Since the Tea Party has sprouted last spring and made history as patriots tried to take back their country there have been others trying to drown it during its earliest inception. The mainstream media thought it nothing more than a joke and that it was a bunch of racist rednecks who are all about hating minorities, immigrants and gays. That all we do is sit around and say; “Hmm, who can we hate today?” They got it all wrong. It was about trying to get back to the time where the government was not so out of control and the people actually had a say in how it was run. No we don’t want a return to slavery. No, we don’t want to keep women from voting. No, we don’t think America is perfect but we don’t think it is a cesspool of filth either. There is a happy medium. The Tea Party drew its name from a group of patriots who refused to pay the exorbiant tea tax considering they had no say in their own colonial government in America or in the parliamentary one back in England. So they dumped all the tea in the Boston Harbor one evening. [Though that whole dressing up as Indians, I have a problem with. It would’ve been more courageous had they done it just being themselves and not hid in disguises.] That is where the current Tea Party differs, there are no disguises, no false fronts being put on, people are coming as themselves and declaring themselves to be patriots. It is truly a courageous bunch of people.
Now we have others trying to copy the success of the Tea Party. We have the Coffee Party. This is what their mission is according to their site:
MISSION: The Coffee Party Movement gives voice to Americans who want to see cooperation in government. We recognize that the federal government is not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges that we face as Americans. As voters and grassroots volunteers, we will support leaders who work toward positive solutions, and hold accountable those who obstruct them.
Sounds good right? Okay but what do you consider positive solutions. The Tea Party is clear on what it wants, limited government by adhering to the powers given to it in the Constituion, lower taxes and less government interference in our daily lives. What do we mean by less government interference-well welfare would be a good example. When you are on welfare you become beholden to the government for all your needs. So yes, it is true people at Tea Parties don’t like welfare, it is not because of the people on it, it is because they feel that is overreaching and creating dependency that becomes that much harder to overcome. And I for one can vouch, people on welfare deserve better.
Next, they want to hold people who obstruct these positive solutions accountable. Also sounds good but if you don’t know what these positive solutions are then anyone can become an “obstructionist” and be held accountable. Now if they are simply going to vote them out of office, that is fine that is what we have the democratic process for. However, when a liberal says you are too far left, you got some problems. This also comes from their website:
I am a liberal but more of an independent lefty open to any ideas that make sense and solve problems. So far all I am seeing on this site is 99% typical same ole’ far left talking points and the same old name calling of anything right of far left. As a moderate I see posts telling me that I am the problem. What is diverse or new about that?
Okay so if a liberal feels left out in a left-slanting organization, something is wrong somewhere. When I went to the Santa Monica Tea Party there was a lesbian there who was proudly carrying her sign. No one ran her off, no one call her some derogatory name or told her she didn’t belong there. We didn’t even tell the woman holding her pro-Obama sign that she had to take a hike. All views were truly welcomed. Not like this person who had this to say:
We have allowed these people to have the stage alone for far too long. I know for a fact that if we put together counter events that Keith Olbermann, and Rachel Maddow, would promote them.
Progressives made a HUGE mistake allowing these people to get their nonsense over the airwaves unchallenged. We should have been at every single town meeting shouting these people down. They were loud and effective and caused the Democrats to retreat on health care.
Doesn’t sound like the so-called civil discourse they are supposedly promoting. Most town halls didn’t turn into shouting matches. They were concerned citizens asking legitimate questions and were getting no answers. It was the Left that tried to make Tea Partiers and their townhalls look like something it was not. But shouting matches is what they are best at, so it doesn’t surprise me.
So enough of this phony-baloney wannabe- Coffee Party (and what is with all the beverage names? The Tea Party took its name from an act of rebellion in our history, it wasn’t like they all got together and voted and more people liked tea so they named it the Tea Party!) Next there is the Patriots Beer Party. But after Obama’s famous beer summits, this might not be the best way to set you apart from Obama. These are people who feel disenchanted by the Tea Party and feel it is being taken over by the GOP. That is definitely a valid point, the GOP brushed it off initially and when they saw how it was growing they jumped on the bandwagon. I don’t like that either to be truthful. But if it is about all people having a voice then those in the GOP should be listened to, as long as they are not trying to fit it to their own agenda. And no GOP big wig should have any position in the Tea Party besides that of member. It is time more people had a chance to shine and not just the seasoned politicians and their cronies.
“The Beer Party Creed:I am in the famous Beer party Crew. We know of no Patriots produced by any other country whose freedom is so vigorously defended. Our exclusive Constitution has aged and produced these Re-Founding Fathers. You will find no Astroturfers who are Our equal at any price.
Great creed and I like its moxie. It has a place that discusses the Constitution, which is absolutely important. Until you know what is in the Constitution, you can’t defend it. However, it has no clear cut purpose either. It can’t be “We are mad at the Tea Party! So we are going to have our own movement!” You need a clear cut purpose of what you are fighting for or against, without that it becomes about everything and nothing and everything gets bogged down. The Tea Party would let no speaker speak if it wasn’t about taxes and government spending. It wasn’t that didn’t believe in other conservative causes as well but this was about taxes and government spending…period. The Tea Party become a force to be reckoned with because it stuck to this original purpose. It also picked significant dates for its protests. April 15th-Tax Day. July 4th, Independence Day-these days stick out in people’s minds so it made sense to do it on that day. Whether or not these two parties (movements) will make it, time will only tell but for the time being I think I will stick to Tea thank you very much.
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