We are approaching the 5th anniversary of the start of the Tea Party movement.
So, for fun, I wanted to explore the devolution of insults about citizen activists like myself over the years.
First, we were peppered with a wide barrage: “Astro-turf”, “members of a mob“, “clansmen“, “un-American”, “political terrorists“, “Nazis“, and “evil-mongers“.
I must admit, being called “well-dressed” by Nancy Pelosi was hilarious.
Then, they hit us with their biggest bombshell: “Racists”.
Because all of these have failed to silence us, they have one last card to play. Now, we are simply crazy.
A Psychologist Diagnoses the Tea Party-and other extremists threatening our world. In “The Polarized Mind: Why It’s Killing Us and What We Can Do about It,” Kirk J. Schneider Ph.D., calls for a new and deeper psychological understanding of our greatest political and social conflicts and those who drive them.
Fortunately, those of us who planned to be involved in the grassroots movement didn’t count on being praised for our efforts by progressive academics or the liberal media. However, it is fascinating the lengths that our opponents have gone over the years to demean our desire for smaller government, sensible budgeting, and adherence to the US Constitution.
Captain Capitalism has a great send-up of this book’s promotion letter:
An Economist diagnoses Dr. Kirk J. Schneider-and other faux psychologists threatening our world. In “Liberal Talentless Academian Hacks Who Use Psychology to Criminalize People They Politically Disagree With,” Aaron Clarey, SAEG., calls for a new and deeper psychological understanding of the potential threat of biased psychologists who like the Soviets, use trumped up, fabricated mental diseases to lay the groundwork to institutionalize political enemies.
The laughter at Dr. Schneider’s efforts have provided Tea Partiers is priceless. Furthermore, those who are actually inclined to purchase the book probably will likely never reevaluate their disdain toward us. But, the dollars they spend will NOT be available to donate toward their 2014 causes and candidates.
And that is a good thing.
More importantly, our long-term approach may actually be paying dividends: Tea Party expands influence even in Democratic-leaning districts.
Despite national polls showing dwindling voter support for the Tea Party, House Republicans are embracing the movement’s issues tighter than ever, setting up a potential clash with voters in districts that lean Democratic, according to a new study of key House votes.On average, said the study provided in advance to Secrets, House Republicans in Democratic-leaning districts or those that voted for President Obama over Republican Mitt Romney in 2012 sided with the Tea Party about 81 percent of the time on key votes like defunding Obamacare, blocking an increase of the debt limit and supporting a government shutdown.
Yep. I admit to being crazy.
Crazy like a red-blooded, American fox.
I wonder what Dr. Schneider’s mental state will be after the November elections. I suspect it will not be good.
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