Tea party leaders called for unity and action on Saturday, the closing day of their national convention, as rifts within the conservative movement continued to show.
Convention organizers and many participants have tried to zero in on fiscal responsibility as their hallmark issue, one they hope has the power to win elections in November. But others — including theorists who charge that President Obama is not a natural-born U.S. citizen — are pulling the grassroots phenomenon in a direction that might not be so politically profitable.
Joseph Farah, founder of WorldNetDaily.com, made questions over Obama’s citizenship a centerpiece of his Friday night speech in Nashville and got a standing ovation from the crowd for broaching the controversial topic.
But some convention-goers and speakers on Saturday distanced themselves from the so-called “birther” movement, saying that’s hardly a bread-and-butter tea party issue.
“There are much bigger issues out there,” said Alice Micca, a tea party activist who flew in from Dallas. “That’s just maybe window dressing.”
[More]
it begins …
Will the tea party be a fiscal protest or a lynch mob?
Will it manifest as a GOP convention or purely ideological movement?
How much profiteering is too much?
This should be fun.
Please share with me Cynapse.
Where exactly is the profiteering?
Where is there even the slightest hint of a lynch mob?
Whenever there are two Conservatives in a room, there will be arguments because Conservatives think for themselves. Sarah Palin will clarify things.
The people questioning the citizenship of the present President could be setting a trap for themselves (possibly set by the demo administration to discredit the conservative ‘doubters’ when the President produces that birth certificate and pounds home his Right to govern when he produces it). IMO, the media should have demanded this certificate before the President was elected, they certainly questioned Mr. McCain. Hopefully the people who are (understandably, IMO) demanding this proof will quit harping on something that could be a progressive trap.
The rest will sort itself out, as happened in the Canadian Alliance/PCs and the USA will elect a President to lead with honor and prosperity. We did it in Canada – from the worst depths of Bolshevism (the Troika coup group) and years of Liberano theft and corruption we elected the best Prime Minister Canada has ever had – hopefully we will not throw it all away – a blochead de facto Prime Minister lurks in the form of a Troika, at this very moment. The dark shadow of the end of Canada is never far from my radar screen.
Expect the best (Canadians will realize their good fortune to have a honorable, intelligent, savvy, freedom loving, fair minded, good man as Prime Minister and vote in a majority for the Conservatives); prepare for the worst ( getting out if the east allows a Troika to take over with the head blockhead running the direction of the country).
Profiteering
$549 for registration? $349 more just to see Sarah speak? Those are some pretty expensive grass roots.
Also, if St. Sarah really wants to put the $ back into the organization, why take a fee in the first place?
Lynch Mob
As one tea party member had on his protest sign, “Our President is a Lying African”. Let’s not forget about Tom Tancredo’s recent tea party speech about how “illiterate voters” (re: hispanic illegal immigrants and younger black voters) elected Obama – a sentiment you can find echoed on many pages, including these ones.
Thank you, come again
I suppose it would have been more accurate if the protest sign had said “Our President is a lying African-American”, but the message that the President is a liar is not at all incorrect.
Yeah that would have helped with accuracy. Still a PR disaster but that’s the organizers’ problem. When you run a right wing populist campaign you have to deal with right wing populist sentiment.
The facts are these, Cynapse.
$549.00 is for the whole convention INCLUDING the banquet and hotel room.
$349.00 for banquet and Palin’s speech only.
Taking the speakers fee and donating it back allows Palin to put the money to use where she thinks it will do the most good. You would not want her to leave it for the “profiteers” would you?
Thanks for explaining your poor understanding of what is happening there.
Last year, during the Tea Party march on Washington, There were anywhere from 500,000 to 1,500,000 marchers , reporters conducted a mighty search to find something negative, and managed to find one or two signs that could be considered negative. So am I to understand that by your convoluted reasoning, this contsitutes a lynch mob?
Thank you. Come again.
Taking the speakers fee and donating it back allows Palin to put the money to use where she thinks it will do the most good. You would not want her to leave it for the “profiteers” would you?
From the article:
“The main mover behind the event, Nashville attorney Judson Phillips, has been the target of stinging critiques from Tea Party activists who complain about the $549 registration fee. What’s more, it’s a separate $349 ticket to attend just the Palin speech.”
That’s a little different than what you’re saying.
You’re not even going to ASK what Sarah’s preferred causes might be? How do you know it isn’t going to furnish that nice wardrobe of hers? It’s like as soon as Sarah Palin’s name is mentioned, conservatives stop asking questions. And you pick on Obama supporters for thinking he’s the messiah…
Looks like NPR made an error:
http://tpn.eventbrite.com/?ref=eweb
But before you gloat … $349 for a banquet-only ticket? That’s a not a grassroots protest, that’s a party fundraiser.
The revolution WILL Be televised and eventually for sale on DVD I’m sure.
(*sucks teeth*)
Oh come on folks, Cynapse is getting confused. He doesn’t believe that political parties should pay their own way. He is much more comfortable when parties steal the money like the Canadian Liberals. Pay your own way? PFFFFFT that’s for armatures.
What the hell are you talking about?
