What's the worst thing about the Tea Party?

[Amnesiac]

I don't need to do a poll to know that a majority of VTers dislike the Tea Party.

So I'll just ask, why do you hate the Tea Party? Is it their economic policies? Their outspoken rallies?

I wouldn't mind the Tea Party as a political movement if they didn't infuse their movement with social conservatism (http://www.uscatholic.org/news/2010/10/analysis-tea-party-movement-looks-supporters-beliefs-interests). They rally on the idea of "smaller government", which is great, but regulating gay marriage (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/oct/12/tea-party-religious-right) and putting prayer in public schools (http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/apr/15/school-prayer/) doesn't sound like smaller government to me.

[huginnmuninn]

been too a few tea party meetings and im pretty sure i never heard about any putting prayer in school or regulating gay marriges

[Amnesiac]

been too a few tea party meetings and im pretty sure i never heard about any putting prayer in school or regulating gay marriges

Well, both positions are associated with social/Christian conservatism. Also, I provided a couple of links.

[huginnmuninn]

but the tea party doesnt support either of those things even if the majority like the idea of them its a sepperate matter that isnt officially assosiated with the tea party its a separate thing that the majority of the tea party agrees with nothing more...

[jovien]

lol sry i thought this was wats so wrong with a tea bag and i would have alot to say about that

Well, both positions are associated with social/Christian conservatism. Also, I provided a couple of links.

also my opinion on this subject

[Amnesiac]

but the tea party doesnt support either of those things even if the majority like the idea of them its a sepperate matter that isnt officially assosiated with the tea party its a separate thing that the majority of the tea party agrees with nothing more...

That's the thing, the Tea Party isn't an official organization. It's more like a bunch of angry conservatives who all came up with one creative name.

[Perseus]

See, the whole Christianity being America's religion is kinda what makes me not like the Tea Party; I mean have you seen/ heard what Sarah Palin has said?

[Sage]

nyIZIiY81Ek
Put on this dress and glasses and tell us we're real americans.

[Amnesiac]

See, the whole Christianity being America's religion is kinda what makes me not like the Tea Party; I mean have you seen/ heard what Sarah Palin has said?

Of course I have. Who hasn't?

[Perseus]

Of course I have. Who hasn't?

That was a rhetorical question. :P

[Amnesiac]

That was a rhetorical question. :P

Well... you could have made it more obvious :P

[Sith Lord 13]

I don't need to do a poll to know that a majority of VTers dislike the Tea Party.

So I'll just ask, why do you hate the Tea Party? Is it their economic policies? Their outspoken rallies?

I wouldn't mind the Tea Party as a political movement if they didn't infuse their movement with social conservatism (http://www.uscatholic.org/news/2010/10/analysis-tea-party-movement-looks-supporters-beliefs-interests). They rally on the idea of "smaller government", which is great, but regulating gay marriage (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/oct/12/tea-party-religious-right) and putting prayer in public schools (http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/apr/15/school-prayer/) doesn't sound like smaller government to me.

Well, both positions are associated with social/Christian conservatism. Also, I provided a couple of links.

Not, they're not. Read your own articles. Just because there is overlap doesn't mean the Tea Party has anything to do with religion. The principals of the Tea Party are fiscal responsibility. Any statement on religion is a candidates views, not the views of the tea party as a whole. If I did a pole and found that a majority of Republicans owned and XBox 360 and a majority of Democrats owned a PS3, would that mean that the Republicans were pro XBox 360 and the democrats were pro PS3? No, it wouldn't.

[Amnesiac]

Not, they're not. Read your own articles. Just because there is overlap doesn't mean the Tea Party has anything to do with religion. The principals of the Tea Party are fiscal responsibility. Any statement on religion is a candidates views, not the views of the tea party as a whole. If I did a pole and found that a majority of Republicans owned and XBox 360 and a majority of Democrats owned a PS3, would that mean that the Republicans were pro XBox 360 and the democrats were pro PS3? No, it wouldn't.

Sure, the principals of the Tea Party are primarily fiscal responsibility, but that's not their only goal. A majority of their members are social conservatives. In addition to that fact, many Tea Party candidates have taken conservative positions on issues such as religion and immigration. A majority of Tea Partiers being socially conservative should be enough to make the Tea Party a socially conservative group. A majority of Democrats are liberals, that's what makes the Democratic Party liberal.

