On “Tea Parties” and Obama’s “Community Organizing”
The very idea of the growing “tea party” phenomenon must be disconcerting to the myth-makers in the mainstream media and the Obama Administration. According to their narrative, when people are agitating, they’re supposed to be upset about social inequality and corporate greed. The very notion that they’d be protesting the ever-increasing size of the state upsets the worldview of these would-be opinion-makers.
No wonder big media is paying scant attention to the “tea party” protests. So far the Administration seems only to follow the MSM as it’s “increasingly concerned” that “populist backlash against banks and Wall Street, worried that anger at financial institutions could also end up being directed at Congress and the White House and could complicate [the president's] agenda.“ (Italics added.)
End up? End up?
If they’d be following conservative and libertarian blogs and/or paying attention to local media (particularly in the town where I was born), they’d realize that there already is a populist backlash directed against Congress and the White House–and not just for the bailouts of banks and Wall Street. People are upset at the rapid increase in the size of the federal government that the president is proposing.
At the same time, this grassroots rebellion is brewing, we get a real sense of what the president’s “community organizing” really means. As opposed to these tea parties, his is a top-down affair, with his new national outfit, Organizing for America, directing local groups to agitate for his agenda.
It’s even launching a “Pledge Project,” asking Americans to:
- I support President Obama’s bold approach for renewing America’s economy.
- I will ask friends, family, and neighbors to pledge their support for this plan
Over at Best of the Web, James Taranto, who like yours truly, finds this “creepy,” asks his readers for any examples of “a Republican president, say during the past 30 years, asking people to take a similar ‘pledge’.”
I wonder if it’s beginning to dawn on many of Obama’s erstwhile acolytes that the enthusiasm his candidacy generated has less to do with any concrete vision of American than it did with his powerful presence. It was more about a man than his ideas.
The media was fascinated by a movement built around a man, yet seems much less interested in a movement, like the American Revolution, built on an idea. I wonder why that is.
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OK, everybody now!
Tomorrow belongs
Tomorrow belongs
Tomorrow belongs to me!
(I can’t hear you in the back!)
Comment by Ashpenaz — March 17, 2009 @ 7:27 pm - March 17, 2009
Don’t tell anyone but I love that song maybe because the blond was so cute! Closest tea party to me will be in Greensboro NC on April 15…location not yet announced but I would assume downtown somewhere.
Comment by Mark — March 17, 2009 @ 7:30 pm - March 17, 2009
I am going to the one here in Orlando this Saturday. Inviting friends over Friday night for a poster making party.
I am trying to figure out how to get Mickey Mouse, Princess Pelosi, Scary Harry and NOBama all on one poster.
Totally going to work the Magic Kingdom angle.
http://www.orlandoteaparty.com/
I think these events are just the beginning. Obama and CONGRESS need to pay attention or 2010 will be a shocker.
Comment by Randy — March 17, 2009 @ 7:48 pm - March 17, 2009
Dan,
I think everyone is underestimating the power of the Tea Party. While the MSM refuses to cover the demonstrations, they grow larger and larger. Thousands in Cin. Ohio, Fifteen thousand in Fullerton CA. These demonstrations are in hundreds of towns and cities. This is not stopping and is not going away. I received an email today, April 15 will be the date for the national Tea Party. An appropriate date.
http://www.taxdayteaparty.com/
So far 150 cities and towns are planning to participate. Please get involved and let President Urkel know that we will not sit quietly while he attempts to hijack our country.
I had the pleasure years ago of attending a lecture by Ayn Rand. When asked what she thought was the greatest strength of the average American, she answered without hesitation: the attitude that “You can’t do that to me!” that so many of us still cherish. She was right. We can fight back.
Comment by John in Dublin, Ca — March 17, 2009 @ 7:48 pm - March 17, 2009
The chosen ones poll numbers are plummeting. The Democrats knew a year ago that the AIG guys were going to get their bonuses. As a matter of fact, one of the head crooks, Chris Dodd actually put in the exemptions for the bonuses to go ahead. Now they, the Treasury Sec and the President are “shocked, shocked” about the AIG bonuses. This gang that couldn’t shoot straight are hysterical. Obamateleprompters poll numbers are plummeting. Lower than most Presidents this early in their terms. This is gettin fun. I can’t wait for a tea party near me soon. Something most Americans, most conservatives can do now to let their disdain for the first socialist President….increase your deductions one of two as soon as you can. It will cause less withholding and overtime if 46% of patriotic Americans do it….we will starve the socialists of their booty.
