Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Attacking The Tea Party Movement
Townhall ^ | April 7, 2009 | Lorie Byrd

Posted on 04/06/2009 11:33:18 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Those on the left have spent so much time over the past eight years bashing George Bush that they are having trouble shifting gears. Instead of enjoying their big win in 2008 and going positive, following their leader Obama’s “hope and change” message, they are still tearing down anyone who doesn’t agree with them. The latest attack from the left is not aimed at the Republican party or Michael Steele or Rush Limbaugh, but at Democrat, Republican and Independent Americans across the country who have dared to organize “tea parties” to oppose rising taxes, more government control over private enterprise and less individual liberty.

The Tea Party Movement has caught fire and spread from one end of the country to the other. It has captured the imagination of the conservative grassroots and has taken hold. So far the reaction from the national media has been to downplay or ignore the tea party rallies. Reaction from many on the left most recently is to ridicule and openly attack tea party participants.

According to Michelle Malkin, “Bob Beckel appeared on Fox News this morning to sneer at the nationwide event. He derided tax revolters in Montana, joking that ‘It was a good thing it wasn’t a vodka party, because I guarantee you they all had guns.’Bigoted Beltway jerk. Beckel also claimed the Tea Parties were ‘nothing new’ and recycled the debunked Playboy website report (deleted from the site) spreading false and illogical rumors that the grass-roots movement is directed from the GOP, national tax groups, and CNBC.”

I have been a registered Republican and a conservative for over 25 years and I have never seen a grass roots movement that was even remotely as widespread and successful as the Tea Party movement. The closest thing I have seen would have to be the election of 1994 when the public revolted against the liberal agenda of President Clinton’s first two years in office. There were no widespread protests preceding it, just lots of Americans who woke up to realize the moderate, New Democrat, “end welfare as we know it” message Bill Clinton used to get elected did not match the liberal policies he tried to enact as President. Talk about déjà vu all over again – today’s scenario is incredibly similar.

In just three months the man who attacked George Bush’s deficit spending has introduced us to projected deficits that make Bush’s look miniscule by comparison. The man who attacked John McCain for his associations with lobbyists and vowed to not hire lobbyists took about 24 hours to break his own executive order preventing lobbyists from working in his administration. The man who denied being the most liberal member of the United States Senate has demanded the resignation of Rick Wagoner, chairman and CEO of General Motors, and even told Americans the government would back their car warranties. The man who attacked Joe the Plumber when he warned America about his plans to “spread the wealth around” has engaged in class warfare and promised higher taxes for the highest income earners.

Kenneth Walsh wrote in U.S. News and World Report, “All in all, Obama's agenda seems to represent the biggest surge in government activism since Lyndon Johnson's Great Society in the 1960s. And it is nothing short of a fundamental attempt to roll back the less-government objectives that have dominated debate in Washington since Ronald Reagan ushered in a conservative era in the 1980s.”

It is no wonder that Americans in all parts of the country are rising up from the grass roots in defiance. Those on the left started out ignoring the Tea Party Movement, but now that it appears to only be growing, many on the left have resorted to attack mode.

When I recently wrote a blog post letting readers know how to find the April 15 tea party in their area liberal commenters posted attacks on the movement ranging from those disputing my statement that thousands were turning out at the tea parties, to those saying the tea party protesters didn’t know what they were doing because they didn’t bring a PA system to one of the tea parties. When I searched for reports and pictures from the various tea parties to provide some numbers, I found that there were many more than I had realized and quite a few of them saw attendance in the thousands, with many more numbering in the hundreds. The silly attack about the PA system just provided more evidence that the movement was truly coming not only from the grass roots, but from people who had no experience in public protests.

According to the Tax Day Tea Party website, which is tracking tea parties taking place across the country on April 15, the events are focused on the following theme: Repeal the Pork, Cut Taxes and Spending. “There are more than 500 tea parties confirmed for that day, and it is expected that over the next week and a half, the number of tea parties will continue to grow. Crowds of 5,000 to 10,000 are expected in multiple cities.” Whether or not the mainstream media adequately cover the events, conservative media including Sean Hannity, Neil Cavuto and Glenn Beck will be broadcasting from tea parties in Atlanta, Sacramento and San Antonio.

I went to work the day after the 1994 election to find Democrats in the office walking around in shock. The result of the election was a 54-seat swing in membership from Democrats to Republicans, allowing the Republican Party to take the majority in the House for the first time since 1954. Not one incumbent Republican lost in that election. No one predicted how devastating that election would be to the Democrats in Congress. This time there are more outward signs of the discontent many Americans have with the Obama agenda.

Liberals would do well to stop ridiculing voters disgusted with the first three months of the Obama administration and spend more time trying to understand why they feel that way. If they don’t pay close attention and start listening to the voters, they might wake up with a huge headache after Election Day 2010.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; bho44; congress; democrats; economy; obama; taxes; teaparty
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-58 next last
Comments?
1 posted on 04/06/2009 11:33:19 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

As the Tea Party grassroots movement grows, expect the Left to get just plain evil.

They will be like cornered, rabid animals.

It ain’t gonna be pretty.


2 posted on 04/06/2009 11:37:56 PM PDT by ChicagahAl (Don't blame me. I voted for Sarah.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagahAl
As the Tea Party grassroots movement grows, expect the Left to get just plain evil.

