Tea Party Republicans waged jihad on the American people

[Ajax]

Food for thought:

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/stop-the-hate/#utm_source=Cato+Institute+Emails&utm_campaign=3e1a2e6f3a-Cato_Today&utm_medium=email

[Dog Walker]

I used to admire David Boaz and his writing, but in the past decade he has become nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Koch brothers.

[BridgeTroll]

He is clearly a terrorist...

[Dashing Dan]

They may not be terrorists but I wouldn't call them patriots.

As long as they are willing to bring us all down if we don't bend to their will, it's pretty obvious that they love each other more than they love our country.

[Ajax]

I used to admire David Boaz and his writing, but in the past decade he has become nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Koch brothers.

Whether he's speaking for the Koch brothers or for George Soros, can you really find fault with what he's saying here?  We heard voices on the left going into absolute hysterics a few months ago when Gabby Giffords and others got shot - blaming the incident in part on hateful rhetoric.  Now some of the same people are engaging in...yes, hateful rhetoric.  It's just pandering to our basest instincts and emotions, and it is not at all helpful in advancing any cause or agenda, other than partisanship.  I hope that one day the politicians on both sides (or should I say all sides) will rise above this kind of nonsense, but since the public seems to have an appetite for it I doubt that will ever happen. 

[NotNow]

Actually DD, it is the view of the TP that the current policies of the USG are "bringing us all down" and that their common sense solutions are the only honest way out of our current financial predicament.  As I watch our economy spiral downhill, I can't help but wonder if our politicians can really address our problems without the games and one upmanship that seem to be necessary for them.

[FayeforCure]

Actually DD, it is the view of the TP that the current policies of the USG are "bringing us all down" and that their common sense solutions.....

Throwing our economy over the cliff is a common sense solution?

[NotNow]

"Throwing our economy over a cliff" is an inaccurate and emotional statement.  Part of the problem is the parameters of the debate.  The point of this thread is that using name calling and terms such as this doesn't help anything.  What the TP wants (as far as I can tell, again there is no "one" Tea Party) is reduced or a stop to Federal borrowing and a no growth or reduction in Federal spending.  I don't see where calling for continued $1.5 Trillion dollar deficits is any saner than calling for no further Federal debt.  Both actions will result in the dreaded reduction in our nation's credit rating, but at least stopping the borrowing will not increase the debt payments into bankruptcy levels.  I am not an economist, but I know that a Federal debt above 100% of GDP is bad for our country.  I know that we must get our house in order.  While the TP is against tax increases, they also appear to be in favor of tax reform.  If the old guard of Washington DC can be forced off of their established tit, then we can reform our national tax system into a more logical form that produces increases revenue, something that every sane person seems to agree on.  And who would argue that DC wastes billions of dollars?   Is it really impossible to police this spending?

While we conservatives and liberals disagree on the size and role of the Federal government, we should be able to agree on how to manage what we currently have. 

So yes, I side with "common sense".

[buckethead]

The emotional reactionism is touching. You can love or hate the tea party, and it doesn't really bother me either way.

Irrational arguments are a bit more disconcerting. The stock market is reacting to a much larger problem than the charade of a debt ceiling "crisis" we just witnessed.

Lack of employment

High public and private debt levels

Lowering (seemingly perpetual) consumer demand

And.... Eroded trust of the financial system at large. A FUNDAMENTAL erosion of trust.

Do any of you think a routine debt ceiling raise would have had a more positive effect on the markets? A few days, perhaps? Months?

Was raising taxes on the "rich" going to quell market fears?

What about a wealth tax? Raising capital gains tax rates?

The problems are fundamental. Tarp and Stimulus cash is piling up in banks, and doing nothing.

The more I learn about the banking industry of recent years, the more afraid I become.

I would suggest that we leave the "hobbits" alone. Perhaps these members of congress lack your great insights into economic matters... or maybe they are the Koch brother's dupes. I'm thinking these few congresspersons are much more irrelevant to the problem than so many claim. (from both sides)

Tea Party is to blame = smoke screen

[kathy Jackson]

What the Teabaggers need is their Hitler.
If they ever find him they won't even need Phil Gramm, Rush or even the Koch brothers.
They should create a contest like American idol to find him.
Koch brothers could put up the prize money.