Observation of the Tea Party

Just an observation from a far, for some of the Tea Party members who are upset about the high cost of today’s conversation and what I believe is a legitimate but a short ended argument. For any kind of organization to grow and become a political force, first is money. Second is conviction. Third, believing in its mission and last is commitment. To start a business, capital is needed, the owner has to have conviction the investment is worth it and believing in the product with a hundred percent commitment. When a business owner believes and committed to the business, he/she is willing to spend whatever it takes to make the business successful. For the Tea Parties to be successful, members have to be willing to give to the cause. Nobody said this task is easy, cheap, short or smooth but if all those who believe in limited government, individual freedoms and the strict interpretation of the constitution, then this is the time to put aside pettiness disagreement and start to believe in the cause. Sometimes the calling is bigger than us just like how Governor Palin had shown. That is why in my humble opinion, if the other side is willing to spend money to raise funds for its side and funnel it in any way they seem legal to support its candidates, we should also do the same.

Fine first post.

But I am going to disagree with your analogy and your ordering of priorities.

You say: For any kind of organization to grow and become a political force, first is money. Second is conviction. Third, believing in its mission and last is commitment.

To me, that’s really just two things, money and 3 semantic variations on “commitment”.

“To start a business, capital is needed, the owner has to have conviction the investment is worth it and believing in the product with a hundred percent commitment. When a business owner believes and committed to the business, he/she is willing to spend whatever it takes to make the business successful. For the Tea Parties to be successful, members have to be willing to give to the cause. Nobody said this task is easy, cheap, short or smooth but if all those who believe in limited government, individual freedoms and the strict interpretation of the constitution, then this is the time to put aside pettiness disagreement and start to believe in the cause.”

No, it is not entirely necessary to have capital to start a business. And, it is entirely possible for a business owner to reach a point where the continued operation of the business does *not* make sense, even if it once did, and should be cut off or sold off or discontinued.

I bring these points up not to argue about generalities but to point out that the business analogy is not apt, IMO.

If you wish to say that the TP movement will require work and (some) money and commitment, I do not disagree.

But the TP movement is entirely organic and spontaneous. The people who want, as you say, limited government, individual freedoms, and originalism, should not need plastic Chinese souvenir buttons worn on their lapels. They should not want Chinese-made paper Uncle Sam hats or plastic pennants to wave around. The TP movement demonstrated one thing: That some peoples’ votes cannot be bought, by screwball promises of government handouts or rehashed utopian ideas left over from the sixties in a dangerous world.

This movement should not IMO emulate standard Republican or Democrat party ritualization and should not seek to acquire spokespeople or rockstars. The core of this idea is that the supporters seek adherence and fidelity to principles. Not to personalities.

So while of course some amounts of money will be required and of course participation is important, what this movement is about is, IMHO, freedom; the exercise of same, and the ability to discern cheapo vote buying schemes that offer to swap that freedom for tyranny, however well disguised.

“Sometimes the calling is bigger than us just like how Governor Palin had shown. That is why in my humble opinion, if the other side is willing to spend money to raise funds for its side and funnel it in any way they seem legal to support its candidates, we should also do the same.”

Of course we should, but the TP movement will *NEVER* raise the amounts of money that 0bama and the left did. It can’t. It will operate within the law, whereas the other side doesn’t care about the law. If you say or believe that “money” is a requirement, then “more money” should logically be more of a requirement. This will ultimately set up a failure mode should the TP movement not be able to raise the moneys that the left did and can and unquestionably will, again. Money raised at those levels will inevitably produce the same kind of corruption that we see and detest in both parties. Then what?

Money and effort obviously will be required. But if the ideation of the TP movement isn’t taken up by voters, no amount of money will cause it to succeed.

Welcome to FR!

Glad to know you there in Samoa are onboard the Tea Party train - you are, correct?

The first thing is not money - but without giving money yes it will be hard to achieve the goals we all seek for our nation, its people, and, indeed, for the world.

I was there to hear Governor Palin speak and let me say it was worth every penny (and much more) to be able to be there!

There were tons of small business owners there at this conference so your understanding that this movement is linked to some of the same principles that govern entrepreneural (sp?) business success is not misplaced.

But, sorry - it simply is not about money (going to the cause) first and foremost.....but don’t tell the libs - they think it is since that’s what their motivation ALWAYS is regarding political power....How can I enrich myself today at the expense of taxpayers,,,,

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