Christine O'Donnell: A New Low

**maxx** · September-15-10, 07:02 AM

in conservative politics...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42141.html

**Detroitej72** · September-15-10, 07:50 AM

She should help guarantee that Repub's fail to gain control of the Senate.

**gibran** · September-15-10, 09:11 AM

72... I been hoping that ...but with the way Americans sometimes follows the trends and this one is playing to the simplest denominator ..it worries me... these folks are not thinking through the ramifications of division and anger...what is the vision for working class Americans and the poor... I know what they say is America needs to return to Leave to Beaver...but if one was of color back then it was more like Nightmare on elm street... with the one exception...minorities had a higher graduation rate and the communities had to take care of themselves... this Tea party express hides behind values and patriotism....the problem is they are only limiting to those whose values are their own and who looks just like them... if these guys get control...we will be in Iran, we will continue to falter in the Muddled East, we will see higher unemployment here and monies abroad...the social nets will be cut and the poor will suffer, health-care will be destroyed and industry deregulated again...environmental issues shelved ...the list goes on...this will resemble the hypocrisy of the Church's that want to burn the Koran...yes that is the tea party's hidden values...cleverly disguised behind the cross and the flag...and of course spending...but does one ever wonder what programs are going to be cut?

**MCP-001** · September-15-10, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by gibran

72... I been hoping that ...but with the way Americans sometimes follows the trends and this one is playing to the simplest denominator ..it worries me... these folks are not thinking through the ramifications of division and anger...what is the vision for working class Americans and the poor... I know what they say is America needs to return to Leave to Beaver...but if one was of color back then it was more like Nightmare on elm street... with the one exception...minorities had a higher graduation rate and the communities had to take care of themselves... this Tea party express hides behind values and patriotism....the problem is they are only limiting to those whose values are their own and who looks just like them... if these guys get control...we will be in Iran, we will continue to falter in the Muddled East, we will see higher unemployment here and monies abroad...the social nets will be cut and the poor will suffer, health-care will be destroyed and industry deregulated again...environmental issues shelved ...the list goes on...this will resemble the hypocrisy of the Church's that want to burn the Koran...yes that is the tea party's hidden values...cleverly disguised behind the cross and the flag...and of course spending...but does one ever wonder what programs are going to be cut?

Wow! This is amazing.

I have spoken to a lot of Tea Party people over the past several months.

With the exception of supporting a smaller government, none of them have gone off on a tangent as you have described above.

**maxx** · September-15-10, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by MCP-001

Wow! This is amazing.

I have spoken to a lot of Tea Party people over the past several months.

With the exception of supporting a smaller government, none of them have gone off on a tangent as you have described above.

And what do they want to cut ? Soc. Sec.? Medicare? Infrastructure repair? Public schools? Public hospitals? Somehow I don't think they want to cut prisons. Do any of them talk about cutting back our military bases around the world? I think a lot of the tea partiers are just angry but don't really have any idea of the consequences of what they are advocating. Some moron who was supposedly the representative of the people who went to Beck's event said for TV that the Obama administration was not upholding the Constitution or words to that effect. I presume a follow-up question would have been why, then, weren't they being prosecuted? And the answer would probably be about some conspiracy, no doubt, if she could have come up with any answer at all.

**Mikeg** · September-15-10, 10:51 AM

Wow! This is amazing.

Yep, amazing stuff from some of the same folks who 20 months ago were trying to convince us that the US electorate had finally come to their senses and formed “a new liberal order” and that conservatism was dead. Conclusion: they still don't know what they are talking about.

**MCP-001** · September-15-10, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by maxx

And what do they want to cut ? Soc. Sec.? Medicare? Infrastructure repair? Public schools? Public hospitals? Somehow I don't think they want to cut prisons. Do any of them talk about cutting back our military bases around the world? I think a lot of the tea partiers are just angry but don't really have any idea of the consequences of what they are advocating. Some moron who was supposedly the representative of the people who went to Beck's event said for TV that the Obama administration was not upholding the Constitution or words to that effect. I presume a follow-up question would have been why, then, weren't they being prosecuted? And the answer would probably be about some conspiracy, no doubt, if she could have come up with any answer at all.

Okay, this is jumping all over the map, but here goes.

Their basic complaint is that the federal government has gotten involved into too many areas that it doesn't belong in, which is a major cause of the exploding debt that we are now experiencing [[over $13.4 trillion or $110.4 trillion, depending on which number you want to use).

That debt must be scaled back, and can be by having the federal government concentrate only on those tasks that it is tasked to perform. This includes no longer playing the role of Global-cop.

Many of those other functions can be handled on the state and local level. Some of them, due to the complexity of the issue, will have to be phased out over time [[i.e. SS).

As to why people aren't being prosecuted, it's not a "conspiracy" per se, but it does bring us back to the main problem: government going beyond its duty, while entrenching/enriching itself by taking care of one segment of society at the expense of another.

"Democrats" do it. "Republicans" do it.

It's a vicious cycle that is unsustainable in the long run.

