An NC lesson in what the ‘TEA Party’ is – and isn’t
Published October 4, 2013
by Donald Bryson, Americans for Prosperity, published in News and Observer, October 4, 2013.
In saying that, “The government shutdown illustrates for every American that the hallmark of the Tea Party Republican House continues to be ironclad opposition to reasonable solutions,” U.S. Rep. David Price, a North Carolina Democrat, attempted to do two things with the TEA Party movement: Lump it together with the Republican Party and completely dismiss any policy ideas that emerge from the movement.
Price’s statement came after Sen. Harry Reid’s Sept. 25 statement on the floor of the U.S. Senate when he called the TEA Party movement, “the new anarchy.” So much for civil political dialogue.
What is troubling about these statements is the glaring misunderstanding of the grassroots conservative movement called the “TEA Party” and their attempts to whisk it away without a thought or care to the legitimacy of any of its arguments.
The TEA Party movement – there is no single TEA Party – emerged and still exists as a decentralized political movement focused on reining in governmental power and spending. The movement is not a byproduct of any political party, but of the sheer will of activists who have legitimate concerns about the direction of the nation.
Liberals attempt to paint the TEA Party movement as simply “anti-government,” but that is simply not a factual representation. TEA stands for “Taxed Enough Already,” not “abolish the government” or “shut down the government.” The phrase “Taxed Enough Already” simply indicates serious concerns about the growth of the size and power of government, not questioning the government’s existence.
The remarks from the North Carolina congressman and the Senate majority leader are far more troubling in this light. They have essentially dismissed and stereotyped any arguments from citizens who believe that the government is too powerful and spends too much money.
No one will be quicker to talk to you about the foundation of our federal government – the Constitution – than a TEA Party activist. TEA Party activists are not anti-government. They simply believe that the government should govern according to the rules set forth in the Constitution and not spend its citizens into massive debt.
Is that unreasonable? Definitely not.
Consider this fact. According to a Sept. 17 report from the Congressional Budget Office, “Between 2009 and 2012, the federal government recorded the largest budget deficits relative to the size of the economy since 1946, causing federal debt to soar.” The report goes on to say that federal debt is currently 73 percent of the U.S. economy’s annual output and, if current laws stay in place, the federal debt will make up 100 percent by 2038.
It is an understatement to say that this level of governmental debt is unreasonable. It is unlivable. At some point, the debt must be paid.
That is why the TEA Party movement emerged. Citizens became outraged at runaway spending – spending that they know has to be paid for. These citizens came together in groups all across North Carolina and the rest of the nation and said “we are taxed enough already!”
It is not unreasonable to believe that, in a recession, when families have to tighten household budgets, our lawmakers should be better stewards of the people’s money. Instead, the federal Office of Management and Budget projects that the federal government will spend $642 billion beyond revenues this year – money that the government does not have. On top of that, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has told Congress that the federal debt ceiling will be reached on Oct. 17. This debt has to be paid by someone – it will have to be paid by the people.
Reid seems to abide in the mindset that limiting the government’s power to the Constitution is tantamount to anarchy. And if Price believes that runaway spending and debt are a “reasonable solution,” then there should be serious questions about his decision-making skills.
The TEA Party is not anti-government. TEA Party activists are not anarchists. Anyone who says so is engaging in nothing less than demagoguery.
TEA Partyers simply want a government that operates within the constitutional limits of its power and doesn’t spend our grandchildren into debt. That is not an unreasonable request.
October 4, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Vicki Boyer says:
Our government began in debt, debt accrued by the Continental Congress in fighting the Revolutionary War. We paid off that debt. The US fought every major war on borrowed money. And afterwards, paid off its debt. Our current debt issues are the result of George Bush giving away tax dollars in a publicity stunt that cost us the reserves we needed to pay for his wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Those wars put us back into debt. Now, that debt has to be paid. The 'runaway government spending' Mr. Bryson refers to went into those two wars.
Families do tighten their belts in hard times; but if dad loses his job, the family takes out a loan so dad can go to school to learn new skills and get a better job; in other words, they take on debt. If in tough times the government borrows money to build infrastructure or stimulate the economy, they are doing the same thing. There is nothing unconstitutional about this.
In demanding that it get its way or else, it is the tea party that is not playing by established rules. In rejecting already enacted laws and social institutions that have been around for a great many years, they have shown their real goal is to dismantle government.
Raising the debt ceiling does NOT incur more debt, but simply allows government to continue to pay the debt it already has. Mr. Bryson knows this, and it is disingenuous to equate paying down accrued debt with 'runaway spending.'
Even historical backers of the Republican party fail to support their shut down of government and threats to not raise the debt limit.
This morning, CNBC called the tea party is a circus.
According to Business Insider:
Please.
According to Forbes:
The Wall Street Journal wrote "Kamikaze missions rarely turn out well, least of all for the pilots... The kamikazes could end up ensuring the return of all-Democratic rule."
According to Bloomberg:
'On Sept. 30, the US Chamber of Commerce released a letter counseling the House of Representatives -- read: Tea Party Republicans -- to cease and desist. It was signed by more than 250 business groups, including the National Association of Manufacturers and the Business Roundtable. Wall Street titans such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chairman Jamie Dimon, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Chairman Lloyd Blankfein and others have made similar pleas in person.
October 4, 2013 at 4:48 pm
john mccorsley says:
According to Webster's Dictionary the definition of negotiation is: "A formal discussion between people who are trying to reach an agreement : an act of negotiating."
According to Webster's Dictionary, the definition of comprimise is: "A way of reaching agreement in which each person or group gives up something that was wanted in order to end an argument or dispute."
These are two terms that seem to be escaping the craniums of most extreme wings of all political groups. The two that jump to mind are "MoveOn.org" and "the TEA Party".
The reason you do not hear as much about MoveOn.org is that they do not have representatives in office. If they do I am not aware of them. However, the TEA Party has has a caucus in the House of Representatives. And it is making sure it represents the "BULLY IN THE SCHOOL YARD MENTALITY."
The really disturbing thing about the TEA Party is that since the votiing districts were re-drawn in NC in 2011, And the Supreme Court Ruled in favor of Citizens United ("Corporations are Individuals" it appears the there is a Flood of Corporate $$$$$ and heavy SKEW in Tea Party growth in the former Republican Party. I apologize for even lumping the reasonable Republicans in with the TEA Party but it seems that the minority TEA Party is overtaking the Republican Party of which I am no longer affiliated. Specifically for that reason.
My point is; I looked at the voter statistics on http://www.ncsbe.gov/ (the website for the North Carolina Board of Elections) and I found the following statistics on October 04, 2013 at 4:25pm:
Registered Democrats = 2,765,847
Registered Republicans = 1,990,614
Registered Libertarians = 21,939
and Unaffiliated - 1,693,560
My belief is, and I could be wrong, but the TEA Party has done a great job of motivating its electorate and the only way to defeate "The Bully Mindset" is to get reasonable voters motivated, and get them to the polls. Otherwise, our Country and our State will go to H*** in a handbasket!
I personaly am tired of hearing a minority group of people so fixated on one issue disrupting life for the rest of us.
It is time to bring back civility, open-mindedness, and compromise through negotiation in our elected officials. But only we as individuals can do it and to do it WE MUST MOTIVATE EVERYONE TO VOTE! And vote them out of office to prove that people not money rules this countr and this state.
john mccorsley
October 4, 2013 at 6:24 pm
Jacob J Jacobs says:
You nailed it Vicki. Thanks for your comment!
