Will and Kate, the tea party, and ‘anti-elitism’

“The tea partiers believe not only that the “elites” don’t necessarily know what is good for the rest of us but, worse, that they don’t even bother to ask.”

From my advantage point it seems more like the tea partiers believe they know what is best for themselves, and for the rest of us, without bothering to ask us either.

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There will always be an England, Kyle.

From the first coronation of Egbert in 829 to today, the English (of which I am one) marshall on.

Hail Brittania!

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Kyle: I believe that most in the Tea Party reject the arguments of wealth envy and entitlements pitched by the MSM and the left for one reason. We do not waste time and energy trying to bring down the wealthy, but expend our energy trying to be wealthy. The other side is so fixed on the myth that the odds are stacked against the common man, that there is no way we can succeed. They spend their time castigating the rich as people, who either cheated or were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. All the while, other people are slowly working their way up the economic ladder.

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Ragnar: as an alternative explanation of the moderate mindset; there do exist those people who have been around long enough to realize that no one, not matter how convinced they are of their own infalliblity, is right all the time. It is they who are willing to listen to those with whom they disagree without having to try to shout them down or assuming that they are somehow evil because they don’t share their own convictions. They are, in a word, the intellegent ones. Unfortunately, they seem to be a dying breed.

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“They don’t resent people who are successful or intelligent. What they resent is those people who believe success or intelligence comes with the right to tell everyone else what to do. ”

Well, in a representative democracy, you elect people who, in one way or another, tell everyone else what to do — whether that means paying more taxes or paying less, funding more social programs or fewer, allowing or disallowing abortion and gay marriage, etc. And as long as that is the way our government is set up, I would rather have successful and intelligent people making those decisions (regardless of political affiliation), as opposed to people who believe in witchcraft and exorcisms. Logic dictates that those who are successful and intelligent in their own lives are more likely to know how to make the government more successful and intelligent. Quite frankly, it would be much easier to take the Tea Party seriously if more of them were fixated on solving the country’s problems as opposed to going on wild goose chases for presidential birth certificates.

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jesus was a lousy tipper

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We do indeed have many confused people. Some don’t seem to know the difference between a democracy and a republic, though, we are in fact a Representative Republic as our Constitution clearly declares: Every state shall have a “Republican form of government”. Left, middle, right or anything in between, while every individual has at least some core beliefs or principles for use as their guidance, only those with the smallest of minds overruled by the largest of possible egos dismiss the all important fact of the vast gray areas in life that can’t always be fit tiddly into black or white, wrong or right.

The Tea Party is simply a movement at the moment. No one single group or group of individuals form a leadership base for the entirety. Local movement members are thus on their own so to speak as to who they choose to back as a candidate. People like Palin, Bachmann or Dick Army speak largely for themselves many times and not for all who are within the Tea party movement when they venture off beyond common themes that are consistent throughout the movement per se’. The demand for smaller, howbeit, a more efficient effective government isn’t anything new and it certainly isn’t a patent pending product of the “Liberal”-tarians. A good number of people in this country are beginning to realize just have far the two present political parties in power have moved us and the country beyond and away from the bounds of our Constitution.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and the rest could see what has become of their grand experiment, the new order of the ages?

They would definitely join in the Tea Party at the very least. Most likely they would be pushing for a Constitutional convention to be held before they declared another revolution. No way they could accept the size, scope and spending of our current government. Franklin would no doubt rephrase his remarks respectively: We gave them a Republic and they have lost it.

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It is rare to see a more self-serving and stupid commentary on moderates than above by the guy who takes his name from the most over-rated “novel” of the 20th century.

Here’s a good example of a moderate: Say some kids are playing football and two kids get into an argument about something. Arguments happen all the time and get worked out. But these two kids are immoderate and both go home crying because they aren’t willing to work through their differences.

The rest of the kids, who can somehow manage to work through their differences, continue playing football, while the two crybabies stand on their “principles” and go home and mope.

