"Another U.S. cargo ship has been attacked by Somali pirates. It's not clear if
the attack was revenge for the killing of three Somali pirates on Saturday or
if this was just another one of those anti-tax day protests."
- Jake Novak
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
TEA PARTIES FOREVER
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/opinion/13krugman.html
This is a column about Republicans -- and I'm not sure I should even be writing
it.
Today's G.O.P. is, after all, very much a minority party. It retains some
limited ability to obstruct the Democrats, but has no ability to make or even
significantly shape policy.
Beyond that, Republicans have become embarrassing to watch. And it doesn't feel
right to make fun of crazy people. Better, perhaps, to focus on the real policy
debates, which are all among Democrats. ...
One way to get a good sense of the current state of the G.O.P., and also to see
how little has really changed, is to look at the "tea parties" that have been
held in a number of places already, and will be held across the country on
Wednesday. These parties -- antitaxation demonstrations that are supposed to
evoke the memory of the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution -- have
been the subject of considerable mockery, and rightly so.
But everything that critics mock about these parties has long been standard
practice within the Republican Party. ...
Last but not least: it turns out that the tea parties don't represent a
spontaneous outpouring of public sentiment. They're AstroTurf (fake grass
roots) events, manufactured by the usual suspects. In particular, a key role is
being played by FreedomWorks, an organization run by Richard Armey, the former
House majority leader, and supported by the usual group of right-wing
billionaires. And the parties are, of course, being promoted heavily by Fox
News.
But that's nothing new, and AstroTurf has worked well for Republicans in the
past. The most notable example was the "spontaneous" riot back in 2000 --
actually orchestrated by G.O.P. strategists -- that shut down the presidential
vote recount in Florida's Miami-Dade County. ...
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"Speak softly and carry a big...." tea bag?!?!?
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Party Crasher
http://cagle.com/working/090415/beeler.jpg
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"A new study suggests that the Democratic Party may be the new majority in the
United States... gosh, if only there was some kind of a vote that could tell us
for sure."
- Jerry Perisho
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"I think you might be confusing tyranny with losing."
- Jon Stewart, "The Daily Show"
We already held a protest/revolution at the voting booth last November... this
Astroturf protest is just sour grapes because they lost.
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Unintended consequences of using the Tea Bag as a symbol of your protest:
TEABAGGING: To have a man insert his scrotum into another person's mouth in
the fashion of a teabag into a mug with an up/down (in/out) motion.
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Teabagging Mouthpieces
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYwuugolPhs
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Q: Why do billionaires support teabagging?
A: It gives them more opportunities to trickle down.
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"Boston Tea Parties were held Wednesday in protest of the bailouts of banks and
car makers and homeowners. Nobody actually threw tea into the water. Nothing
about this economic situation will be improved by creating a race of
hyper-caffeinated fish."
- Argus Hamilton
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Merchandising
http://imgsrv.gocomics.com/dim/?fh=6f6e2b3cce286626dc68d074b5c32d60
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
I'm sure there'll be a commercial deal coming out of this for FOX....
"When protesters executed their civil rights and protested in the spirit of the
Boston Tea Party, what tea did they use? LIPTON! The refreshing tea that
symbolizes what makes our country great!"
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Protesters Poised To Teabag America
http://www.enduringvision.com/news/us_041509.php
On the eve of the American national holiday Tax Day, in which millions of
Americans celebrate their right to pay taxes, a small group of citizens is
planning to protest. The group, called Americans for Teabagging America (ATA),
has planned to object to the holiday by reenacting the Boston Tea Party all
across the nation.
"Instead of throwing tea into the Boston Harbor, however, we will teabag the
politicians in Washington," said George Mater, a leader of the San Jose ATA.
"We the People will say 'open wide', and then we will let them know what we
think by teabagging them."
