It has been a couple of months now with a slew of new Tea Party Governors and Senators in office and their agenda has become crystal clear - it's all pro-business. You might imagine that pro-business means pro-jobs (it's what they want you to believe) - but you would be very wrong. Pro-business actually translates to anti-worker and anti-consumer. You will notice in all the states where new Tea Party Governors have been seated there have been immediate job cuts - mostly Federal jobs but those are real needed jobs held by real people. Plus, we can't ignore the drastic efforts to stop the employees from having a voice. By putting a stop to union collective bargaining, they open the door to lowering wages, eliminating benefits, and removing any way for a typical employee to bargain against the corporate giants. Corporations will not stop until it is cheaper for them to make products here than over seas. That means they expect us to work for pennies so they can increase their profits. It is very pro-business but also very anti-worker.
The Tea Party will respond that these measures are necessary for businesses to be competitive in this country. They claim those cost savings will be passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices. This is the big lie. Corporations do not have the best interest of the consumer pocketbook in mind when they cut operating costs. Their only motive is profit. Let me repeat - their only motive is profit. Cutting costs increases their profit - it does not increase your savings.
On taxes the Tea Party claims that businesses need to be exempt - again in order to be competitive and provide all those needed jobs. Guess what - they have had giant tax breaks for many years and yet we still have a job shortage. Some of the largest corporations in the country (like GE and Exxon/Mobile) pay no U.S. taxes at all. Clearly those savings are passed on to the consumer in great prices - right. Another grand lie. Gas prices are higher than ever - and GE products are anything but inexpensive. By the way - if you thought that BP would pay for their own disaster you can think again. The gas prices we are paying today are covering those costs. There is no shortage. Gas prices were already on the rise before any of the Middle East uprising.
The Tea Party also believes we need less government oversight on businesses so again - they can be more competitive. What they really mean is that they do not want to be held accountable for the quality of their products, the condition of their work environment, or the protection of the Earth. Fewer regulations will not bring cheaper prices to the people - just more profits for the shareholders.
We need policies in this country that are pro-worker and pro-consumer. We need MORE government regulation to keep our workers and products safe and to protect the environment. The Tea Party has also pointed out quite clearly that we need more unions in this country so the people's voices can be heard next the the voice of the corporations. We cannot allow corporations to run uncontrolled and unregulated. Greed and corruption must not be the norm. Corporations can and do make a profit even while paying taxes, fair wages, and making quality products that are safe for the environment.
My favorite protester sign I saw recently said "Don't Drink The Tea - It's Full Of Crap". I couldn't have said it better.
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Here's something that I found on the internet one day and I kept it because it was so crystal clear about the GOP and their hate machine.
HATE a basic core value of the GOP...
"Fiscal conservative" = We hate government
"Supply side economics" = we hate taxes
"Federal deficits" = we hate our grandchildren
"Patriotism" = we hate the rest of the world
"Financial deregulation" = we hate borrowers
"welfare reform" = we hate poor people
"tort reform" = we hate injured people
"Right to work" laws = we hate unions
"Roe v. Wade" = we hate women
"Protection of Marriage" = we hate gays and lesbians
"2nd Amendment protection" = we hate gun violence victims
"opposition to climate change legislation" = we hate the earth
"opposition to state regulation of air quality" = we hate clean air (and states if they are blue)
They also hate that there is a black man running the country. They hate that the demographics of this country means that the white man is going to be outnumbered in the next decade or so. Life as they know it is going fast. And that scared the living bejesus out of them. That's why we hear about them so much. A stuck pig squeals the loudest.
Have a great week Dennis. I look forward to your comments on Rosie's page and your posts here.
Lisa in Indy
@Lisa,
Your post above is probably the nastiest, most unfair, bigoted, and mean-spirited (not to mention ill-liberal) post I have read on a blog in months.
The great irony is that in your bitter, intolerant jihad against anyone who dares to disagree with you , you seem completely unaware of how "hateful" you yourself sound.
Do you want to see a real life example of mindless, knee-jerk idealogically motivated hate?
Take a look in the mirror.