Some people have pragmatically arrived at some conclusions (smarter people generally don’t hold too dearly to their conclusions knowing evidence may emerge that modifies those conclusions) and keep an open mind to new ideas or modifications to old ideas.

Ragnar should join the flat-earthers. Now there are some people who have the courage of their convictions, boy.

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Mr_B:: it wouldn’t hurt if the 1 or 2% of the population footed a tiny fraction more of the burden
————————

35% in federal taxes alone isn’t enough for you?

Greedy POS.

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Mr. Smith : You seem, as are many on the right end of the political spectrum, confused by the term “republic”
“a government having a chief of state who is not a monarch and who in modern times is usually a president(2). (2)a political unit (as a nation) having such a form of governmentb (1). b (1)a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law.” Nothing in that definition excludes the imput of the people, and here in the US we have a historic tradition of extending that imput to more and more of our residents.
The three founders you name would no doubt marvel at the thing they created, but I seriously doubt that they would begin tearing it down. I also believe that they would be able to engage in civil discourse with those with whom they disagree; a trait which we seem to have lost in this era.

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@ Barry: “Greedy POS.”
Indeed, they do seem to be, don’t they?

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Mr_B: No it isn’t, when they make 95% of the money.
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So you’re greedy AND uninformed?

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When someone (that would be you) demonstrates a lack of factual knowledge, it isn’t “name-calling” to say they are uninformed.

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The other kid bring in a croaker sack which he proceeds to load up with most of the shop contents. He goes to the counter and pitches a fit cause the shopowner won’t let him leave for the same crummy half a buck.
Pick the greedy kid.

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If I’m uninformed, prove it. Don’t claim I’m greedy or a POS just because I don’t kiss the asses of hedge fund managers and investment bankers.

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Mr_B
November 20th, 2010
6:23 am

they [the top 1 or 2%] make 95% of the money.
——————–

The top 5% (note that this is more than just the top 2%) only earns 34% of the money.

http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/250.html

Oopsies!

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You think there’s only been one bailout? You probably shouldn’t be calling folks ignorant. Your Idiot Messiah has signed off on a few of his own, and he voted for TARP as a Senator.

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duck, did your teacher fix your CRCT paper for you?

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What else is there to assume when your derogatory moniker only references our president, who did indeed, along with most republicans, vote for the bailout, which was pushed by the Bush administration and signed by Bush?

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Barry, let me guess: You are a smallish man that talks big and throws names around in order to compensate for your insecurity. That a black man with the intelligence and composure of Obama has risen to the top of the political heap, your world view is so compromised that you must denounce him as illegitimate in order to continue to function. So you eagerly join those who gladly use you to further their political goals.

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“Well, there’s the GM and Chrysler bailouts”

So you don’t think the US government should take actions that encourage the survival of some of the major remaining industries in America?

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“Failed stimulus” really?

In this paper, we use the Moody’s Analytics model of the U.S. economy—adjusted to accommodate some recent financial-market policies—to simulate the macroeconomic effects of the government’s total policy response. We find that its effects on real GDP, jobs, and inflation are huge, and probably averted what could have been called Great Depression 2.0. For example, we estimate that, without the government’s response, GDP in 2010 would be about 11.5% lower, payroll employment would be less by some 8½ million jobs, and the nation would now be experiencing deflation.

Source Binder and Zandi; From that left-wing Socialist outfits Moody’s.

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Mr_B, remember when the administration promised that the $800 billion they were borrowing from China would keep the unemployment rate below 8%?

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Mr_B, if these models are so accurate, why can’t they be used to avoid financial and economic meltdowns in the first place?

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“What other forms of corporate welfare do you support?”

Is it welfare if it’s a loan and the taxpayers stand to make a profit if the bailout succeeds, saving American industry and jobs?

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CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG ???

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No; Barry I don’t. I do remember a projection prior to the Jan. 2009, based on the economic data provided by the previous administration, an no doubt based on their best estimates. (No, bad numbers aren’t Bush’s fault; got that on eout of the way.) That the estimates were off is not O’bama’s doing either. What would you rather have, no borrowing and a rate of 25%?
I don’t believe that the POTUS has all the answers, nor will he always be right. But I know for sure what we were doing wasn’t working.

