I am probably going to open a whole new can worms here. I might regret opening later, but some of the topics being discussed really got me thinking about things. One of the things said that really kind of got me going on this was:

Pattygreen: Christians (usually conservative republicans) for the most part try to live moral, virtuous, nonsinful lives.

I am not a Christian and I live a moral, virtuous, and for the most part nonsinful life. I know several people who live the same, and are not Christian, and have conservative beliefs.

Cleo's Mom: First of all, "conservative republican" is redundant, because they are all conservative. I don't think there are any moderate republicans left particularly among those elected to office.

However, I just wonder if it is MORAL to mislead or outright lie, because listen to what these conservative republicans have said:

Dana Perino said on Fox: We did not have a domestic attack during bush's administration.

A month later Mary Matalin said: bush inherited 9/11 from Clinton.

Yesterday, Rudy Giuliani said that we never had a domestic attack under bush but we had one under Obama.

Now, I ask you - do these people think the American public is really that stupid? Apparently. Those on the right just make things up and keep repeating it. And when they repeat it often enough eventually some people begin to believe it.

They reduce things to some emotional, hate filled sound bite: death panels, obamacare, socialism, hitler, nazi.

This is because they are unable to engage in meaningful, intelligent, fact-based discussions. Maybe they don't want to do that because they don't have the facts on their side.

First I am a moderate Republican. I do tend to lean a little more to the right, but on some issues I lean to the left. Some things I can lean pretty right, and others I lean pretty far left. It really depends on the issue. I'd like to think that would make me moderate. I know many people who are moderate Republicans also. So we are still out there. There are some politicians who are still moderate also.

Second just because you are a Republican does not mean that you can not have a intelligent, meaningful, fact-based conversation. That is like saying liberals have their heads in clouds and live in fantasy nerf world filled with rainbows and butterflies.

Both sides sling mud back and forth. Both sides have their hate filled idiots. Both sides have their good and bad points. Both sides LIE, LIE, and LIE some more.

I get so sick and tired of hearing about how the Republicans have screwed everything up...I mean really they did it all alone.....no help from the left at all???

I personally feel that if you lean too far left or right you can't have a very grip on reality, and when our politicans lean too far left or right it's not good for our country either way. I hope someday too see more moderate politicans in office.

You know Cleo's I've been so frustrated by the whole tea party b.s. I've not even stopped to consider why they were doing it because I assumed they were just ignorant. But you are absolutely correct. It makes total sense. They think they are covering the bases of abortion, guns and homosexuality and rather than owning up to that, they're calling it an aversion to big government and taxes. And its meshing well with the Republican politicoes.

I do know that the extreme right wings' first and foremost agenda is to make abortion illegal again. They're also fervent gun toters and do not approve of gays, especially out of the closet gays. Thanks for waking me up a little. I've been in the fog of shock over their behavior. I also know that in many cases they are appalled that we have a president who can be considered black. So all of these things have them so riled up, they're quick to embrace those things that sound more politically correct instead of being shouted down for the ugly discriminatory beliefs that they harbor.

And being further hypocritical is the fact that the tea partiers say they don't align with any political party while their offices are often in GOP headaquarters. Right! :wink2:

These are the people who needed an outlet to vent their anger that Obama won and their guy lost. They found that outlet with the stimulus and then the healthcare debate. That seemed like a legitimate outlet for their anger.

They want Obama to fail. They want their ultra right wing extremist candidates to win and they want to undo all the cultural progress and social safety nets we have gained. And to do all this they use catch phrases that have no basis in reality - like: taxed enough already, taking our freedoms away :laugh:, socialism, nazi, communism, etc...

Let's take a look at who the tea partiers are:

Posted by Tana Ganeva at 2:22 pm

February 17, 2010

REPLIES: 44

Shocking: Tea Partiers Mostly Rich, White, Christian Guys

Much like all the founding fathers and most of the Republican party, a whole lot of the Tea Partiers are rich, white, Christian men. According to a new CNN poll (via TPM), a majority of respondents who had donated to a Tea Party group or participated in a Tea Party event were male, white, and identified as Protestant/Other Christian groups.

Also, most went to college. 40 percent are college grads, compared to just 28 percent of total poll respondents, and 34 percent have some college. They make a ton more money than the other people interviewed for the study: 34 percent make over $75,000, while 32 make between $50,000 and $75,000. That’s way more than half pulling in over $50,000. So real, genuine Americans seem to be doing pretty well for themselves

None of this should be especially surprising. Most poor people scraping by in terrible, lowpaying jobs — or with no jobs — probably don’t have the time to don three-cornered hats and scream about communism.

But there has been an MSM tendency to trumpet the movement as an eruption of populist rage by those crushed in the financial crisis. “Populism” liberals just don’t grasp, of course, because they’re all elitist and stuff. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to reconsider our use of the word “elite” so it at least slightly correlates with things like money and privilage.

Some other surprises (column one is Tea Partiers, column two is all respondents):

The Coffee Party Movement (from dailykos)

Coffee Party Movement now at 28,000

Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 06:30:25 AM PST

In just a few weeks, the movement to counter the Tea Party Movement has grown from an idea of a few progressive friends sitting around talking to 28,000 members and chapters in major cities across the country.

If you haven't heard about the Coffee Party Movement, its premise is that government is not the enemy of the people, but rather the collective will of the people, and that our elected representatives should serve us and not lobbyists.

