Tea Parties Across America

[Estella Vanilla]

So today, April 15th, is tax day. I'm assuming not many of the people here at FFF live on their own so people might not know that. But also something that not many people may know, is that today, more than "750" tea parties were held protesting Obama's Stimulus bill and bailouts.

So I looked up some stuff on this to share with you gaiz:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/us/politics/16taxday.html?hp

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/15/tea.parties/

I think that the government should listen to these masses of people.

However, the left says that this is organized by Republicans only and should be taken with a grain of salt. "Liberal tea party critics aren't buying it. They call the protests "Astroturf," saying they aren't real grassroots events, but are organized by old-fashioned Republican Party bosses."

Okay here, look at some videos I found of the masses of people (these aren't all of today since it's difficult to get videos of it within the same day obviously) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDNytTOGs4M&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBSlfuY8Q5g&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1ch8RDcPlk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxJRB6_zIXc&feature=related

*These are all fox (if you hate fox news just look scroll through the video or just watch the parts where the PEOPLE are talking. Or just look at the numbers of people in the crowd, keep in mind there are hundreds of tea parties going on, not just these few):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-A15g84tVM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yznmWdLZh5k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktijKFURdPg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdPlmj2nVgQ

Just the sheer amount of people involved in this is amazing to me. So what are your opinions? Was this all just a big "organized by old-fashioned Republican Party bosses?" Or do you think that maybe the gross number of people across America have their own agenda? Maybe just maybe, there aren't "750" fox news anchors out there trying to create these tea parties lol.

And please try to back your opinions up. Don't just say, "HAY THAR IT'S A BUNCHA STOOPID REPUBLICANZZZ." Keep in mind, you don't have to be a republican to disagree with how Obama is spending taxpayers money.

Whether you support Obama as a president or not doesn't matter in this thread. It's about your view on the tea parties and what they're protesting about. So please share! :3

 

[CassinoChips]

I really have no opinion on this either way. The people have a right to protest, and it's actually pretty nice to see so many people motivated to peacefully protest and do things (more or less) the right way. It does leave a bad taste in my mouth that it was essentially sponsored and developed by Fox News (You Deride, We Distort), but eh.

I just like the irony of people protesting the government's wasteful spending by purchasing millions of dollars worth of tea to destroy symbolically.

 

[Estella Vanilla]

I really have no opinion on this either way. The people have a right to protest, and it's actually pretty nice to see so many people motivated to peacefully protest and do things (more or less) the right way. It does leave a bad taste in my mouth that it was essentially sponsored and developed by Fox News (You Deride, We Distort), but eh.

I just like the irony of people protesting the government's wasteful spending by purchasing millions of dollars worth of tea to destroy symbolically.

I included links to ones that didn't have Fox anchors covering them. Ones that began BEFORE today. April 15th had several Fox related ones. Considering there were over quote...750...quote. I seriously doubt Fox news was involved in all of them. Only a few were covered by fox..maybeeee....I'll be generous..10?

IMO the money is well spent for this occasion. It's a very tiny price to pay for something so symbolic and powerful.

 

[Rockman X]

I think that the government should listen to these masses of people.

But it won't. When was the last time the government gave a damn about anything the people wanted? Never cared about the countless protests to stop the war in Iraq, won't care about this.

However, the left says that this is organized by Republicans only and should be taken with a grain of salt. "Liberal tea party critics aren't buying it. They call the protests "Astroturf," saying they aren't real grassroots events, but are organized by old-fashioned Republican Party bosses."

Astroturf...? That's the best they could come up with? Sad.

Just the sheer amount of people involved in this is amazing to me. So what are your opinions? Was this all just a big "organized by old-fashioned Republican Party bosses?" Or do you think that maybe the gross number of people across America have their own agenda? Maybe just maybe, there aren't "750" fox news anchors out there trying to create these tea parties lol.