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Kyle,
Let me tell you what will eventually happen. If the Obamas attend the royal wedding, on group of right wing nuts will claim that they are exploiting the privileges of office. If they don’t go, the other wing of the right wing group of nuts (Gingrich) will claim that they are anti-colonial British haters.
My real hope is that Kate will continue to take her birth control pills and we won’t have to worry about this sad group of welfare recipients anymore.

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Kyle, a well considered and well written column.

And with these sentences, You see it in many areas of American life: in anger at fat-cat CEOs and Wall Street bailouts, in frustration at the mainstream media and its biases, in contempt for Hollywood liberals as well as organized religion. and The mantra of the independent voters pushing the pendulum back and forth seems to be: We can’t trust either party past the next election. you are becoming the very antithesis of the sloganeering, substance-free, hyper-partisan purveyors of claptrap that predominate this forum.

Kudos, and keep up the good work…

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Actually, I believe the Tea Party people are opposed to people who can think, spell and speak correctly, that is what they refer to as “elitism.”

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Mitzymy

Here’s How I see it.

Tea Party=Sarah Palin=deer in the headlights

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Obama’s Democrats in disarray over expiring tax cuts

(Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s fellow Democrats in the U.S. Congress, many upset with him for election losses, are in disarray over what to do about tax cuts for millions of Americans that are set to expire on December 31.

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Lil’ Barry Bailout

I am going to watch with pleasure the next two years of Republican Tea Party politics. Their empty-headed shallow-minded ideology will shine forth for all to see and Obama will win an easy re-election. Listening to you and others sputter about it will be even better.

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I’m struck that you don’t address the common accusation that the tea party movement represents some sort of upsurge of racism brought on by the first black president. Which gets many on the left riled up, but not me so much. To me, even if there’s something proto-tribal about tea party anger, the point is not to condemn but rather to find the genuine seeds of discontent – which is in the economic sphere, not racial – and see how these experiences can be marshaled towards emancipatory ends.

As to the race issue, I’ve frankly always thought that one of the most infuriating things to the right about the presidency of the Barack Obama was not so much his policy, but the fact that since the Democrats got there first with a black president it robbed the right the chance to outdo them, to steal their fire and deal them a blow by forcing them to honor the first black president as a conservative. In other words, it would be the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings on steroids. Had the right beaten the Democrats to it, they could have forced the left to swallow 4 years of an African American as president, who would have been subject to endless accusations of “Uncle Tom”, that would have been a huge coup for them.

It’s some of these types of missed opportunities that most deeply infuriate the right and in my view this accounts in no small measure in the rise of the TP.

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the mehlman rings twice … ” shadow banking system and a loosened regulatory environment ”

Two very good reasons for reinventing capital, stripping it from the hands of the financiers, and making it pay out dividends to workers and ordinary citizens.

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Well, Kyle, across the pond, it’s the pomp and circumstance surrounding royalty that so easily impresses.

Here in the states, it’s the pumping of circumstances that’ll carry the day with the left’s “slip nots”….the mistaken belief that living vicariously thru is all that’s needed to put them on a level playing field with the elite.

Unfortunately for them, leftist fools are a hardy bunch.

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Criticize all you want about Sarah Palin, Barbara Bush, but at least her son showed up for his military service.

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Kyle,
Allow me to rearrange one of your paragraphs from above. The middle doesn’t resent people who are successful or intelligent. What they resent is those people who lived off their parent’s success who believe they are entitled to take shortcuts in life and commit crimes without punishment, and still believe that their birth comes with the right to tell everyone else what to do. The middle believe not only that the “elites” don’t necessarily know what is good for the rest of us but, worse, that they don’t even bother to listen unless a lobbyist is holding a check in their hand.

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I find it ironic that the “anti-elite” faction of the Republican party considers the Andover and ivy league educated grandson of a US Senator and son of a US president to be a “common” man, while considering the (also) ivy league educated son of a single mother, who needed food stamps and welfare, to be an “elite”.

