limbaugh or Hannity whine and moan about tea partiers getting labeled through the actions of a few and yet their careers are based on doing the same to those they disagree with.

I understand this, but Beck is their self- appointed de facto spokesperson.

[Jacob]

I understand this, but Beck is their self- appointed de facto spokesperson.

Strange, since Beck denies even being a part of the Tea Party. How is it that he is "self-appointed"? I don't necessarily disagree that he is somewhat of a de-facto spokesman.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Strange, since Beck denies even being a part of the Tea Party. How is it that he is "self-appointed"? I don't necessarily disagree that he is somewhat of a de-facto spokesman.

lol.

Yes, and Bill O'Reilly says things like "fair and balanced" and "no-spin zone".

[Jacob]

lol.

Yes, and Bill O'Reilly says things like "fair and balanced" and "no-spin zone".

Your are saying that a person doesn't get to choose whether he is part of the Tea Party? If people who dislike the Tea Party get to decide who is and isn't part of the tea party, then I suppose they can attribute whatever evil motives they want.

If that's the case, then you are just playing Beck's game...Obama says he's not a socialist, but we all know that he is.

[wuapinmon]

Is Jacob JohnnyLingo?

[Pheidippides]

Strange, since Beck denies even being a part of the Tea Party. How is it that he is "self-appointed"? I don't necessarily disagree that he is somewhat of a de-facto spokesman.

Then it doesn't matter if he's self appointed or not.

[woot]

I like this one too:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/op...dman.html?_r=1