Pelosi downplays Tea Party's effect

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California dismissed the movement's impact on Democrats Tea Party activists targeted for defeat in the midterm elections, arguing the grassroots movement could hurt Republicans,...

"I think it's going to have an impact on Republicans in November," Pelosi said Thursday. "We always just keep our eye on the ball as to what our own races are and keep going in a forward direction."

Republicans could be hurt at the polls, Pelosi said, because Tea Party activists were mounting conservative challengers to GOP candidates in their primaries.

House Republican leader John Boehner, who spoke at an Orlando, Fla., Tea Party event this week, said Thursday Republicans were working to earn the support of the Tea Party followers, CNN said.

"We are going to talk with them and listen to them and we are going to walk amongst them and ... earn their support this November," the Ohio Republican said.

Boehner said Democrats weren't listening to the movement's concerns, noting Tea Party events represent only a fraction of Americans frustrated with the current leadership in Washington.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/04/16/Pelosi-downplays-Tea-Partys-effect/UPI-75481271422465/

[rsn 135]

Don't tea-baggers have jobs? I can' imagine anything more ridiculous than spending my day at any political rally. Losers.

Furthermore, how in the hell is the tea-party movement grassroots? Never understood that one. I guess it sounds good, but it isn't true.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Don't tea-baggers have jobs? I can' imagine anything more ridiculous than spending my day at any political rally. Losers.

Furthermore, how in the hell is the tea-party movement grassroots? Never understood that one. I guess it sounds good, but it isn't true.

Just keep thinking that, all of you leftwing nuts will be in for a huge surprise in the fall.

[rsn 135]

Just keep thinking that, all of you leftwing nuts will be in for a huge surprise in the fall.

I'll be surprised if the tea party movement doesn't become as bland as the rest of mainstream politics. Let's face it, the tea party movement is not grassroots. Palin, Hannity, and others want to keep pushing that concept, but it simply isn't true. The fact that big names are now suddenly associated with the movement is some proof of this. Historically, once a political movement starts to cater to big-name politicians, especially politicians that do not share the same views as the initial members of the movement, it begins to lose momentum and eventually die. Case in point: the anti-war movement. The tea party movement is declining in strength, and will die out soon enough. You can take that to the bank.

Edited April 16, 2010 by rsn

[JohnSmith2007 353]

I'll be surprised if the tea party movement doesn't become as bland as the rest of mainstream politics. Let's face it, the tea party movement is not grassroots. Palin, Hannity, and others want to keep pushing that concept, but it simply isn't true. The fact that big names are now suddenly associated with the movement is some proof of this. Historically, once a political movement starts to cater to big-name politicians, especially politicians that do not share the same views as the initial members of the movement, it begins to lose momentum and eventually die. Case in point: the anti-war movement. The tea party movement is declining in strength, and will die out soon enough. You can take that to the bank.

Good for you! Tell your friends that!

[rsn 135]

I should add that it became obvious to me, at least locally, that the tea party movement was nothing but a way for politicians to cash in on the stupidity of the party's followers when Tommy Thompson was invited to speak. He shares almost nothing with the tea-baggers. He was only invited because he's a republican, and the tea party movement was supposed to be a new ideology, based on my understanding. I'm not sure what Palin and Hannity have to offer either, other than their ability to do nothing but come up with colorful insults.

Edited April 16, 2010 by rsn

[JohnSmith2007 353]

I should add that it became obvious to me, at least locally, that the tea party movement was nothing but a way for politicians to cash in on the stupidity of the party's followers when Tommy Thompson was invited to speak. He shares almost nothing with the tea-baggers. He was only invited because he's a republican, and the tea party movement was supposed to be a new ideology, based on my understanding. I'm not sure what Palin and Hannity have to offer either, other than their ability to do nothing but come up with colorful insults.

Your absolutly right!! Good show!

[rsn 135]

Your absolutly right!! Good show!

No arguments? Didn't think you would roll over that easily.

[JohnSmith2007 353]

No arguments? Didn't think you would roll over that easily.

No arguments, I hope you tell all your friends your opinions. Start a web blog about your ideas on the Tea Party in fact. Go for it!

[Pooky 3,792]

No arguments? Didn't think you would roll over that easily.