I wouldn't say comparing political views to video game console preference is a good analogy. Sure, it's possible that a majority of some political party happens to own an Xbox 360, but politics and video games are two different things. Social conservatism is a political ideology, and it can be applied to a political group where a majority of its members claim they align with that ideology and, to an extent, actively promote it.

[Sith Lord 13]

A majority of Tea Partiers being socially conservative should be enough to make the Tea Party a socially conservative group.

No, it shouldn't. A party stands for it's objectives, nothing more.

A majority of Democrats are liberals, that's what makes the Democratic Party liberal.

No, the Democratic Party's objectives are liberal, which is what makes the Democratic Party liberal.

[Amnesiac]

No, it shouldn't. A party stands for it's objectives, nothing more.

Yes, and Tea Party candidates continue to take socially conservative stands on certain issues. They're not all about fiscal responsibility, and it shows.

No, the Democratic Party's objectives are liberal, which is what makes the Democratic Party liberal.

I would say it's the members of the Democratic Party who morphed it into the center-left party it is today during the 1950s and 1960s. The members of a political party continually "evolve" that party's position on issues. The Democrats weren't always liberal, and that's because their members changed that.

[Sith Lord 13]

Yes, and Tea Party candidates continue to take socially conservative stands on certain issues. They're not all about fiscal responsibility, and it shows.

Yes, but a Tea Party candidate can be socially liberal, and there are Tea Party members who are socially liberal. All being a member of the Tea Party means is being fiscally conservative. There happens to be a large overlap with social conservatives, but that doesn't mean the Tea Party itself is socially. conservative.

I would say it's the members of the Democratic Party who morphed it into the center-left party it is today during the 1950s and 1960s. The members of a political party continually "evolve" that party's position on issues. The Democrats weren't always liberal, and that's because their members changed that.

Yes, and I will stipulate that, should it last long enough, the Tea Party MAY become a socially conservative party, but until that time comes, they are not.

[Amnesiac]

Yes, but a Tea Party candidate can be socially liberal, and there are Tea Party members who are socially liberal. All being a member of the Tea Party means is being fiscally conservative. There happens to be a large overlap with social conservatives, but that doesn't mean the Tea Party itself is socially. conservative.

Yes, and I will stipulate that, should it last long enough, the Tea Party MAY become a socially conservative party, but until that time comes, they are not.

Okay, I think we can come to a compromise here: the Tea Party focuses mainly on fiscal conservatism, but they have leanings towards social conservatism that could possibly take over the ideology of the party in the future.

[huginnmuninn]

Okay, I think we can come to a compromise here: the Tea Party focuses mainly on fiscal conservatism, but they have leanings towards social conservatism that could possibly take over the ideology of the party in the future.

the tea party is about fiscal conservatism and smaller government some tea party members may like the idea of no same sex marriges but they wouldnt make the government make a law against it and they wouldnt do anything to stop the same sex marrige since it is a freedom that an individual should have to be in a same sex marrige if the individual wants it.

[Perseus]

the tea party is about fiscal conservatism and smaller government some tea party members may like the idea of no same sex marriges but they wouldnt make the government make a law against it and they wouldnt do anything to stop the same sex marrige since it is a freedom that an individual should have to be in a same sex marrige if the individual wants it.

Uh, yeah they would. Once again, have you heard what Sarah Palin has said?

[Amnesiac]

the tea party is about fiscal conservatism and smaller government some tea party members may like the idea of no same sex marriges but they wouldnt make the government make a law against it and they wouldnt do anything to stop the same sex marrige since it is a freedom that an individual should have to be in a same sex marrige if the individual wants it.

The Tea Party talks about "smaller government" in a strictly economical sense. You know, less taxes and spending, even going as far as shutting down entire departments of the federal government.

Most of them would happily ban same-sex marriage, though, because a majority of tea-partiers are socially conservative.

[Sith Lord 13]

Okay, I think we can come to a compromise here: the Tea Party focuses mainly on fiscal conservatism, but they have leanings towards social conservatism that could possibly take over the ideology of the party in the future.

I'll acquiesce to that.

