Where Have the Tea-baggers Been?
11 August 2009 | By joe-kgmi in UncategorizedThe people taking to the streets to protest “big government” and out-of-control spending are a little late getting into the game. The massive federal budget deficit didn’t just happen when Obama took office, as this article clearly points out. It’s been many years in the making.
A huge reduction in tax receipts, thanks to the tanked economy, is a big factor in the deficit. Also, Bush administration initiatives that have been adopted by Obama (Iraq, Afghanistan, middle class tax cuts, Medicare drug benefits) have for years and continue to push us into the red. Obama’s initiatives, including the stimulus package, account for just 10% of deficit spending.
I know I’ll be lambasted by the right for “blaming it all on Bush” (I know, a two term president who’s now out of office should be free from citicism). But Obama does deserve a knock or two for not confronting the reality of the deficits and how to deal them over the long term.
So my question to the “Tea Partiers” is, what’s taken you so long?
11 August 2009 | Nate M. Said:
If you think for a second that “true conservatives” like myself, blindly agreed with everything G.Bush did while in office, you don’t know diddly. I can honestly say that I dis-agreed with his policies about 40% of the time. Since you brought it up, I think his Medicare prescription drug policy was pulled right out of the democrat big-spending playbook with little foresight to future costs given. His TARP bail-out was wrong and anti-free-market. G.Bush was always far from a true Conservative but given the choices on election day (Gore, Kerry), I always saw him as the better of two evils.
The big difference between G.Bush and B.Obama is that with Obama, we as Americans have been forced to give up several of our freedoms in return for more government regulation. While “WE The People” are being forced to tighten our financial belts, the Obama administration is on a credit card spending spree with my money with total disregard for what “We The People” want. Why just this week, he told us to “shut-up and get out of the way” because “We The People” have voiced our concerns about his health care reform plan with our elected officials. “We The People” have been called “un-American”, “Nazis” and “Mobs” for exercising our most basic right of free speech under the First Amendment!!
What you Liberals don’t seem to understand is that there is NOT, I repeat NOT some right-wing organization behind all the protesting going on especially at these town-hall meetings. These are regular folks like me who are truly concerned about the direction the country has taken in the past 7 months. The interesting thing is that most of the folks you see in these “mobs” have NEVER protested ANYTHING in their lives. This is merely the formerly “Silent Majority” who has been pushed to their limits my this administration and are silent no more!!
18 August 2009 | Peter Said:
The suggestion that we’ve lost more rights under the Obama administration than G. W. Bush is ridiculous. Have you ever heard of the patriot act? What freedoms have you lost? Has Obama begun checking your library records? Has he begun warrant-less phone taps? Sneek and peak searches of your home? Perhaps this patriot act doesn’t fit into your 40%, perhaps you just have different ideas of what rights are.
The policies of the current and past administration have been and continue to be financially reckless, they are unique only in method. America has a tradition of deficit spending, ask Dick Cheney if there’s anything wrong with that. Bush had 3 tax cuts while fighting two wars. He sent me $600 when we were spending billions per month in Iraq, where were the protests then? It is hard for a country of consumers to tighten their belts, that’s why Bush never asked us to even though we were fighting the terror war. If you don’t want to tighten your belt then by all means get a few more credit cards and head to the mall.
It is hard to believe these protests aren’t politically motivated given the same reckless fiscal behavior pursued by the last administration was met with no protest. Traditionally when the U.S. enters a war sacrifice is required from it’s non-military citizens. Did Bush avoid asking citizens to sacrifice financially so he could prevent protests? Reckless spending wasn’t an issue under Bush because neo-cons were too busy defending real affronts on the PERSONAL freedoms of Americans. Imagine if Obama continued Bush’s policy and was also giving broad tax cuts right now! What you don’t seem to understand is that fiscal irresponsibility is not limited by party lines, but your ability to see it is.
24 August 2009 | Nancy Said:
I have just one question for you. Do you really believe the BULL you spill? At least the Republican party is open minded…you on the other hand don’t have one.
25 August 2009 | Peter Said:
Was something I said incorrect? Both sides of the political spectrum have a choir mindlessly spewing their rhetoric. I don’t belong to either, I see you belong to the bible bangers. How is the Republican party open minded? You can’t be referring to social issues. Are you talking about coming up with ideas of how to spend all of our tax money protecting a bunch of frightened, paranoid American citizens?
02 September 2009 | Windy Said:
I haven’t read the blogs for awhile but coming across this one today I have to say I am offended by the slur in the title of this blog post, Joe (”tea-baggers”). I am not a member of the Republican party, never have been, never voted for a Republican (nor a Democrat — both parties are leading us down the road of tyranny at about the same speed, it’s like a relay race, each new administration takes the abuses of the last and adds to them), nor am I a “tea-bagger” (that term is truly offensive and I am ashamed of you, Joe, for using it).
As for freedoms that have been lost, Peter, try exercising any of your unalienable rights without first getting some kind of permission from some layer of government and see how far you get. Unalienable — http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Unalienable+rights
Government has no authority to restrict or revoke or remove or even require a permit and/or fee/tax to exercise these natural rights. I don’t care which party is in power and doing these abuses of Constitutional authority, they are criminals every time they ignore the Constitutional limitations on their actions, they are actually traitors to the Constitution and to their oaths of office when they help pass any law that violates their limited authority. It is time we started treating them as criminals, removing them from office when they take any action or make any vote that violates their oath or the Constitution, and taking them to court (either in lawsuits or, even better, under criminal charges).
The People created the federal government, those elected to office in it and those hired by those office-holders are our EMPLOYEES, we are not their serfs, they are NOT our RULERS. Under our Constitution we have no rulers, we are each sovereign individuals able to make decisions about our own lives without governmental interference as long as we do not harm others or their property. Too bad our public schools don’t bother to really teach kids about our form of government and our unalienable Rights; forgetting/ignoring those details leads us to the condition we have today where unconstitutional laws govern every detail of our daily lives.
12 September 2009 | BarnCat Said:
My turn! Hey Joe!
Ever notice it’s how much “You this and that Liberals” aren’t being as open-minded - enlightened - or intelligent as those who’re getting all in a tizzy over halftruths, and calling you names?
It’s pretty easy to hate on a guy who’s spent trillions of dollars on an unnecessary war costing us countless troops and innumerable points in international credibility, but when Obama comes along with plans and ideas to help the american people then you support him?
HoW cOuLd YoU?!
Liberals, sheesh.
I mean why Can’t Obama be responsible for all the economic turmoil that was induced during Bush’s Righteous Reign? Pish-posh on timing, accountability and the chronological progression of historical events, He’s a Liberal! They’re responsible for EvErYtHiNg!
The opinions spoofed in this blog reply do not necessarily reflect those of the replier, nor those with any amount of common sense. {or C’monnn sense, as in ‘C’mon now, you can’t possibly be serious!’} They represent those of people spending way too much time hating instead of honestly debating. They’re sounding all too much alike. Just thought I’d point that out, even though no points scored, too easy.
You gotta listen to both sides of the issues or you Will Not be in Any way prepared for their counterpoints.