They will be like cornered, rabid animals.

It ain’t gonna be pretty.

I hope so. We need a good revolution in this country.

3 posted on 04/06/2009 11:43:18 PM PDT by Cobra64 (www.BulletBras.net)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

I went to a teapart on Saturday. About 400 people in our valley of over 70,000 attended. I was disappointed in the turn out but on the other hand I was happy that people showed up. We had some great speakers, some good signs and some pumped up, ticked off patriots. It was a great atmosphere...being with people that feel the same way.

Of course, our daily paper ran a nice article on it with a photo and the online version of the paper has a lot of comments from Obama lovers slamming the teaparty attendees. The conservatives are giving it right back to them.


4 posted on 04/06/2009 11:48:51 PM PDT by MTMS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

April 15, 2009

The preliminary Tea Parties have been GREAT! Already, they are making the left nervous.

When hundreds of thousands of us have our Tea Parties a week from Wednesday it will represent a groundswell — one that can’t be ignored, poo-poohed or shushed.

Look for me in Richmond, VA that night!


5 posted on 04/06/2009 11:54:06 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MTMS
Of course, our daily paper ran a nice article on it with a photo and the online version of the paper has a lot of comments from Obama lovers slamming the teaparty attendees. The conservatives are giving it right back to them.

Link? I would love to see how those commies responded.

6 posted on 04/06/2009 11:55:10 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ChicagahAl
As the Tea Party grassroots movement grows, expect the Left to get just plain evil.

They will be like cornered, rabid animals.

It ain’t gonna be pretty.

Depends on your definition of pretty.

7 posted on 04/06/2009 11:56:17 PM PDT by Talisker (When you find a turtle on top of a fence post, you can be damn sure it didn't get there on it's own.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
Liberals would do well to stop ridiculing voters disgusted with the first three months of the Obama administration and spend more time trying to understand why they feel that way.

One of the major problems that liberals have is that they are ruled by their emotions and feelings. There is no way they can figure anything out because they do not think logically and they don't consider facts.

They will get a very harsh dose of reality when taxes and energy prices skyrocket and hyperinflation kicks in. Throw in food shortages and countless other devastating effects of this administration and they will be forced to reconsider their idiotic political and economic ideals.

8 posted on 04/06/2009 11:56:20 PM PDT by kara2008 (Government cannot be the solution when government is the problem)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cobra64

We need a good revolution in this country. “

The only revolution this country will see is everybody even remotely connected being grabbed so fast it will make their head spin.


9 posted on 04/06/2009 11:57:10 PM PDT by philetus (Keep doing what you always do and you'll keep getting what you always get.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Comments?

This is Tea Party 1,

Next is Tea Party 2.


10 posted on 04/07/2009 12:04:05 AM PDT by Eye of Unk ("If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." T. Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

bookmark


11 posted on 04/07/2009 12:12:34 AM PDT by GOP Poet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: freedumb2003

I have never posted a link before but you can check out The Daily Interlake. Look for the article ‘Tea’d off’. Tomorrow’s edition is now published online so you have to look through the local headlines to find the story.


12 posted on 04/07/2009 12:22:40 AM PDT by MTMS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: philetus

“being grabbed?”


13 posted on 04/07/2009 12:28:38 AM PDT by Cobra64 (www.BulletBras.net)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
Once ACORN gets all their money, they will infiltrate and destroy all evil movements like those Tea Parties, Republican Party, ConstitutionalParty, and Christian churches.

Maybe they are already here on FR. I propose a full body strip search and cavity search for anyone who tries to join and post on FR.

They have to "rooted" out....so to speak....

14 posted on 04/07/2009 12:30:13 AM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is another agitator for republicanism like Sam Adams when we need him?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SuperLuminal
“Maybe they are already here on FR.”

Yep. Just about every week one or two gets spotted in a forum. When they get challenged and given the question and comment routine they usually do not return... although some are persistent.

Of course just check the “Member Since” date when you mouse over their name. Besides their behavior that gives ‘em away every time.

15 posted on 04/07/2009 12:50:15 AM PDT by JSteff (It was ALL about SCOTUS. Most forget about that and HAVE DOOMED us for a generation or more.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: philetus
The only revolution this country will see is everybody even remotely connected being grabbed so fast it will make their head spin.

I hope you're wrong about the sucess of such grab. I fear you're correct about the speed of events and the attempt.

16 posted on 04/07/2009 1:13:41 AM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: kara2008

They’ll have plenty of time to figure things out while they’re standing in line for outdated MREs or going door to door begging for food.


17 posted on 04/07/2009 2:03:52 AM PDT by tgusa (Gun control: deep breath, sight alignment, squeeze the trigger ....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
American Sheepdogs march 2009
18 posted on 04/07/2009 2:09:27 AM PDT by philly-d-kidder (Why is the USA upside down Morally??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
West chester pa tea party! April 4th 2009
19 posted on 04/07/2009 2:09:57 AM PDT by philly-d-kidder (Why is the USA upside down Morally??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
Tea party West chester Pa 4-4-09
20 posted on 04/07/2009 2:10:23 AM PDT by philly-d-kidder (Why is the USA upside down Morally??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-58 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson