All of the Tea Party hate from the establishment...

[dantian]

At it's core, the Tea Party is a grassroots movement dedicated to holding politicians accountable to the people. The movement's core tenet is tax reform, not social conservatism, despite what the media would have you believe.

You repeatedly use the word term 'grassroots', but that's bullshit. Koch money is what started the Tea Party.

[Dezerte]

Democrats are trying to force America to become more like Britain, as opposed to becoming more like a much better society, such as Japan, Sweden or Switzerland. That's very regressive of them.

I'm not impressed by your Democrats in the US, but the Republicans are downright insane, so I tend to favor the Democrats in the US. And they most certainly are closer to our politics here in Sweden than your Republicans are, that much is certain.

[Templar 331]

It's a fact, they are following in Britain's footsteps.

Assuming that's true, how's that a bad thing?

[Kujako]

Assuming that's true, how's that a bad thing?

Its a bad thing because boiled meat and warm beer is an affront to all that is good in the world!

[Nakura Chambers]

Sure and the parties were at equal fault for the shutdown right?

Yes, they are.

Republicans are responsible for pursuing a rather ridiculous tactic.

Obama and Democrats are guilty of intentionally make the shutdown hurt as much as possible, just to further their political careers.

[sandbenders]

The problem with the tea party is not what they say they stand for but that their candidates are hand picked by massive cooperate interests.

They purport to be a grass-roots movement, but (and a page 1 poster posted links to evidence) the movement is astroturf, not grass roots. The Koch brothers bore the movement, nurtured it, and sponsor it to this day. Under their wing it has become a pro-profit, pro-business, anti-consumer movement. They want less regulation, corporate personhood, and oh- hey- let's balance the budget while we're at it.

In other words, what they say they stand for and what they do are not connected and thus those who vote for them are being conned.

This is the key point for me. My dad sympathizes with them, and I like him. I don't agree with him, but his principles make sense and are internally consistent. The Tea Party movement says they agree with him, but then they take positions that are 180 degrees away from my Dad's principles, while hiding behind the constitution.

[Machismo]

This thread is going places. Let's count the references to tea bagging (Democrat's favorite pasttime based on the number of references to it I see) and have a drink for every time it's used.

I've found that when people use terms that are spouted off ad nauseam, it displays their willful ignorance. Of course, that term was actually initially used, and embraced by the tea party. Other people did not use it to reference them (yes, it was still in use for the other thing) until afterwards. In regards to that insult, they actually did bring it upon themselves. Of course, both parties are very guilty of using this form of rhetoric, it's rooted in partisan talking points. That is something the tea party, and their members/followers are likely more guilty of than almost anyone. When people rant on about things, it becomes very clear where they get their information. For instance, when using the word 'slimdown' instead of 'shutdown,' or 'Usama' Bin Laden, you will instantly know that someone is a Fox News viewer. Incidentally, Fox News' chief Roger Ailes has made it a point with all of his on-air personalities, to use buzzwords in order to get all their followers on the same page.

So, when people use these terms, you know that they are doing the exact same thing that they often condemn others for. It shows that they have been programmed to do so. All of these words were specifically used in order to create a narrative

MSM
Mainstream Media
grassroots
establishment
inside-the-beltway politician

[Masark]

Assuming that's true, how's that a bad thing?

Because the USA should obviously be doing the exact opposite of what the UK does, because wharrgabble American Revolution.

[BlackBoss]

If the Koch Brothers bankroll your activities, then i think its fair to say they aren't "grassroots". Clinton gave Bush a surplus, Bush turned that into a deficit. Not a mention of a tea party. Obama gets deficit and the tea party is formed telling him to stop spending and to cut taxes for the rich.

[Nakura Chambers]

Assuming that's true, how's that a bad thing?

How isn't it a bad thing? A failed great power that is always trying to control it's citizens. Guns are (for all intents and purposes) completely banned. Free speech is regularly stamped out. There is no constitution that protects the rights of British subjects. They have extremely high violent crime rates. They still haven't shaken off the idea that people should be born into privilege and luxury (monarchy/aristocracy). They killed any chance of there being electoral reform for at least a few decades (AV). Extremism is on the rise (both Islamic extremism and the BNP/EDL). Half of their country is on the verge of breaking apart and leaving. They are puppets to bureaucrats in Brussels.

I'm not going to nation-bash them, there are some good things about Britain, but the bad vastly outweighs the good.

[Payday]

This thread is going places. Let's count the references to tea bagging (Democrat's favorite pasttime based on the number of references to it I see) and have a drink for every time it's used.

The daily rate of 'teabagger' slanders from the left is eclipsed only by the 'facists' slanders from the tea party.

[Kellhound]

I'm not impressed by your Democrats in the US, but the Republicans are downright insane, so I tend to favor the Democrats in the US. And they most certainly are closer to our politics here in Sweden than your Republicans are, that much is certain.

Thank god we are not so left as Europe...

[Naxere]

They purport to be a grass-roots movement, but (and a page 1 poster posted links to evidence) the movement is astroturf, not grass roots. The Koch brothers bore the movement, nurtured it, and sponsor it to this day. Under their wing it has become a pro-profit, pro-business, anti-consumer movement. They want less regulation, corporate personhood, and oh- hey- let's balance the budget while we're at it.

Eh, the Koch Brothers are to the Tea Party as George Soros is to Progressives.

[Nakura Chambers]

Thank god we are not so left as Europe...

To be honest, I sometimes wish we were. But only if you're referring to an country that cares about it's citizens and respects their civil liberties, like Switzerland. I'd even be perfectly fine with living in one of the social democratic Nordic countries, as they typically respect the rights of their citizens.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Thank god we are not so left as Europe...

They might be doing something right.

[Pitkanen]

Eh, the Koch Brothers are to the Tea Party as George Soros is to Progressives.

And who is claiming that Progressives are a grass roots organization atm?

[Naxere]

The daily rate of 'teabagger' slanders from the left is eclipsed only by the 'facists' slanders from the tea party.

Really? The only person here I see throwing around the word 'facist' is Rukentuts.

[Masark]

'Usama' Bin Laden

Usama is a valid transliteration of the name (Technically, it should be "Usamah".). People can't agree on how to transliterate the name of the Koran/Quran/Qurʼan, so what makes you think they're going to be agreeing regarding the transliteration of personal names?

[Kellhound]

How isn't it a bad thing? A failed great power that is always trying to control it's citizens. Guns are (for all intents and purposes) completely banned. Free speech is regularly stamped out. There is no constitution that protects the rights of British subjects. They have extremely high violent crime rates. They still haven't shaken off the idea that people should be born into privilege and luxury (monarchy/aristocracy). They killed any chance of there being electoral reform for at least a few decades (AV). Extremism is on the rise (both Islamic extremism and the BNP/EDL). Half of their country is on the verge of breaking apart and leaving. They are puppets to bureaucrats in Brussels.

I'm not going to nation-bash them, there are some good things about Britain, but the bad vastly outweighs the good.

Eh, I think you have overstated things a bit there.

[Anodur]

If anything destroys our economy, it will be ultra-religious Tea Party lunatics masquerading as capitalists. They're collectivists.

And I'm a Republican.