Occupy Atlanta (ref: Wall Street protests here) (Decatur, Douglas: bankrupt, wages)

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by neil0311

And perhaps some individuals have racist leanings, but so do those on the left. Doesn't Al Sharpton have racist leanings? What about Louis Farrakhan? What about Jeremiah Wright? Remember Jesse Jackson and "hymie-town" and on and on.

I don't disagree with some of these examples. But I don't think racism characterizes the Occupy movement (at least from what I've seen so far). I thought we were comparing the Tea Party with the Occupy folks in this thread.

There are examples of misguided individuals on both sides of the political spectrum who view things through a racial prism. The FACT is that nothing in the Tea Party platform has anything to do with race.

This is where I think you're not seeing my point. The Tea Party platform (what they say) and the ideology driving identification with this group (what they believe) are two different things. And it's not just a matter of "some individuals." The empirical (NOT anecdotal) research I posted (and I do hope you at least read through it) suggests that what defines Tea Party membership more than fiscal concerns is:

(1) Commitment to conservative Christian values
(2) Distrust of minorities and immigrants
(3) The Republican party

The fiscal concerns, while there, seem to disappear at times. Heck, even some polls show that a significant number of the public who i.d. with the Tea Party think the rich don't pay enough in taxes.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

But see Neil, here's the thing. If the TP was really about fiscal conservatism where were they when true fiscal conservatives were screaming from the rooftops as George Bush was running up deficits like sailors on shore leave? He ran up deficits not seen since Reagan. If they have beef with health care reform I would think they would've been immolating themselves on the White House lawn when Bush expanded Medicare prescription drug benefits, thus running up insane deficits because he cut taxes at the same time. Yet, somehow there's no Tea Party, no "taking their country back," no AK-47s, etc...until Obama was elected.

Well said, Roslyn. I'm not down on the Tea Party per se and have tried to listen closely to what they are saying. But how come everything was hunky-dory when Bush was doing it and suddenly it's a nightmare when Obama is in office?

I'm not saying this as an Obama fan: I never got one single email critical of George Bush, who spent money like it was going out of style, but my Tea Party friends send me 3 or 4 a day about Obama.

[AcidSnake]

Therein lies the crux of the whole situation.

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

But see Neil, here's the thing. If the TP was really about fiscal conservatism where were they when true fiscal conservatives were screaming from the rooftops as George Bush was running up deficits like sailors on shore leave? He ran up deficits not seen since Reagan. If they have beef with health care reform I would think they would've been immolating themselves on the White House lawn when Bush expanded Medicare prescription drug benefits, thus running up insane deficits because he cut taxes at the same time. Yet, somehow there's no Tea Party, no "taking their country back," no AK-47s, etc...until Obama was elected. I find their timing more than a bit suspect, especially when you combine it with candidates like Ron Paul who have a history of making questionable racial statements. And if people really made a habit of calling fiscal conservatives racist then the ones I named would've been draped in sheets a long time ago, yet they haven't been. Because true fiscal conservatives are fair and even minded. They call out BOTH PARTIES when they get out of line. These people aren't fiscal conservatives, they're just Republicans and not particularly bright Republicans at that. Their motives are totally transparent to anyone who cares to look.

[DawgPark]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

But see Neil, here's the thing. If the TP was really about fiscal conservatism where were they when true fiscal conservatives were screaming from the rooftops as George Bush was running up deficits like sailors on shore leave? He ran up deficits not seen since Reagan. If they have beef with health care reform I would think they would've been immolating themselves on the White House lawn when Bush expanded Medicare prescription drug benefits, thus running up insane deficits because he cut taxes at the same time. Yet, somehow there's no Tea Party, no "taking their country back," no AK-47s, etc...until Obama was elected. I find their timing more than a bit suspect, especially when you combine it with candidates like Ron Paul who have a history of making questionable racial statements. And if people really made a habit of calling fiscal conservatives racist then the ones I named would've been draped in sheets a long time ago, yet they haven't been. Because true fiscal conservatives are fair and even minded. They call out BOTH PARTIES when they get out of line. These people aren't fiscal conservatives, they're just Republicans and not particularly bright Republicans at that. Their motives are totally transparent to anyone who cares to look.

You are 100% correct on the Medicare Rx plan increasing deficits, but true fiscal conservatives never liked Bush and still don't. He was a product of the Neocon movement led by Carl Rove and did more to destroy the image of conservatives than anyone since Nixon.

Bush, even moreso than Obama, is the reason the Tea Party exists today.

[DawgPark]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

These people aren't fiscal conservatives, they're just Republicans and not particularly bright Republicans at that. Their motives are totally transparent to anyone who cares to look.

I'm sorry, but this is just lazy thinking.

The Tea Party calls themselves the TP because they do NOT want to be called Republicans. The whole reason for their name is to DIS-associate from what is now considered "Republican."

Why?

Because Bush, Rove, Cheney, McCain, Powell, etc. hi-jacked the Republican party during Bush's 8 years and made it into some kind of democrat party that happens to favor pro-life and lower taxes.

[DawgPark]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Yet, somehow there's no Tea Party, no "taking their country back," no AK-47s, etc...until Obama was elected. I find their timing more than a bit suspect

While we're on suspect timing . . . do you know what timing I find suspect?

In 2008, ACORN coordinated a national voter registration effort in largely African American communities to pay workers for each new voter registered.

Why didn't that happen in 2004 for John Kerry?

In 2008, there were lines over a mile long of African American voters in major cities across the country.

Why didn't that happen in 2004?

In 2008, there were Black Panther members standing in front of voting precincts w/ baton/bats?

Why didn't that happen in 2004?

In 2008, there was a higher voter turnout in the African American community than in ANY election prior. And 92.7% of that AA turnout voted democrat.

Why didn't that happen in 2004?


Roslyn, I'm somewhat tongue-in-cheek in this post, and we both know the obvious answers. But, I do want to point out that the racism cuts both ways.

[AcidSnake]

Some people got Fox News on the brain 24-7-365.

[arjay57]

I wonder whether we'll see the same voter turnout next year that we had in 2008?

[RoslynHolcomb]

Did you not read my post? I KNOW fiscal conservatives never liked Bush. I read their commentary. I thought George Will was going to have an apoplexy over the Medicare expansion. My question is, where were they with their AK-47s when BUSH was in office??? He did the Medicare plan long before he left office, yet nobody was out there with their flags and banners screaming at the top of their lungs.

Originally Posted by DawgPark

You are 100% correct on the Medicare Rx plan increasing deficits, but true fiscal conservatives never liked Bush and still don't. He was a product of the Neocon movement led by Carl Rove and did more to destroy the image of conservatives than anyone since Nixon.

Bush, even moreso than Obama, is the reason the Tea Party exists today.

[Esteban5]

Is the City trying to kick out the group?

Why??