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A natural, if complicated, alliance
What is the Tea Party? Is it "a recession-era version of the religious right?
The animating principle behind the Tea Party is opposition to the growth of government. Anger over ballooning deficits, sprawling bureaucracy, rising taxes - and the politicians who promote or enable them - is what unifies Tea Partiers. The throngs that gather from St. Louis to Sacramento to wave their yellow Gadsden flags, protest Obamacare and the $787 billion stimulus package, and criticize "RINOs" as well as the Democrats controlling Congress do not see themselves as a reincarnation of the religious right. Nor do their gatherings feature much discussion of social issues, though the constitutionalism that characterizes Tea Party activists predisposes them to defend the right to life of all American citizens, including the youngest and oldest among us.
Despite the libertarian rhetoric and fiscal focus that characterizes Tea Party gatherings, the movement includes many social conservatives who also oppose abortion, embryonic research, euthanasia and the redefinition of marriage as a unisex institution. They resonate with Tea Party resistance to big government because they know that a domineering federal government threatens their most cherished freedoms: the freedom to worship as they wish; to speak publicly of their moral and religious convictions on controversial issues; and to educate their children in the faith and values that they hold dear. Their belief in original sin makes many religious conservatives suspicious of the idea that our human condition can be perfected through the right government program or political ideology. And although religious conservatives tend to be among the most generous Americans, their respect for the principle of subsidiarity
All of these impulses make religious and social conservatives natural allies of a Tea Party movement that seeks to limit government. But the two groups are not synonymous. As rhetoric at last week's Values Voter Summit
How those tensions will resolve themselves remains to be seen. For now, many conservatives are pleased that this scrappy, grassroots movement has shaken up America's political establishment, confounded pundits in both parties and sounded a call for fiscal responsibility that resounds well beyond the Values Voter and Tea Party tents.
By
Colleen Carroll Campbell
|
September 23, 2010; 9:17 AM ET
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Posted by: woodstock-41 | September 26, 2010 5:46 PM
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Also, if anybody will humor, for the moment, this *raging* Cassandra complex I seem to be working on these several years of my life:
Please don't do this. It doesn't work out so well.
We need to be paying attention here. We really do. What's happenning now doesn't get undone with political winds. I'm sorry.
This actually is pretty important. It's not American Idol or a metaphor for sublimated sex and dominance, it's.. The future of a very nice world and a very promising nation.
Some days it sucks to be 'psychic.' They've been too many for too long just lately. It won't be like you claim, and it won't be like you hope.
Make me wrong.
But to do that, you *have* to pay attention. To reality. Immediately.
I'm sorry.
Posted by: APaganplace | September 23, 2010 8:02 PM
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In short, Teabaggers: Whatever you think this is,
We. Do. Not. Have. Time. For. This. Really.
Posted by: APaganplace | September 23, 2010 7:46 PM
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Let's make it simple: The Christian Right didn't like how their dominion under Bush turned out, so they've been obstructing Obama, stirring hate, impeding any progress, and trying to double down on exactly what we thought we just got finished voting the F out of sensible government.
They call it a 'tax protest' and nominate Fundie underwear models, would-be 'witch hunters' with 'pretty faces' like O'Donnell and Palin,' blame the gays and act like they have *any* solutions to the mess their ideology created in the first place, obstructing government while claiming 'This just proves government doesn't work, cause we can filibuster everything for 'family values' (as long as they're straight white Christian 'family values.')
Don't fool yourselves.
Posted by: APaganplace | September 23, 2010 7:44 PM
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Americans need to be reminded of the ugly side of the tea party, which is shown vividly in this article http://wp.me/pNmlT-q5. It is scary to think about how they would govern given the anger and vitriol they embrace.
Posted by: Dh1953 | September 23, 2010 11:32 AM
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"Still others worry that the movement's anti-establishment tenor fosters anti-intellectualism, as well. "
It's most certainly the social conservative's anti-intellectualism that is driving off many people who would otherwise join the tea party movement.
The social conservatives don't mind being the establishment, in fact that's what they want to be. They're quite happy with whatever size government exists, big or small, as long as they're the ones turning the knobs, jailing the heretics, snooping in other people's business.
Posted by: eezmamata | September 23, 2010 9:51 AM
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Mam, Ye/Yo art as Smart as ye art Photogenic:
Remember: "The British Are Coming! The British art Comming...!"?
Time To "Modernize" [aka: Adjust/Correct] the Holi "M-O-N-R-O-E -- D-O-C-T-R-i-N-E" Not The Democratic (bunch of Jock Oss's less Clowns) nor The Republican (bunch of Elephants Less also Clowns) nor the Liberal (Tammany Hall'rs) et al.
Hark: New Amerik, NOt America, Will reclaim-IT's Holyi Constitution (a holyi holyi) foppm ALL them "Usurpers" [Mentioned Above] Whom Turn'th US U.S. of A.ian's into a "iNSTEAD OF CONSTITUTION" Nation.
IT is TiME to Take back the Old "America"? Back And Made into the "NEW AMERiK" let alone thee NEW-REPUBLIC [On S.pace S.hip Earths].
Good Bye ALL/EVERY & ANY "Pre-Appocalyptic Party's! Say Hello to" All "APOCALYPTiC-Party(s)" as Promised on S.S. eARTH, IN all yE/yO iNFIXUS BOOKS! {CHUMASH/bIBLES/BkMormans, GEETA/kANGYURS, QURAN/kORAN etc..
Happy Every Day TODAY (like a Birthday).
iMagine: The "Religion Of Everything Before da Science Of Everything"?! Hint: WE[i] Art Here! i[WE] art Called "HUUMATE(s)" a/k/a APOCALYPTiC-ON's,; NOt "HUMAN(s)" anymore or PRE-APOCALYPTiC-OFF's.
Good Bye "ZEUS"! and SETH! and BAAL! and MOSES! and JESUS! and MUHAMMAD! And and Good Ridence ; VYASA! GOOD BYE GAUTAMA & CO.