Tea Party = 21st Dixiecrats; Sarah Palin = modern-day Strom Thurmond

[Empowerer]

The 1948 Dixiecrats were about nothing but hatred and fear of blacks and a fervent, almost hysterical effort to take back "their" country from those who upset the racial and social status quo. Unlike most political third parties, they offered no ideas, strategies or philosophies beyond their obsession with subjugating African Americans (often under the euphemism of "States' Rights").

Their standard bearer, Strom Thurmond cared nothing about policy, governance or progress. He advanced himself by riding the wave of fears of ignorant, bigoted white people he so skillfully and cynically manipulated and exploited.

Like the Dixiecrats, the Tea Party does not, as serious, viable third parties do, present any ideas or coherent policies. Instead, they define themselves by whom they hate. The Dixiecrats hated black people and other minorities and anyone else who didn't hate them. So do the Tea Partyers. The big difference between the Dixecrats and the Tea Partyers is that, unlike the Dixiecrats, the Tea Partyers have a "representative" black person, a big, scary, real life personification of the very essence of all they hate and fear about blacks, immigrants, gays, etc. - President Obama - and have made HIM the focused target of their attacks. Otherwise, they're virtually indistinguishable.

That, by the way, is the giveaway. No REAL political party intending to have any long-term or meaningful viability makes one individual - especially a political figure - the centerpiece of its mission, its raison d'etre.

Sarah Palin's failure and/or inability to develop any coherent message or philosophy other than snarky yet potentially dangerous attacks on President Obama makes her the perfect fit for the Tea Party - and reveals her to be much closer to Strom Thurmond than Ross Perot.

Be very clear: The Tea Party is not a "party" at all. It is a 21st Century States' Rights, Massive-Resistance, hate-filled, last-gasp effort to return the nation to the "correct" balance of racial superiority/inferiority whose patron saint is a modern-day Strom Thurmond in a skirt.

[livetohike]

1. K&R - best description of Palin. So true

That woman makes me sick. After Saturday night's juvenile performance, if the MSM doesn't finally call her out for what she is there is no hope for them.

[chemp]

2. Call her out? They love her!

She creates controversy. The MSM searches for and wallows in controversy.
No longer so they report news, they relay "Conventional wisdom" and tells us what we are thinking.

Utter bullshit. Marketing disguised as news.

[livetohike]

6. I'm a glutton for punishment because I keep hoping someone

other than Keith or Rachel will step up and say "Enough". Rachel isn't even hard enough on Palin, imo. I gave up on Big Eddie months ago, too.

[madmax]

3. In a skirt

"Their standard bearer, Strom Thurmond cared nothing about policy, governance or progress. He advanced himself by riding the wave of fears of ignorant, bigoted white people he so skillfully and cynically manipulated and exploited".

[Laf.La.Dem.]

4. I wish "The Tea Party" would be become a new party

That would make half of the Republicans switch parties:evilgrin:

[GoCubsGo]

5. Sarah is going to be in for a big surprise, too.

Not only do they hate blacks, immigrants, gays, etc., they really don't like women, either. Except as eye candy. Sarah is here to whip up the frenzy, but if anyone really thinks they'll let her be President, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell them.

[The Wizard]

7. Now the Grand Kleigle

is wearing a skirt and high heels instead of a pointed hood and robes.

[JoePhilly]

8. YUP ... xenophobes one and all ....

The whole point of the birth certificate stuff is to make Obama "not one of us".

They can't use the N-word ... so claiming that Obama is "not-American" is CODE.

[EffieBlack]

9. So true

I shudder to think how far the Dixiecrats would have gotten if they had gotten the kind of obsessive news coverage being accorded the Tea Party Movement?

[quiet.american]

10. "Nuff said. Well done. nt