Is the Tea Party "movement" an embarrasing fluke?

[Alexander Hamilton]

I say Yes. I love how they all view Palin as their hero-savior even though she supported bailouts, subsidies, and other misuses of taxpayer money. Oh, but she hates gays and abortions. That makes her "fiscally responsible."

I'm not trying to bash Palin here, I'm simply questioning the motives of this Tea Party thing and their devotion to her.

It seems like a hypocritical mess that is simply "anti-" and not actually pro-anything.

[WillK]

I say Yes. I love how they all view Palin as their hero-savior even though she supported bailouts, subsidies, and other misuses of taxpayer money. Oh, but she hates gays and abortions. That makes her "fiscally responsible."

I'm not trying to bash Palin here, I'm simply questioning the motives of this Tea Party thing and their devotion to her.

It seems like a hypocritical mess that is simply "anti-" and not actually pro-anything.

Embarrassing, yes.
Im not sure it was a fluke.

[Senator Libertas]

While their opposition to Obama is admirable, it is true that what most Tea Partiers would put in his place isn't much better.

[Alexander Hamilton]

While their opposition to Obama is admirable, it is true that what most Tea Partiers would put in his place isn't much better.

Well, it isn't hard to be better than Obama, but it's not like they actually stand for any certain economic opposition that they want us to think they do.

[Free Palestine]

The movement was originally started by Ron Paul supporters.  It was then hijacked by a bunch of braindead neocons and hypocrites.  That's when it became an embarrassing fluke.

[Mint]

The movement was originally started by Ron Paul supporters.  It was then hijacked by a bunch of braindead neocons and hypocrites.  That's when it became an embarrassing fluke.

There are still many Paulites, libertarians, constitutionalists, etc. in it but yes I agree the GOP's hijacking is quite obnoxious.

[Free Palestine]

The movement was originally started by Ron Paul supporters.  It was then hijacked by a bunch of braindead neocons and hypocrites.  That's when it became an embarrassing fluke.

There are still many Paulites, libertarians, constitutionalists, etc. in it but yes I agree the GOP's hijacking is quite obnoxious.

Yes, and the hijackers are making them all look bad.

[Senator Libertas]

While their opposition to Obama is admirable, it is true that what most Tea Partiers would put in his place isn't much better.

Well, it isn't hard to be better than Obama, but it's not like they actually stand for any certain economic opposition that they want us to think they do.

Indeed, of course not.

And certainly their claims of being the champions of fiscal restraint, while at the same time attacking Obama for not being enough of a global Zionist warmonger, are laughable.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The GOP hijacked them? I'll bet you there are thousands of Republicans in Upstate NY who now have a Democratic Congressmen for the first time in 150 years who would have just a slightly different view of things.

I will bet Mark Kirk who seeing his chances become less and less feasible every passing day would have a different view of things.

They have been fairly destructive in my view.

You want them back you can have them. They can go back to being the irrelevant ideologues that they are, winning 2% of the vote.

[Senator Libertas]

The GOP hijacked them? I'll bet you there are thousands of Republicans in Upstate NY who now have a Democratic Congressmen for the first time in 150 years who would have just a slightly different view of things.

I will bet Mark Kirk who seeing his chances become less and less feasible every passing day would have a different view of things.

They have been fairly destructive in my view.

You want them back you can have them. They can go back to being the irrelevant ideologues that they are, winning 2% of the vote.

Yes, the GOP hijacked them. They turned a grassroots uprising into an astroturf nothing.

[Mint]

I say Yes. I love how they all view Palin as their hero-savior even though she supported bailouts, subsidies, and other misuses of taxpayer money. Oh, but she hates gays and abortions. That makes her "fiscally responsible."

I'm not sure how Romney is any different..

[Mint]

The GOP hijacked them? I'll bet you there are thousands of Republicans in Upstate NY who now have a Democratic Congressmen for the first time in 150 years who would have just a slightly different view of things.

I will bet Mark Kirk who seeing his chances become less and less feasible every passing day would have a different view of things.

They have been fairly destructive in my view.

You want them back you can have them. They can go back to being the irrelevant ideologues that they are, winning 2% of the vote.

Ignoring the fact that this is a non-sequitor.. Who cares? Dede was literally the same as the democrat other than on guns. At least conservatives sort of had an option this time around.

[Alexander Hamilton]

The GOP hijacked them? I'll bet you there are thousands of Republicans in Upstate NY who now have a Democratic Congressmen for the first time in 150 years who would have just a slightly different view of things.