Seriously, are you that hurt from the previous threads that you have to pull stupid ideas out of thin air to besmirch a serious thread that is, to paraphrase obama, above your pay grade?
We’re talking about supposedly grassroots movements that manifest as political fundraisers. If that’s what it is , slap a GOP logo on it and be done. Don’t waste time with all this nostalgic revolutionary cheese.
You’ll believe or do any nonsense that supports your bias, regardless of hypocrisy. That has been proven. The tea partners are still claiming to be a bit better, so let them speak for themselves.
I think it’s pretty clear from the article that the organizer is a for-profit organization. Tea-partiers seem to be okay with that so I’m not sure what the fuss is about? Nobody is forcing anybody to support the Tea Party nor its organizers. The gist of the article and the Tea Party’s concern is responsibility, something that has become woefully neglected not only in America but worldwide. Why anyone would disparage the Tea Party because they have to pay for the service of organization is well beyond my understanding.
These days the perpetually bastardized political right is the only philosophy that continuously fights for the inalienable rights of the individual in spite of the fact that doing so undermines their own freedom to do so. In the past men and women sacrificed their lives for the freedom to speak the truth to government yet nowadays it’s considered blasphemous if you’re asked to pay $600 for the privilege.
‘Paying $600 for a privilege’ is what some would call greedy capitalism and no different from both the Republicans & Democrats offer.. I expected better.
And from seeing the crowds on American TV confirms what I suspected that its mainly white (Christians).. So I guess the U.S remains just as divided with this movement as it is now with the others..
Same old, same old some would say. And whats that old saying ‘whats new is old again’ which seems to apply with this group.
Sarah Palin as a Fox contributor was interviewed a few nights back about this and she said to the effect that some good charitable causes would be served by the money. She’ll make sure the money arrives at its destination and is completely accounted for. Guaranteed. She’s building the missing quotient no less. It’s called “TRUST.” So, we can say, ‘sa right.’ That would be a bi-partisan endeavour.
Must listen later in the day to her address at the convention.
Well there UV that’s mighty democratic of you. If you are white, conservative, willing to spend your own money on political causes and assumed to be Christian you can not have say in politics of your nation. What’s next forcing them to wear a yellow cross and confiscating their property? Oh I know how about internment camps while you come up with a ‘final solution’.
Joe get off the damn cross. You’re praising Jesus, not imitating him.
Nice of you to admit who exactly the tea partiers are though (although you left out “older”). This is probably why Sarah Palin’s support for 2012 nominee is just a couple % ahead of Dick Cheney – who said he doesn’t want to run. Better start cloning yourselves or something.
“‘Paying $600 for a privilege’ is what some would call greedy capitalism”
There’s no such thing. There are only greedy people. Do you think greed would vanish under a socialist system? What could possibly be more greedy and unethical than the redistribution of other peoples’ wealth? At least in a capitalist system you have a choice. Nobody is forced to patronize a capitalist.
And who gives a shit about the complexion of the crowd? Dismissing the substance based on colour used to be known as racism. And can we at least wait until we’re forced to say morning prayers before we embark on Christian bashing? Get a few Christians together in the same room and people go ape-shit. Islamists perpetrate world-wide terror and you need to walk on egg shells if you’re inclined to comment.
96% of Blacks voted for Obama. What do you call that Cynapse and UV?
Expected?
90%+ vote Democrat regardless.
Add a novelty bump + a GOP candidate who voted against MLK day + a GOP VP candidate who brought along monkey-doll waving rednecks.
Hell, even Colin Powell crossed the aisle, complaining to McCain how UGLY the GOP rallies were becoming. McCain did not disagree.
And who gives a shit about the complexion of the crowd? Dismissing the substance based on colour used to be known as racism.
Then stop portraying Sarah Palin as some universal solution to a problem undefined. Obviously, she’s a niche market candidate whose “substance” doesn’t appeal to a wide audience. Winning the black vote alone makes you Jesse Jackson. Winning the Wall St vote alone makes you Mitt Romney. Winning the Klan vote along makes you David Duke. By contrast, politicians like George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan were able to appeal to voters beyond their obvious constituencies, which is why they became presidents. As long as Sarah pulls in exclusively wealthy church groups, she’s a Pat Buchanan in a skirt. She’ll only poll somewhat higher due to the same novelty factor Ward is implying is exclusively responsible for Obama’s victory.
“Then stop portraying Sarah Palin as some universal solution to a problem undefined.”
I speak for myself on this blog. I challenge you to show me where I have ever said what you claim I have said. And even if I did say what you think I said, which I wouldn’t have because it doesn’t make any sense, how does that justify making it an issue of complexion? If it’s wrong in other circumstances how can it be right now?
And who exactly do you think you are telling others how they should think or what they should say? What gives you the authority to decide how anyone should portray Sarah Palin? And if your argument is “you guys do the same thing” then obviously you should know better.
And who exactly do you think you are telling others how they should think or what they should say? What gives you the authority to decide how anyone should portray Sarah Palin?