**Gyro** · September-15-10, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by MCP-001

Their [Teabaggers] basic complaint is that the federal government has gotten involved into too many areas that it doesn't belong in, which is a major cause of the exploding debt that we are now experiencing [[over $13.4 trillion or $110.4 trillion, depending on which number you want to use).

That debt must be scaled back, and can be by having the federal government concentrate only on those tasks that it is tasked to perform. This includes no longer playing the role of Global-cop.

Many of those other functions can be handled on the state and local level. Some of them, due to the complexity of the issue, will have to be phased out over time [[i.e. SS).

First of all, the debt was nearly doubled during the Bush administration. Where were the Teabaggers then? Secondly, the biggest driver of the deficit, by far, is still the Bush tax cuts and his Medicare part D. http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/radmacher/wb/235691

Bush took us from Clinton's "Surpluses as far as the eye can see" to the situation we're in today. Bush cut taxes during good economic times when he should have been paying down the debt, but the Republicans claimed that the tax cuts would promote economic growth and create more jobs. Just the opposite happened. http://www.alternet.org/story/144145...obref=obinsite

Now we're suffering through the worst economic times since the great depression, millions of jobs have been lost and trillions of dollars of middle-class wealth has been lost, and what are the Republicans calling for? More tax cuts!!! Why would anyone want more of the medicine that made us so sick? Here's what Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman has to say about it: http://www.daytondailynews.com/opini...up-562032.html

So now that Obama has inherited the Bush mess, the Teabaggers are angry that he hasn't already dug us out of the hole Republican policies put us into. Talk about wanting instant gratification!

Social Security is actually in pretty good shape. What small problems it has could be mostly solved by lifting the income cap on contributions. SS is a combination of a retirement savings and insurance plan for all of us and should not be used to pay down the debt from bad Republican economic policies and two "off-budget" wars.

Meanwhile, we have 500,000 troops around the world and we spend around a trillion dollars a year to support the Pentagon. That's nearly as much as the rest of the world COMBINED! We could cut our spending in half and still be spending more than all of Europe combined. http://www.cdi.org/program/document.cfm?DocumentID=4199

So here's my message for the Teabaggers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if88PgI-vfU

**ghettopalmetto** · September-16-10, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by MCP-001

Okay, this is jumping all over the map, but here goes.

Their basic complaint is that the federal government has gotten involved into too many areas that it doesn't belong in, which is a major cause of the exploding debt that we are now experiencing [[over $13.4 trillion or $110.4 trillion, depending on which number you want to use).

And just where did all that debt come from? I mean, you can only cut taxes and deregulate everything so much before the economy collapses under greed.

The debt is irrelevant when your economy is in a recession. The tea partiers aren't necessarily wrong, but they don't present all facets of the argument, which makes tea partyism intellectually dishonest. Debt is less of a problem when you grow your economy over time.

Certainly, the Tea Partiers aren't arguing that the federal government has no role in taxation or regulating interstate commerce. :-)

**rb336** · September-15-10, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by maxx

And what do they want to cut ? Soc. Sec.? Medicare? Infrastructure repair? Public schools? Public hospitals? Somehow I don't think they want to cut prisons. Do any of them talk about cutting back our military bases around the world? I think a lot of the tea partiers are just angry but don't really have any idea of the consequences of what they are advocating. Some moron who was supposedly the representative of the people who went to Beck's event said for TV that the Obama administration was not upholding the Constitution or words to that effect. I presume a follow-up question would have been why, then, weren't they being prosecuted? And the answer would probably be about some conspiracy, no doubt, if she could have come up with any answer at all.

Actually, I have heard Tea Party folk talk about cutting US bases overseas. However, having attended a couple of events [[and talking to an organizer of one event) there is a very strong undercurrent of racism and hate bubbling under there, as well as a very weak understanding of any kind of economics, conservative OR liberal. it is mostly the mindless anti-tax group in another form.

**gibran** · September-15-10, 12:51 PM

obviously you haven seen the southern version and talked to the Beck parrots heads..these are the answers to the questions and emails that I have received from their supporters...why do you think that Dixie MAfia is so supportive?

**gazhekwe** · September-15-10, 11:56 AM

I see this Tea Party surge as being a referendum on the Republican Party more than anything. They had the option of voting for traditional GOP and overwhelmingly stampeded in the other direction. We shall have to see what happens in the general election. Will those who crossed lines to vote in the Republican primaries continue in that vein?

**Jimaz** · September-15-10, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

I see this Tea Party surge as being a referendum on the Republican Party more than anything. They had the option of voting for traditional GOP and overwhelmingly stampeded in the other direction. We shall have to see what happens in the general election. Will those who crossed lines to vote in the Republican primaries continue in that vein?

My theory is that the Republican Party expected an exodus of their membership [[who wouldn't considering their recent record) and so created the Tea Party as a place for their disaffected members to run.

It would be like building a new corral around a weakened corral. Stampeding horses might calm down after they feel they've escaped their familiar confines but in the end they're still corralled. Consider the possibility that the new "corral" was deliberately designed to select only former Republicans with the specific characteristics that teabaggers exhibit. Now ask why one would do that.

In short, it's basically a rebranding effort.

**jiminnm** · September-15-10, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

My theory is that the Republican Party expected an exodus of their membership [[who wouldn't considering their recent record) and so created the Tea Party as a place for their disaffected members to run.

It would be like building a new corral around a weakened corral. Stampeding horses might calm down after they feel they've escaped their familiar confines but in the end they're still corralled. Consider the possibility that the new "corral" was deliberately designed to select only former Republicans with the specific characteristics that teabaggers exhibit. Now ask why one would do that.

In short, it's basically a rebranding effort.

In short, you couldn't be more wrong.

When the Tea Party movement began gathering some steam here in NM, the state Republican party attempted to get involved and take a major role in their activities. The folks who started the Tea Party movement here told them no thanks, we don't need you because the Republican Party is part of the problem. As a result, most Republican candidates have sought Tea Party support, same have received it.

**maxx** · September-15-10, 01:26 PM

Even Carl Rove has no enthusiasm for Christine.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42205.html

**bailey** · September-17-10, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by maxx

Even Carl Rove has no enthusiasm for Christine.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42205.html

that was fast....

Well, that didn't take long. After being pounded for a full day by some of the conservative movement's biggest names, a bruised and battered Karl Rove took to the Fox News airwaves this morning to get on board the Christine O'Donnell train.

**Whitehouse** · September-18-10, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by maxx

Even Carl Rove has no enthusiasm for Christine.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42205.html

\

It didn't take long for him to back down. A few huffs and pffs from Rush Limbagh was all it took to turn him around. The guy has no backbone! I don't like Republicans, but I do admire those who stand by their opinion, even though that is sometimes twisted. But this guy, who accused John Kerry of being a flip-flop is totally an asshole!

**Whitehouse** · September-21-10, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Whitehouse

\

It didn't take long for him to back down. A few huffs and pffs from Rush Limbagh was all it took to turn him around. The guy has no backbone! I don't like Republicans, but I do admire those who stand by their opinion, even though that is sometimes twisted. But this guy, who accused John Kerry of being a flip-flop is totally an asshole!

Who else but Jon Stewart to hammer my point home!

**Patrick** · September-15-10, 07:31 PM

Here in DC everyone is laughing their asses off at her. Most Republicans are pissed and the Teabaggers seem delighted, yet uncertain. Did you see the look on Karl Rove's face last night though? Hilarious...

**Mikeg** · September-15-10, 07:49 PM

In short, it's basically a rebranding effort.

Speaking of a "rebranding effort", the DNC spared no expense and pulled out all the stops with their new logo,
Attachment 7411
slogan [["Democrats - Change that Matters") and web site.

I'm sure this rebranding going to really excite the Democrat base and make a difference come November 2nd.

**oladub** · September-15-10, 07:57 PM

It looks like a schism within the Republican Party between the Tea Partiers and the neo-cons. The neo-cons are losing ground. After Rove insulted O'Donnell, Rush attacked Rove for doing so. Maybe we should have a vote to see whether posters on this board would prefer neo-con Republicans like Bush, Cheney, Rove, Giuliani or tea partiers.

Rush attacking Rove video This is from a neo-con site which seems to have it out for O'Donnell.

Patrick, Out here in fly-over country, we would be laughing at Washington D.C. if you weren't causing us so much damage.

**Gistok** · September-16-10, 01:22 AM

I wonder what effect the Tea Party will have on New England republicans, such as Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine? Rather than wait for a re-election primary fight... I wonder if any of those moderate republicans decide to jump ship early and either join the Democratic Party, or become independents?

**Mikeg** · September-16-10, 06:49 AM

I wonder if any of those moderate republicans decide to jump ship early and either join the Democratic Party......

I'm sure that that Olympia Snowe been paying more attention than you've apparently been to how the Democrats treated Arlen Specter after he jumped ship to the Dems. Despite promises from the soon-to-be-former Senate Majority Leader that Snarlin' Arlen would be allowed to retain his Senate seniority after he switched, he ended up at the bottom of the seniority list on all but one of his committees.

gdogslim · September-16-10, 11:48 AM

A victory for the tea party and conservatives.
The RINO Castle needed to go.
The spend happy Pelosi and the democrats are ruining this country and they will find out how much the voters truly hate them this november.

**gibran** · September-16-10, 07:33 PM

Conservatives are rolling in their graves watching this tea party ... remember the tea party is still comprised of the Mad hatter [[Beck), the Evil Queen [[Palin) and the Alice in wonder land. [[ the lost souls that have been led astray by this group).... they couldn't wait until the paint on Obama officer dried before they started tearing down his character....they represent those out of touch with reality ..thinking that this mess we have could be fixed easily....they represent what fear and ignorance when coupled with persuasive media can produce... they waited til the spineless democrats threw him under the bus and the republicans party of no backed up over him...

if they were just preaching a message of fiscal conservativism without the character assinations I would listen more intently...but every Rovian email and lie spread about Obama discredits their movement and exposes it as a fruad... look to Delaware and that is your party...