Five years ago, where were the Sarah Palins or Glenn Becks speaking in front of crowds of thousands of people, spouting the “lower taxes, smaller government” rhetoric? After the passage of the government-enlarging, bureaucracy-creating USA PATRIOT Act, our engagement in two fiscally expensive wars in the Middle East, and our quickly increasing National Debt, where were all these livid people protesting large government? One would think that there would be a large uprising of fiscal conservatives protesting the Bush administration, which brought our country’s bank account from a surplus to trillions of dollars of debt (about $9 Trillion by the end of Bush’s Presidency). The sad truth is...there was no uprising.
The 2008 primary elections came with everyone talking about Iraq, Health Care, Immigration, and beloved “Change”. Of all the Primary candidates of both parties, Ron Paul was the only one talked about the dangers of our increasing debt. However, according to liberal CNN and even “conservative” Fox News, that point of view was crazy, preposterous, and flat out laughable. With the lack of mainstream media attention, Ron Paul was still able to obtain a solid core of enthusiastic supporters who strived for fiscal responsibility. These supporters were the first true modern “Tea Partiers”.
If you’re from central Texas and were part of any of the Ron Paul campaign or rallies, you know that these first tea partiers constisted of people of multiple cultures-Black, White, Hispanic, hippies, card carrying NRA members, and everyone else in between. We stuck to our principals of fiscal responsibility and strayed away from divisive social issues.
It’s evident that Republicans who claim to be fiscally responsible spent eight years hibernating during the Bush administration, and now have suddenly awakened to join the popular Tea Party movement. As the Tea Party has grown, the Republicans have been quick to latch onto its label to the movement in order to gain more popularity. Should people be angry about our growing government and lack of fiscal responsibility? Of course...but we should have been just as angry five years ago! People need to be wary of these “born again fiscal conservatives”. When Republicans regain power in the next few years, will we see the shift to smaller government and fiscal responsibility? We sure hope so (but don’t bet the farm on it).
Comments
Five year ago, Sarah Palin was providing political training for Republican women in Alaska, and Glenn Beck had just launched his Fusion Magazine. In other words, they were nobodies. They didn't have a leg to stand on at that time, but where was Ron Paul in 2004? Where was he in 2000? Why wasn't he running for President then? Maybe then, he could made the issues known before they hit the fans and people would have voted smarter then. 2000 would have been a much more optimal year for him to do his presidential run, since we had a shrinking deficit at the time, and he could have much more realistically passed his 2008 agenda then. No 9/11, no wars, no Katrina, and maybe we could actually afford that health care if we wanted it.
At the time of 2000, we weren't in debt, and Bush was running on the policy of nonintervention so there would be no reason for him to run. In 2004, anyone who went against Bush would have literally no chance. Ron Paul has let his own opinions known for a long time. He was the Libertarian candidate in 1988. He's not the kind of person who seeks attention, so he's not going to put his head in an election every 4 years. As for Beck and Palin, no matter what they were doing, neither were shouting the kind of views they are now. Even in 2008, neither had some kind of libertarian streak...obviously since Palin was running as VP with the most liberal RINO Republican.
The GOP is using the Tea Party as a front for their numbers game to beat the Dems out of office and retake Washington. They have no principles. Kinda like that frat guy at the bar, trying to score with that hot chick "Oh, you like Grey's Anatomy? So do I!" (Watch out, ladies!) Same thing with the GOP. "Oh, you hate our increasing national debt? So do we!" (We just won't remind you that we are partially to blame for that thing.) The only way the Dems and the GOP are going to learn to change their ways is in the form of a sobering wake-up call, known as a third major party. The Tea Partiers need to register with the Libertarian Party, since most of them are anyway, and the numbers there should do the trick to shake things up.