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The American “commoner” wants Jerry Springer Answers to Frontline Questions, and the Tea Party is giving them what they want.

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midtown guy – ever heard of PT 109? Joe Kennedy Jr. – killed in action in WWII, Bobby Kennedy was in the Navy and Ted Kennedy was in the army.

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midtownguy: “As opposed to America’s “kings” (Bush, Kennedy,et) who avoid military service and expect the “last in privilege” to do their fighting for them.”

Not true about the Kennedys actually.

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midtownguy:

And actually, to be completely fair, George Herbert Walker Bush served very honorably

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J Springer@12:20,

You scrofulous poltroon!

The American “commoner” is the heart, soul and backbone of the United States and clearly sick of the double-speak and self-indulgent behavior of the common Democrat and Republican.

Go see the movie “Unstoppable” – that is a depiction of the American commoner and they are people with everyday problems who do extraordinary things. I would much rather sit down to dinner with any of those “common” people than any of the members of the current administration – none of whom have displayed an understanding of this country or the greatness of those who left in our care the grandest nation in the history of the world.

The POTUS and his minions have demonstrated nothing but unlimited ego and total disdain for the American people. As the first lady (lowercase intentional) instructs the nation to tighten their belts and what foods to eat, she has a $450+ afternoon snack of caviar and champagne in a New York hotel. Arrogance thy name is OBAMA!

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L-W,

You have demonstrated no intellectual depth that I have observed, little boy!

A minor virtue, such as military service, is far from enough to redeem Ted Kennedy. Teddy is the classic example of the “aristocratic mindset” that treats manslaughter and rape to be simple little errors by young men in the Kennedy family. Do I need to list all of the examples for you?

Perhaps now you would like to tell me what a great man Teddy’s DC drinking buddy, Chris Dodd, has been?

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You want elite?
How many of you are in the book of an elite DC prostitute? How many of you can make a call and get instant access to diapers and sex?

You want elite?
How about the “I’m a US SENATOR” defense when being busted in an airport bathroom?

You want elite?
How many of you have access to a short skirted Atlanta Gas Light lobbyist?

You want elite?
How many of you have sat down with a Georgia Ports Authority team to discuss future business?

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I see that Lil Barry used the Teahadist’s made up word “refudiate” early in this blog. Clearly we don’t need to worry about elitism, intelligence or education from that corner of the room.

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“If no bids are non-elitist, is there a website to point me to that serves Georgia? One that lists all the no-bid contracts. I am eager to get rich today.”

I think it helps if you have silver hair, a syrupy drawl, a good golf game, and are good at spouting laissez faire rhetoric (with some good states rights oldies but goodies thrown in for good measure) and can rub some good elbow with the old boy network.

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Man, y’all are a whole bunch of impotent anger, the whole bunch.

Whatchoo guys need is to go outside and go for a run.

But that would just make you angrier cause I can outrun all of you.

Outrun by a girl.

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You must live in an alternative universe as far as the tea party goes, Kyle. Or maybe it is just our local tea party members. They are generally high-school-educated, on Social Security, and all white in our county (Our county is 90%+ white). They want to “cut spending” unless it is on them. They want to “live within our means” unless it means they don’t continue to get what they expect. You see, nothing they get is an “entitlement” according to them.(They ignore that they put in only a fraction of what they with be paid from social security, and use much more of the Medicare than they have paid for.) The women uniformly have little work experience outside the home, but fully expect to draw off their husband’s work history. They rail against the health care program, but fully expect for either Medicare to pay their bills, or they expect the hospital and doctor to charge off their expenses. They expect to go first in voting lines and at the ER. They snidely remark about the “entitlement” mentality as they take tax deductions on their mortgage interest, 401k, and charitable giving to the hatemonger of their choice.

These are the tea partiers in my county. I know them, and I fear them. Their siren song is hard to resist for the near-illiterates that populate this area.