BTW: Do you REALLY believe that President Obama and Senator Reid hate their grandchildren?
Bizarre.
@andre: Oh boo hoo!
Sometimes, the truth is crystal clear. Every bit of that list is the GOP agenda. Every single point and that's why I saved it. I didn't make it up but it is the truth.
If you took a day or two and read President Obama's books, you would know that he was raised with the same liberal midwest values that I was. But don't do that because you might get cooties from reading now won't ya?
The problem here is that you have your propaganda station (FOX) dissing the administration day-in, day-out with lies and outright distorted facts. Every time I encounter a conservative they spout at least 3 of the points on that list.
I found a friend's FB thread who spouted those distorted facts and lies and I called them out (politely) on it with links to the facts. You know what that middle aged woman did? She deleted the thread because the links didn't support her point of view!
It sickens me up when you conservatives show your hatred of mankind. I know for a fact that you conservatives don't want to help your neighbor or fellow man down on his luck. You've got yours! Don't ya?!
I am very disappointed that Obama is NOT the socialist that your propaganda channel claims he is.
I believe in a Single Payer Health Care systems like Canada and the UK have. They had the sense to create a NON-PROFIT health care system for their fellow citizens because it was the right thing to do.
Only in America can you find a military industrial complex funded with freaking billions of dollars while there are people fund-raising to support a child in the hospital (that was shot by another 15 yr old) so his family doesn't go bankrupt from the medical bills.
The conservatives lie! And if you think the WI Democrats protesting is over, you haven't seen nothing yet. The liberals in this country have woken up from their apathy and sleep and are freaking pissed off with you people. You not only want to remove our rights to bargain for our health care or pay but you want us to be slaves to your corporate robber barons.
And we know exactly what this is about. This is a war against women, minorities and the poor. We see the writing on the wall and we're going to do what the Americans in our history have done for centuries; we're going to stand up and fight you and shut you down. We do have a right to bargain, we do have a right to get abortions and we do have a right feed the poor. When you started the war on policemen, firemen and teachers, gay, disabled and single mothers, you opened a can of whoopass.
You all need to shut up and sit down. Otherwise, you are not human and you have certainly proven, you are not American.
Lisa in Indy
Lisa
You all need to shut up and sit down.
Andre
Ah, such open minded tolerance.
"Celebrate diversity" much?
I guess you never got the memo.
Lisa
Otherwise, you are not human and you have certainly proven, you are not American.
Andre
Silence and de-humanize those that disagree with you; at least you are up front and honest about your Fascist tendencies.
Lisa
...you haven't seen nothing yet.
Andre
Oh, I really hope so! Do me a favor? Please keep shouting and promoting such frothing, unhinged intolerance. The more America sees this true side of the Left, the more likely it is that President Obama will be handed early retirement on 2012 (then he can spend even more time out on the golf-course). Thanks!
@Andre: once again, shoot the messenger. That's what Bullies do. Your party opened a can of whoop ass and we carry too, so don't be surprised when you come to a duel and find that we are armed as well. We usually arm ourselves with facts and words but it seems that the bullies in this country only come packing heat.
See how it feels to aim that shit at us? Well, You've awoken a sleeping giant (in liberals) and we're not going to take it anymore. Your war on the working class in this country is not going to happen. We tried inclusion and you gave us war mongering and bringing your second amendment rights to the table. Your way or the highway. Now tell me, why did you do that?
bwwahaaa...I knew after reading your posts here for a few months or so, I could piss you off. Mission accomplished. I am not afraid of you or your party and I'm sick of you all controlling the message.
See ya
Lisa in Indy
P.S. You made my day. So predictable.
Go Lisa in Indy! :) The sleeping giant has indeed awoke - now if we can just keep them awake!
Over the last few years I have been very careful not to call these Tea Party activists racist. I believe that to be a very strong word that doesn't fit a whole lot of people well. But when these birthers continue to call President Obama a Muslim (not that here is anything wrong with Muslims) when in fact they are the ones that forced him t leave his Christian church, I can't find a better word than racist.
