Exactly what I thought!

[grouch]

The more I watch the "Tea Party" nonsense, the more I realize it isn't about less government. It's about trying to make money and control others.

It's mostly a Sarah Palin book tour.

They are all for freedom of speech, if you agree with them. They got the Geico Gecko fired. Yes, I find the character to be mostly annoying, but the actor who did the voice got fired when he made comments and left a contact number. The fellow he called had all the partiers swamp Geico with calls to fire him, which the company did.

When the debate was going over health care, I saw numerous signs that said "Abortion is NOT health care". No it isn't, it had no place in the health care debate. This was just a small group trying to make their point, regardless of relevance.

Most of the speakers at the rallies are either well paid or otherwise making a buck off people at the rallies.

The stastistics touted at the rallies are a bit off. Pollsters can't make a living if they let the results get skewed. Why would anybody pay for information that is useless? The Tea Party people will say that 87% of the public agrees with them but when the numbers are in, it's more like 18%. On some issues, it can get as high as 37%, but nowhere near what the party claims.

[Mase]

So, how many tea parties have you been to, and how may participants have you talked with?

I've been to a few and know a lot more. They're just average folks who mostly have never participated in any kind of politics before.

Some of them feel strongly about government-funded abortion, sure, but that isn't a main concern. Big government is.

Sure some people are trying to make a buck. That will always happen, just like the guy selling lapel buttons at the Code Pink fiascos.

You don't like them, don't participate.

[Eric]

So, how many tea parties have you been to, and how may participants have you talked with?

I've been to a few and know a lot more. They're just average folks who mostly have never participated in any kind of politics before.

Some of them feel strongly about government-funded abortion, sure, but that isn't a main concern. Big government is.

Sure some people are trying to make a buck. That will always happen, just like the guy selling lapel buttons at the Code Pink fiascos.

You don't like them, don't participate.

I guess I'm somewhere in between Grouch's and your view.

I've been to a rally (Roanoke) and my impression (on the good side) was that, as you say, most of the people seemed to be decent "regular American" types who are (legitimately, in my opinion) concerned about the apparently limitless encroachments of government on our lives. The so-called health "reform" stuff being the most obvious example. A literal handful of statists pushed through a law that, for the first time in US history, will compel people to buy the product of a private, for-profit business cartel. Anyone not bothered by this is not thinking straight, in my opinion.

On the other hand, I agree with Grouch that the odor of Bush-Palinite Republicanism was quite strong. To give one example: A speaker at one point made a critical (and quite accurate) comment about Bush's assaults on civil liberties, which should bother any opponent of big, invasive government. But there was a very conspicuous and awkward silence following these comments. It was clear to me that a majority of the people there supported The Chimp - and want to support Palin, too.

For me, that is a huge turnoff.

Bush and Palin are just the flip side of the Obama coin. Whether it's heads or tails, Big Government (and corporatism) wins.

[grouch]

So, how many tea parties have you been to, and how may participants have you talked with?

I've been to a few and know a lot more. They're just average folks who mostly have never participated in any kind of politics before.

Some of them feel strongly about government-funded abortion, sure, but that isn't a main concern. Big government is.

Sure some people are trying to make a buck. That will always happen, just like the guy selling lapel buttons at the Code Pink fiascos.

You don't like them, don't participate.

Unfortunately, I've had to put up with three. Mostly what I hear is the people who got our counrty into this mess, complaining about how bad it is and why the Democrats are at fault. The one I visited on purpose, was mostly a Republican rally. Yes, they had the tea party hats and such. The other two I didn't know about and had to run the gauntlet to do my work. I was really hoping for a hose break when one pompous ass was speaking. I've been fortunate in that I've never had to listen to Palin in person. She's been here but I was lucky enough to be elsewhere.

One part of being President is citizens can criticise you. However, only in America would you try to insult the President by calling him a teacher. Specifically, Palin insulted Obama by calling him a "constitutional law professor". Maybe she has lived too close to Russia.

[Eric]

Unfortunately, I've had to put up with three. Mostly what I hear is the people who got our counrty into this mess, complaining about how bad it is and why the Democrats are at fault. The one I visited on purpose, was mostly a Republican rally. Yes, they had the tea party hats and such. The other two I didn't know about and had to run the gauntlet to do my work. I was really hoping for a hose break when one pompous ass was speaking. I've been fortunate in that I've never had to listen to Palin in person. She's been here but I was lucky enough to be elsewhere.

One part of being President is citizens can criticise you. However, only in America would you try to insult the President by calling him a teacher. Specifically, Palin insulted Obama by calling him a "constitutional law professor". Maybe she has lived too close to Russia.

Palin is dreadful; agreed.

She's not stupid - just embarrassingly ignorant (like Bush), arrogant - and also a money-grubbing corporate tool.

But so is Obama. Yes, he's articulate - and glib. But he either doesn't understand the Constitution (his law degree notwithstanding) or just doesn't care. The fact that he has not attempted to dial back any of the Bush abuses of the Constitution - indeed, he has supported and expanded upon them - is one devastating example. Another is this so-called "reform" of health care. How can anyone claim that forcing people to pay money to a private, for-profit business is "constitutional"?

If that is, then anything is.