Tea party picking up steam nationwide

[onehandle]

Source: Washington Post

Fresh off big primary wins in Delaware and Alaska, national "tea party" groups are redirecting the energy of the movement toward the November midterm elections, raising millions of dollars, expanding their advocacy into dozens of congressional races and building voter turnout operations nationwide.

Leaders of the Atlanta-based Tea Party Patriots said they will announce a seven-figure donation Tuesday, from a yet-unnamed person, that the organization will pour into local tea party groups and get-out-the-vote efforts in some of the most competitive congressional races.

FreedomWorks, which is headquartered in Washington and endorsed 25 House and Senate candidates during the primary season, said it will expand that list to more than 80. The Tea Party Express, based in Sacramento, is planning its largest national bus tour at the end of October to get conservatives to the polls. The goal is to keep alive the momentum the movement has generated and to use it to target vulnerable Democratic candidates.

"People are starting to realize that the tea party represents a powerful get-out-the-vote machine," said Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks. "We've got the most energized voting constituency in the country. This movement has been organizing since before April 2009, and all of that community is energizing and driving public opinion. The establishment is taking us more seriously. There's nothing like turning out votes in an election that matters."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/20/AR2010092006163.html

[monmouth]

1. "The establishment is taking us more seriously." That must be

since Beckkkk told them to stop "dressing up and carrying signs." Yeah, that'll sure make a difference. If these people couldn't dress up and carry mis-spelled signs what would be their point of leaving the couch? That's the fun part....LOL.

[humbled_opinion]

36. Idiots

This movement is a movement to create a purity in the Repuke party nothing more, there is very little else they can do. They are so far wacky rightwing that any centrist will probably steer way clear. A bunch of religious looney toons no better then the Taliban. The pundits are overhyping them which is ok for us because the threat that they pose to national liberty and freedom for liberal thinking Americans should be enough to energize us to get out the vote just to stop them. Hell if our candidates would start actually telling the American people exactly what the Nazi teabags are going to do to the country, I predict Democrats would take more seats, now wouldn't that be something and then Obama could really work some magic.

[Deep13]

2. Fucking Brownshirts.

[sofa king]

39. Heh.

[Botany]

3. The organization that helped to make the teabaggers likes teabaggers?

:puke:

"People are starting to realize that the tea party represents a powerful get-out-the-vote machine," said Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks.

Dick Armey's FreedomWorks funded and created the tea party.

[SpiralHawk]

8. The Washington Post proving once again that it is on bended knee

Pathetic excuse for journalim...

[Skink]

4. Do they have house parties and get to talk to Beck?

[Historic NY]

5. really but they canceled their annual convention in Vegas...

http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/politics/Tea_Party_Nation_cancels_Vegas_Oct_14_convention.html?ref=624

[Junkdrawer]

6. Headline should read: "Astroturf 'Tea Party Movement' Getting Even Larger Infusions of Cash"....

That's how the story reads...

[KansDem]

7. Sorry, I don't buy the hype...

"Turning out the vote" for primaries in which you replace moderate GOPers with religiously-insane racist Conservatives is one thing. But, for the general election when these same wackos go up against reasonable public servants with a true vision for this country, I doubt we'll see the same results.

But go ahead and stir of the fire, media...the Sarah Palins and Christine O'Donnells need the money...

[ClassWarrior]

9. Buy the hype. If there's even a chance it's true, it's our responsibility to...

...get out the vote for Dems this November.

Or we can dismiss the possible threat and live with the consequences.

Just sayin'.

NGU.

[KansDem]

13. Oh, I agree 100%!

These folks will stop at nothing to seize power again. And they could with electronic voting machines if they are even remotely close to the front runner.

I'm just saying this media will do anything they're told to do by their corporate masters, and currently that means pumping-up the Teahadists...

[IcyPeas]

26. ClassWarrier - YOUR REPLY SHOULD BE IN ALL CAPS:

ClassWarrior's quote:

"...GET OUT THE VOTE FOR THE DEMS THIS NOVEMBER!!!!!!!

OR WE CAN DISMISS THE POSSIBLE THREAT AND LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES!!!!!!

[24601]

37. Yep - Underestimating the opposition loses races n/t

[Doctor_J]

17. There will be at least 4 teabaggers in the Senate next year

maybe more. all of them running against reasonable public servants. WaPo and other right-wing outlets are not doing this to stir the fire - they are aiding and abetting the takeover of this country by Dick Armey.