Note - I point this word at the Tea Party extremists and not the GOP in general. I know many fine Republicans who are not racists and with whom I have had interesting civil political disagreements with.
Another agreement with Lisa - I WISH President Obama was the leftists Liberal Fox News makes him out to be too! We see clearly that compromise gets us nowhere with the GOP and they certainly don't compromise with us!
It's these tea partiers that have pissed off the liberal base. (I have two family members). Obama didn't help much with his compromises to them either but when they started the war against the working class, teachers, state workers etc, then they kicked the ones that keep the economy from falling off the cliff. And unfortunately, in this country, that only happens when it affects those people that are hard working and too busy to make their voices heard.
But with so many unemployed through no fault of their own, when you kick them in the teeth like the tea party has done, do you really think a patriotic American is going to sit there and let them? Why HELL NO.
They started this war and by gawd, they went too far. We turned the cheek when they took our jobs away, we turned our cheek when they kept sending our money to the banks and the war mongers, but when they kicked us when we're down, that's when you light the fire in Americans. We fight back.
I've had a good time today. But I have shit to do. I don't have time to play with Andre anymore so I'll have to catch you all later.
Thanks for the support Den. I was afraid that you might not want this debate on your page, but it has been fun! Cheers.
Lisa in Indy
Yeah! Thank you! That's exactly what I was talking about.
I love how you managed to double down on your ugly, hateful rhetoric by implying violence and the use of guns against your political opponents, and then claiming, with absolutely no sense of irony, that I am the "bully". Brilliant.
(There was a lot of talk after the Arizona shootings about the need for a "new tone" and a renewed civility in our public discourse...I guess you missed that memo too, huh?).
Lisa
...your second amendment rights..
Andre
Interesting. I find your use of the qualifier "your" to be very revealing of the Liberal mindset. A Conservative would have referred to "our second amendments rights." But then again, given your selective application of the right to free speech ("shut up and sit down") I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. As the President himself has said, demonstrating the much celebrated "inclusion" that you mentioned, (direct quote)" "The Republicans can come along for the ride if they want, but they have to sit in the back of the bus".
Lisa
I knew after reading your posts here for a few months or so, I could piss you off. Mission accomplished.
Andre
Oh come on. That's small potatoes. You've got to aim higher than that.
You not going to totally alienate the swing voter in this country just by taking infantile pot shots at at a peon like me. You've got to get out in the street, march around while shouting trite slogans,maybe punch out a few Fox reporters, and do millions of dollars of damage to public property (just think Wisconsin).
I'm counting on you, now. Don't let me down.
Very clever, Den. You've found a side kick who makes you look like the very model of moderation and calm, clear headed thinking.
I'm not being sarcastic. You walked back the extreme rhetoric a bit in your last post, and that deserves to be acknowledged.
Lisa
...we turned our cheek when they kept sending our money to the banks and the war mongers.
Andre
"we" = President Obama.
Have you even read a single newspaper in the last two years?
CORRECTION: The correct quote from President Obama ( I was going from memory, but I just re-heard the audio):
"We don't mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they have to sit in the back."
Ha ha ha..sorry. Had too much fun with this today.
y'all have great week.
Lisa in Indy.
Well I'm glad I got a little help here Lisa! Andre has way too much time on his hands. Lisa is directly affected by the new Tea Party extremists (as am I here in Florida), it's our turn to get loud. We will not let the Tea Party turn our great nation into a hostile place to live and work. "We the people" NOT "We the corporations".
To back up my claims; here's a NYT article about the population growth among non-whites.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/us/06census.html?_r=1
Lisa in Indy
I believe this major demographic shift - plus the Internet's way of spreading information combined with the passing of the baby boomers will change the political landscape in the next few years. I think we are headed to a more moderate society. This is what the Tea Party is so afraid of. It can't happen soon enough for me.
What? The demographics in this country are changing? No way!
Congratulations, Lisa. You've managed to provide a link to an article that confirms a completely non-controversial fact, that no one has ever disputed, and which has been old news for years.
(The intellectual firepower of the Left never fails to impress).
