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Looks like the tea party is done


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2014 May 21, 5:46am   57,168 views  197 comments

by edvard2   ➕follow (1)   💰tip   ignore  

Seeing as how yesterday all of the tea party candidates got beaten soundly, when you add this to the movement's failure to stop Obamacare, I'd say that the billionaires and lobbys who started the tea party are going to see that this so-called "movement" is a waste of their money and so the plug will be pulled. Of course I'm sure they'll find some other weaselly way to get into congress, but as for now this latest experiment failed.

Never have I ever been happy "normal" Republicans won anything.

#politics

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177   smaulgld   2014 Jun 11, 8:01am  

edvard2 says

But in regards to the belief that "What the government does nothing right", to me I see that general attitude as more of a more recent ( again- 70's) invention of the GOP. The meaning behind that of course is meant to draw attention away from their party and their actual involvement in government and onto the Democrats and the government in general.

Your point is well taken re the recency of distrust in government spurned on by republican talking points but while the 30's gave us national work projects like dams and bridges, 40's gave us WWII victory the 50's the national highway and the 60's a man on the moon, we really haven't had the national successes like we used to have.

the 70's failure of Vietnam, water gate, 80's space shuttle challenger, 2000's Iraq/afghan war, Obama care

Since 1970's there have been arguable only three or four successes- 80's economy/cold war victory, 90's Internet economy, 1991 Gulf War

178   smaulgld   2014 Jun 11, 8:02am  

jazz music says

The government is the people's only effective weapon against the broad powers of ownership and that is why they conspire for us to hate our government.

and the most ineffective weapon when big government and big business conspire against the people

179   smaulgld   2014 Jun 11, 8:05am  

edvard2 says

As you pointed out the GOP has been very much all about "big government".

Both parties use big government to advance their corporate/special interest agendas.
The government as a force of good in the spirit of Ralph Nader has been long dead. The Federal government is now a tool of big business and special interests.

180   smaulgld   2014 Jun 11, 8:07am  

corntrollio says

In reality, people are only anti-big government when it suits their ideology.

True. Conservative use big government for military/subsidies for oil, liberals for military/subsidies for green energy and social spending.

181   smaulgld   2014 Jun 11, 8:08am  

corntrollio says

Similarly, people call judges judicial activists when a decision doesn't fit their agenda, and don't when it does.

Bingo again-judge rules in your favor he upholds the constitution , rules against you -he is a judicial activist violating the constitution.

182   edvard2   2014 Jun 11, 8:19am  

corntrollio says

Rhetoric is bullshit. This is why I continually suggest arguing things on their own merits, rather than trying to place them within a political philosophy and making a weak argument based on that.

Not really. Do you agree or not agree that the GOP has for decades now been the undisputed kings of the over-use of the term "Big government"? The reasons they say so are precisely the reasons I mentioned above. Its a tool, albeit a form of cliche rhetoric, but rhetoric just the same.

183   smaulgld   2014 Jun 11, 8:42am  

edvard2 says

Its a tool, albeit a form of cliche rhetoric, but rhetoric just the same.

Rhetoric with some basis in truth

184   edvard2   2014 Jun 11, 8:44am  

smaulgld says

Rhetoric with some basis in truth

Not in the way its used by the GOP. As I said a number of times the only reason the GOP mentions this is for distraction and nothing further.

185   edvard2   2014 Jun 11, 8:58am  

FortWayne says

At the same king King George was the government at some point

Chem trails and tinfoil hats are totally real.

186   smaulgld   2014 Jun 11, 8:59am  

jazz music says

Then he grows government like it has never grown before, but the growth was in enforcement and security: E.g. War on drugs, Homeland Security, Star Wars and Orient Express X-31 etc. spaceplane research that violated fundamental physical principles of rocket propulsion. (single sage to orbit is physically impossible using rocket engines) Reagan did start starving the parts of government that deliver benefit to those who work for their money.

Yep rail against what you are doing-its classic criminal behavior

187   smaulgld   2014 Jun 11, 9:00am  

edvard2 says

Not in the way its used by the GOP. As I said a number of times the only reason the GOP mentions this is for distraction and nothing further.

The reason they do it is there is some truth in it and as jazz music points out it covers their own tracks

188   corntrollio   2014 Jun 11, 9:09am  

edvard2 says

Not really. Do you agree or not agree that the GOP has for decades now been the undisputed kings of the over-use of the term "Big government"? The reasons they say so are precisely the reasons I mentioned above. Its a tool, albeit a form of cliche rhetoric, but rhetoric just the same.