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — March 17, 2009 @ 8:28 pm - March 17, 2009
I hope the Tea Parties are NOT as great a misread of public sentiment as maybe the last conservative stunt of “An American Carol”… it quietly tanked at the box office within weeks of opening, made nearly 50% of its total gross in opening weekend and has stagnated at about 1/3rd of its total production cost (meaning word of mouth killed it)… not getting close to the break-even point. A true boondoggle for a group of people who generally protest boondoggles and busts… and that was after an incredible media saturation pre-stage that seemed like all engine and no steam… it was gonna fly and educate a new tier of apoliticals into the conservative doctrine by slamming MickeyMoore. But it went nowhere.
Tea Party, with all the funkiness and fun of a partisan political convention, doesn’t seem to be catching on as a viable or worthwhile stunt around here… we’ve done one and the organizers have one scheduled on Tax Filing Day on the steps of the state capitol bldg but the conservatives I know just aren’t enthused… they seem more concerned about who is on the steering committee of the organizing group, picking a theme, restricting who can attend and who will speak for the event than in communicating the message.
Here’s a vid of the earlier Michigan one tied to the Chicago rally.
http://newpatriotrevolution.blogspot.com/2009/03/lansing-tea-party-video.html
Kind of tepid, eh? It’s like they know they’re in the minority and they’re content to stay in the wilderness a bit longer. I wonder if it’s really better to fumble and look like a failure than admit we need more than stunts to blunt the Obama machine? Of course, the real answer was in not allowing Obama into office in the first place… but that’s water under the bridge now.
I’ll be there because the Democrats’ Stimuls bill is probably the biggest waste I’ve seen or will see in my generation. But as a stunt, I think it’s got “lame” written all over it and I can understand if the press, even local press, doesn’t cover it.
Although, you gotta love those shirts!
http://newpatriotrevolution.blogspot.com/2009/03/official-tax-day-tea-party-gear-now.html
Hey Dan, did you guys have jazzy t-shirts?
Comment by Michigan-Matt — March 17, 2009 @ 9:00 pm - March 17, 2009
The Obamateleprompter Administration wants to begin requiring wounded veterans insurance companies to pay for their care. If any monies aren’t forthcoming, the vets will be responsible for the costs. Just like ordinary citizens, these wounded vets will have the worry about which of their treatments are covered by their insurance, and what has to come out of their own pockets. This is OUTRAGEOUS! The people who professed to be for the troops but hated the war. Lies. They are abandoning our troops when they need the most support. OUTRAGEOUS!
The heads of the Vets organizations are dumbstruck at the callousness.
I’m not. An administration full of crooks, creeps, tax cheats, and now an administration that throws away wounded vets like they are so much used up trash. OUTRAGEOUS!
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — March 17, 2009 @ 10:26 pm - March 17, 2009
Time to invite some vets to the tea parties…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090316/pl_usnw/the_american_legion_strongly_opposed_to_president_s_plan_to_charge_wounded_heroes_for_treatment
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — March 17, 2009 @ 10:30 pm - March 17, 2009
Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!!!!
Meanwhile,
“We Heil (thpppt)! Heil (thpppt)! Heil (thpppt)! Right in the Führer’s face!“
Comment by ThatGayConservative — March 17, 2009 @ 11:32 pm - March 17, 2009
Didn’t you see the video, before the election, of the large group of black school kids marching for Obama, all organized, military style? Proving that, given enough money, schools CAN teach the children.
Comment by polly — March 18, 2009 @ 1:33 am - March 18, 2009
During the election, I was approached and asked to “pledge” my vote for Obama by signing a card. Sent a chill down my spine then, and this nonsense does too.
Comment by John F in Indy — March 18, 2009 @ 9:16 am - March 18, 2009
Sounds like the civil-version of the Fuhrer Oath;
“…I swear: I will be faithful and obedient to Adolf Hitler, Führer of the German Reich and people,
to observe the law, and to conscientiously fulfil my official duties, so help me God.”
Fortunatley, clear-thinking people in red and purple America and in our Armed Forces are immunized against this sort of contagion…
Comment by Ted B. (Charging Rhino) — March 18, 2009 @ 1:13 pm - March 18, 2009
Perhaps the MSM thinks the tea parties are silly and a waste of what little time and space the media have to cover a wide variety of news.
In the mid 1700s the issue was British taxation of the colonies without colonists’ representation in the British government. There’s no comparable situation today!
The last time I checked every American citizens 18 years and older could vote in elections for President, U. S. Senators, U. S. House members, governors, state legislators, mayor, city council members, school board members, noxious weed board members, etc., etc., etc.
And you people are really scraping the bottom of the barrel to be arguing over pledges and pledge cards, etc. They’re just PR gimmicks to let people feel they’re part of something, to encourage people to focus on how they feel about issues and candidates, to build an organization’s data base of supporters.
If someone decides later to disagree with part of the Obama agenda — as I do, by the way — no thought cop shows up at the door to drag him off to a re-programming camp.
Comment by Lee — March 18, 2009 @ 2:26 pm - March 18, 2009
#13 – “Perhaps the MSM thinks the tea parties are silly and a waste of what little time and space the media have to cover a wide variety of news.”