Uh, yeah they would. Once again, have you heard what Sarah Palin has said?

Her statements on same-sex marriage have nothing to do with the Tea Party.

[Perseus]

I'll acquiesce to that.



Her statements on same-sex marriage have nothing to do with the Tea Party.

Sure they do, since she is a major part of it. I would gladly show some videos, but alas, I know it would be impossible for me to find them since I already tried and failed.

[Sith Lord 13]

Sure they do, since she is a major part of it. I would gladly show some videos, but alas, I know it would be impossible for me to find them since I already tried and failed.

No they don't. A Tea Party candidate has their social politics on their own. All being a Tea Partier means is being for smaller, more responsible (in a financial sense) government. A Tea Party candidate's views on gay marriage come from some other political orientation. In Palin's case, her views on same-sex marriage come, most likely, from her affiliation with the Republican party. They do not come from her affiliation with the Tea Party.

[Perseus]

No they don't. A Tea Party candidate has their social politics on their own. All being a Tea Partier means is being for smaller, more responsible (in a financial sense) government. A Tea Party candidate's views on gay marriage come from some other political orientation. In Palin's case, her views on same-sex marriage come, most likely, from her affiliation with the Republican party. They do not come from her affiliation with the Tea Party.

But she is a major persona of the Tea Party, whom happens to have the same beliefs a lot of the Tea Party members have. Sure, they don't all have that view. But do the majority do? Yes.

[Amnesiac]

But she is a major persona of the Tea Party, whom happens to have the same beliefs a lot of the Tea Party members have. Sure, they don't all have that view. But do the majority do? Yes.

Isn't that the same argument I made?

[Perseus]

Isn't that the same argument I made?

I dunno. :P

[Sith Lord 13]

But she is a major persona of the Tea Party, whom happens to have the same beliefs a lot of the Tea Party members have. Sure, they don't all have that view. But do the majority do? Yes.

Isn't that the same argument I made?

Just about. And I'm gonna say the same thing I said to you. Just because a majority of Tea Partiers happen to hold a view it doesn't mean it's a Tea Party view.

[Perseus]

Just about. And I'm gonna say the same thing I said to you. Just because a majority of Tea Partiers happen to hold a view it doesn't mean it's a Tea Party view.

But its their persona is what I'm getting at. They ooze anti-gayism. Who cares if not all people adhere to that? That's what they give off because of a majority. There's only one way to get rid of that persona, and it's for them to not be anit-gay. They can have their fun being stupid as long as its not at people's cost.

[huginnmuninn]

just because a majority of amereicans are christian does that mean christianity is an american view that represents america?

[Rutherford The Brave]

The tea is bad.

[Sith Lord 13]

But its their persona is what I'm getting at. They ooze anti-gayism. Who cares if not all people adhere to that? That's what they give off because of a majority. There's only one way to get rid of that persona, and it's for them to not be anit-gay. They can have their fun being stupid as long as its not at people's cost.

just because a majority of amereicans are christian does that mean christianity is an american view that represents america?

This. There is no Tea Party policy against gays. The only accepted Tea Party policy is the desire for a smaller, fiscally responsible, federal government.

[Perseus]

just because a majority of amereicans are christian does that mean christianity is an american view that represents america?
Actually, people views as that because of the majority.
This. There is no Tea Party policy against gays. The only accepted Tea Party policy is the desire for a smaller, fiscally responsible, federal government.

But, the majority still hold that opinion. I'm not concerned about their little government issue but their opinions on gays in general. You're making it look like they're accepting of all people in the world when they're not. Since the majority is full of Southern Republicans, whom aren't fond of homosexuals.

[Sith Lord 13]

But, the majority still hold that opinion. I'm not concerned about their little government issue but their opinions on gays in general. You're making it look like they're accepting of all people in the world when they're not. Since the majority is full of Southern Republicans, whom aren't fond of homosexuals.

That's not what I said. Several of them are intolerable bigots. I just said that when you see someone being associated with the Tea Party, it doesn't say a thing about their social views. It's like saying because you're Swedish you need to have blonde hair. Just because there is high over lap it doesn't mean being Swedish gives you blond hair. All being Swedish means is coming from that particular country, just like all bing in the Tea Party means is being for fiscally responsible government.