When I say "rhetoric is bullshit," I'm giving a personal opinion that it has very little merit. You are correct that gullible people do fall for it.

189   smaulgld   2014 Jun 12, 12:33am  

smaulgld says

San Francisco has a $10 an hour min and Seattle is going to $15*.

So if those are the issues the Dems want to hang their hat on they won't resonate with a majority.

and for the republicans it's more dismal. What exactly are their issues other than stop the above or horsetrade for parts of them?!

(btw I think there is such a discrepancy of economies across the US that one size does not fit all- eg. $50K a year salary or $15 an hour is a lot of money in Alabama but nothing in NYC or San Francisco- so national income tax brackets and national minimum wages are not suitable)

Vermont ups its minimum wage http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2014/06/10/vermont-pushes-minimum-wage-to-new-highs/

This is how it should work-the federal government should not set national wages or prices. Each state has a better understanding of its economy and prices. The Federal Government doesn't have all the answers

190   indigenous   2014 Jun 12, 12:35am  

smaulgld says

The Federal Government doesn't have all the answers

Did you mean to say "any"?

191   AverageBear   2014 Nov 13, 6:26am  

HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!! Man, Nov 4th was REAAALLLL GOOOOD. I've never seen an ass-kicking so complete.

Just for fun, I tuned into MSNBC the night of the 5th, and Rachel Maddow (Mrs. Too-Tall-Jones, Auntie Goony-GooGoo herself), and she was talking about some tiny shit-stick town in northern california that re-elected a Mayor (Mr. Butts, IIRC) that will stand up to Chevron, which has a refinery in its town... REALLY Rachel? Is that all you got? It's like your house getting swept away in a tornado, but HEY! The mailbox at the curb was unharmed!!

There is NO WAY liberals can turn this shit-sandwich into cavier, in what went down Nov 4th. Obama REPEATEDLY said, that although he wasn't up for re-election, his policies were. And boy did the results show....

Finally, Edvard2, you are sadly mistaken that the Teaparty was created by billionaires. Do billionaires (Koch Bros) help out the teaparty? Sure, but billionaires (Soros, Hollywood, etal) help out the lefties too. What's next, you're gonna tell me the sun rises in the east?

Govenors being elected in Maryland, Illinois? Priceless. Black, hispanic, young, and women republicans getting elected in the house and senate? Black republicans winning in the south? Yeah, the GOP is the party of old white men... PFFFT!!!

192   JH   2014 Nov 13, 6:34am  

AverageBear says

AHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!! Man, Nov 4th was REAAALLLL GOOOOD. I've never seen an ass-kicking so complete.

Was your head in your ass in 2006?

193   turtledove   2014 Nov 13, 10:29am  

@edvard2

I got so excited. I thought edvard2 was back with us.

194   AverageBear   2014 Nov 13, 11:12am  

JH says

AverageBear says

AHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!! Man, Nov 4th was REAAALLLL GOOOOD. I've never seen an ass-kicking so complete.

Was your head in your ass in 2006?

Nope, but I'll tell you one thing JH. The boot was in the Dems ass 10 days ago.... Maybe you can help in pulling it out.... Most house reps since 1940 anyone? ...... How did it feel on Nov 5th, eh? I couldn't stop laughing myself...

195   JH   2014 Nov 13, 11:52am  

AverageBear says

Most house reps since 1940 anyone? ...... How did it feel on Nov 5th, eh? I couldn't stop laughing myself...

Felt like a Republican. How did you cope for 70 years? The best 70 years our nation has ever known.

196   Bellingham Bill   2014 Nov 14, 11:30am  

The GOP has already destroyed this country by what they did and allowed to happen 1995-2006.

blue is Gini, red is total debt / GDP ratio, right axis

They already retook the House in 2010, essentially detaching Obama from any policy levers that required new budget allocations, basically everything.

This election just cements their blocking position, as it extends to judicial appointments and treaty ratifications.

But our national prospect was FUBAR 6 years ago and nothing has changed that.

To unfuck things is not something the American people are going to be able to agree to, not without things getting a LOT worse for more people than they are now.

1932-33 style worse.

197   Bellingham Bill   2014 Nov 14, 11:40am  

edvard2 says

which happened in and around the 70's with the creation of the campaign from the GOP to single out folks on social services.

GOP also got attached to the 30-40% of the country that are single-issue voters willing to vote against their economic interest if it means fewer babies are killed in the womb and/or minorities get less access to government programs and/or gun rights are expanded or at least aren't further infringed and/or organized Christianity's pride of place in our community is respected and protected by government.

This base made them competitive again, at least in off-cycle elections when the youth vote can't be arsed to vote.

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