Would you join an ANTEA Party?

[humblhumn]

Do you think an anti tea party movement is necessary? Do you think it's wise to ignore them any longer? Most of the feedback I get is that they are irrelevant, but I disagree.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. They (the baggers) are a cancer, and best be avoided.

Let them rot from within.

[movonne]

2. Would you be willing to join??? I think being a dem is enough..

[secondwind]

3. nah...that would "elevate" them to a higher status......

[tazkcmo]

4. Ignoring them is the best thing

because they're to old to abort.

[humblhumn]

5. wow

I keep getting the same response. What IS being a democrat? You say it's enough being something? Even after MA you guys are not willing to give them any credit?? This is the same type of complacency that got Brown elected. What's gonna happen in Nov?

[monmouth]

8. The only thing that got Brown elected was Coakley's poor campaign.

Even my repub friends (and I do have one or two) are embarrassed by her and we just laugh. I give them no credit other than being an entertaining group of mis-spellers and retirees with way too much time on their hands. They will be irrelevant more after November than they are now. Welcome to DU!

[humblhumn]

9. This is the problem

You guys are reactive instead of proactive. You wait til s**t hits the fan and then scramble to recover. Why was the Coakley campaign so poorly run? What will it take to wake you up? You're ideals alone won't keep the democrats in office, or make any real changes for that matter. You guys are still mesmerized by Obama's magical run. There's a new front in this war. Obama's nice guy, bipartisanship, let's all unite plan kind of FAILED. Now What?

[monmouth]

10. I notice you use "you guys" and "wake you up"..Very obvious. n/t

[humblhumn]

11. obvious?

What is so obvious?

[monmouth]

12. DUrs and Democrats speak in the "we" format. Did you get lost per chance???..n/t

[humblhumn]

13. you the talkers

When I say you, I refer to those of you who fail to recognize the seriousness of the situation. You guys talk and post and preach to the choir. Besides, I thought this was the ACTIVIST thread? I'm someone who demands results, not sits back and HOPES. Someone needs to light that fire.

[humblhumn]

15. democrats

It's easy to wear that badge. You wake up in the morning thinking you're the good guy. When the election goes wrong you blame the campaign. Something went wrong somewhere, but of course it wasn't your fault. You did your job at the ballot box. Democracy is constant; democracy is action. BY THE PEOPLE! That's why the tea parties are kicking ass whether you want to believe it or not. Stay armchair if you want to. We'll see how it works out for your party.

[humblhumn]

17. Lost?

I'm the lost one? All this clever and witty talk. How dare you? You think I'm the bad guy? Just because I don't conform to your WEAKNESS? Why don't you take a look in the mirror....then take a look outside your window. Much change going on?? All I ask is that the democrats grow some balls! Is that too much to ask; is that wrong? You need a gut check before you start firing back at me. I don't follow the leader if he's heading for the cliff. I PUSH BACK

[TheCowsCameHome]

14. Ding.Ding. Ding.

Yes, she GAVE it away.

[offog]

19. I don't agree with ignoring them.

Ref. tazkcmo "Ignoring them is the best thing
because they're to old to abort."

Those teabaggers are dangerous. The evisceration of the health care bill wouldn't have been so easy if the teabaggers hadn't been out there whipping up hysteria about "socialized medicine" and drowning out the more reasonable voices. Too many voters are buying into the teabagger bullsh*it.

I have the Chris Matthews book "Hardball", which is sort of a political survival manual. (Yeah, I know Matthews can be a dick, but this book actually has some good advice.) One of Matthews' commandments is "Leave no shot unanswered." I totally agree with that.

I assume you all know about the old conservative "big lie" strategy - repeat something often enough and it becomes the truth. If progressives don't start seriously challenging the teabaggers' propaganda, teabagger ideology will become the new "conventional wisdom" and "common sense".

[niyad]

6. welcome to DU-- as a matter of curiousity, what would this party you envision DO?

[humblhumn]

7. anything

Show uninformed independents that there are other options, unite the left, show the dems in office that we too want results, etc

[lib_wit_it]

16. Ignoring them has been a mistake. They have actually influenced strategy, policy debate, and

destroyed the public option if not any HC reform. They are reactionary, rude, ignorant, selfish, short-sighted, loud, ugly, and armed. Their spokespeople (Palin, Beckkk, and Limblaaagh, etc.) hammer the "theBigBadGovernment-isn't-listening-to-the-people" meme, with the blinding implication that their extreme-right batshit paranoia, intolerance, uber nationalism, intellectual dishonesty (and/or deficit), and seething hate *they* represent "the people."

