Posted on 04/13/2009 2:04:54 AM PDT by abb
This is a column about Republicans — and I’m not sure I should even be writing it.
Today’s G.O.P. is, after all, very much a minority party. It retains some limited ability to obstruct the Democrats, but has no ability to make or even significantly shape policy.
Beyond that, Republicans have become embarrassing to watch. And it doesn’t feel right to make fun of crazy people. Better, perhaps, to focus on the real policy debates, which are all among Democrats.
snip
One way to get a good sense of the current state of the G.O.P., and also to see how little has really changed, is to look at the “tea parties” that have been held in a number of places already, and will be held across the country on Wednesday. These parties — antitaxation demonstrations that are supposed to evoke the memory of the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution — have been the subject of considerable mockery, and rightly so.
snip
Last but not least: it turns out that the tea parties don’t represent a spontaneous outpouring of public sentiment. They’re AstroTurf (fake grass roots) events, manufactured by the usual suspects. In particular, a key role is being played by FreedomWorks, an organization run by Richard Armey, the former House majority leader, and supported by the usual group of right-wing billionaires. And the parties are, of course, being promoted heavily by Fox News.
But that’s nothing new, and AstroTurf has worked well for Republicans in the past. The most notable example was the “spontaneous” riot back in 2000 — actually orchestrated by G.O.P. strategists — that shut down the presidential vote recount in Florida’s Miami-Dade County.
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(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
krugman...I have just two words for you.... one of them is a noun and the other a pronoun!
I’m fairly certain that’s illegal...:)
Oh, the NYT was quick to focus on the likes of Code Pink and Cindy Sheehan. They were not only embarrassing to watch, but also insulting. This is a very lame attempt to marginalize that which he cannot ignore.
LLS
“And I’m sure none of the leftist anti-war, anti-Bush demonstrations are funded by left-wing billionaires, such as George Soros. “
Left Wing Projection from a Left Wing Loony.
Who is the side who always arms its protesters with professionally made, identical posters and banners?
I think there will be video cameras all over the place. This will be a big event and people will want to film it.
It is going to be hard to pass off a left wing registered acorn employee as a right wing fanatic. We have the internet and Nexus too!
LLS
Yes, a "spontaneous outpouring" would be something for the left to really fear wouldn't it? So Krugman writes this piece that is basically wishful thinking.
He wishes we were being led by the nose, but he's in for a big surprise. There's anger out here, and that's what is spurring us to action.
The whole thing will backfire on the dems, and it will be because they tried to do too much too fast.
Yeah, darn it! Maybe just a blanket party then.
Um....just exactly what are you going to *do* with the blanket?....LOL
Tea Parties are over. There are no Tea Parties this week. They will take place but the cards are against any impact.
The rescue of Captain Phillips will be the only news this week (except for fuzzy new puppy footage) and if the Tea Parties get any news coverage whatsoever, it will be from the angle that the US is celebrating a heroic rescue and a bunch of Obama-haters are whining and bashing America. To make matters worse, the only press coverage will be from Fox and AM Radio which will further support the premise that the right wing is out of touch with Main Stream America while “Real Americans” celebrate a heroic military action led by the Commander In Chief!
The only hope was that they would be so heavily supported that even the MSM could not ignore them. Now they will be smeared.
Ah...okay...I had a bit darker image pop up....:)
I was at the chad ‘riots’ that shouted down Jessie ‘White Corporate Dweeb Shakedown’ Jackson. There were a lot of freepers there, but as far as I know, it wasn’t organized. I did see one motor home with some young, whitebread, dufus idiot Republicans in it that were, A. Pussy’s. B. Clueless. C. Radiated immense privilege. D. Were dislike and never seen more that a few feet. They were at the voting secretary’s office and I think young lawyers. Anyways, they were total stiffs.
I hope he has a total mental breakdown when the momentum of these tea parties leads further down the path of a conservative re-birth in this great country.
Like Hitler in his bunker with Soviet tanks a hundred yards away, the Times still thinks that it controls vast armies of the left, while financial dust falls upon their heads.
Last days produce drinking, licentious and howling madmen roaming the dark corridors.
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