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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Of the Rich, By the Rich, For the Rich: The Lie of the Tea Party

“The exact phrase 'separation of Church and State’ came out of Adolph Hitler’s mouth, that’s where it comes from. So the next time your liberal friends talk about the separation of Church and State, ask them why they’re Nazis.” - Glen Urquhart, Tea Party Congressional Candidate from Delaware.

“He (Barack Obama) has no place in any station of government and we need to realize that he is an enemy of humanity.” – Tea Party Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona

“Stupid is as stupid does.” - Forrest Gump




"Hey, who you callin' a Tea Bagger?!"









Why not call them Tea Baggers, even if some now find that phraseology offensive? At their genesis they proudly proclaimed themselves such, ludicrously yet lovingly, suspending Salada’s from their singularly silly chapeaus. Should others be regarded responsible for the fact that they lacked the worldliness and knowledge to be familiar with its more lascivious meaning? Although truly, what more accurately expresses lasciviousness - a sexual act performed by consenting adults or an organization whose ultimate goal is to pervert and transform the greatest republic the world has ever known into an immigrant, minority and working class oppressing plutocracy? Far be it from me to proffer counseling to Tea Baggers, but I say, why not embrace and empower the name? So what if doing so conjures up specific imagery of genitalia and genitalia based activities - genitalia have their place. You’re all God-fearers, believing him to be, much like Carnac, all-seeing, all-knowing, infallible – God created man, and man arrived replete with genitalia. So, indeed, embrace the genitalia, my friends (figuratively or literally, your choice.) Embrace the genitalia! (a possible powerful future party rallying cry?)

We now, unfortunately, find ourselves residing in a new post-Tea Party, Earth 2, Bizzaro World, where everything that was once considered positive is now considered negative – education, knowledge, diversity, open-mindedness, human-rights, charity, acceptance and tolerance – all now deemed dangerous, destructive and deleterious; and presently believed beneficial under the Rocket’s Red Glare - superstition, hatred, small-mindedness, corporate-rights, selfishness, bigotry and intolerance. The age of science and enlightenment appears over, as the Tea Party ushers in a neo-dark ages where “real Americans” no longer believe in science, evolution, climate change – truth or facts. We’ve entered an era of a new ruling class of the un-intelligentsia; a time when education is looked down upon as being “elitist” and ignorance is commended. Where we once embraced and encouraged the best and the brightest, we now support and celebrate the worst and the witless. And, in what may be the most sobering series of syllables strung together since the development of the written word, we’ve gone from John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to Sarah Palin and Rick Perry; and we’ve allowed their like to lamely lead us from the Land of Opportunity to the Land of the Lost.

The Founding Fathers
“This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.”- John Adams

“Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law." - Thomas Jefferson

The Tea Party’s co-opting of the Founding Fathers, as political and social kindred spirits, is just a sad jest that they are very unlikely to get. The Founding Fathers represented everything that the Baggers abhor and consider elitist. They weren’t regular folks, they weren’t Joe the Plumber. Most were well-educated, men of science, men of arts, inventors, free thinkers, writers, world travelers (at a time when that was no easy task) they spoke multiple languages, were well-read and highly valued education, learning and knowledge. Some were well-heeled land-owners, the high-society of their day. Regarding the party's insistence that the intent of our founders was to establish a Christian nation based on Christian values, well, I fear that belief is merely a flight of fancy, as they were stalwartly against the intrusion of religion into government; and despite current au courant assertions from the Right, many were not even Christian - Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Washington – none were Christian, Deists, one and all.

“The government of the United States is not in any sense founded upon the Christian religion.” - John Adams

In light of the fact that Tea Party favorites and Presidential candidates, Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry have all signed marriage pacts that, among other absurdities, state that African American families were better off during slavery than they are now, perhaps the only thing the Baggers would have in common with the Founding Fathers would be their tolerance toward slavery. (If one could only make John Adams fantastically appear, Marshall McLuhan in Annie Hall-like, at a Bachmann rally to hear him stoically state to the armed assembly, “you know nothing of my work.”)

Grass Roots Movement?
Alas, despite popular mythology, the only thing grass roots about the Tea Party would be their 45rpm recording of “Midnight Confessions.” The party was founded and funded by the billionaire, oil-magnate Koch brothers - the pair behind the Tea Party Express - and their corporate cronies, as well as by former Representative Dick Armey (insert juvenile name jibe here) and his pro-big business, anti-freedom organization, Freedom Works. The naïve, uninformed Baggers are being used as pawns by the powerful and wealthy to help further their commercial and capital agenda at the great expense of the poor and middle class. Historically, this has been a country of the haves versus the have-nots, where the haves have traditionally stifled the have-nots so as to retain power and influence among their own ranks. The unique and wonderful thing about our nation is that eventually the downtrodden, through hard work and some minor government intervention, have been able to rise up through the system and socially and financially better themselves. The working class has always fought for their rights and their right to advance. That’s how it was, now welcome the Tea Party as, inexplicably, for the very first time in American history, we are involved in a situation where the workers have aligned themselves with their oppressors - against government intervention and the labor unions and their own betterment, and have gleefully and voluntarily, hastened their own decline. It’s quite remarkable and to be brutally honest, quite imbecilic. And why would they do that? Although Paul Simon says in Kodachrome, “my lack of education hasn’t hurt me none,” the reality has proven to be the contrary. Where once laborers organized, protested, struck, formed unions and guilds (all considered anti-American, socialist tactics now), wrote books and essays and articles and expressed themselves; they now rally against unions, against change, against self-expression, against advancement – in many ways against freedom itself. This is the Tea Party - fighting, and fighting hard, to keep themselves under the thumb of the modern robber barons. How do the privileged and powerful so successfully foster this societal self-immolation? – fly the flag of Jesus and patriotism, add in some minor mistrust of gays, foreigners, immigrants and women’s rights, and the Baggers will follow you like a Kardashian following an NBA team bus.
The corporate slave-masters are hankering to “return with us to the thrilling days of yesteryear” (hi-ho Silver, away) to a falsely idyllic, pre-Union period - no overtime, no breaks, no minimum or live-able wage, no healthcare or paid sick days, no limit on hours required to work, no concern for safety conditions, no insurance, no vacation time, no child labor laws - and the Tea Baggers are just toothlessly grinning up at them and blissfully begging, “please sir, may I have some more.”

Taxed Enough Already – founded on a falsehood
The very foundation of the Tea Party, the very acronym for which it stands, is perhaps the largest lie of all. Stop Baggers on the street (they’ll be the ones toting their King James, their AK47s, and their misspelled signs, while sporting oh-so fashionable, tri-corner hats) and they’ll be more than thrilled to school you on the treachery and treason of the insane tax levels levied on the American public and their precious corporate overlords by vile, Marxist Barack Hussein – except that’s a complete and utter prevarication very easily disproved. What they steadfastly refuse to accept as fact, is fact - we are currently experiencing the lowest tax rates in 60 years. Obama has lowered taxes five times through numerous programs and for 95% of the American population – oooh, I shake my fist angrily at you cursed Kenyan!! Yes, in other words the Taxed Enough Already group has no true reason to even exist but to promote the corporate socialism for which it actually toils.

Epilogue (Just like a Quinn Martin Production)
A CBS/NY Times Polls shows that while 21% of the population has expressed support for the Tea Party Movement, only 4% actually consider themselves party members. So, miniscule minority, I beseech you, deter yourselves from attempting to make the other 96% of us as intolerant, ignorant and ignominious as you. Like the similarly hateful Know Nothing Party of the 1850’s, these haters too shall pass into history and be as forgotten to future generations as science, history and facts are to them. There’s nothing real, there’s nothing genuine, there’s nothing honest, there’s nothing patriotic about the Tea Party. It’s time we stop deferring to them, and it’s time we stop referring to them, as a grassroots movement of real Americans; believers and defenders of truth, justice and the American way. The Tea Party is considerably composed of two groups - unenlightened, uneducated, uninformed, racist, newly-anarchist, working class; and the big business billionaires who pull their strings and, to a sizeable extent, control their every word, deed and thought.

Embrace the genitalia!

Now, with a twinge of hopeful optimism, the great Nat King Cole performs, “The Party’s Over.”

15 comments:

  1. You are completely off base. But you have the right to your opinion. How's that for tolerance coming from a Tea Bagger.

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  2. Why must this all be so angry and hateful? A little inward, self reflection may be suggested. Why assume that all Republican conservatives - "tea baggers" are "haters"? Why say that they are "uneducated,unenlighted,uninformed,racist,..." newly rich? Once again, look around at all people - "diversity" remember? We are all of one nation. United we will stand and divided within we will fall. It is not fair to call something fair and right just because YOU believe it is so.
    You talk about accepting "many backgrounds, nationalities, religions..." but what are you really saying? You are willing only to approve and accept the ones that YOU prefer because they support your agendas? Somewhat hypocritical don't you think? I am a republican, conservative who loves my country and fellow man - regardless of race, religion or political affiliation.I hardly consider myself rich and am educated,well traveled and cultured. I came from a lower middle class family and paid my own way through college while working many jobs. I worked hard, saved my own money and am now finally in a more comfortable income bracket...now you are calling me the lazy,fat,rich and selfish? Just when I have arrived to appreciate the hard work I put in to succeed I am to feel shamed? My parents worked hard. They managed to raise children to be successful, educated, Americans who contribute to this great nation. I have gone without so that I could give money to those in need and food to those who are hungry.I have taught my own children not to judge, lest be judged themselves. GUess what, these beatitudes were bestowed upon me in my religious home and church. I guess practicing these qualities is clinging to my religion? Actually reaching out to help with MY own hand, not a poster or political platform. Some who preach these qualities claiming to be so liberal in heart and mind do so behind private barriers and false pretenses. Why be so hateful? If you saw me on the street or if we were so lucky to have shared a smile maybe you would actually like me. I just feel so sad about the hatred spewing attack on the tea party and associated thinkers as well as those who are opposed. Yes, there are a few loons among them - but they do not define the whole. Sounds a little familiar doesn't it...just because something is said with elegance and sugar coating doesn't make it different or less offensive. why can't we all just get along and stop the hatred? Nothing will ever be accomplished unless people are willing to agree to disagree and move forward together. One issue at a time. You are precise when mentioning the media, I think it is true both ways. Why can't they be trusted informants? I am not ready for another Civil War to take place and take this great nation down. However, even though I don't agree with your position, I do appreciate the enlightenment gained by reading your side of the story.
    p.s. "coward" directed at all who posted as "anymous"? or just the ones who disagree?

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  3. The lower echelons of American society did not start this nonsense. They are (depending on their values) unequally divided into willing patsies of the Kochs or reasonable conservatives or moderates or liberals. In any case, they are the ones under attack by anti-working family forces trying to erase what has grown in this country to protect us all. There is a reason the EPA and Social Security and Medicare and Obama's healthcare came into being, a reason for unions and OSHA, a reason for Head Start and libraries and the department of Education.

    It is far easier to enslave a nation of ignorant people.

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  4. Article had a few too many pejoratives to be palatable to a wide audience, but otherwise matches what I am feeling about the US today.

    We have people in non-union jobs, with no sick time, vacation pay or benefits.. with their employers teaching them how to suckle at the public teat claiming partial unemployment and medicaid.... and the employee will turn around and say unions are bad.

    This march towards corporatism ... is a march towards having a very unstable life for the average American. "Market corrections" that might happen if we had a free market... is just a pretty way of saying instability.

    No, life doesn't need to be 100% predictable and boring ... but if you can't even be certain to pay on your home for 30 years, to build a family in, to treat your children well.... then frankly what do the people have left?