Oh, you mean like instead covering REALLY IMPORTANT things like the Bristol Palin breakup (ABC), St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland (CBS), the Pope’s visit to Africa (CNN) and how Michelle Obama’s social secretary is doing such a great job (NBC)?
Please. You are either ignorant or a mind-numbed Dhimmicrat agit-prop useful idiot like a lot of other libtards on this blog.
“They’re just PR gimmicks to let people feel they’re part of something, to encourage people to focus on how they feel about issues and candidates, to build an organization’s data base of supporters.”
In other words, just like the Obama campaign. Got it.
“If someone decides later to disagree with part of the Obama agenda — as I do, by the way — no thought cop shows up at the door to drag him off to a re-programming camp.”
Not yet. But we’re getting there. Consider if you will the “Pledge Project Canvass” campaign in which Dear Leader is asking all good little Obamabots to “build your community’s support for President Obama’s approach to renewing and rebuilding America by knocking on doors and asking your neighbors to get involved” so that “we’ll make President Obama’s economic plan a reality.”
If you don’t believe me, here it is verbatim on his site:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/pledgeprojectcanvass/
So, we should all try to convince our neighbors that Obama is right? Kind of the same way the SA tried to convince all Germans that Hitler was right? And remember what happened when people crossed the Nazis? Yep – a knock on the door and away you were taken.
Checkmate.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 18, 2009 @ 2:43 pm - March 18, 2009
#11 – John in Indy, if any Obamabot came to my door uninvited and tried to coerce me into signing any kind of “pledge,” the next thing they would experience would be a buckshot enema.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 18, 2009 @ 2:45 pm - March 18, 2009
As Patterico pointed out on his blog, the LA media gave prominent coverage to two dozen teachers protesting wage cuts and a half dozen protesters at the Israeli consulate but ignored 15,000 anti-tax demonstrators.
But, hey, can’t expect a leftist not to defend his media.
Comment by V the K — March 18, 2009 @ 6:36 pm - March 18, 2009
I actually recall when I used to have the LA Times delivered a report on a protest where the number of demonstrators was in the single digits.
Comment by GayPatriotWest — March 18, 2009 @ 6:44 pm - March 18, 2009
let me sum it up for ya: irrelevance.
Comment by bob (aka boob) — March 18, 2009 @ 10:15 pm - March 18, 2009
There weren’t that many pro-Palestinians in their parades down here in Florida, but they were in the news.
Saw a story on BayNews9 (local CNN affiliate) tonight that a kid has been banned from his schoolbus for farting.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — March 19, 2009 @ 1:45 am - March 19, 2009
bob,
No need to sum yourself up for us, we know you’re irrelevant.
Has anyone else seen the report about the Missouri governemnt putting the protesters on their ‘watch list’ over at hotair?
There is a great deal of anger and resentment being tapped. I know that I see it here in (light purple) Ohio, and watching the house and senate democrats backpeddle is disgusting. From “Wow, I guess I did put that ammendment in there” Dodd to “We get Deatph tphreats all the time swo what’s the big deal?” Frank, disgusting
Comment by The Livewire — March 19, 2009 @ 6:59 am - March 19, 2009
Does “Peter H.” ever respond to people with whom he disagrees without name-calling?
Intelligent, mature and educated people can argue (and perhaps even win an argument) without relying on petty, childish and (sometimes) hateful name-calling.
Comment by Lee — March 19, 2009 @ 1:35 pm - March 19, 2009
#21 – To answer your question, Lee – yes, on occasion. But if they post something so asinine as to make me question their IQ or their sanity, then they deserve to be called out.
Which is why, dearie, I said you were either ignorant or a mind-numbed Dhimmicrat agit-prop useful idiot like a lot of other libtards on this blog. Which is it?
Regards,
Peter H.
PS – Don’t try that “petty childish name-calling” argument with me, sweetie. That’s the boilerplate argument your side of the aisle comes up with when they are defeated by the use of facts and logic. Try again.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 19, 2009 @ 3:27 pm - March 19, 2009
Do liberal douchebags ever come to GP without idiotic KOShole lying points and bumpersticker slogans? Nope.
MoveOn, Moron.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — March 20, 2009 @ 6:27 am - March 20, 2009
Leaving out the gay marriage debate, do leftists ever say anything at any time anywhere that isn’t 100% false?
Comment by Attmay — March 20, 2009 @ 9:34 am - March 20, 2009
#24 – “Leaving out the gay marriage debate, do leftists ever say anything at any time anywhere that isn’t 100% false?”
Nope. And sorry to say Attmay, that in the gay marriage debate it is apparent that libs lie at least 50% of the time.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 20, 2009 @ 12:05 pm - March 20, 2009