What if every extant Dem/lefty organization needs to get together ASAP in a loud, colorful, massive, concerted, public demand for recognition of our rejection of the Reich Wing obstructionist, Obama-hating agenda! Our tastefully snarky, carefully spell-checked signs, along with an impressive roster of speakers and musicians, would address a gourmet menu of progressive issues (for example):

1. Medicare for all, now!

2. Trust-Busting the Health Care Industry, now!

3. Full LGBT equality, now!

4. Massive stimulus/jobs bill, now!

5. Corporate person-hood and recent SCOTUS decision

5. Evisceration of Fox "News" Limbaugh, Hannity, & Palin by, along with signs, speakers and by omnipresent big screen and kiosk airing of looping video showing various dishonest Fox clips followed by powerful, convincing, legitimate clips clearly debunking each hypocrisy, misrepresentation, and lie.

6. Pro-intellectualism, reasoning, debate, and fact!

7. Pro Multiculturalism, including freedom of religion in society and freedom from religion in government!


Now, with the list so far as our "official platform" we would be a nearly completely pro-Obama rally. I know many of us are not in any mood to support him, but we might be wise to take a clue from the "just say no" Repukes and, instead, just say *yes*, and to become, if only far a day, a pro Obama slap in their tea-stained faces.

Of course, two hugely important issues would not be addressed in that scenario. As the idea would be to *refute* the tea-baggers insistence that *we the sheeple* (you know, the *entire* country*) agree that everything single thing Obama stands for is extreme/un-American/evil/insane/social-commun-marx-fasc-satan-ist, it would not be a day on which we address the we-too-have-got-a-bone-or-two-to-pick-with-you, Mr. President, issues, including but not limited to:

8. Prosecute Bush War Criminals, now!

9. End the Wars, now!

Those choosing to address these issues anyway could at least, perhaps, on their foam-core poster board or purpose-built t-SHIRT, display a very flattering photo of the president along with their pithy rebuke/demand.

I know, I know, I know!!! It's easy as apple pie to dismiss this idea as naive, stupid, useless, moranic, or worse. But, at the risk of further distancing the cynics (of which I, admittedly, often am), I'm asking that, instead of going with your initial, dismissive reaction, you stop and ask yourself this: what if it worked? Engage in some suitably new-agey, mystical, spiritual visualization of a successful manifestation of the gathering. C'mon. Just try it.

Think the weather isn't conducive? Without getting too personal, let me tell you that just over a year ago, after a number of years of barely leaving the house (often not leaving the bed) due to a "perfect storm" of mental and physical health issues, I got dressed in my warmest set of layers that still felt to me sartorially appropriate to the import of the occasion, and headed three hours south to a frost-glazed Washington, DC.

Man, was it ever cold on that long, circuitous cattle-shoot route to my designated mall entrance. At one point I refused go with the flow into a tunnel (which we later discovered to be a great example of "just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean the tunnel won't get clogged with folks who will therefore never make it to the mall and will miss the inauguration ceremony), but couldn't avoid my rising anxiety as the crush of the crowd grew more and more oppressive as we neared our destination. But I made it, and so did a million or so others (or 116, by Fox News estimates.)

So, such a gathering as I envision is not unimaginable. Not impossible. Improbable? It doesn't have to be.

Does it?

[cheapdate]

25. Excellent. n/t

[Robbie88]

26. Excellent Post.

By ignoring them and not countering with a more visible, grass-roots progressive movement, we have essentially allowed for them to create the perception that they are a representation of the majority of Americans, and in politics, of course, perception is everything. I don't know, however, that I necessarily agree with focusing such a movement around being "Anti-Tea Party", as proposed in the OP, because then we may give off the impression that we are simply embracing a negative ideology with no real ideas of our own. What we need to do is find a way to clearly communicate our underlying philosophy and various policy proposals in a manner which will appeal to those who feel disenfranchised by the modern political and economic structures.

In some ways, I do think that the Tea Party is a shining example of everything that a rejuvenated, visible progressive movement should not be. Our movement needs to use clarity and logic to appeal to people's sense of reason, rather than obnoxious gimmicks that appeal only to people's sense of fear. I realize that the over-the-top antics of the Tea Partiers is part of what gets them much of their media attention, but such behaviors are also why most reasonable people will not take them too seriously.

[James48]

18. Sure. Why not. Call it a "Coffee" party.

We're against "tea".

Want to tie them up in bags and throw them all into the harbor.

Works for me.

[SteveM]

20. "Reactive instead of pro-active" says a lot...

Frankly, once again, the GOP/RW has made a nice move, and the Democrats are trying to create an "Air America" to match the terms set by the Repubs. It doesn't work.

If anyone wants to join in or start an activist, in-the-streets movement, then it is best to know what to fight for. As yet, I haven't seen much out of the DNC that constitutes set agendas, policies and clear proposals. So, what would I do in the streets? Give a Bronx cheer to someone with a miss-spelled sign decrying socialism? In recent years I have demonstrated for getting out of Iraq, and for the legalization of pot. Agree or disagree, "we" had clearly-drawn issues to fight for.