Here's the link to the Facebook page that started it all.

http://www.facebook.com/...

What I find fascinating is that I have friends from all over the political spectrum and one by one they're finding the Coffee Party--and joining the Coffee Party Movment--on Facebook.

Some of this movement's founding principles is that they demand civility and reason in all public discourse.

Think about it --if reason prevailed, how much wingnuttery would end?

For too long, those with deep pockets have used their resources to say that government is bad.

Why do they think that governement is bad?

1. They're greedy and it takes their taxes.
   

1. They're greedy and government makes them honor their civic responsibilities, such as to not pollute, to respect and employ diverse people.
   

1. They're greedy and government makes them not offshore all business operations to countries that exploit their populations.
   

1. They're greedy and they don't want to fund parks, schools, trains, etc.
   

Institutions aren't just greedy about money. Religous zealots are greedy for power and suppressing those that are different from them, and they have joined forces with the private sector to exploit the average Joe.

Unfortunately, the very people that government is poised to help the most have been convinced via the greed barons of industry and religion that government is bad, inept and interferes with their lives. And government is poised to take one of the two nickels out of their pockets and give it to someone worse off than them. Most people don't realize that 95% of people actually got a tax cut under Obama.

The Coffee Party movement in less than a month has five times the supporters of Organizing for America--the relic of the Obama '08 campaign that Plouffe never got off the ground because he was writing/promoting his book.

I don't think Tim Kaine is going to save us in '10, but I think the Coffee Party Movement can. What if this movement had existed in August when the town hall shouters were all the rage? (pun intended)

Supposedly, there are 110,000 Tea Party supporters in the assorted chapters across the country. If we can get to 28,000 in less than a month, where will be by November?

Also, the Coffee Party Movement is made up of some of the most creative and inventive people you'll find--not just astro turfers that Dick Armey hires to come scream and disrupt public meetings.

Have you seen the bumper stickers and t-shirt that say,

Tea Parties are for little girls with imaginary friends?

All of this is so true. We must make sure our country doesn't get hijacked by the party of no and go back to the disastrous policies of the republicans. Been there, done that and living today with the consequences.

Their website is: www.coffeepartyusa.com

MISSION: The Coffee Party Movement gives voice to Americans who want to see cooperation in government. We recognize that the federal government is not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges that we face as Americans. As voters and grassroots volunteers, we will support leaders who work toward positive solutions, and hold accountable those who obstruct them.

Edited February 28, 201016 yr by Cleo's Mom

"Think about it -- if reason prevailed, how much wingnuttery would end?"

Love the sentence, love the word.

Here's to the prevailing of reason!

I love the bumper sticker: Tea Parties for for little girls and their imaginary friends.

I love the ideas of the Coffee Party movement.

I love the bumper sticker: Tea Parties for for little girls and their imaginary friends.

I love the ideas of the Coffee Party movement.

Me, too. I've already joined.

Wish we lived in the same town. We could form our own Coffee group. We could be as militant as the tea baggers, doncha think?

Wish we lived in the same town. We could form our own Coffee group. We could be as militant as the tea baggers, doncha think?

I would love that. I belong to several political groups, though. In fact, I have meetings the next 2 days with them and I am bringing up the coffee party movement at both. Maybe we can get something off the ground here. :w00t:

Wish we lived in the same town. We could form our own Coffee group. We could be as militant as the tea baggers, doncha think?

Can I be your token Canuck?

Oh you bet, Devana! It'll be even more impressive with a Canadian contingent.

Cleo's I don't belong to any political groups. I will definitely consider the coffee party group. I'm in Texas and it is almost lethal to speak anything but right wing where I am.

Tonight at the Bridge table, I kidded my partner about writing her bid on the palm of her hand. You could have heard a pin drop. She is the only other person in our 3 table group who is a Democrat. She's as quiet about it as I usually am.

We were thinking of making our own group but we can't seem to find enough people to complete one table, much less three.

Tonight at the Bridge table, I kidded my partner about writing her bid on the palm of her hand. You could have heard a pin drop. She is the only other person in our 3 table group who is a Democrat. She's as quiet about it as I usually am.

We were thinking of making our own group but we can't seem to find enough people to complete one table, much less three.

I heard someone talking about the primary for senate in texas with the governor and kay bailey hutchison and another conservative. And they were saying there were pockets in Texas that were blue and voted for Obama. I can't remember where he said they were but when I think of Texas I think of the swaggering of pseudo cowboy bush (which by the way, he finally admitted last week was something he regretted - his swaggering.)

I quit my card club about 5 years ago. There were a few liberals in it but mostly conservatives. That's not why I quit but I am glad I did because I became more politically active then and it would have become uncomfortable for me to have to listen to some of them.

But I feel your pain. :w00t:

Poor Republicans in Texas. For governor they get to choose between Kay Bailey Hutchison and the gawd-awful Perry. They're duking it out on the airwaves and it is hilarious but sad at the same time.

I am sure there are some blue pockets but they aren't in my 'hood. Sorry you had to give up your card group. I find it good for my brain. But I sure do get tired of hearing some of the women talking Rush Limbaugh bull$hite.

Barack Obama declared that "generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless … when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal … when we ended a war, and secured our nation, and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth." It truly would take a Messiah to fulfil such soaring promises.

God teaches "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (proverbs 11:2)

Remember the Titanic? The great quote was: "Even God can't sink this ship."

A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. Proverbs 11:12