Uh… first?

Doesn’t seem like anyone cares about this one.

Scanning the thousands of hopped-up faces in the crowd, I am immediately struck by two things. One is that there isn’t a single black person here. The other is the truly awesome quantity of medical hardware: Seemingly every third person in the place is sucking oxygen from a tank or propping their giant atrophied glutes on motorized wheelchair-scooters. As Palin launches into her Ronald Reagan impression — “Government’s not the solution! Government’s the problem!” — the person sitting next to me leans over and explains.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/210904

Eliot -
I am a 79 year old woman who has been a major fan of all your activities as Attorney General of NYS (not so much of all your activities as Governor).
For many years I was a member of NYSOMRDD’s Commisioner’s Advisory Commitee.
As a long-time member of our WNY group, I enjoy the memory of one of our meetings at the local DDSO when you were running for Governor. Several severely Republican members were discussing you in negative terms. I said, “I think Eliot Spitzer is God.” They said, “So does he.”
I hope you find this as amusing as I do.
Anyway, I watched your new TV program tonight and I LOVED it. For God’s sake (and the rest of us), keep up the good work.
I have 3 thoughts that I wish could be heard as we go into this coming election period.
I don’t know how to make them heard.
1. CORE VALUES:
Jesus Christ: Love thy neighbor as thyself.
Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Tea Party: I’ve got mine and I am not my brother’s keeper.
2. Does anyone but me remember the endlessly repeated Cheney-led mantra, when people were upset about the war of choice and it’s cost that only rewarded Halliburton, “DEFICITS DON’T MATTER”?
3. A POSSIBLE SOLUTION
People with power and big money can take special advantage by hiring lobbyists to influence, and thus, buy the government to create legislation which will continue their power and personal riches.
People without power and big money cannot afford to hire lobbyists to buy government to create legislation which will operate to their advantage, and thus make the American Dream possible for them.
I recommend a 50% tax (could be too much? or too little?) on the costs of lobbying, proceeds to be applied specifically to the maintenance of Social Security and Medicare.
Since the mid-1980′s both parties began using Social Security funds as a giant slush fund. It was “temporarily borrowed” and used for non-Social Security purposes. From 1989 to 1993, taxes were not raised because the $211.7 billion in Social Security surplus revenue flowed into the U.S. Treasury and every penny was spent for government expenditures. None of it was spent for payment of future Social Security benefits. This practice has continued.
The plan was that when benefit costs start to exceed payroll tax revenue, the Social Security trustees would begin dipping into the huge reserve that was supposed to be built up in the trust fund to make up the revenue shortfall in order to continue to pay full benefits. However, there are no assets in the trust fund to be used.
In this Land of the Free, wealthy, powerful people are free to buy our government through the use of lobbyists. I believe that there should be a tax on that particular freedom to level the playing field for those who cannot afford to buy the government for their own benefit.
Joan Watkins

Greg said:
Scanning the thousands of hopped-up faces in the crowd, I am immediately struck by two things. One is that there isn’t a single black person here. The other is the truly awesome quantity of medical hardware: Seemingly every third person in the place is sucking oxygen from a tank or propping their giant atrophied glutes on motorized wheelchair-scooters. As Palin launches into her Ronald Reagan impression — “Government’s not the solution! Government’s the problem!” — the person sitting next to me leans over and explains. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/210904

You left out this part-

“It’s taken three trips to Kentucky, but I’m finally getting my Tea Party epiphany exactly where you’d expect: at a Sarah Palin rally. The red-hot mama of American exceptionalism has flown in to speak at something called the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, a gospel-music hoedown in a giant convention center filled with thousands of elderly white Southerners.”

Not exactly a Tea Party Rally. Being “struck” by the fact that there are mostly old white people at a “gospel music hoedown” in Kentucky called, “The National Quartet Convention” betrays a little naivete. I suppose he goes to rap concerts in South Central and is “struck” by the fact that he mainly sees young black guys wearing clothes that are too big for them.

