Republican lawmakers stir up the 'tea party' crowd - ugliness and epithets (Milbank)

[jefferson_dem]

Republican lawmakers stir up the 'tea party' crowd
By Dana Milbank
Monday, March 22, 2010; A01

The Democrats were blamed for many horrible things -- tyranny! socialism! corruption! -- as they marched toward Sunday night's passage of health-care legislation, but nobody ever accused them of making health reform look easy.

It all began 14 long months ago, when Ted Kennedy was still alive and everybody, Republicans and Democrats alike, seemed to agree that the nation's health-care system needed change. Then came the town hall meetings, the death panels, the granny killing, the images of Nazi concentration camps, the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, Joe Wilson's "You lie!" moment, the middle-of-the-night and Christmas Eve votes, the Massachusetts special election, the Stupak Amendment, the Slaughter Plan, the filibusters, the supermajorities, the deeming and passing.

It was one of the ugliest and strangest periods the American legislative process has ever experienced. And Sunday was no different. The day's debate on the House floor was in its early moments when two men, one smelling strongly of alcohol, stood up in the public gallery and interrupted the debate with shouts of "Kill the bill!" and "The people said no!" As the Capitol Police led the demonstrators from the chamber, Republicans cheered -- for the hecklers.

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who for the second day in a row had homophobic epithets hurled at him by demonstrators, called his Republican colleagues "clowns" for this display. But the circus was just beginning.

<SNIP>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/21/AR2010032103484_pf.html

[my2sense]

1. Why does the M$M insist on calling them the "Tea Party Crowd"

They are REPUBLICANS...plain and SIMPLE. They need to OWN their people.

[Solomon]

3. I'm sick of the games too. My asshole dentist had the

nerve to keep saying, "but I'm not a republican", as though that's a get out of jail free card. If you vote republican every election you're a goddamned republican.

[jefferson_dem]

6. Every time I hear "this movement includes many people who've never been interested in politics"...

I think to myself ... you left out the "until a black man was elected president" part.

[Dappleganger]

9. Bingo!

Look at the upcoming 2010 elections--give me ONE 'Tea Party' candidate or real independent that the Tea Party members are supporting! Just one!

They're voting for republicans...more extreme RW republicans, granted, but republicans nonetheless.

If it walks like a duck...

[Lasher]

16. I hear this bullshit all the time.

Me: But you always vote for Repuplicans. Doesn't that pretty much make you a Republican?

Them: No way. I'm an independent. I don't always vote for Republicans.

Me: OK, how many national politicians have you ever voted for who was not a Republican?

Them: One.

Me: And who was that?

Them: Ross Perot.

And they think that one vote for this Republican-on-steroids entitles them some respect as independent free thinkers. There was always some of this going around but it really picked up when Junior was on his way out after he and his GOP Bush league lapdog Congress fucked up the country.

[karmkay]

8. They soften everything republican

and follow the repugs' example where democrats are concerned. When, for instance, did it become the Democrat party?

[xxqqqzme]

17. prescott bush was calling it that

in the 50s. Saw an old grainy, b/w recording on youtube. I call them publicans -(I know. I know 'publicans' were the tavern keepers in their day) but THEY don't know that. I'll give them the 're' back when they give us our 'ic'.

[eShirl]

10. Because it is a specific subset of Republicans. n/t

[flpoljunkie]

2. Thanks, jefferson_dem. A must read.

[my2sense]

4. K & R

And these (republicans) are supposed to be the "Leaders of Our Country?". If they ever take control again, we are finished.

[jefferson_dem]

5. Here's an image of Repub reps waving "Don't Tread on Me" flag from the balcony.

They are the anti-statesmen, demagogic fools.

http://twitpic.com/1a29w7

[Cha]

14. They're the ones who need to get

the fuck off.

[NJmaverick]

7. Sometimes their ugly souls are exposed for all to see

[Cosmocat]

11. WHAT A BUNCH OF ARSEHATS ...

complete and total clowns ...

[Jennicut]

12. The saddest thing is these are grown men and women acting like hooligans. No sense

of decorum for the office they hold. My 5 year old acts more mature. I have never seen a bigger bunch of obnoxious, immature, idiotic losers in my life. This is what represents part of our govt.???

[NOLALady]

15. Hooligans?

They are not acting.

[TCJ70]

13. Surely you mean epitaphs...n/t