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You don’t presume to speak for them? Then what’s this:

“They would definitely join in the Tea Party at the very least. Most likely they would be pushing for a Constitutional convention to be held before they declared another revolution”

If that’s not speaking for some dead people, I don’t know what is.

I can out run you, too.

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bc

November 20th, 2010
5:05 pm

I doubt every bit of your revisionist opinion that “they” meaning, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and the rest, would – as you boldly suggest – say, “job well done”. They would be sickened by the so-called Progressives from the elite socialist segregationist Woodrow Wilson to the elite apologist Barrack Hussein Obama who sees America as ordinary and common place among the nations of the world. By the way, how many wars did the so-called Progressive a.k.a. LIBERAL DEMWITS get us into saving the world? Ahem…..

Then again they, meaning Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and the rest would not be delighted at the other part of left side – Liberal-tarians – that disavowals the commerce clause meant to regulate a so-called “Free Market” – Et al laissez-faire.

When your opinion at least comes to grips with the reality that only one third of our government is elected by a popular vote – as in a democracy which means “one man, one vote” that results in “a rule by majority” – while the other two thirds of our government is not elected by a popular vote – as in a Represented Republic which protects the rights of minorities that results in “a rule by law” – then maybe your opinion will begin to be about as worthy of reality as mine.

If the founders would be amazed at anything praise worthy today it would be in the fact that their design despite all their own doubts of its success and all else that occurred thereafter which should have destroyed their very well devised plans, remains present in hopes of reform back to the fundamental principles of their envisioned Republic having a weak centralized government as they had established it.

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Aw Kyle,

Can’t we have a litle fun with Kate and Will? Some of us grew up with “Prince Charming” and there was the ever bouffant Barbie and stalwart Ken . Don’t guess you ever had a “moon ring” but now you can get a geuine artificial ring like Kates! Whoopee! (Better than a secret code ring!)

Kate & Will are just our every day escape mode. Have there ever been as many shootings, murders, killer wrecks, home invasions, school cheating etc. etc etc. ? We need to get away from it for a few thoughts into the lovely bliss of imagination.

.I know. You’d rather play golf. Oh well, wonder if the wedding dress will be a bouffant cloud of glorious white and gold and where did I put that ring order? Here comes the bride! LA la lala…You men are soooo stuffy!!

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They won’t be king and queen of England, because there are no such positions. They would become king and queen of the United Kingdom. There has been no king or queen of England since the Act of Union in 1707, which merged the thrones of England and Scotland.

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Bibi’s husband, Ashiq Masih, said that is what happened to his wife in June 2009, after she exchanged words with Muslim women picking fruit in their village over their refusal to drink water she had fetched for them, complaining that the container had been touched by a Christian.

The angry women claimed Bibi had insulted Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, and the local imam denounced her from the pulpit, prompting dozens of Muslims to drag her from her home. She was eventually taken to the local police station and charged with blasphemy, then tried and sentenced to be hanged. -Urinal

Aahhh, the religion of “peace.”

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The tea partyers are extreme right by definition.

And who wrote that definition? The Socialist Liberals?

They were in Republican primarys and ran the most extreme candidates.

How can the independents in the middle be labeled by you or anyone else as extreme right if “They”, as you call and ascribe to them the political middle?

Furthermore, how can a movement which is not a political party national or otherwise that only has a few consistent political themes as issues, fronting supposedly for a national political party platform of a non-existent national political party sanction a candidate? Did they hijack the Republican Party? What a bunch of RINOS! LOL

Ah but not to worry “They”, these loosely non-organized groups of local-yocals mostly from the South pose what real threat, if “They” only represent a mere 35% of voters nationally?

I mean, if you are on the far left of politics looking at those in the political middle of mainstream America I guess “They” really are EXTREME in your mind’s eye and the only EXTREMISM “They” represent is in their populism attempts to move the body of politics back to the political center away from the two elite political fringes of the Left and Right. Thank God this is only happening in the South, it would be frightening to think the DEMWIT DUNKEYS of the elite SOCIALIST LEFT suffered their worst defeat since the ’30s NATIONALLY!