The original Boston Tea Party protested England's taxing of Americans --
including tea, believed at the time to enlarge one's penis -- without any
representation in government. However, tea is now taxed normally and has
nothing to do with the human wang, and all ATA members are represented by their
elected officials.
"We did elect them, so it's fair in that sense," said Mater uncertainly, "but
it's not fair in the sense that... goddamnit, I don't want to pay my taxes." ...
America's most unbiased news source, Fox News, has applauded the protests as a
way to protect American citizens from Democrats.
"I never pay my taxes," said Rupert Murdoch, CEO of News Corp (News Corp is a
parent company of Fox Broadcasting company, which is a parent company of Fox
News, which is a parent company of The Enduring Vision, which is not yet a
parent company of anything). "In fact, my company doesn't pay taxes either. So
teabagging is a great idea!" ...
"The IRS is like a pickpocket taking money right out of my wallet," [George
Mater] shouted, "except that they're allowed to, because our representative
government gave them that power, and it's upheld by the checks and balances
provided by all three branches!"
"This can't be what the Founding Fathers had in mind," Mater said sadly.
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
C'mon, FOX News, Tell Us What You Really Think!
http://www.dailykostv.com/w/001165/
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"How many nuts could a wingnut suck if a wingnut could suck nuts?"
- TBogg, tbogg.firedoglake.com
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"And a lot of protests today. Thousands of people had these tea parties, during
which they protested higher taxes. But here in L.A., it was called the Green
Herbal Double Decaf Tea Party."
- Jay Leno
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Here Come the Plastic Pitchforks
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123975925509119297.html
Unless it rains today, thousands of average people will stand up across the
land, declare their mad-as-hell-ness. Look for folks to holler for lower estate
taxes and a replacement for Sarbanes-Oxley. They will put on three-cornered
hats, wave "don't tread on me" flags, and imagine that they are channeling the
spirit of Tom Paine as they do their part to ease the troubles of the economy's
winners.
And Fox News, which plans to cover the tea parties, will no doubt hail this
plastic populism as the realest kind of social uprising, a movement that is the
rightful expression of this year's discontents. ...
The conservative movement ... has little patience with traditional populism of
the anti-big-business sort. Looking around on the Web site of the DC. pressure
group FreedomWorks, for example, I came across a denunciation of former
Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's "small-minded populism" written in January 2008
by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, now FreedomWorks's chairman. Mr.
Huckabee's offense was his claim to favor "Main Street, not Wall Street,"
thereby implying, Mr. Armey sputtered, "that the interests of the two are not
in alignment. . . ."
And when Dick Armey suggests that Wall Street is the one that's really down
with the common people, you'd better believe it. The man is plastic populism to
his styrene soul. According to his bio, he was the main author of the "Contract
With America," and his group, FreedomWorks, is one of the chief promoters of
today's tea parties, where a presumably more broad-minded populism will be
rolled out, a version in which Wall Street and Main Street are always in
alignment, and only Pennsylvania Avenue is capable of being out of step. ...
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Tea Party Chants:
"Give Me A Repeal Of The Death Tax - Or Give Me Death!"
"All We Are Saying is Give Wealth a Chance!"
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Newly Frugal Guy!
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/04/15/fiorenewly.DTL
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"Hundreds of Talk Radio tea parties protested taxes across the U.S. on
Wednesday. The protesters appeared to be Republican since everybody wore
Dockers and had straight teeth... Tell ya what, Tea Partyers, those $1.6
TRILLION in tax cuts you've had every year since 2001? If you'll give those
back, like any true Patriot would do, the federal budget would be balanced...
Hey, I can dream can't I?"
- Joe Hickman
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Astroturf outrage at rich people being taxed....
http://media.g4tv.com/images/blog/2007/12/06/633325462873135493.jpg
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
The tax protests which sprouted yesterday around the country were proclaimed to
be "spontaneous" by the talking heads at Fox News.... who "spontaneously" set
up their crews and equipment at just the right spots to broadcast the protests.