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  5. To everyone who took the time to not only read this posting but to comment as well, I am extremely grateful, and I apologize that I have not had the opportunity to respond sooner. I am particularly happy that those who disagreed did not just dismiss what was said but rather felt the desire to weigh in with their own opinions. That being said, I do stand by the things that I wrote. I carefully do my research and never rely on just a single source, so everything stated as facts are documented and easily confirmable as facts. I have no interest of ever becoming a lefty Palin or Bachmann by fictionalizing or distorting truths and history just to suit my arguments. Perhaps at times my tone was a bit hyperbolic, but that very much is a function of wanting to not just proselytize but be creative, interesting and entertaining while doing so. Similarly, however, I also have no interest in becoming a lefty Beck or Limbaugh so that is something I will try to be more cognizant of in future postings. I would love to address each and every point in every comment but there was so much thoughtful and intelligent discourse that the length of such a proper response would be necessarily Tolstoy-like in length, but I will attempt to address just a few things. To the commenter concerned about the fact that those who can least afford it are those who seem the most adamant in supporting this movement financially. I agree that this is sad, but from my observation (check out Palin's official Facebook page for some evidence) they not only can not be deterred from this course but often are very resentful of any opinions that question the reverse Robin Hood, stealing from the poor to give to the rich, that they are the victims of. To the commenter who said I was completely off base, some specifics would be appreciated. While I may have painted all members of the Tea Party with perhaps too broad a brush, again, I stand by my facts. Of course, not all Tea Partiers are racist, for example, but all one need do is see the many bigoted signs carried at their rallies (Obama in white face, Obama as an African witch doctor) and it's hard to deny that racism does not play a major role in Tea Party politics. And lastly to the very thoughtful self-proclaimed Republican/Conservative, you misunderstand me, I am not speaking of Republicans or Conservatives or even Neo-Cons, I am addressing the very radical Tea Party movement which is certainly not synonymous with the other three. While I strongly disagree with the ideology I respect true Conservatism, the Conservatism practiced by people like William F. Buckley and Barry Goldwater, but neither Tea Partiers nor Cultural Conservatives are in anyway actually Conservative. No doubt Buckley and Goldwater would be spinning in their graves at the growth of government (although they deny this) and the intrusion of government into people's bedrooms and personal lives that both Cultural Conservatives and Tea Party members favor. True Conservatives would have no problem with either gay marriage or pro-choice because they don't believe it's the government's role to intervene in such matters.
    Again, thank you all again, and I sincerely mean that, and I hope we all experience a peaceful, safe and reflective September 11th anniversary.
    Until we meet again,
    nycityman

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  6. Though I don't have the eloquence to respond as I'd like I will say kudos. Our politicians have failed us and the "Tea Party" is a quick fix to the frustrations of people not able to see how detrimental it is and how destructive to this country it will continue to be.

    Cousin Johnny

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  7. One quick suggestion to your blog tagline. Rather than "Just a little from the left", I propose, "Way Way Way over to the left." Phew.

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  8. EOS, I agree and it's something I've been thinking about for awhile - see above. Although I think it's debatable if I'm really that far to the left or it just seems that way because the Right has steadily gone so far over in that direction.

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  9. I like. I Like. Leaning Largely to the left! Excellent.

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  10. Thanks, EOS and thanks for the nudge to get me to change it. I appreciate that you still check into the blog even though we have different political opinions and I can sometimes (often?) stray to the snarky side. I was just reading that you're making calendars,I think that's a great idea. Have you done it before, and how did they sell?

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  11. As the Sole Conservative to darken your blog, I felt I had to keep you true to your Left Leanings!! I love to mix things up and as a political junkie, I firmly believe in reading what the "other side" has to spout off about. How's things going for you these days? Obama got you down? One and Done? :-)

    As for my calendars, this is the first year. Photography based, my readers asked me to consider showcasing my photos somehow. A calendar seemed as good a way as any. I took a poll a few months back asking how many people would buy an EOS calendar and I got enough yeses to make it worth my while. We'll see, when the time comes to pony up the Cold Hard Cash, how willing they still are!! They could be coming to a Dollar Store Near You!!

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  12. Happily a few other Conservatives weighed in on the Tea Party post. I've always encouraged comments and an open dialogue on issues. I would never want anyone to just accept my opinions on just my word - after all, who am I? On the other hand, as provocative as some of my statements sometimes are, I don't really enjoy arguing, so luckily, so far, all comments have been thoughtful and not nasty or too attitudinal. And to answer your question, yup, Obama has me down, but I would imagine for different reasons than you might have. My main problem is that he rarely, to never, stands up for his beliefs or the ideals of his base, and gives in to the GOP on virtually every situation. As far as "one and done" goes, if I prayed, I'd be praying hourly that that not be the case. As disappointing as Obama has been any of the alternatives (perhaps Huntman could be tolerable) that I've witnessed at the GOP/Tea Party debates are absolutely frightening prospects to me. I can't so easily outright dismiss science. history and human compassion as they do.
    Good luck with the calendar, I'll keep checking into your blog for more info on that. I'm about to launch a second project myself, a new Facebook page - but more to come on that.
    nycityman

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