This morning on Meet The Press, the roundtable was speculating as to which factions or groups

[Atticus]

would most influence this new decade. David Brooks said that we need to consider who has the most "passion" about their views. The feminists strongly influenced the 70's and the evangelicals seemed to dominate the 80's because they were "passionate" about what they believed.

He then went on to say that, although he does not agree with them, the group with the most passion at this turn of the decade appears to be the TeaBaggers. I think Mr. Brooks is taking a very simplistic view of things.

Passion has been compared to the sail on a ship: it is the force that drives the vessel forward through whatever waves the sea generates. But, the rudder of the ship has been likened to reason: the device used to steer the ship on the desired course.

A ship without a sail---like a political movement without passion---is going nowhere. It doesn't need a rudder.

A ship without a rudder---like a political movement without reason--- will eventually destroy itself on the rocks or simply run aground to rot.

The TeaBagger movement is a ship with a large and gaudy sail, but no rudder at all. They are against what we have now, but they have nothing to offer beyond dismantling our government and removing our current elected government. They propose candidates to replace incumbents without saying what these candidates should DO if elected.

TeaBaggers would clear-cut the forest, not to clear a space for some new construction or even to produce lumber to build with elsewhere, but simply to destroy the trees.

There is a strong populist sentiment in today's political discussions and people are justifiably dissatisfied with their government. But, TeaBaggers would simply let the ship of state run before the wind, wherever it leads.

The Democratic Party used to be the home of virtually all populists. If we do not once again welcome them, nurture them with common passion and steer them with plain-spoken reason, we abandon them to the Becks and Palins and Malkins and will have to watch from steerage as these "leaders" strut about repeating nonsensical sound-bites while the ship hurtles toward uncharted territory marked only: "Here be Monsters!"

[SpiralHawk]

1. Teabaggers, like other republicons, know only 'no' and 'FAIL'

They have nothing to offer at all, other than no and FAIL. Americans will have little tolerance over the long haul for Teabagger defeatism and know-nothingism.

[dmr]

14. Teabaggers are as good as the astroturf that whips them into a frenzy

Your graphic explains it nicely - except I'd add organized religion to it as well.

But I think that if some of the teabaggers begin critical thinking and to think for themselves, then maybe there is some hope.

But I don't bank on it.

[spanone]

2. don't mistake hatred of our President for a political movement. send in the clowns.

[eleny]

3. He said that if the Teabaggers joined with the Republican Party it would have influence

So It sounded like he meant that it would have the sail and a rudder if it found a place within the GOP.

[Atticus]

7. I don't think there's much chance of the TeaBaggers joining the Republican Party, but I

think they are very close to BECOMING the Republican Party.

Big difference.

[eleny]

16. Gives them default support from those who always vote by Party no matter what

[debbierlus]

4. That's all true, but if the question wasn't how would they effect the decade

Passion without thought or principle can still cause mass destruction.

I think he is being simplistic in overlooking the masses of sane citizens who are being broken apart and torn asunder by the current system. It is what will rise from this that will shape the future although the rage and hate of the teabaggers may come first (or simultaneously)

[FrenchieCat]

5. The Passion that Mr. Brooks is talking about is racism.......

Kind of like the KKK.

Too bad that this new and improved version of the "White people pity party"
gets so much play in the media from White people pundit heads.

[housewolf]

6. Interesting perspective on the Teabaggers

While it's possible to dismantle something and rebuild into something new, it's impossible to just dismantle, destroy and "take back" what you've now destroyed. They are offering no way forward but only looking back to some utopian past that didn't exist even then in the way they're remembering it.

Thanks for making the point. It gives me hope that if Progressives can articulate a clear reform way forward based on principles of common good, justice and fairness, we can find a message that resonates with more and more people.

[sam sarrha]

13. same sorta thing as Mao's Red Guard.. a crazy elitist stir'n the stupid to war for them

[jwirr]

8. Just a thought. RW religion is very passionate with dancing and

emotional services. My church is very old compared to the RW and we set sedately through our services each Sunday. RWers argue that we do not believe because we are not loud and emotional. I say BS. Passion can be seen in many forms and it should never be used to judge the depth of feelings that a person has. Emotions are not good indicators of commitment. Neither in religion or in politics.

[Armstead]

9. Teabaggers come in different flavors

There are a lot of bigots, and Joe the Plumber morons and diehard government haters.

But there are also some who are simply pissed off.

I have a friend who was a good liberal who has become less so. She kind of admires the teabaggers and Sarah Palin.

But it is not because her basic values have changed. Rather, she believes that government is as bad a corpoations and that all are in the same bed.

If Democrats were to actually offer a positive alternative, people like her are persuadable.

[laughingliberal]

26. Yes, these days it is difficult to seperate the corporate interests and the government

Too bad there isn't much of a populist message coming out of this Democratic administration. Many conservatives were against the bank bailouts. If President Obama had come in and gotten tough on Wall Street and the banks and demanded some return on our investment and accountability from them, it would have shown the difference between the parties. They know Paulson started this bailout and handed the money over without condition. Problem is they don't see that changed once Obama's economic team took over. Hell, he renominated Bernanke for another term as Fed chairman and they are opposing an audit of the Federal Reserve.