You need to wake up, in case it's not too late.

[Rozlee]

18. I've been thinking hard about your comment.

Any way you slice it, this 2010 election cycle will be a blood bath for Dems. I know you're right about the general election, but I think this year is too little, too late and will be a rout for us. However, I think if the Tea Party keeps growing in power and keeps it's momentum of purging "moderate" Rethugs from the party--nowadays moderate is to the left of the KKK--your vision is more likely to come true in 2012. Rethugs don't even have a leader nowadays. Sarah Palin, Pawlenty, Romney, the Grinch, etc. None of them can be identified as a candidate that will appeal to teabaggers and the general public alike. During Republican Presidential and congressional primaries, each one will try to out-crazy the other to win the hearts and minds of their teabagger base and the winner will carry that baggage against his/her gleeful Dem opponent in the general election. I know I'm getting wet here thinking about the Rethug primaries in the 2012 election cycle. It should have some comic highlights of teabag crazy of the highest order. Like Stephen Colbert said, "Crank up the crazy and pull off the knob." Yeah, they scare me at times. But, I'm still getting out the popcorn during the Rethug primaries. I think if we can agree on anything, it'll be that fur will fly.

[ChiciB1]

19. Just Wanted To Chime In With "This" Comment! ANOTHER Person Who

was ONCE very active here and who was ONCE a liberal Democrat has now decided to support the Tea Party! I won't divulge gender, other than to say I'm completely SHOCKED! NEVER would I have thought that THIS PERSON could have even entertained this idea!

But what I'm stating IS TRUE and heartbreaking at the same time! This person has even mocked the upcoming March on October 2nd giving stats on the money that was raised and how many people were in attendance for Beck!

AND, before you say he/she was NEVER really a Democrat I MUST tell you this is someone I PM'ed with a lot, and a person who was VERY, VERY active here for MANY YEARS! I just recently found this out and I can't tell you how flabbergasted I was! So, YES this Party/MOVEMENT is growing and to dismiss it out of hand, I say do it at your own peril!

These people ARE getting elected and kicking well known, long term people out on their asses! I will NEVER take any of this lightly, especially in light of what I just found out!

I don't think I've recovered from what I found out yet! So, laugh if you want... but remember that saying about "he who laughs last!"
:scared: :grr:

[CountAllVotes]

21. how frightening ...

and yeah, I do mean it. This "movement" is more than just a joke.

[Rozlee]

24. Oh, I agree that they're dangerous, if they're people don't get off their duffs and do something

against them. They're a lone demographic of white, over 65, pre-Civil Rights segregationists. And IF people voted en masse, it would nullify a great deal of their power. That, I agree, is a big if. The mainstay of the liberal counterpoint to the teahadist--the young, minorities, the economically depressed--usually are the ones that traditionally stay away from the polls. In '08, they flexed their muscle and flooded the voting booths, sweeping Obama into power. So, yeah, the Tea Party is a menace. But, it's a menace because we let it be one. It's a minority itself and one that we have only ourselves to blame if we let it get out of hand.

[CountAllVotes]

25. actually the demographic you present may not be true

I called up to order a new filter for my water filtering system. The woman that took the order had an accent of some sort and she began telling me about her husband's new website. I couldn't understand what she was saying very well.

However, I heard this much and it was this: "We cannot allow these blacks to take over". I then heard her utter the name "Palin". :puke: :nuke:

I didn't say yes or no to her. I just hung up the phone rather quickly.

Said business is located in Las Vegas, Nevada ... :wtf:

I wonder how many others out there that are into this Tea Party movement are in fact just plain assed racists? This woman was of this ilk no doubt (self-affirmed). She was younger than I am, I know this much.

[Shallah Kali]

32. apathy allowed religious radicals warp the Texas school board.

Enough people finally paid attention and voted some of the rw out but it was too late to stop them from fouling up the standards for the next 10 years.

these people can and will win positions of power locally if not nationally as long as enough moderates and liberals let them. I know it sucks for those stuck between a blue dog dem and a tea hadist but the lessor of two evils means less evil. partial victory is better than the tea-publicans who won their primaries and want to ban abortion even in cases of rape and incestuous rape - http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/09/17/five-extremist-gop-candidates-oppose-abortion-even-in-cases-of-incest-and-rape/

[krabigirl]

35. is this person more of a ron paul type, or a full on theocrat Palin type?