I look forward with great anticipation to your forthcoming groundbreaking research, which will conclusively prove that the current President of the United States is in actuality a registered Democrat, and that the sky is blue!
Be careful what you wish for, Dennis. The shrinking white demographic that you are celebrating, happens to be the only ethnic group the majority of which supports both gay marriage and abortion rights. Neither of those issues currently has majority support among any of the growing demographic groups (that could change, of course). Gay Marriage in particular has very little support among African-Americans and Asians (we won't even bother to mention Muslims). It has closer, but still minority, support among Hispanics.
Recent case in point: the Gay Marriage bill that looked to be an easy victory in the very Liberal Delaware legislature, was torpedoed at the last moment due to vocal opposition from the African-American community.
Personally, I'm quite pleased by the rising Hispanic demographic. It tends, overall, to be more socially conservative, family oriented, religious, and pro-military friendly than even the White European demo.
It is true that Hispanics tend to be more likely to vote Democrat than Republican, but that, I hope, will moderate in time as they become more vested in the health and future of the American project. Already, it is beginning to pay pay huge dividends for Conservatives, with the rise of truly impressive young Hispanic leaders such as Mark Rubio (who many are already predicting may very possibly turn out to be our first Hispanic President).
Den
the Internet's way of spreading information combined with the passing of the baby boomers will change the political landscape in the next few years.
Andre
I agree (it already has). But I think it is premature to just assume that it will primarily only benefit the Left.
Consider:
1. Before the "New Media" (internet, cable news, talk radio) the Liberal Left had near total domination of the dissemination of news and opinion. That monopoly on the flow of information has now been broken (which is one reason why the Left is so determined to destroy Fox and Talk Radio). The success of the Tea Party Movement would have been inconceivable without the New Media.
2. The Baby Boom generation is the most Left leaning generation in American history. As they age they tend to move to the Right (as all generations do). Are the following generations as Left leaning as the Baby Boomers? That's debatable. Remember, the Baby Boomers had their political sensibilities formed by the Vietnam War and the tumult of the Sixties. The following Generations are going to be dealing with the huge and historically unprecedented National Debt and all the negative effects that debt will have on their lives.
Big subject. We've just scratched the surface.
Well I certainly didn't say (or mean to imply) that we would all get along and agree in the future. There will always be disagreements. However, I think the enormous division we currently have will diminish with all these elements combined. You are correct that some of these groups do oppose civil equality such as gay marriage, but that is where the Internet is helping in my opinion. Conservatives oppose anything that isn't relevant to them. When people realize that gays (and Muslims, and people that have had abortions) are actually in contact with them every day, they will realize that these are not fringe rebels in society but in fact - society (their own family and friends). We have seen this in the shift in support of gays in the military. For those in the younger generation who grew up with the Internet - it's a non-issue. It's only those older conservatives who cling to the prejudice.
Den
You are one wise dude. I can't comment right now. I'm exhausted from painting all day so I'll check in again in the morning, when I'm bright eyed and bushy tailed. Look out world, here she comes, both barrels cocked and ready to tango. Bwaahaa
Lisa in Indy
Den
Conservatives oppose anything that isn't relevant to them.
Andre
What does that even mean?
Den
When people realize that gays (and Muslims, and people that have had abortions) are actually in contact with them every day...
Andre
When was it that people have not realized this? Certainly not within the last thirty years. Of course, I've never been to Florida,so maybe it's different there, and having grown up in Boston, and then having lived for most of my life in San Francisco and Marin county, my vision may be a little skewed. However, I did live for a few years in Texas (I'm there right now for a week or two, as a matter of fact), and the impression I have gotten is that most people know at least some gay people, and certainly know people who have had abortions (although you are probably correct about Muslims...there is a mosque just a few blocks from where I live in SF, but I haven't noticed any in Texas).
BTW: Over the course of the few years that I lived in San Antonio, I never once saw a pick up truck with a rifle on a rack in the back window, or even more than maybe one or two people wearing cowboy hats.
I was actually a little disappointed that the reality was so different from the stereotype I grew up with in New England...blame it on Hollywood, I suppose.
(Very friendly and polite people, though...and, for what it's worth, a very comfortably out and open gay community).