I think people are tired of seeing their tax money being spent so frivolously. Obama is an idiot if he thinks he can actually lower taxes, raising them to exorbitant amounts is the only way the government can even begin to pay off the debt. Unfortunately, these parties are all in vain, and not only that, but kind of stupid. No. Really stupid. Why do I say that?

1. The government doesn't give a shit about protesters and what regular citizens have to say.

2. Too little, too late. Seriously, where were all these protests BEFORE the stimulus was passed? It's entirely pointless to bitch and moan about it now since the money is already being passed out to every CEO and pocketed. Maybe, just maybe, if there had been widespread demonstrations against the stimulus before it was passed, they could have had some effect. But with this timing, it's not going to make a bit of difference.

So whatever. I agree with what they're saying, I don't like how the government throws away all our money. Obama kept blabbering on about the common worker and whatnot while he was campaigning...well what happened to that? Oh that's right, stimulus and the inevitable tax hikes. And aside from trust fund babies, future generations are going to be screwed. Nice protests, but entirely useless by this point in time, the train wreck has already started, it can't be stopped.

It does leave a bad taste in my mouth that it was essentially sponsored and developed by Fox News (You Deride, We Distort), but eh.

So did you just automatically hone into everything with Fox's name on it and go OMG FOX SPONSORED LULZ ALL STAGED or something? You seem to have conveniently ignored that 6 out of those 10 links provided were from sources OTHER than Fox.

 

[Estella Vanilla]

I think people are tired of seeing their tax money being spent so frivolously. Obama is an idiot if he thinks he can actually lower taxes, raising them to exorbitant amounts is the only way the government can even begin to pay off the debt. Unfortunately, these parties are all in vain, and not only that, but kind of stupid. No. Really stupid. Why do I say that?

1. The government doesn't give a shit about protesters and what regular citizens have to say.

2. Too little, too late. Seriously, where were all these protests BEFORE the stimulus was passed? It's entirely pointless to bitch and moan about it now since the money is already being passed out to every CEO and pocketed. Maybe, just maybe, if there had been widespread demonstrations against the stimulus before it was passed, they could have had some effect. But with this timing, it's not going to make a bit of difference.

So whatever. I agree with what they're saying, I don't like how the government throws away all our money. Obama kept blabbering on about the common worker and whatnot while he was campaigning...well what happened to that? Oh that's right, stimulus and the inevitable tax hikes. And aside from trust fund babies, future generations are going to be screwed. Nice protests, but entirely useless by this point in time, the train wreck has already started, it can't be stopped.

Yeah well I'm not sure since the thing was passed over night there could actually be protests at that time... No one even knew what was in the Stimulus bill at the time. No one knew...the congressmen that voted it, the president, none of the reporters/media, none of the American people knew what it was. And the bailouts too, it was all surprising. People voted for change but obviously wasn't the change they were expecting.

Contrary to what you think, I think it's good that people exercised their first amendment today. Nothing will happen with government though, but perhaps more protesting can prevent further spending of money.

 

[Rockman X]

Yeah well I'm not sure since the thing was passed over night there could actually be protests at that time... No one even knew what was in the Stimulus bill at the time. No one knew...the congressmen that voted it, the president, none of the reporters/media, none of the American people knew what it was. And the bailouts too, it was all surprising. People voted for change but obviously wasn't the change they were expecting.

Good point. Plus I guess since Obama scared the shit out of everyone, nobody thought they needed to protest.

Contrary to what you think, I think it's good that people exercised their first amendment today. Nothing will happen with government though, but perhaps more protesting can prevent further spending of money.

No no, it's very good that people hold demonstrations and such. But being the pessimist that I am, I still think it's entirely pointless. Politicians are corrupt and only try to forward their own agendas, they do whatever they want regardless of public opinion. The only way protests could accomplish something is if they were completely massive, like Civil Rights movement massive. Unfortunately, many people are either uninformed or too apathetic to do that.

 

[Estella Vanilla]

Politicians are corrupt and only try to forward their own agendas, they do whatever they want regardless of public opinion. The only way protests could accomplish something is if they were completely massive, like Civil Rights movement massive. Unfortunately, many people are either uninformed or too apathetic to do that.