[sam sarrha]

10. mass stupidity totally mind controlled by the richest elite is a great influence

da...

[murielm99]

11. Teabaggers are not true populists.

They are angry people being misled by wealthy right-wing elitists.

Populists are not necessarily angry. They can be thoughtful, calm and orderly. They simply want their rights and the opportunity for everyone to have a decent life. They may be led by thinkers, but they are ordinary people, not wealthy elitists.

[sam sarrha]

12. the Tea Bag movement was started by the 12th richest man in America..to cut "their" taxes,

[sendero]

15. You guys better understand one thing.

....

Yes the teabaggers are a mostly bogus bunch of whipped up racists, I agree.

BUT - their grievance concerning the fiscal/economic policies of this administration are 100% valid (and they would have been JUST as valid in the months before Obama took office)

The VALID GRIEVANCE is not going away, and you cannot paint it as invalid just because the only people who have taken to the streets AS YET are a bunch of racist clowns.

[leftstreet]

17. +1

[laughingliberal]

24. As I recall there was a lot of sentiment amongst the Foxwashed against the bank bailout even when

Bush was still in office.

[sendero]

27. There was...

... and for good reason. It's an unconscionable money grab from taxpayers to bankers. It is immoral, it is wrong, it is absolute proof that our government is owned outright by the banksters and anyone who ISN'T pissed off about it is a fool.

[laughingliberal]

28. Agree 100%

And how high would President Obama be in the polls now if his team had come in and started tightening the reins on them? What if they had come in and told them this isn't free money. We're bailing you out but we expect you to help solve the problems this caused the American people and we're reregulating you guys so you never get to screw the people again? I would think he would be at 80% approval in the polls. Only the few diehard Klan members and a the birther nut jobs would still be opposing him. Instead they came in and continued the same 'free money for banksters and Wall Street' policies. Pissed off a lot of the left and missed an opportunity to co-opt all those former Republican voters who were pissed off at Bush and Paulson for this.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Brooks is confusing passion with unadulterated hatred

[timeforpeace]

19. Totally missing the point. The MEDIA gave influence to each of those groups. The media has the most

influence, at all times of our history. Who they choose may get the most air time but the media itself has the influence, and always will.

[laughingliberal]

25. That much is quite true. There was a lot of ant-war passion when Bush was in office but it got no

play in the MSM.

[CTyankee]

31. And as usual they gave it to white, upper middle class males

and sold it as "popular outrage" when it was just a small group of privileged white guys...the same old song and dance we've all heard before...stupid, if you believe it...I don't...

[Lasher]

20. Birthers are passionate.

That doesn't mean they're ever going to achieve anything except getting laughed at.

[That Is Quite Enough]

21. The usual ones.

The same transnational corporate cartels and families that have been influencing (directly and indirectly) world politics for the past 60 decades, at least.

Fortunately all signs point to their time and money running out, but that's getting into different territory.

[laughingliberal]

22. The teabaggers do have a rudder. It is Dick Armey and Freedom Works

However, there are Republicans and people who consider themselves 'conservative' who can be show Republicans are not the party to which they once belonged. Amazing to think Republicans worried about Kennedy's Catholic faith and were concerned about religious views in government.

I listen to Stephanie Miller sometimes and know I have heard her say her father and Barry Goldwater would not recognize the Republican party of today. Much of what they stand for now is very far removed from conservatism.

[Hestia]

23. The only thing that has really brought forth change in this country is when you get women

involved. Watch Voices from the People's History; every issue has women's voices bring forth change. The Women's Bill of Rights was written in 1848, amazing piece of history that has been diminished. Organizations like NOW have allowed this to happen by trying to play the game instead of changing the game. Who wants to play with men who send our children to war or keep our children in poverty? Sorry men, this isn't crapping all over you, but menfolk scare TPTB when they get together (see Brownshirts or the chickenshits who put on masks when "protesting" by throwing rocks through windows) while thinking that women can't illicit fear. It is when the women come together and fight together for change in economics (different ways to make a living), housing, education that things will get done.

The part that facinated me was the Women's Unemployment Committee's. They banded together neighborhood by neighborhood and helped to keep people in their homes or apartments. When the landlord threw out the belongings, the neighborhood would gather the items, take them back to the home and change the locks and the landlord would have to go through the procedure again.

Why in the world aren't we doing this today?

[OHdem10]

29. We have been told over and over it is Intensity that counts. At the

present, Teabaggers have the Intensity.

[malaise]

30. Mr. Brooks was pushing the Rethug meme

after all they're fleecing the teabaggers big time. He also said all they need is leadership - read that to mean Rethug leadership.
To be kind Mr. Brooks is an asshole.

[Atticus]

32. Thank you all for your replies and your opinions. This post has been up for close to two hours.

No recs. No unrecs. Just 30 intelligent contributions to the discussion. No snark; no name-calling; no ass-kissing and no bullshit.

This is what first brought me to DU.

Thanks again.