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
I Me Mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wXVEwU1aGo
All thru' the day,
I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
All thru' the night,
I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
Now they're frightened of leaving it,
Ev'ryone's weaving it,
Coming on strong all the time,
All thru' the day, I me mine. ...
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Partying On The Right
http://imgsrv.gocomics.com/dim/?fh=11086f3e6de3cd75e484cc1dccac7745
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"Does the lack of any actual tax increases undercut this anti-tax rebellion?"
- Josh Marshall, talkingpointsmemo.com
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"Some Americans did a very dumb thing today. They had tea party protests.
They've been mailing tea bags to Congress to, I guess, express their
dissatisfaction with taxes and government spending because nothing shakes a
politician up like a complimentary bag of tea. 'Hey if you don't straighten up
next year, crumpets, buddy.'"
- Jimmy Kimmel
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Insani-Tea Party
http://imgsrv.gocomics.com/dim/?fh=194b44fb3707d4212f0d50ca0e35149a
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
FIRST THOUGHTS: TEA TIME
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/15/1892475.aspx
On this Tax Day, some Americans are attending so-called "tea party" or "tea
bag" events across the country to protest everything from tax rates and the
federal bailouts, to the young Obama presidency. But let's be clear about one
thing: These tea parties are hardly non-partisan events.
While there's certainly a grassroots component here, these parties have been
co-opted by a major America political party (the RNC's Web site allows for
creating send-a-tea-bag post cards to Dem leaders) and an entire cable news
channel (which has been promoting the events).
The main Web site for the events today, Tax Day Tea Party [dot com], is funded
by conservative groups, and a public records search shows it's registered to a
conservative techie, Allen B. Fuller, who used to be a legislative
correspondent for GOP Sen. Richard Shelby and who touts creating Web sites for
Republican elected officials.
Also reportedly involved in today's protest events are FreedomWorks, a
conservative group founded by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, and
Americans for Prosperity. ...
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Independent, Grassroots Movement....
http://cagle.com/working/090415/siers.jpg
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"The wealthiest 10% pay more than 70% of all federal income taxes."
- B.S.Teabagger III
Just a wild stab in the dark, but doesn't that make you think that the middle
class needs to earn more?
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Revolting Tea Party
http://imgsrv.gocomics.com/dim/?fh=ab9608b163b0bc6f56ae6c94480c21db
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
TEABAGGERS STEAMED; TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT
by Harry Sack
The Teabagging party turned out to be less satisfying for many of the
participants than they had hoped.
"It really left a bad taste in my mouth," said one. "I had hoped there would be
more participation from some of the folks on the left. It was like we had to do
all the work," another added while attempting to remove what appeared to be a
short, black thread caught in his teeth.
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you
teabag them."
- Mo "T" Gandhi
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
I Just Did What You Did
http://imgsrv.gocomics.com/dim/?fh=eb01516007d69aa6f2dad74fd83a10d3
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
>From the One-Liner Miner:
- Conservatives have bitten off more than they can chew, so to speak....
- Teabaggers just makes me swell with pride!
- Personally, I'm waiting for the Tea Party Charity Balls.
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Gee, where were the "teabaggers" for the last eight years?!?
The Grand Old Spending Party
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=3750
President Bush has presided over the largest overall increase in
inflation-adjusted federal spending since Lyndon B. Johnson. Even after
excluding spending on defense and homeland security, Bush is still the
biggest-spending president in 30 years. His 2006 budget doesn't cut enough
spending to change his place in history, either.
Total government spending grew by 33 percent during Bush's first term. The
federal budget as a share of the economy grew from 18.5 percent of GDP on
Clinton's last day in office to 20.3 percent by the end of Bush’s first term.
The Republican Congress has enthusiastically assisted the budget bloat.
Inflation-adjusted spending on the combined budgets of the 101 largest programs
they vowed to eliminate in 1995 has grown by 27 percent. ...