Well I was watching something on Fox today about it. (There was some Archbishop guy ..giving out some bread and wine...on like 20 different channels @_@ So I flipped to Fox and saw the tea parties)

And like... They were encouraging normal people to run for positions. And some of the people seemed very well educated and other people in the protests just sounded utterly retarded and couldn't formulate proper sentences. But I do believe some random people could run for local positions and do some good.

IMO some politicians are staying in it WAY too long. They need to gtfo. Like the Kennedys. OMG I hate them. There are very few politicians I actually trust have good intentions... I'd trust a random guy on the street over a politician any day. As long as they're not bucktooth larry from down the road in the cardboard box.

 

[Rockman X]

And like... They were encouraging normal people to run for positions. And some of the people seemed very well educated and other people in the protests just sounded utterly retarded and couldn't formulate proper sentences. But I do believe some random people could run for local positions and do some good.

Too bad normal people are put off by that sorta thing. I mean it's kinda discouraging when you see all these giantass campaigns requiring tons of money. It takes alot to get your voice out there and to be heard these days, most people just don't have the time, money or resources for it (or the knowledge of how to even go about doing it).

I think another thing that probably puts off alot of good potential politicians is that they don't wanna be around such corruption. You're basically one lone person amidst a swarm of corrupt politicians, they're going to drown your voice out.

IMO some politicians are staying in it WAY too long. They need to gtfo. Like the Kennedys. OMG I hate them. There are very few politicians I actually trust have good intentions... I'd trust a random guy on the street over a politician any day. As long as they're not bucktooth larry from down the road in the cardboard box.

Totally agree with you there, I hate the Kennedys. They're basically namewhores, they're all terrible politicians and they're milking JFK's legacy for all it's worth.

Not sure about Bucktooth Larry though...ya never know, a person who was formerly homeless might be able to provide some very good insight into certain social matters.

 

[CassinoChips]

So did you just automatically hone into everything with Fox's name on it and go OMG FOX SPONSORED LULZ ALL STAGED or something? You seem to have conveniently ignored that 6 out of those 10 links provided were from sources OTHER than Fox.

When every FNC anchor plugs the events, the channel talks about them non-stop for several days if not weeks, puts some of their biggest personalities at the 4 main events (Sean Hannity in ATL, for example) and throws up a map graphic with the headline "FNC Tea Party Locations" every 5 minutes, it implies ownership and sponsorship.

It may not have been their idea, but without FNC it would not have been half as well known, half as well attended, or half as well publicized.

And I never said they were "staged" because of FNC's involvement. Just that they were sponsored and developed by FNC. The other 6 out of 10 sources didn't call them "CNN Tea Parties" or "NY Times Tea Parties."

 

[Estella Vanilla]

Side Rant:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOrPzVECSjo

This bitch needs to GTFO. She is clearly unprofessional and she's mocking people's beliefs. Yeah and not even letting them speak without jumping down their throat.

@_@ If she was harassing me I'm not sure what I'd do...I'd want to probably punch her in the face... 400 dollars? Can't pay that bitch 400 dollars to stfu. x_x

 

[Ness]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/200...ts-use-tea-parties-platform-frat-house-humor/

I found this story pretty interesting, since we're discussing media coverage of these events and all. I'll also take care to note that I'm keenly aware that the story is from Fox News...and I've not watched the relevant footage MYSELF, so I naturally take the story for what it's worth. But it's fun either way.

Overall, I think the idea of using a protest like this to get government's attention is a good idea, in theory. The very name itself (tea party) is a throwback to one our nation's first political rallies (Boston Tea Party), which had little effect on policy at the time (in fact, Britain was more strict due to the loss), but had a much greater effect in the future by being one of "those events" that led to the American Revolution.

In that way, I hope that these "tea parties", while they may not bear positive results now (and I agree with above posters on this point, I doubt they will), hopefully this will send the message that the general public is actually tired of our tax and economic policies...and something will EVENTUALLY be done about it.