Comments on: The Tea Party and Astroturfing http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/ Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:28:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Brian Too http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49037 Brian Too Sat, 30 Oct 2010 01:44:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49037 Outsider perspective here, and a modest proposal. Not sure I believe it myself yet. Obama was brought to power by a wave of public discontent with the past. OK, he had a positive message too. All good. Now let's just stipulate that he has disappointed many. It may be unfair but there it is. Now the Tea Party/Sarah Palin are basically doing the same thing. A wave of public discontent with the past. Imagine they get everything they are after, more even. Does anyone really believe that the political right will put the country "on the right track", that their policies will "make sense", and that they will "bring the people's agenda to Washington"? I mean, seriously, they are going to learn from the left's mistakes? And the right's mistakes as well? Everything will be better this time? For how many decades now has Mr. Smith been Going to Washington? This isn't a screed against the right, not this time. The truth is that Washington politics is the way it is for some very good and long-standing reasons. Neither party has done anything to really change that, nor will they. U.S. Federal politics works, in a mutant sort of way, for the rich and powerful. Both party's destiny, in the main, is to disappoint their respective bases and outrage their opponents. The odd exception notwithstanding. Sounds pretty bleak even to me. Outsider perspective here, and a modest proposal. Not sure I believe it myself yet.

Obama was brought to power by a wave of public discontent with the past. OK, he had a positive message too. All good. Now let’s just stipulate that he has disappointed many. It may be unfair but there it is.

Now the Tea Party/Sarah Palin are basically doing the same thing. A wave of public discontent with the past. Imagine they get everything they are after, more even.

Does anyone really believe that the political right will put the country “on the right track”, that their policies will “make sense”, and that they will “bring the people’s agenda to Washington”?

I mean, seriously, they are going to learn from the left’s mistakes? And the right’s mistakes as well? Everything will be better this time? For how many decades now has Mr. Smith been Going to Washington?

This isn’t a screed against the right, not this time. The truth is that Washington politics is the way it is for some very good and long-standing reasons. Neither party has done anything to really change that, nor will they. U.S. Federal politics works, in a mutant sort of way, for the rich and powerful. Both party’s destiny, in the main, is to disappoint their respective bases and outrage their opponents. The odd exception notwithstanding.

Sounds pretty bleak even to me.

]]> By: Jinchi http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49036 Jinchi Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:26:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49036 <i>Obamacare is already a nightmare for my wife and me and cost us thousands of more dollars per year</i> His insurance company raises his rates on a whim and he blames Obamacare, which doesn't kick in for another 4 years. Those guys love people like you, PG. Obamacare is already a nightmare for my wife and me and cost us thousands of more dollars per year

His insurance company raises his rates on a whim and he blames Obamacare, which doesn’t kick in for another 4 years.

Those guys love people like you, PG.

]]> By: Jon http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49035 Jon Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:10:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49035 This TNR author disagrees with the Washington Post piece above: http://www.tnr.com/print/article/politics/78718/four-myths-about-the-tea-party (Although I'm not sure I agree that the tea partiers "descend" from the Perot voters--maybe they're related, but are they "descendants?") This TNR author disagrees with the Washington Post piece above:

http://www.tnr.com/print/article/politics/78718/four-myths-about-the-tea-party

(Although I’m not sure I agree that the tea partiers “descend” from the Perot voters–maybe they’re related, but are they “descendants?”)

]]> By: Quick Links | A Blog Around The Clock http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49034 Quick Links | A Blog Around The Clock Thu, 28 Oct 2010 04:24:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49034 [...] While data mining for political astroturfers, truthy.indiana.edu is hitting pay dirt and The Tea Party and Astroturfing [...] [...] While data mining for political astroturfers, truthy.indiana.edu is hitting pay dirt and The Tea Party and Astroturfing [...]

]]> By: PatriotGames http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49033 PatriotGames Thu, 28 Oct 2010 03:10:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49033 My Oxford healthcared premiums increased this month by $3,200 per yer... for my wife and myself. No additional coverage, just a couple of goofy Mastercard debit cards to track payments and lots of fine print with the IRS mentioned at least 50 times. Are you friggin' kidding me... Obamacare is already a nightmare for my wife and me and cost us thousands of more dollars per year... Now, I'm angry. My Oxford healthcared premiums increased this month by $3,200 per yer… for my wife and myself. No additional coverage, just a couple of goofy Mastercard debit cards to track payments and lots of fine print with the IRS mentioned at least 50 times. Are you friggin’ kidding me… Obamacare is already a nightmare for my wife and me and cost us thousands of more dollars per year… Now, I’m angry.

]]> By: Jon http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49032 Jon Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:00:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49032 This was an interesting recent article on the tea party: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/23/AR2010102304000.html You can't dismiss the fear--the fear is real. Unfortunately, as George Packer observes, the right is now light years more "advanced" than the 1930s' Liberty League: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/georgepacker/2010/10/tom-perriello-midterms.html This was an interesting recent article on the tea party:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/23/AR2010102304000.html

You can’t dismiss the fear–the fear is real. Unfortunately, as George Packer observes, the right is now light years more “advanced” than the 1930s’ Liberty League:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/georgepacker/2010/10/tom-perriello-midterms.html

]]> By: Jon http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49031 Jon Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:53:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49031 <i>Their “movement” is primarily driven by fear, funding and groupthink.</i> That's a keeper. Their “movement” is primarily driven by fear, funding and groupthink.

That’s a keeper.

]]> By: Doug http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49030 Doug Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:31:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49030 The general stance of the tea partiers (and the faux conservative republicans in general) reminds me of the Time Bandits. Step 1) Cut taxes, eliminate government Step 2) ? Step 3) Utopia! The general stance of the tea partiers (and the faux conservative republicans in general) reminds me of the Time Bandits.

Step 1) Cut taxes, eliminate government

Step 2) ?

Step 3) Utopia!

]]> By: Sorbit http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49029 Sorbit Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:10:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49029 Most of the Tea Partiers, when asked to actually explain what their problem is, have no more than sound bytes to throw at you (socialism! government takeover! death panels!). And let's not even get started on whether they actually have some policy recommendations of substance as solutions. The main problem is not that we disagree with them, the problem is that even they themselves don't really know what we should disagree with them about. Their "movement" is primarily driven by fear, funding and groupthink. And they are supported by people who think they are really cool simply because they oppose Obama, actual reasons be damned. Again, Matt Taibbi's <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/210904" rel="nofollow">Rolling Stones</a> article nails it. Most of the Tea Partiers, when asked to actually explain what their problem is, have no more than sound bytes to throw at you (socialism! government takeover! death panels!). And let’s not even get started on whether they actually have some policy recommendations of substance as solutions. The main problem is not that we disagree with them, the problem is that even they themselves don’t really know what we should disagree with them about. Their “movement” is primarily driven by fear, funding and groupthink. And they are supported by people who think they are really cool simply because they oppose Obama, actual reasons be damned.

Again, Matt Taibbi’s Rolling Stones article nails it.

]]> By: TTT http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2010/10/26/the-tea-party-and-astroturfing/#comment-49028 TTT Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:58:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/?p=13397#comment-49028 ....it took you 2 years to realize that the baggers are a corporate con job? ….it took you 2 years to realize that the baggers are a corporate con job?

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