Tea party activists/organizers Michael Johns and Kellen Guida recently sat down with Katie Couric for a discussion about the tea party movement. It’s a fascinating conversation and one well worth sharing with friends within the movement.
You can follow this link for the full post about the interview.
To Spiking: Based on the mantra of “taxation with representation”, is it safe to say you support statehood for D.C.?
To all: As a Democrat and member of the military, I came to this website to learn about the basic tenants of the Tea Party. Although I support your wish to control spending and to give political power back to the average citizen, it is very hard to embrace this movement as it seems closely aligned to the traditional conserative party. Put another way, unless you consistently disavow the beliefs of BOTH parties and stick to your economic agenda, you will have a hard time, in the mind of the average person, that you are not an off-shoot of the Republican party. This is also evidenced by the movement’s support of only Republican candidates. Without getting too far off the path, I caution the movement from supporting the ex-govenor without properly analyzing what she did (or did not do) while in office for Alaska.
For those bashing the Couric interview, please cite specific examples where she pushed a “liberal” agenda? The takeaway I got was that she allowed them ample time to voice their opinions and views while asking basic questions about the movement as an informative tool to the average viewer. I left the interview with more information about the movement (which will force me to look deeper into by core economic beliefe) but also learned that the Tea Party (by their own admission) leans socially to the right.
Finally, as for her background (Hickville to elitist), I could say the same about Bill O’Reilly who was an Inside Edition “journalist”. What credentials does he possess to become an authority on how I think?
I use critical thinking skills and do my best to understand the perspective and major points of a speaker and then make my own informed decision without relying on some TV ‘journalist’ or “moderator” to tell me what to think.
This is the first and only fair interview I’ve seen regarding the Tea Party movement. The TP members gave the best no-hysterics, well reasoned view of the group I have seen yet and Couric asked the basic needed questions that Americans who are not yet sympathetic a real opportunity to see the sane side of the movement.
To me, the movement needs to continue to the next level by shunning the right wing fanatics like Palin and Fox News as they are no different from the left wingnuts. We need to draft and campaign for a constitutional amendment that states 1) No business entity, PAC or other group (ei Unions, churches etc) may give money to ANY political party, candidate or political entity. Only people-individual human beings- who are citizens of the USA may contribute up to $1000 to a political candidate or party.
2) any politician who takes money, favors or in any way makes money by virtue of his power should be tried for Treason.
A second amendment would read that
1) the US government may not borrow ANY money from a foreign entity of any type.
2) The government may not enter into any future spending of any type without the ability to ensure its payment. If it cannot be paid for within the regular budget, taxes must be levied against all entities, both business and individual people at an equal rate.
At some point, this movement must stand for something tangible. A constitutional amendment would make sure we get something done as a true independent political movement instead of a good idea turned republican tool.
I agree with Mike. I’ve been listening to the news and it seems that everyone is standing behind the Republican party, yet the Republicans had 8 years of control and accomplished nothing. They got us into 2 wars, bailed out the banks with taxpayer dollars without accountability, created Homeland Security which gets nothing done, and didn’t even know we were in a recession until a year later. For those of you wanting Palin for the next president, you better do your homework, she has done nothing for the state of Alaska. You would get more of us common folk if you stop the party line nonsense, focus on getting someone that is neither Republican nor Democrat in office. Also, don’t forget about the local and state governments who are just as corrupt. Use your heads and power, don’t be fooled by the Palin’s of the world.
If the Tea Party could get commitment by candidates that they would never be bought by lobbyist and to always vote for whats best for the American people instead of party lines, it would get more support from us common folks. If you can’t get that, then there just a bunch of Republicans or Democrats who want the status quo. Words like Liberal and Conservative, which translate to most of us as Democrat and Republican, mean more of the same BS we have now.
Katie Curic’s question about the tp’s being against the Elites or smart ppl was an ignorant question. What makes her think the teaparty ppl are not smart ppl… I wonder if she understands how many ppl would like to smack her upside the head for being so ignorant of the History of our Great Country. Note as she ask questions she has issue’s with she cross’s her arms across her chest.
That is called a block to communication.
As in she could care less your response to her question. It must have caused her great grief to sit there without being able to be condensending to her quest.
She has no clue what is brewing out here amongst the American ppl…
Worse yet she has no clue how many ppl are discusted with her phoney elitist mentality. She belongs in hicksvill and does not deserve her position a journalist in our USA! She has turned traitor against the American ppl. and her own Country… That is called Treason! The laim media should be charged and tried for treason right along with Obama and his Radical administration…
I presume that Katie is a Democrat. The standard Democratic knock is that the Tea Party is anti-everything. And that Republicans are the Party of No.
I believe that the Tea Party can work with Democrats. I believe that our overriding principle is taxation WITH representation.
I believe that we can have a positive platform:
1. Do you support taxpayer approval of spending? If not, why not?
2. Do you support instant runoff voting?
3. Do you support public seed money for new candidates?
4. Do you support a 32 hour work week, to spread the work?
Interestingly, Democrats have been supporting public money for new candidates:
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_83/ma_congressional_relations/42688-1.html
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_83/ma_congressional_relations/42701-1.html
Representation, representation, representation. How many Democrats are opposed to that?
Moreso, no tea partier I know would share a room with Couric.
The media has shafted us over the decades and we have no duty to pretend that we must sit down with personalities we care not to - Couric is one we should avoid.
It’s complimentary to them, including to a lot of the public, when we agree to an interview.
Liberals come to this website to scream and disrespect the concept. They who scream loudest surely live with the most fear. Liberalism is on life support and conservatism and constitutionalism is on the rise though common sense dialogue and ideology.
[...] (usnews.com) Local “pink slip parties” planned for Saturday (theday.com) Katie Couric and the Tea Party Movement (taxdayteaparty.com) Palin: Obama State of the Union ‘Lecturing’ vs. [...]
To all Democrats who voted for a Democratic Senator:
Contact them today and tell them only small increases on the debt are acceptable.
Tell them you want a full public hearing on taxpayer approval of spending.
Will Republicans move to humiliate Voinovich?
“Republican Sen. George Voinovich (Ohio), who is retiring at the end of this Congress, provided the 60th vote necessary to move the measure forward over GOP opposition.” http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/78371-democrats-to-raise-debt-limit-to-record-143-trillion
Republicans sneakily allow Voinovich to be the decisive vote against our future. Republicans sneakily make no effort to seat Brown.
If you think Republicans are your friend, you are a fool.
Lovenguth says:
January 27, 2010 at 9:08 pm
This is the start of a long process
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Ths is the Internet Age. You slam them today with taxpayer approval of spending. You slam them tomorrow with taxpayer approval of spending. And you slam them the next day.
Maybe then Katie will start asking questions that actually matter. Like asking lawmakers and candidates what their position on taxpayer approval of spending is.
When a TEA candidate is elected, they will at best begin the return to the that the House of Representatives is out of control. A return to the system of checks and balances as described in the constitution is needed.
Most office holders appear to vote as told by their financiers. Many American citizens are sending this message, and it will take many years for the TEA elected or appointed officials to have legislative agenda control. To expect anything more at this point in time is unrealistic.
This is the start of a long process in which American citizens will have representatives who are not owned by business concerns.
Jorge Lovenguth - Florida 2010 U.S. Senator Candidate TEA
With all due respect, the Tea Party movement is failing.
Still no push to get taxpayer approval of spending into place.
These fellas can do a little interview with Katie. Who cares? The debt goes up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up. And up some more.