Speaking of Gay Cowboys (sort of)...back in the 80's there was this really cool gay bar on Valencia street in SF, called Rawhide, and all the guys there would get all decked out in cowboy drag. I mean, they had it down...I don't know where they got this stuff, but it looked like from a Hollywood wardrobe department...and they all looked like movie stars too, lean and chiseled features, young gay Gary Coopers and Clint Eastwood types. I remember walking by there at night and seeing them all hanging out in front on the sidewalk like a group of extras from a John Ford movie, and thinking to myself "Man, these guys really know how to have fun!"
Not all bigots are cured by association. Thankfully some are.
You want to see some gay cowboys? Come on down to Fort Lauderdale this weekend! It's one of the larger Gay Rodeos. How it got down here - in Davie, FL of all places, I'll never know. But yes - they do know how to have fun!
"One" of the larger gay rodeos? You mean there is a gay rodeo circuit?
I had no idea.
I read somewhere once that one little known fact about cowboys (this would be back in the late 19th century, during the original "wild west" Cowboy era)was the high percentage among their ranks of gays and Jews.
Now, the Gay Jewish Rodeo; that would be something to see!
Turning serious again (buzz-killer!), I just stumbled upon this, and my first reaction to it was curiosity about what your reaction to it would be:
http://richardtwaghorne.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/gay-marriage/
My reaction to that is that many gays cling to prejudice at their own detriment. Many live in the closet and chastise those that live open lives. Many gays marry and try to live "normal" lives having children etc. They live lives of deception and often fail in their attempts to not be gay - having risky sex and bringing the possibility of STD's back to the family. It's actually quite common.
This guy seems to feel that marriage is for people raising children - but only straight people. Those of us (straight and gay) that are for gay marriage are really for equality. If civil unions are all that's needed for legal rights - then lets let everyone have a civil union and throw out the word marriage. Equality is so easy Andre. It simply means that what applies to one applies to all. Easy.
I'll chime in.
I believe in civil unions. I think we should change all unions to civil and keep 'marriage' in a church of your choosing. And if my state is any representation, you must have a 'marriage' license in order to get 'married' in a church. And from what the clerk at the city's office told me, once you sign the license, you're officially married at that moment anyway. The ceremony is just another step that really isn't required.
My cousin is gay. He married around the age of 20 and had two children. They divorced a few years later and he lived in the closet until his very racist redneck Alabama father died. He's also HIV positive for many years now. I love him.
My neighbors got married in Iowa last October and invited my husband and I over to celebrate their marriage. They've been together 10 years and nothing they did affected my marriage at all. In fact, in the UK, they've had gay marriage for at least a decade and nothing happened there either.
Again, it's just those bible thumpers that think it's against their laws so everyone on the planet should follow their laws. Why? This country was not founded by the taliban but it appears that the Tea Partiers think so all the while denying they think that way. Hypocrites!
Yes, I'm an atheist.
Lisa in Indy
One small nitpick:
Lisa
...in the UK, they've had gay marriage for at least a decade...
Andre
False. The UK has had "civil partnerships" for same sex couples since 2005, but they are not legally considered marriages. All four countries of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) all currently prohibit marriages between same sex couples, and Church's can not be compelled to host Civil Partnership ceremonies.
One larger nitpick:
Lisa
This country was not founded by the taliban but it appears that the Tea Partiers think so ...
Andre
That's strange, because it "appears" to me that the thinking of the Tea-Partiers reflects quite accurately the true fact of the matter, which is that this country was founded overwhelmingly by Christians.
Although there may have been some agnostics/atheists among the founding generation, they were a tiny minority (the example most often put forward is probably Thomas Pain(technically a Deist, and thus not an atheist), who although a highly influential pamphleteer,was neither a signer of any of the founding documents, nor a delegate to any of the Conventions.
I am not aware of a single prominent Founder who was a Muslim, let alone an advocate of a radically fundamentalist interpretation of Islam such as is embraced by the Taliban.
Lisa
We usually arm ourselves with facts...
Andre
That would be nice. When are you going to start?
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