From my point of view, that fact that the movement even sprang up is a statement in and of itself.
To me it says the people that are running the government have gone too far.
When Repubs had complete control, you didn't see populous movements spring up and go marching. But now you do.
About this we fully agree...just not about the reasons. Where you see the cause as government run amok, I see it as a group of kooks, luddites, and the uninformed that seemingly swallowed W's big government spending with barely even token resistance and in some cases
support. So for example, they continued to support W. after it became apparent that he lied to get us into a potential quagmire in Iraq while ignoring the botched legitimate war in Afghanistan. Then there's the deafening silence and/or support for W's shredding of the constitutional limits to Presidential power, allowing Cheney to expand the powers of the V.P. and most blatantly for the purposes of this discussion, the passing of the Patriot Act.
W. did all this and Obama is now somehow the anti-Christ that's going to enslave America to do the will of George Soros and the Trilateral Commission? Really?
Mind you I'm not necessarily opposed to any or all of the policies above, I'm merely making the point regarding your contention that it's the growth of Federal size and intrusiveness that's at the heart of the Tea Party's anger. Were that really the case, they'd have been marching in the streets years ago during W's administration.
So then what's
really the motivation behind the movement? Could it just possibly be that certain big business and political interests are manipulating this segment of the public using their innate paranoia along with the anger brought about by the economic collapse to their own ends? Naaahhh, that couldn't be it.
yea...your sense for sarcasm is well developed. And I don't care at this point. Your biases and thinking lapses have been documented - gratis...thank you very much - in this thread!
I find it more than a little interesting that someone that refers to our government as being "terrorist" could actually have the cojones to refer to someone else as being biased. You do realize that bias applies to Libertarianism/anarchists and pretty much anyone else with an opinion as well, right?
In general I agree with the idea of smaller, less intrusive government. Heck, I've even got a pretty healthy anti-establishment, anti-authoritarian streak myself. Ever seen my comments about cops?
However, when you get to the point of thinking that our government is "terrorist", that's waaaaay over the line into hyperbole...though it certainly sounded as though you really meant it.
Just sayin'.
You are way off here - the Left invented the modern day "grass-roots movement." See the Green Party, MoveOn.org, etc.
I'd beg to differ. This country has had populist grass movements from the very beginning and IMHO this phenomenon has nothing to do with the right or left side of the political spectrum. It's just part of who we are. After all, that's how we got our independence from the British and the tradition has continued over the years.
On the flip side, there's a darker side to grass roots movements like this as well, e.g. McCarthyism, The Temperance Movement, The KKK/Dixiecrats, and Schlafly's defeat of the women's movement (off the top of my head).
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