Tea Party The New Civil Rights Movement?

[HeyYou]

The TEA Party had one main element, government spending and getting it under control. Under Clinton and Bush II, Democrats would have embraced that cause. But because it went against current spending put forth by democrats, it was villianized. I had been against government spending since Reagan, so I did latch onto it, and was highly surprised when many of my friends, especially my liberals ones, who had screamed and shouted about spending, attacked the group. Looking back on it, I am no longer surprised, their total devotion to Obama and his policies made it impossible for them to see a larger picture.

Trouble was, initially, the Tea Party didn't have a coherent platform. They appeared to be against ALL forms of government spending, and they liked to target things like medicare, and social security. Two hot-button topics for dems..... of course they would not appreciate their position.

 

My personal opinion..... NONE of the parties give a rats behind about the average american, jobs, or government spending. All they are interested in is winning the next election. If they can do that by pork barrel spending, discrediting the 'other' partie(s), whether their claims are accurate or not..... or lining the right lobbyists pockets, they just don't have a problem with it. Anything that puts more money in THEIR pockets, gets passed. If it doesn't, then they might do something with it.

 

They are just in it for themselves. The rest of us just don't matter. We don't have enough money.

[Mandamus]

TRoaches and Lord Garon: thanks for your posts. What you say is somewhat depressing, though. It doesn't seem to be an effective democratic system, when two parties have such a strong hold on the political scene at the expense of all the others.

 

My country also has a strong 2 party system, especially when it comes to the presidential election, but this is mitigated by the strength of smaller parties that do have influence over the policies of the two main parties. The two main parties often need the support/endorsement of smaller parties for legislative and local elections, and they are forced to compromise and forge alliances. For instance, the mayor of my city (a socialist) was elected with the help of the Green party, which gives some leverage to that smaller party. The conservative party forges alliances with centrist parties (but not with the far right).

 

Maybe the Tea Party and other alternative political movements in the United States could start working at the level of local elections (mayors and local councils) and work their way up from there. National elections should not be their priority, not at first.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Mandamus