Friday, November 20, 2009

A New Generation of Patriots...stronger, whiter, more fiscally responsible.

6 comments:

Jim said...

That was interesting. Glad to see that you've dealt the R-card early -- I like to see her early in a game of hearts.

RET said...

Boy, awfully defensive Jim. It never mentions "R"epublican.

BTW: I am the one who voted for the racist, the one with a deep-seeded hatred of the superior race, and the one who wants a world where white kids get beaten up on school buses.

The card was dealt a long time ago and the Tea Partiers are members.

Jim said...

Well, when your primary critical response to the trailer is to point out their lack of racial diversity, what do you expect?

I think there's a pretty good analogy to be made here to late 2001 or early 2002 in that I spent more time than I should have cracking jokes at the expense of folks like ANSWER, etc. They never had electoral significance and neither will the Tea Partiers. While they may drive the red states redder, I have a hard time imagining that Beck and friends can attract a movement that will "move the needle" in any sort of significant way, i.e. turn purple districts and states to red.

While I actually support the idea of smaller government and more personal responsibility, that ship sailed 70 years ago. We will always have an expansive regulatory state, a welfare state that basically guarantees some sort of income and health care coverage for the poor and the aged and attempted influence overseas through military means. Of these three very costly things, it is the last that is most likely to be sacrificed for the first two.

All of this to say that the Tea Party movement is kind of vaguely anthropologically interesting, but politically doomed. While the Democrats are likely to lose seats in 2010 (especially if unemployment stays above 10.0%), I find it unlikely that Obama will be unseated or any of his significant reforms will be repealed.

Do you disagree with my prediction? If not, why do you care about the Tea Partiers?

Jim said...

P.S. Brent Musberger is annoying.

RET said...

I don't disagree at all. Although, the characterization of these people as Patriots and ANSWER as unpatriotic is completely hypocritical.

I also agree (as David Brooks has pointed out) that these zealots have little political influence. NY-23 is a good example.

However, if it also forces potentially good people like Crist it will have serious consequences not just to the party but to our country.

RET said...

P.S. I am sure you realized that previously.