Greg said:
One is that there isn’t a single black person here

The only people who seem to care are pathetic leftists like you who hate the Tea Party anyway. So roll up your copy of Rolling Stone, stick it up your ass, and rotate.

You tell em Breitbart. the Tea Party is just not pissed at the Democratic Party. The Republicans or RINO Party is just as guilty. If they think they are going to get a free ride on the TEA Party’s back. They are in for a rude awakening!

joaniebaloney said:
1. CORE VALUES:Jesus Christ: Love thy neighbor as thyself.Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.Tea Party: I’ve got mine and I am not my brother’s keeper.

To the contrary, conservatives are the most generous people in the country. Jesus said to give from what you have. He said the woman who gave her only coin gave more than the rest, even though it was very little. Jesus never commanded to take from some in order to give to others. The government cannot be the substitute for real charity. Real charity is more cost effective for both parties, too.

joaniebaloney said:
2. Does anyone but me remember the endlessly repeated Cheney-led mantra, when people were upset about the war of choice and it’s cost that only rewarded Halliburton, “DEFICITS DON’T MATTER”?3. A POSSIBLE SOLUTION

Deficits don’t matter as long as they remain a small percentage of GDP. This chart shows the problem we’re facing-

http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/federal_deficit_chart.html

As you can see, it was falling until the Dems took Congress in 2007.

joaniebaloney said:
People with power and big money can take special advantage by hiring lobbyists to influence, and thus, buy the government to create legislation which will continue their power and personal riches.People without power and big money cannot afford to hire lobbyists to buy government to create legislation which will operate to their advantage, and thus make the American Dream possible for them.

Lobbying doesn’t equate to power, though. As long as we stay informed and vote the people out who are helping these special interests, then our power trumps their money.

joaniebaloney said:
I recommend a 50% tax (could be too much? or too little?) on the costs of lobbying, proceeds to be applied specifically to the maintenance of Social Security and Medicare.Since the mid-1980’s both parties began using Social Security funds as a giant slush fund. It was “temporarily borrowed” and used for non-Social Security purposes. From 1989 to 1993, taxes were not raised because the $211.7 billion in Social Security surplus revenue flowed into the U.S. Treasury and every penny was spent for government expenditures. None of it was spent for payment of future Social Security benefits. This practice has continued.The plan was that when benefit costs start to exceed payroll tax revenue, the Social Security trustees would begin dipping into the huge reserve that was supposed to be built up in the trust fund to make up the revenue shortfall in order to continue to pay full benefits. However, there are no assets in the trust fund to be used.In this Land of the Free, wealthy, powerful people are free to buy our government through the use of lobbyists. I believe that there should be a tax on that particular freedom to level the playing field for those who cannot afford to buy the government for their own benefit.Joan Watkins

This is something I don’t get. I always hear people complain that government keeps dipping into social security, but whenever the idea of privatization comes up, it’s shunned. Privatization gives the money back to you and keeps their hands out of the pot. I would much rather be able to make my own decisions with my money than to trust some bureacrat will eventually not be corrupt.

joaniebaloney said:
Eliot -
I am a 79 year old woman who has been a major fan of all your activities as Attorney General of NYS (not so much of all your activities as Governor).
For many years I was a member of NYSOMRDD’s Commisioner’s Advisory Commitee.
As a long-time member of our WNY group, I enjoy the memory of one of our meetings at the local DDSO when you were running for Governor. Several severely Republican members were discussing you in negative terms. I said, “I think Eliot Spitzer is God.” They said, “So does he.”
I hope you find this as amusing as I do.
Anyway, I watched your new TV program tonight and I LOVED it. For God’s sake (and the rest of us), keep up the good work.

Joan Watkins

Hey Joan this may come as a surprise but Elliot doesnt read these message boards, you should probably track down his address and mail him this nonsense.

Spitzer is like Michael Jackson was before he died.

Every time I look at him I imagine him riding a hooker dirty around the hotel room.