The worst defeats the Left-Wing has suffered happened outside of the South thanks to the independent middle voter that has firmly REJECTED the BIG GUB’MENT SOCIALIST bunk Obama-Pelosi and Reid have sold them.

The TEA PARTY which is not a political party is onto something that just might be the god-send of all reforms. While those who oppose us, relish our few defeats and political missteps take no account of their own losses, we shall surely gain.

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:The TEA PARTY which is not a political party is onto something that just might be the god-send of all reforms.”

Interesting how vociferously you define your position as anti-Left wing, obvious assuming, following Limbaugh and Hannity, etc., that this position is fully aligned with the Democratic party leadership. I believe if you were a little more subtle in your political definitions – and here ’subtlety’ means throwing out the useless Left-Right differentiations and looking at the raw movement of interests, like an underground sewer of the political scene – you might find that there are many people on the so-called “Left” side of the spectrum who share your concerns and might be potential allies in a movement that would in fact truly bring about your anticipated “god-send”.

In short, I don’t think you’re cunning enough – because the Limbaughs and Hannitys and Murdochs and Ailes of the world want to reserve things like that for themselves, they’re greedy that way.

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Left wing management

November 21st, 2010
8:35 am

…following Limbaugh and Hannity, etc. ?

Yes, you are obviously assuming and obviously assume wrong on many fronts!

I still have an open challenge to Mr. Hannity (or any others of like mind) to defend their so-called “Free Market”, based solely on the Constitution. Care to joust at that Mr. Glenn – I’m a Libertarian – Beck? Funny how you guys always talk about getting back to the fundamentals of the Constitution, until it confronts you with the powers granted to the Big Bad Gub’ment the authority to – OMG Mr. Boortz – REGULATE our not so “Free Market”. Ahem…

I think you will find the few potential allies you speak of either in the TEA PARTY movement already or at the very least supportive of it and they are more centrist than left, with the exception of social issues.

And for the record Left wing management, I oppose the Bush tax cuts remaining in place without the justification of offsetting spending cuts. Which of course means reductions in all areas of government and entitlement reform at some very near point will have to take place.

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Good luck with that.

The harangue of their silence to address this Constitutional issue, oh so deafening, is speaking undeniable volumes on their behalf. Under the authority of the Constitution, Congress shall regulate the economy of this country for the general welfare of the citizenry.
How unfortunate Congress delegates to an unelected bureaucracy its awesome powers and irresponsibilities to regulate our economy. Every regulation that is written by the bureaucracy should have to go before the full body of Congress for an up or down vote before it could ever carry the weight of law.

Do you think for a moment what is presently going on with the elite TSA enforcing body groping/body scanning as a regulation would ever have been past into law by Congress?

Now, have we all learned an invaluable lesson as to why we should not allow our Congress to delegate its powers to regulate, create what is in effect law, to a bureaucrat or the bureaucracy?

Time to brew some TEA by testing the Republican mettle that always P-moans Regulations.

Every regulation that is written by the bureaucracy should have to go back before the full body of Congress for an up or down vote before it could ever carry the weight of law.

Now, put up or shut up. Pass the above idea into law or simply cower to the betrayal silence.

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…uglier strain of the American psche ?

The uglier strain of psyche that exist in American society is the one that would divide Americans into such things as Hispanics or Muslims for some special recognitions or privileges awarded, other than those entirely given to the American in identity.

There are no contradictions in human nature, other than the commonly shared nature of all being totally human.

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Corporate welfare? Like farm subsidies? Tobacco subsidies? Sugar beet subsidies?
Yeah, get rid of it all and who is going to donate the big bucks to political races?
Arguements put forth in this paper by Lil Barry are just one more reason I would never,ever, live in the old confederacy, Lincoln made a mistake,should have just let the confederacy leave the Union, the rest of us, not living in an alternative reality would be much better off.

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The Democrats in this state are far too modest to ever accept the honest credit due to them for the change that has taken place. I mean, everything was so well vetted under their 100 years of control.

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What Tea Party…What change?

From about an hour ago, ajc.com….