Scozzafava was obviously a poor choice for that district and she even endorsed the Democrat.

But again, it was the Republicans like Palin that endorsed Hoffman...

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The GOP hijacked them? I'll bet you there are thousands of Republicans in Upstate NY who now have a Democratic Congressmen for the first time in 150 years who would have just a slightly different view of things.

I will bet Mark Kirk who seeing his chances become less and less feasible every passing day would have a different view of things.

They have been fairly destructive in my view.

You want them back you can have them. They can go back to being the irrelevant ideologues that they are, winning 2% of the vote.

Ignoring the fact that this is a non-sequitor.. Who cares? Dede was literally the same as the democrat other than on guns. At least conservatives sort of had an option this time around.

Of course Dede sucked big time, I completely agree with you. Trouble is Hoffman wasn't that much better.

[President Marokai]

The GOP hijacked them? I'll bet you there are thousands of Republicans in Upstate NY who now have a Democratic Congressmen for the first time in 150 years who would have just a slightly different view of things.

I will bet Mark Kirk who seeing his chances become less and less feasible every passing day would have a different view of things.

They have been fairly destructive in my view.

You want them back you can have them. They can go back to being the irrelevant ideologues that they are, winning 2% of the vote.

Ignoring the fact that this is a non-sequitor.. Who cares? Dede was literally the same as the democrat other than on guns. At least conservatives sort of had an option this time around.

Of course Dede sucked big time, I completely agree with you. Trouble is Hoffman wasn't that much better.

The problem really was that Hoffman was an ignorant and all-around terrible public speaker that openly admired people like Glenn Beck, literally calling him his "mentor." Hoffman always seemed distant when he was speaking, and generally just didn't seem terribly informed.

In fact, he was described by local papers there as "...unable to articulate clear positions on a number of matters specific to Northern New Yorkers rather than the national level campaign being waged in a three-way race...

Mr. Hoffman had no opinion about winter navigation and widening the St. Lawrence Seaway with their potential environmental damage. He was not familiar with the repercussions of a proposed federal energy marketing agency for the Great Lakes, which could pay for Seaway expansion contrary to district interests.

A flustered and ill-at-ease Mr. Hoffman objected to the heated questioning, saying he should have been provided a list of questions he might be asked. He was, if he had taken the time to read the Thursday morning Times editorial raising the very same questions."

In other words, he was the typical Conservative candidate propped up from the fringiest of the fringe and the tea-party folks. Ignorant, uninformed, uninterested in serious policy making or the issues locally, but damn he sure hates them there dirty Democrats. I really, truly, fear for the future of American political discourse when someone so uninformed, so distant, so detached from serious policy making, nearly wins an election, and when so many people propped him up that come from one of the major political parties.

[jokerman]

It's embarrassing but it's not a fluke.  It's 100% American.  Its the bourgeoisie.  The wildcats on the frontier of the capitalist structure.  Ironically these vain individuals are the one who created the financial crisis, not the hapless jews at Goldman Sachs or Lehman Brothers.

[Senator Libertas]

It's embarrassing but it's not a fluke.  It's 100% American.  Its the bourgeoisie.  The wildcats on the frontier of the capitalist structure.  Ironically these vain individuals are the one who created the financial crisis, not the hapless jews at Goldman Sachs or Lehman Brothers.

Is this some type of sarcasm?

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

On the other hand I must commend some of the "few" benefits the Tea Party movement has given us. Such as getting rid of Specter and hopefully Crist as well. The Challenge is preventing them from going after the MAine ladies, Simmons(not important anymore though) Kirk, and Castle. They can have McCain, Bennet, Murkowski and every other pro-Amnesty Republican in a red state.

As well as giving us a chance to defeat several Dems around the country like Lincoln, Reid etc.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The GOP hijacked them? I'll bet you there are thousands of Republicans in Upstate NY who now have a Democratic Congressmen for the first time in 150 years who would have just a slightly different view of things.

I will bet Mark Kirk who seeing his chances become less and less feasible every passing day would have a different view of things.

They have been fairly destructive in my view.

You want them back you can have them. They can go back to being the irrelevant ideologues that they are, winning 2% of the vote.

Ignoring the fact that this is a non-sequitor.. Who cares? Dede was literally the same as the democrat other than on guns. At least conservatives sort of had an option this time around.

Of course Dede sucked big time, I completely agree with you. Trouble is Hoffman wasn't that much better.