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
The Sky Is Falling!
http://imgsrv.gocomics.com/dim/?fh=e14a0efd979cf5e39fcbf66349f171cd
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Republicans don't mind their children and grandchildren paying for the Bush
deficits, but they don't want them to pay for the Obama deficits.... go figure!
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Phew! For A Moment There....
http://thehill.com/images/stories/weyants/2009/April/cartoon041509.jpg
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
The current Republican mentality:
Socialism is bad.
(unless you live in Alaska and get a kickback from oil money)
Stimulus is bad.
(unless you're a poor southern state and really, really need the money)
Spending is bad.
(unless you're engaged in the proper type of spending which is the looting of
government and the inability to balance a budget which is the Republican
way.... Democrats just give the money to poor, lazy people.)
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Think of it.... all those who support the ideals behind the Tea Parties are
nothing more than cheerleaders for The Dubya Years.
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Hello, Moonbat!
http://www.credoaction.com/comics/2009/04/hello_moonbat.html
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Texas Governor Says Secession Possible
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/16/texas-governor-says-secession-possible/
Texas Gov. Rick Perry isn't ruling out the possibility his state may one day
secede from the nation.
Speaking to an energetic and angry tea party crowd in Austin Wednesday evening,
the Lone Star State governor suggested secession may happen in the future
should the federal government not change its fiscal polices.
"There's a lot of different scenarios," Perry said. "We've got a great union.
There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to
thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come
out of that. But Texas is a very unique place, and we're a pretty independent
lot to boot." ...
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Gettin' Down To Business
http://imgsrv.gocomics.com/dim/?fh=7cf031e9b0fe58ff7d1dcc7cda86b0cb
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
A Short Citizen's Guide to Kooks, Demagogues, and Right-Wingers On Tax Day
http://tinyurl.com/cfykcp
"The man of great wealth owes a particular obligation to the state because he
derives special advantages from the mere existence of government."
- President Theodore Roosevelt
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Thousands of Anti-Tax 'Tea Party' Protesters Turn Out in U.S. Cities
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/15/anti-tax-tea-party-protests-expected/
. . Earlier in the day, poor weather and permit problems threatened crowd
turnouts at protests in Washington, D.C.
One million tea bags delivered to Lafayette Park were reloaded and sent away
because tea party organizers did not have the proper permit, protest organizer
Rebecca Wales told FOX News.
And a D.C. rally scheduled to take place outside the Treasury Department was
cancelled when the U.S. Secret Service prevented protesters from gathering
outside for lacking a proper permit. ...
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
What was that Thomas Paine said about "the summer soldier and the sunshine
patriot"?
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Then And Now....
http://imgsrv.gocomics.com/dim/?fh=32fbe0d07cb48b88c061236883904658
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
Does God hate the GOP?
Gov. Bobby Jindal goes on the air and mocks "volcano monitoring," and short
weeks later a volcano erupts in Alaska.... but no one was hurt because it was
being monitored.
The Great Teabagging of Washington goes limp because of the rain....
(someone should tell them it's okay, it happens to every protest at one time or
another and it's not that big a deal)
=--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--= =--=
The services the Teabaggers plan on giving up so they don't have to pay taxes:
- police, firefighters, ambulance, first responders
- military, other national security personnel
- air traffic controllers, public transit
- build/repair roads, bridges, tunnels, highways
- snow removal/de-icing roads; garbage collection
- public water & sewer systems, food safety
- U.S. Postal Service, FDIC deposit insurance
- public schools, colleges and universities
- Medicare, Social Security, unemployment benefits
Does paying taxes suck? Yeah, it does. But paying for a car sucks, too. Paying
for food sucks. Paying rent sucks. But we do all those things and just take it.
Why is it when we get a better deal from the government -- which has policies
that make all those things cheaper, by the way -- we complain about it?
*****************
A Day in the Life of Joe Republican
http://home.comcast.net/~theyellowdog/joerepublican.htm
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