Because I can see some appeal that anti-war Paul has to some (heck, I even agree with him on many things), but the Palin/O'Dimbat hardcore theocrat wing? That person was never left-leaning to start with.

[ChiciB1]

38. NOPE... Comment Was Made After BECK'S "Whatever" In D.C.! Said They

would rather be "for" something rather than "against" something! When asked to verify by others who they once stood with, little answer was given!

It came up in reference to the Oct 2nd Rally and the comment was made that Beck raised 5.5 million, and then the question "how about you?" It was really quite astounding! A COMPLETE turn around from one who once called themselves a LIBERAL!

As for Ron Paul, War and a few other issues, yes I understand Paul's thinking! His son on the other hand is really scary!

But I most certainly can't wrap my head around WHY someone who I KNOW touted LIBERAL views simply flipped and turned to the likes of Beck and Palin!

Witches of EastWick maybe, I just don't know!! I want to again say that I have known this person here on DU and another place since 2004, and just can't wrap my head around it as yet!

[krabigirl]

34. the only one I see getting in is Rand, maybe one other.

[Hugin]

10. "Fresh off big primary wins in Delaware and Alaska"

"Fresh off big primary wins in Delaware and Alaska"

My apologies to LynneSin, but, this made me LOL!

[nradisic]

11. Good for us....

The more of these nuttbags that win primaries the better it is for the Democrats. Independents must be having a fit....should I vote for the Teabaggers or the Democrats? Hmmm? If you have half a freaking brain it is a very easy answer.

[ClassWarrior]

12. We have two options. We can take this threat seriously and work hard to elect Dems. Or we...

...can dismiss it as ridiculous hype and do nothing.

If we do the former, there will be one of two outcomes. Either we'll squeak out a win for Dems by averting a very real threat, or we'll win BIG TIME because there is no threat.

If we do the latter, there will be one of two outcomes. Either we'll win because there is no threat... or WE'LL LOSE.

The first option is win-win. I choose that one.

NGU.

[olegramps]

16. Yes, be afraid, very afraid. These people are nuts and dedicated.

They have the same blind dedication as religious zealots with whom they share the same mentality. Some how the Independents have to be energized to counteract these fascists. It really disturbs me when I see apathy taking root right here on DU. I believe that President Obama has come to realize that his attempts at bipartisanship has been an unmitigated failure and it is time to launch a counteroffensive. The Tea-baggers are the barbarians howling at the city gate.

[peace13]

20. Nuts, dedicated and have lots of time on their hands.

Too funny because the tea baggers I know have SS, Medicare and VA benefits. Go figure. They want to shut the mean machine down. Do these folks think at all is the question?

[COLGATE4]

23. They are going to take the same role as the old 'Religious Right'

did in the Rethug Party of yesterday - dedicated, fanatical, zealots and above all people with lots of anger and lots of time on their hands. They can be counted on to do the grassroots day-to-day slogging and, above all, counted on to show up to vote and to get lots of their kamaraden to show up as well. The Religious Right controlled the Rethug Party for at least twenty years - now it's this group's turn. We dismiss them as nuts at our own peril.

[ClassWarrior]

29. I wouldn't say "be afraid." But I would say be smart.

NGU.

[Psephos]

28. Well said. This is a real threat to progressive majorities. Self-delusion is not a strategy. n/

[Crowman1979]

14. The Teabaggers are going off the rails on a crazy train IMO!

[Hestia]

15. Sorry, but 19% approval ratings is not picking up steam - we need to stop this meme

[David__77]

27. It doesn't take a majority for a movement to win power.

The masses are largely comprised of a large center of apathy. It's the two small ends that make the difference. And their end is agitated and mobilized, while "ours" is not. In the long run, they are doomed, but we cannot give up the immediate battle before us.

[ClassWarrior]

30. Why?

If it gets our side motivated, isn't this meme good?

NGU.

[izquierdista]

22. Clouds of steam

Often dissipate into just hot air.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

31. No!

[Magleetis]

33. This is why

I didn't celebrate teabagger victories in the primaries.

[underpants]

40. Pure PR from the Post- if anything they are losing steam- introduced a product in the summer

What did Andy Card say? "You don't introduce a new product (the war spin) in August"

There poll numbers are atrocious and going down.