Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The Grand Old Tea Party

April 15th is not my favorite day of the year. It’s usually a day that I find myself in line at the post office making sure that my mail has an April 15th postmark.

And usually I have lots of company. People who, for one reason or another, wait to file their federal returns at the last minute. But this year, who knows, maybe it’ll be different. Because if you are to believe what you hear over the airwaves and what you read in the news, everyone will be at a tea party.

Or should I say TEA party.

The TEA party in question is being organized by a group of people who call themselves Taxed Enough Already or TEA.

A group that I like to call The Sore Losers Club.

Because nearly everywhere this event is being promoted as a mass gripe session for people who don’t like Barack Obama and his tax and spend Democratic ways.

There is some disagreement whether this is a tea party or a TEA party. If you look here you see it spelled out all lower case and the organizers claim that it’s not a Republican event. Or an anti-Obama gripe session.

Really.

The organizers of the Fort Bend County tea party claim that their event is a bipartisan one. They’re mad at both parties for the bailouts and the stimuli. She says it this way:

“People think this is about President Obama, but it’s not. It is about making a change in government. They’re making bad decisions. These stimulus bills are out of control. I’ve worked hard all my life and no one has given me a handout.”

But when you look here, at the national official TEA party site, you see that TEA is an acronym.

And at that website you see a litany of complaints, none of them directed at the administration that arranged a $750 billion bailout for their friends last fall. A bailout that was paid out apparently with no one watching the door.

Or the windows.

Or the cash register.

Not to mention the fact that it was a Republican congress and a Republican administration that made the whole financial crisis possible.

No if you are to believe the vitriol at that site, all of this is Obama’s fault. And the Democrats.

That and, by the way, we are Taxed Enough Already.

The acronym, you know, makes this event the most poorly timed event of the new millennium.

And why do I say this? Because tomorrow my bi-monthly check arrives from my employer. A check whose net to me will be $13 LARGER because the Obama Administration and the Democratic congress passed a law, a law that the TEA party website apparently resents, that decreased American employees’ federal withholding.

And better yet, the budget, when passed, will contain a sizeable tax cut for me because I, like 95% of all Americans, don’t pull down at least a quarter million a year.

Beautiful. A tax protest on a day when there is uniform enrichment of Americans.

From taxes.

But getting back to the Fort Bend tea party, this is a gathering that has all of the hallmarks of being one for the books. Republicans in Fort Bend County are fanatical by reputation and are given to say and do some really awful things. So despite the soft-peddling of the event being done by its organizers, this event will be as polarized as it can be: an anti-Obama, anti-Democratic Party (aka “The Winners”) rally.

“No taxation without representation.”

Hoo, boy.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Half, once again you speaketh about which you know nothing. The TEA parties have attracted many democrats, independents and republicans as well as others. Yes the gop is trying to co-opt it, just as some dems are, but many in these meetings are very much aware of this and angry about it. The anger is legitimate and directed at both national parties. The only mistake is that they don't seem to understand that it is going on right here and right now in this county and many of our cities. No need to just look at D.C....we've all been sold out to the highest corporate special interest and I wouldn't be surprised to see more of these with a Perry or two (or even a Soros or two) hiding behind the curtain.

You think voters/taxpayers caught in the middle are pissed now. Just wait until they figure out they are being lead like sheeple again.

Reject both parties and end this BS football game.

Anonymous said...

Well, what I'm wondering is where was the outrage when our president never talk to us and ignored our concerns and the country was on remote control? Where was the outrage when our president stubbornly held on to his wrong as two-left shoes convictions and told us that he was being resolute in his decision making because he knew better than we knew for ourselves; and the vice president responded by saying, "So?" when he was told that that their administration was on the wrong side of what the American people wanted. Where was all the outrage on the way to what got us here, to this place? Where was the outrage being exhibited, presently?

Anonymous said...

Half, I love great writing and great thinking. Your blog represents both. Anon in the first post, is obviously, neither, and, certainly not one to worry about. Those who pounce on any opportunity to spew hate are usually insecure about their own shortcomings so don't take it personally, Half.

Joel Bailey said...

The first comment is so true.

There are people who are trying to make this movement political and party-based - but there are plenty of us who don't care what party is in control: We just want our elected leaders to uphold their oath to office and protect the Constitution. I protested and denounced Bush and every other Republican who voted for the bailout (I even went down to my Republican Congressman's office - then protested outside of one of his fundraiser's) - and I'm a Republican precinct chair!

The two party system only serves to confuse the issue and make it seem black and white with the "THEM vs US" mentality. It's time to get back to following the Constitution and restoring individual rights and liberty.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 3 sounds like a demagogue. Too bad you didn't read that first post and are obviously just another partisan hack.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the dems and repugs should join up as one big happy tax-borrow (from China) and spend party. Then they could all sit around a circle XXXX.