Thom Hartmann - This is what happens when you show up at a tea party with a no medicare pledge?

[thomhartmann]

Run time: 07:18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10RDIgt7LAA   Posted on YouTube: April 03, 2010 By YouTube Member: thomhartmann Views on YouTube: 202   Posted on DU: April 03, 2010 By DU Member: thomhartmann Views on DU: 5484

 
The Thom Hartmann Program can be heard daily M-F 12-3pm ET. Visit www.thomhartmann.com to listen live, join the community or purchase a podcast.

[Cleita]

1. I think more of us should get involved in trying to get these kind of messages

across to the misinformed and manipulated Tea Party crowd. See if we can get them to think about the fact that they are acting against the best interests of themselves, their children and their grandchildren by whatever means it takes. Most people really don't want to hurt their children or grandchildren.

Thanks for posting this. I missed most of your show yesterday because I had to work.

[Mithreal]

2. +1 Some here would have us think these folks are all too scary

A lot of them are just amusing, confused and misguided. There's a difference between stupidity and ignorance. If we won't talk to them and introduce them to Progressive ideas and persuasion, who will?

If you haven't experienced lively discussions with these sorts of folks, you don't know what you are missing but I am not conflict averse or uncomfortable with who I am and what I believe or afraid to say it.

I was talking with my rightwinger brother this past week. We don't talk often. My approach had always been pretty gentle whenever the conversation got around to politics. I was watching Battle in Seattle at the moment and told him it was probably not the best time to talk but we talked for maybe an hour. I was worked up by the movie and warned him but just told him bluntly all the things I was thinking of. When he talked with my wife, he said some weird things to her that made me think I actually broke through. I could be wrong, we'll see. I know, I am rambling but years of gentle persuasion made practically no difference. Maybe the time was right. His party has gone batshit crazy after all. Any sane person still a member of that party should be ashamed of themselves.

Anyway, we have to engage people whose opinions differ from ours and we cannot be afraid we will hurt their feelings or be bruised ourselves. Sometimes aggressive approaches break through all the defensive bullshit. I realize there are a lot of people who this won't work with for a variety of reasons. That's ok.

[eagertolearn]

16. I think we will have to go about this one person at a time.

When they are not around several tea baggers they might actually listen to someone and see the truth. May times I'll talk about medicare and medicaid and how that is working for them. Then I'll say "If we all paid in something and got the same health care wouldn't it be better than half of the people paying nothing (and those of us paying for health care paying for those paying nothing)? Most of the time they will say "that makes sense". Though some like my mom you can't say anything to. She and her boyfriend think the world is coming to an end and they are not that religious.

[Mithreal]

17. In numbers or a family member definitely poses additional problems, agreed.

[ErikJ]

3. I think this petition is better

THom was right, use a petition that is a bit more serious. And I would print a couple 100 of them and distribute to the tea partyers while holding a sign while walking throughout the crowd.

The last taxday Tea Party I held a sign that said TAX THE RICH which was interesting and quite fun and exciting. Lots came up to me and asked about my sign. I told them that Eisenhower had a 92% tax on the rich and strongly defended it as much better than borrowing to pay for our debts which can only lead to ruin. One guy said why should I have to pay for everybody else and I told him how did you get here? On PUBLIC ROADS?

side one
STOP SOCIALISM!!
- END SOCIAL SECURITY Sign the Pledge
side two
STOP SOCIALISM!!
-END MEDICARE NOW! Sign the Pledge here!


TEA PARTY PLEDGE:

I, ________________________________, do solemnly swear to uphold the principles of a socialism-free society and heretofore pledge my word that I shall strictly adhere to the following:
I pledge to eliminate all government intervention in my life. I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:

•Social Security
•Medicare/Medicaid
•State Children's Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP)
•Police, Fire, and Emergency Services
•US Postal Service
•Roads and Highways
•Air Travel (regulated by the socialist FAA)
•The US Railway System
•Public Subways and Metro Systems
•Public Bus and Lightrail Systems
•Rest Areas on Highways
•Sidewalks
•All Government-Funded Local/State Projects (e.g., see Iowa 2009 federal Senate appropriations). This means every single road that is not a toll road is off limits to my use.
•Public Drinking Water and Sewer Services (goodbye socialist toilet, shower, dishwasher, kitchen sink, outdoor hose!)
•Public and State Universities and Colleges
•Public Primary and Secondary Schools
•Sesame Street
•Publicly Funded Anti-Drug Use Education for Children
•Public Museums
•Libraries
•Public Parks and Beaches
•State and National Parks
•Public Zoos
•Unemployment Insurance
•Municipal Garbage and Recycling Services
•Treatment at Any Hospital or Clinic That Ever Received Funding From Local, State or Federal Government (pretty much all of them)
•Medical Services and Medications That Were Created or Derived From Any Government grant or research Funding (again, pretty much all of them)
•Socialist Byproducts of Government Investment Such as Duct Tape, heart monitors/defibrillators and Velcro (Nazi-NASA Inventions)
•Use of the Internet, email, and networked computers, as the DoD's ARPANET was the basis for subsequent computer networking
•Foodstuffs, Meats, Produce and Crops that were grown with, fed with, raised with or that contain inputs from crops grown with government subsidies.
If a veteran of the government-run socialist US military, I will forgo my VA benefits and insist on paying for my own medical care.

I will not tour socialist government buildings like the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

I pledge to never take myself, my family, or my children on a tour of the following types of free-admission/taxpayer subsidized socialist locations, including but not limited to:

•Smithsonian Museums such as the Air and Space Museum or Museum of American History
•The socialist Washington, Lincoln, FDR, and Jefferson Monuments
•The government-operated Statue of Liberty
•The Grand Canyon and all national/state/regional/local parks, forests and monuments
•The socialist World War II, Korean and Vietnam Veterans Memorials in every town
•The government-run socialist-propaganda location known as Arlington National Cemetery
•All other public-funded socialist sites, whether it be in my state or in Washington, DC. This also includes Post Offices, fire departments, police departments, public schools, libraries and zoos.

SWORN ON A BIBLE AND SIGNED THIS DAY OF ____________ IN THE YEAR 2010


Please print out the Pledge and distribute as many as you can at your local Tea Party meetings
and carry a sign that says

side one STOP SOCIALISM!!
- END SOCIAL SECURITY
side two STOP SOCIALISM!!
-END MEDICARE NOW!

[Mithreal]

4. +1

:thumbsup:

[patrice]

5. That's perfect.

I'm not sure what my reasons for not doing this are.

I will consider it.

[MrMickeysMom]

11. Welcome to DU EricJ

:yourock:

May I use it?

[secondwind]

14. Your first post on DU ROCKS!!!! I've bookmarked it and intend to use it....!!

WELCOME TO DU!!


:fistbump:

[ErikJ]

18. Thanks all!

But don't thank me too much because its actually Thom's idea from his Thursday? show. Both the petitions and the signs. I was listening while walking my dogs and started laughing out loud when he mentioned it, thinking it was perfect. I think handing out the petitions makes more sense though, but I am wondering if there should be some mention of returning it somewhere?

I've been to 2 Tea Party things now with signs and I highly encourage it. Its fun teaching Teabaggers the truth. They all thought I was lying when I mentioned the top tax rate for the millionaires and billionaires was 90% during Eisenhower's administration in the 1950's (their ideal decade!). Something the rightwing media keeps VERY mum about!

[eagertolearn]

19. Thanks thats great! I will copy it in case I need it and pass it on if you don't mind.

Welcome to DU!:kick:

[patrice]

6. I think Thom is right. It could just be played with all sincerity. No argument. No attacks. Just

Just innocently helping these folks live up to their own values.

[tblue37]

7. Could you summarize what happened for us deafies? nt

[EFerrari]

20. Thom talked to a young sounding man who wrote up a petition

a pledge to the effect the signor would use no public service, everything from social security to libraries and roads. He went to a Teahadist rally and invited a few people to sign this pledge. He was called a Nazi, cussed at, told none of those things applied to the Teahadists and even had a guy spit on his petition.

:crazy:

[The Wizard]

8. They should pledge to

follow in the footsteps of one of their heroes, and take the Herman Goering exit strategy.

[peacetalksforall]

9. An alternate name for them could be the Anti-Socialist Spit Society - don't even think about

its acronym.

Proves that we don't or can't grow up?

Are there any laws on the books about the health hazard of spitting?

[vaberella]

10. This would have been better if there was a video. n/t

[MrMickeysMom]

12. Good idea...

I await yours!

[vaberella]

13. Not too many teabaggers here in France, unfortunately. Or in NYC where I normally live. n/t

[spicegal]

15. Right wingers in general suffer from a serious reality disconnect.

And this is one prime example. The question is, why aren't more people in the MSM nailing the Tea Party crowd on their false assertions and blatant hypocrisy. They strike me as being no more than an angry incoherent pitchfork mob.