Oh dear

[JohnSmith2007 353]

Oh dear

[scandal 951]

I’m listening to the tea partiers, but I’m sure not hearing much

Eric Zorn - Chicago Tribune

April 16, 2010

The question has been on my mind for a while now: What is it, exactly, that tea party activists want?

Go to their Web sites, listen to sound bites from their rallies or study what their leaders say when interviewed in-depth, and it's very hard to get beyond the placards and the rage: Smaller government! Lower taxes! We want our country back!

How do these generalities translate into specifics? Which programs do they want cut? How much would that save? Where, aside from their obvious fury about health care reform (which is supposed to save the government money in the long run), do they feel government has grossly overreached?

The bank and auto industry bailouts? The stimulus (which included $275 billion in tax cuts, mostly targeted at middle-income families)? Perhaps, but really? Sure, economists differ on the necessity and wisdom of these cuts and their relationship to the recovery being heralded now by Business Week and Newsweek, but those seem like policy quibbles, not flashpoints for a revolution.

Accordingly, I was primed for a good explanation Thursday morning when WGN-AM 720 host John Williams introduced Rick Santelli as his guest. Santelli is the CNBC commentator whose impromptu on-air rant from the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade just over a year ago ("We're thinking of having a Chicago tea party") is widely credited with launching a series of protests based on conservative economic themes.

"What do you think of the tea party movement?" Williams asked.

"I don't try to fully understand it," Santelli admitted.

So it isn't just me.

I then headed to Daley Plaza for the tax day tea party rally, hoping to learn more. Rather than play the evil, "lamestream media" trick of picking out people holding provocative signs — "Obama is a Marxist"; "No tax dollars to promote lesbianism of Ellen DeGeneres" — and quoting their prattle as proof that tea partiers are low-information slogan slingers, I listened to the speakers.

"We have stronger principles and we have stronger values!" declared GOP gubernatorial also-ran Adam Andrzejewski.

"The silent majority have been awakened and we are not going home," added Joe Calomino, Illinois director of Americans for Prosperity.

"We have to transform Illinois from the Land of Lincoln to the land of opportunity," said John Tillman, CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute. "Take President Obama's home state. Take it back for liberty. Take it back for prosperity. Take it back for opportunity once and for all."

I pulled Tillman aside after he came off the stage. He and I have sparred on the radio and are friendly adversaries, so I came to the point: What's this really all about?

"It's about accountability," he said. "What these people see is government expanding its role when it can't even handle the role it already has. They want to reduce the amount of money that government puts into every aspect of life."

Yet for the most part, taxes have not gone up on them.

"That's not the point," Tillman said. "The trend line is that taxes are going to go up to pay for Obamacare. People intuitively get that."

So where, exactly, do they want government to be smaller?

"You're asking a question that the average person isn't going to engage in," Tillman said. "It's an unfair question. The average person isn't engaged with the budget details. They just know instinctively that when you run up multitrillion-dollar deficits, it's unsustainable.

"We need to have a compassionate, reasonable-sized government. This group is not anti-government, it's anti-out-of-control government."

Who isn't? But what's "out of control" about government right now? And how do tea partiers want to bring it under control?

"I know you want that answer, but that's not how these folks see it," Tillman said. "They're saying to the politicians, ‘Get the damn job done, quit trying to solve all your problems out of my wallet.' "

Tillman is a smart guy — his organization's Web site brims with specific proposals and prescriptions — but this sounds to me like an endorsement of populist ignorance, of unfocused anger and simple thinking about complex problems. Something to be feared rather than respected, challenged rather than cheered.

But my mind's not closed. I walked away from the rally still listening, still wondering: What is it, exactly, that tea party activists want?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Historically, once a political movement starts to cater to big-name politicians, especially politicians that do not share the same views as the initial members of the movement, it begins to lose momentum and eventually die. Case in point: the anti-war movement. The tea party movement is declining in strength, and will die out soon enough. You can take that to the bank.

Now that the anti-war party is in control, you would think that would be the end to it, wouldn't you?

But, I have to agree, with your premise, but not quite how you got there. Humans have a strong herd mentality. Leaders do try to exploit that, Lord knows they do. However, personality does not always equal inspiration, and I agree, some folks are better at exploiting, than they are inspiring. It's a well worn notion, that an ability to listen, and a high level of candor, will inspire followers to greater deeds, than a glass of Koo-Aid.

Personally, I don't like choking on other peoples' dust. So, I like the path less traveled.