The problem really was that Hoffman was an ignorant and all-around terrible public speaker that openly admired people like Glenn Beck, literally calling him his "mentor." Hoffman always seemed distant when he was speaking, and generally just didn't seem terribly informed.

In fact, he was described by local papers there as "...unable to articulate clear positions on a number of matters specific to Northern New Yorkers rather than the national level campaign being waged in a three-way race...

Mr. Hoffman had no opinion about winter navigation and widening the St. Lawrence Seaway with their potential environmental damage. He was not familiar with the repercussions of a proposed federal energy marketing agency for the Great Lakes, which could pay for Seaway expansion contrary to district interests.

A flustered and ill-at-ease Mr. Hoffman objected to the heated questioning, saying he should have been provided a list of questions he might be asked. He was, if he had taken the time to read the Thursday morning Times editorial raising the very same questions."

In other words, he was the typical Conservative candidate propped up from the fringiest of the fringe and the tea-party folks. Ignorant, uninformed, uninterested in serious policy making or the issues locally, but damn he sure hates them there dirty Democrats. I really, truly, fear for the future of American political discourse when someone so uninformed, so distant, so detached from serious policy making, nearly wins an election, and when so many people propped him up that come from one of the major political parties.

Most of the papers in the district opposed him as did many of the Republican rank and file who saw him as this newcommer out of touch with the district. Tedesco may have had some problems with residency but it was 10 times an issue for Hoffman precisely because he was so out of touch with the interests and needs of the district. We need someone new. Someone slightly less conservative but can still win the Conservative Party nomination as well as the Republican one, to run if we are to have a chance at winning that seat. We need to stop allowing failed special election candidates to run in generals. They never win. LA, MS, ILL, are all prime examples of this. You need new people with fresh faces. LA showed us how to do it. MS and ILL how not to do it.

Dede had similar problems in that she was horrible with media relations and had already begun to collapse before the Hoffman surge.

In short, it was a big mess.

[Vepres]

The principle it was originally started on is admirable, but it is no longer what it was.

[Χahar]

Yeah, it makes me fairly embarrassed to be American.

[Joe Republic]

Yeah, it makes me fairly embarrassed to be American.

Luckily for you, these Concerned Patriotic Taxpayers don't consider you to be a Real American anyway.

[Alexander Hamilton]

On the other hand I must commend some of the "few" benefits the Tea Party movement has given us. Such as getting rid of Specter and hopefully Crist as well. The Challenge is preventing them from going after the MAine ladies, Simmons(not important anymore though) Kirk, and Castle. They can have McCain, Bennet, Murkowski and every other pro-Amnesty Republican in a red state.

As well as giving us a chance to defeat several Dems around the country like Lincoln, Reid etc.

I actually agree with all this. Get rid of McCain, Bennet, Murkowski, etc. I am still upset we missed the chance to dump Lindsey Graham.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

On the other hand I must commend some of the "few" benefits the Tea Party movement has given us. Such as getting rid of Specter and hopefully Crist as well. The Challenge is preventing them from going after the MAine ladies, Simmons(not important anymore though) Kirk, and Castle. They can have McCain, Bennet, Murkowski and every other pro-Amnesty Republican in a red state.

As well as giving us a chance to defeat several Dems around the country like Lincoln, Reid etc.

I actually agree with all this. Get rid of McCain, Bennet, Murkowski, etc. I am still upset we missed the chance to dump Lindsey Graham.

Yea, he is a thorn in the side of people with the guts to stand up on this issue. A complete joke. I remember him justifying his support of the bill by saying "the Dems aren't going away" meaning they should accept the compromise. WTF, a dozen and half dems voted no. The real reason of course is he prefers to keep doing McCain under the table along with Joe Lieberman and Mel Martinez.

Looks like we may miss our chance at Bennet and Murkowski too. Though we have gotten rid of Craig, Hagel, Specter, and Lott. Bond, Voinovich, Brownback, and MArtinez are retiring and Blunt, Portman, Moran and Rubio are much better then what they are replacing when it comes to this issue. And of course Toomey is strong. Castle and Kirk aren't too shaby either considering where they are from. McConnel wouldn't dare go against his caucus again especially as it moves more in our direction.

[Bo]

I'd say No. Even though some of those people are not exactly the brightest, some of them genuinely want to protest against Obama and his policies, in the same war that many liberals frequently protested against Bush's policies. However, I am against what the teabaggers believe in, but I support their right to say what they want.