It takes too long to prefix such statements with “if you want to have any hope of being consistent”. I can’t physically stop you from doing anything. But I’ll point out when you’re playing with the truth. Sarah Palin is no Evita Peron and does not appeal to anyone but yesterday’s social hierarchy. Frankly, I’d be happy if she ran – the GOP doesn’t have a good candidate and probably needs 4 more years to work it out so she is welcome to split the vote.
I don’t remember 100% what you personally said, but this place, with few exceptions, marches in lock-step with whatever flavour of the month is opposing the “liberals” and their multiculti, tax-hiking, internationalist, Muslim-loving supporters. This battle has always been about preserving the old social hierarchy that the liberals started dismantling en masse in the 1960′s. All those extra rights and attempts at reversing systemic disparities cost you both in the wallet and in your Saudi-like social dominance. You’re angry – you want revenge. Barry Goldwater couldn’t deliver it. Richard Nixon turned on you. Regan was all talk, if you look at his record. The two Bushes didn’t even try. So now we have Sarah … you’re hoping she can do it.
I saw many interviews with people who attended the convention. I did not hear one complaint about price.
Many people do not seem to grasp what this meeting was about. My understanding is that it was a series of workshops designed to help these people become more efficient in their political activism. Things such as how to go about knocking on doors, the role of technology and so on. The attendees would then bring this knowledge back to their respective districts. It seems there was much value there.
There were four protesters (not attendees) who claimed to be tea partiers who complained about the price. Their view was that it should have been free so that everyone could attend.
They neglected to say who should have paid for the facilities, lol.
I really doubt that there was a whole lot of profit there.
I’ll tell you what Bush did with his war machine. Military spending gobbles up 19% of U.S. federal spending and at least 44% of tax revenues. During his reign of big spending/borrowing from the Chinese & Japanese, the Iraq & Afghanistan wars is estimated to cost each American family more than $25,000! Americans would really feel the financial brunt if their wars were funded by a war tax and not some bookkeeping entry.
Besides the late U.S.S.R., the U.S. also resembles the dying British Empire in 1945 which was crushed by the immense debts incurred by the Second World War.
The U.S. is in a downward financial spiral that neither the Republicans or Democrats seem able to stop and therefore Canada & other western nations needs to look elsewhere to sell their goods, services, minerals, oil, etc. possibly with India, China, South American, Europe.
Stats taken from the right leaning Sun Media.
Bit of a thin skin the Cynapse. I’m not on any cross other than to respect every citizen’s right to have a voice in the running of democratic nation. If you read UV’s post you will notice that he is trying to discount the tea party movement because they are “old white Christians”. Which when you look at it is bigotry. Were I an American I doubt that I would be part of the Tea Party. I doubt that I would vote for Palin. However I would do what I could to make sure that no one is dismissed because of his/her colour, world view or age.
UV:
Agreed except for the part about taxation.
Currency devaluation is a form of taxation, more psychologically acceptable to Americans because they don’t like seeing physical deductions on their paychecks. Lowering the interest rate (ie the cost of money) reduced the amount the US government owed on its crushing debt; however, it also decreased the amount households earned on their savings. Savers were hit doubly due to the inflation caused by the housing bubble via … wait for it … low interest rates. If your savings rate is lower than the real inflation rate (which the U.S. BLS manipulates, IMO) then you’re not really saving at all.
So what really is the difference between the government adding 5% taxation to your income and the government devaluing your income by 5%? If there is one, devaluation is worse since it is retroactive against savings.
As long as we are in a fractional reserve banking system, we will be taxed whether we like it or not. There is no one to “vote” out in the Bank of Canada or the Federal Reserve, which reduces these “Taxed Enough Already” parties to being partisan temper tantrums.
Re: #24: “I’ll tell you what Bush did with his war machine.”
You should also have said “When I am king things will change.” You fail to point out that the Twin Towers didn’t fall on your watch — they fell on Bush’s after Clinton left him in a huge mess.
Just exactly “pray tell” would you have done different?
So Cynapse, that blacks almost universally vote Democrat says they are of a single ideological/philosphical mind, and the Dems most closely reflect those beliefs.
So the Tea Party appeals to people with a certain set of beliefs and they are largely white.
What is the difference??
Also is there are more than 13 blacks every 100 Tea Partiers, then they would be overrepresented.
So Cynapse, that blacks almost universally vote Democrat says they are of a single ideological/philosphical mind, and the Dems most closely reflect those beliefs.
Wrong. They are of many philosophies, but only one party attempts to entertain them as potential supporters and not just scapegoats for the Southern Strategy. The tea partiers can’t be defined by race alone – they also tend to be older, more Christian, more war-oriented, less egalitarian and more distrusting of their own government. The two groups are only the same in that their vote is a foregone conclusion for the most part. Thus, I have no idea why Sarah Palin preaching to the converted is some kind of great victory.
What is the point of this sub-discussion anyway?
Re: #29 — “What is the point of this sub-discussion anyway?”
Don’t know….don’t care.
Time to end this discussion now. Fresh meat here.
http://www.jacksnewswatch.com/2010/02/07/palin-goes-after-obama-at-tea-party-convention-3/