“As Republican Nathan Deal prepares to take office as Georgia’s next governor he’s relying on a transition team stacked with current and former lobbyists, business leaders and others who could have a financial stake in the decisions of his administration.”

“…stacked with current and former lobbyists,…” Warning to the Tea Party! You are not welcome here in Georgia. Stick with rants about Obama and the Dems. We will crush you.

Look! Over there, a socialist Obama old lady death squad…

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You guys certainly get yourself all tied up in knots over something that has not even happened. Gov. elect Deal has only selected a ADVISORY team to help him make plans. So some were lobbyists? I don’t believe that is illegal. The lobbyists have cut ties with their former employers..

A former lobbyists may be the more well informed on certain subjects than others. That is what Deal wants. Solid information to get him going in the right places. How can you get an experienced business leader without getting one that is in BUSINESS? If they have had business with the state, the state has a lot of business and a lot of interests. I don’t know where you folks (AJC reporters) expect to find specialists with no connections of any kind. Out in a pasture some where??

If Deal is in debt because of financial help to his daughter, that is not crooked either. He still has holdings and has turned all private business over to a Blind Trust.

So hold off on the condemnation until you have something concrete to present. Just because Deal is a Republican is not enough!

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Don’t you just love socialism, Georgia style???

Georgia rate payers are the ones making the investment for the new nuclear power plants.

All the guaranteed profit from the new plants goes to company.

Don’t ya just love free market capitalism?

Good job, “Republicans.”

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Spare me the “semantics”. I don’t know about you, but my paycheck does not list exactly what tasks I performed to merit my salary. Nor, does yours or lobbyists’ or governors ad infinitum.

I’ve read your posts. When did you become so unquestioning of government? Nov. 2, 2010?

The fires in Washington were started by 8 years of Republican rule (preceded by 8 years of Democratic rule – that left a surplus – preceded by blah, blah, blah, ad nauseum)– unfunded wars, tax cuts and increased spending and the Troubled Asset Relief Program signed into law by George W. Bush and supported by a Republican majority Congress.

Liberal? Conservative? Again, semantics. Think for yourself.

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Anyone surprised that Nathan is surrounded by lobbyists? Why should he make new friends? Remember, Georgia, you were warned!

If only Georgia’s debt could be erased so easily!

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catlady: Anyone surprised that Nathan is surrounded by lobbyists?
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Name a politician who isn’t.

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A $7500 tax rebate is small beans.

What about The Energy Policy Act of 2005 that mandates that billions of gallons of ethanol be blended into vehicle fuel each year, guaranteeing demand. This and US corn ethanol subsidies between $5.5 billion and $7.3 billion per year. Producers also benefit from a federal subsidy of 51 cents per gallon, additional state subsidies, and federal crop subsidies that can bring the total to 85 cents per gallon or more. US corn-ethanol producers are also shielded from competition from cheaper Brazilian sugarcane-ethanol by a 54-cent-per-gallon tariff.

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I’m with you, Real Athens…let’s dump that bit of corporate welfare too!

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“The challenge for the newly elected members of our political elite is to make good on their promises — and to go about that in an orderly, sober, well-explained fashion.”

I wish the Republicans saw this as their challenge. Alas, they will continue their political maneuvering to manipulate the public in order to grab power at the expense of our Republic.

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No More Progressives:

I was referring above to George Herbert Walker Bush, who served bravely and honorably.

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Anti-elitism will NEVER become anachronistic. There are no such things as “commoners” and “elites.” There are citizens, period. Plenty of Americans are not gushing over this wedding; in fact, we’re sick of the media trying to ram it down our throats. We had a revolution in 1776 to get rid of this sort of thing. Kate is no better than any other human being on this planet, and worshipping her or even any “celebrity” is not healthy–it makes people live vicariously instead of having their own authentic experiences. The notion of royalty is both medieval and the worst form of welfare supporting a few people who because of their parentage live parasitic lives. Remember: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men (people) are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This statement is a direct rejection of the concept of “high born” and “low born,” a concept that has absolutely no place in the 21st century.

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