Take a lesson from the Teabaggers: maybe it's time for some meaningful Democratic Party overhaul, or if you wish, break-away. But just being in the street, mumbling something about why Teabaggers are full of it makes for culture war; and Democrats are lousy when it comes to culture war.

[humblhumn]

21. YESSSSS

Forget ISSUES! Forget POLICY! They've left all that behind a long time ago. Just show your face!!! Sometimes all it takes is BEING in the streets. You're not dealing with rational beings. Palin just called for a REVOLUTION! That's a big word. It's them or you; at some point you've got to choose and act.

[paulflorez]

22. It should be about what you want to DO. What direction do you want to lead the country?

1. ANTEA isn't a good name. Coffee isn't any better. It shouldn't be about the teabaggers. It should be about what you want to DO. What direction do you want to lead the country? It should be about a progressive/liberal/democratic movement. Angry Democrats.

2. We voted Obama in, but what the hell did we want him to DO? I think the problem is that everyone under the big democratic tent wanted something a little different. Some people had "universal healthcare" as number 1 on their list. Some people wanted him to just up and leave Iraq and Afghanistan. I think most people wanted him to stabilize the economy, fight for green jobs and regulate the damn financial sector. Some people wanted DADT and DOMA repealed right away.

The problem seems to be that we STILL all have different things that are #1 on our list. The Democrats in Congress, the President and the grassroots groups all failed to get us all on the same page.

For example, personally, I didn't think that was our #1 priority. I support universal healthcare wholeheartedly, but we needed to hammer down on stabalizing the economy, creating green jobs and reforming the damn financial sector. The Democrats went after healthcare but didn't hammer away at us to tell us why we should all be fighting for this first. Worse yet, they focused so much on getting a bill that they seemed to do nothing about getting people to make noise to get the media's attention and thus frame the debate. They lead in getting the legislation done, but they didn't LEAD us. No one called my house and said "hey, we're going to a townhall, come with us and bring a sign" and it seemed like I had to actually search for events to show my support instead of having event organizers reaching out to invite me. I shouldn't have to search for anything, they should have been hounding me and everyone else as to why it was so important, get us excited and at the town halls in numbers to rival the opposition. Was I ever pissed when I went to the townhall but didn't make it inside (I was out with the protesting group), only to watch it later and see that people from A DIFFERENT DISTRICT were allowed into MY rep's townhall.

Now the Democrats have a chance to get us fired up about several progressive priorities: repealing DADT and regulating the banks. I don't see them doing ANYTHING though. They're fighting the fight in D.C. but NOTHING seems to be happening at the grassroots level. I went to the local Democrats meeting to watch the SOTU and it was EXCITING! We were yelling, screaming, cheering, just like during the 2008 election, but after that it was back to doing NOTHING. I went to an OFA meeting and while I heard some passionate anger there, and loved it, it wasn't something they "took to the streets" so to speak. I'm going to some other Progressive/Liberal/Democratic meetings but I really don't think I'm going to see anything as angry/exciting at the 2008 election or what I saw at the SOTU. I'm going to keep looking, but I'm afraid I won't find it!

Personally, I think what we should unite against is the Capitalistic ANARCHY that we are marching towards. It's called Anarcho-Capitalism, look it up, it is exactly what we are marching towards. The further cutting back of government, the extremely low tax breaks "starving the beast" etc are all a march towards privatizing EVERYTHING and replacing the government with one or many corporations. The government can't do anything because it's being destroyed from the inside and out while corporations become more and more powerful. This is a huge problem, it's broad enough to include issues like the economy, jobs, healthcare, lobbyists, even the wars (defense contractors, Halliburton). Also, I think fighting too much corporate power is something that a majority of Americans can get behind. The government is supposed to be the voice of the people AGAINST huge entities like corporations. If you break down the government then you are breaking down the voice of the people! If the government is broken, you don't throw it out with the garbage, you FIX IT.

"The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism—ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power." -Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Whenever I find a group that fills this purpose, I will put my heart and soul into it. I genuinely feel that the future of this country is at stake when it comes to this.

[The Hitman]

23. I'm in

Just take the cues from them: Make up our own facts, but yell louder.

[Autonomy]

24. An anti-TP party makes no sense

A movement, perhaps. But even that is grandiose. You might find it hard to fill a single anti-TP rally. An online journal, blog, or such would probably be your best bet. Most bang for your buck. This is one case where a typical, "boots on the ground" definition of activism just doesn't fit the situation.

[dr.foster]

27. i think it would be counter productive

Yes the d-baggers are an obnoxious ultra conservative party of morons, but creating a group with a sole purpose of opposing the tea party isn't the way to go about combating them. Rather, a group based on the beliefs of progressive democrats,and representing the ideals with just as much strength from the other side.