I agree that the Republicans are using the Tea Party as a boost. The original Tea Parties started under the Ron Paul Revolution...that has evolved into something less meaningful. It used to just mean liberty and fiscal conservatism...but now it's just a way to vote out the Dems. Like I said I don't bet on Republicans actually turning to fiscally responsible policies once they're in office. i've been wanting a big third party run for a long time, but there are many obstacles. There is the lack of media coverage a 3rd party will get via the 2 main parties being very economically involved with the main stream media. Even more so is the fact that we have a 'winner take all' election system where someone can get 35% of the vote and that person's party still gets all of the votes for congress, where as in places like Germany there is proportional representation where if a party gets 35% of the votes, they get 35% of the seats.
The T party started in '06 in Boston, I say. Search "boston globe, tea party 2006" and it's the third or fourth link. I say T party because what it stands for is Truth. Dim, Reptiles, they both peddle lies. That's why folks have had enough, are getting angry and rallying for real change.
The Truth Party
Right on P@Riot. The "original" tea party (not the original, original) was a 9/11 truth event. I remember seeing the promotion for this in 2006. The idea was then picked up by Ron Paul supporters (the majority being conscious of 9/11 truth) in 2007. I attended one on 12/16/07 (anniversary of the real event) in Austin. Easily over a thousand people attended and there was a reenactment of the Boston tea party, with boxes labeled Iraq War, War on Iran, CIA, Homeland Security, Debt, Federal Reserve, etc. thrown into the water. Notice that this is the antithesis of the philosophically bankrupt GOP establishment. The original tea party had a unanimous consensus condemning both parties. The tea party has been hijacked from the 9/11 truth/ Ron Paul/ Libertarian uprising. Although the current tea party still has legitimate concerns about out of control spending, skyrocketing debt, and the growing bureaucracy, these concerns ring hollow unless you strike at the root of the problem, i.e. the "Federal" "Reserve". The Federal Reserve is the mechanism by which the out of control spending and debt is allowed to continue. The original tea party understood this, even as late as April of 2009 (the last tea party I attended in San Marcos). After examining photos from the event, the content of the protest was over 90% about the Federal Reserve and bailouts. When we (college students) were joined later by older citizens donning American flag garb, the content seemed to steer away from specifically the federal reserve to taxation in general, income tax (it was tax day), the stimulus bill, debt, and the bailouts. People knowledgeable about the Fed will recognize that our current tax schemes, debt, and bailouts are all made possible via the Fed, (and a compliant congress, white house) yet these, what I'm assuming would self-identify as "conservatives", appeared ignorant of this fact. Keep in mind that Bush, McCain, Palin, and Glenn Beck all supported the Federal Reserve bailouts which costs are now estimated at being several trillion dollars. This fact alone makes the idea that Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and the GOP are going to spearhead a "fiscally conservative" movement laughable. The other huge piece missing from a GOP establishment movement towards fiscal conservatism is the insane costs of the "defense" and intelligence institutions. This is so glaringly obvious, yet the new self-proclaimed leaders of the tea party, especially Sarah Palin, say nothing of this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States
The total for defense spending is between $880 billion and $1.03 trillion in fiscal year 2010. By the end of 2008, the U.S. had spent approximately $900 billion in direct costs on the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Indirect costs such as interest on the additional debt and incremental costs of caring for the more than 33,000 wounded borne by the Veterans Administration are additional. Some experts estimate these indirect costs will eventually exceed the direct costs. The "black budget" has increased to an estimated $50 billion. Does anyone else not see the insanity and hypocrisy in ignoring this while spewing rhetoric about debt and spending?
Perhaps this is why on one hand the army, homeland security, FBI, and Israel are spying on tea parties, anti-war rallies, and "end the fed" protests, while on the other hand the GOP and Democratic establishment is infiltrating or demonizing the tea parties in an attempt to shift them into dimensions more friendly to the establishment and left/right false paradigm. The topics no longer include the Fed, ending the wars, or abolishing the CIA. It's about neocons gripping about spending and taxation that doesn't go to bombing broken back 3rd world countries, or setting up a "national security" state here in America, while the ridiculous and discredited corporate media babbles about "racism".
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!