CNN might have not thought about this stigma the guy has to live with now.

Comparing Palin to Oprah? Really? The one time Oprah endorsed a political candidate, he went on to become the President of the United States. Oh, and Oprah probably spends more money on her dogs than Palin has made in the 2 years we’ve been forced to translate her gibberish. And, I’m predicting that Parker Spitzer will be dead last like everyone else in that timeslot on CNN. Nice guest in Breitbart. Stay Classy CNN!

Greg said:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/210904

There were a lot of points that could have been made in that article; too bad they all got lost in the nasty rhetoric. Chalk it up to the angry left “reporting” on the angry right. One Rolling Stone reporter doing a hit piece on old people riding around on motorized wheel chairs in rural Kentucky isn’t going to change anyone’s world view one way or another.

Also, you pay into Medicare. Therefore, when you you receive it, it’s a return on an investment. He aimed to snow his readers when he equated it with welfare.

That show is going to die on the vine. The ought to call it Left and Lefter.
Memo to CNN.
Nothing pisses off conservatives more than someone who claims to be a Republican who then takes a giant crap on the party and their leaders.
That basically guarantees that millions of people will not watch.

More rubbish from garbage dump CNN. Who needs it?

I applaud CNN for trying to have an honest debate show but can’t they do it w/o sleazeballs like Breitbart and Spitzer?

Also, get a bigger table.

Big_F-ing_Deal said:
Also, get a bigger table.

I’m wondering why they don’t just have Parker sit in Spitzer’s lap. Are they handcuffed together or something?

It’s getting panned big time. Firing Sanchez for what he said, and hiring a disgraced democrat governor and a faux con isn’t gonna get CNN any additional viewers.

I didn’t watch, so won’t comment on the content of the show, but as I said, surfing around the net the first impression is fail.

Azarkhan said:
The only people who seem to care are pathetic leftists like you who hate the Tea Party anyway. So roll up your copy of Rolling Stone, stick it up your ass, and rotate.

Indeed, the Tea Partiers go to great lengths to ensure that no African-Americans are about.

TfT said:
It’s getting panned big time. Firing Sanchez for what he said, and hiring a disgraced democrat governor and a faux con isn’t gonna get CNN any additional viewers. I didn’t watch, so won’t comment on the content of the show, but as I said, surfing around the net the first impression is fail.

Not to mention having the serail liar Breitbart as a guest!

Lars Svensen said:
More rubbish from garbage dump CNN. Who needs it?

If you asked the question, I suspect you do. It can’t be healthy to get all your information from the RNC Propaganda Ministry.

The Real Royal King said:
Not to mention having the serail liar Breitbart as a guest!

I meant to say Breitbart is a SERIAL liar.

Don’t think so TRRK (re Breitbart), slander on your part based on gossip no doubt.

Parker claims “I’m a right of center fan of Obama”…..yup, thats the ticket for CNN.

Spitzer is a creep and yet Parker sits by his side and claims we “need more decency”. Bwahahahaha

Epic fail of a new show, not because of the guests, but because of the hosts.

TfT said:
Don’t think so TRRK (re Breitbart), slander on your part based on gossip no doubt. Parker claims “I’m a right of center fan of Obama”…..yup, thats the ticket for CNN. Spitzer is a creep and yet Parker sits by his side and claims we “need more decency”. Bwahahahaha Epic fail of a new show, not because of the guests, but because of the hosts.

Yet, you said you didn’t watch it.

I found it to be a nice change from what is out there.
It was nice to see breitbart on there, and I think they brought Spitzers issues out front with the guest who he prosecuted.
I watched the whole show and will do so again.

1 complaint.

Get rid of the person who did the editing.
No blending at all, it was crap.

The Real Royal King said:
Indeed, the Tea Partiers go to great lengths to ensure that no African-Americans are about.

And this is a fact or another paranoid opinion? Nevermind, everyone knows the answer.

this lying scumbag is given airtime to continue crying about all the reverse racism that exists in his douche of a head!
the show was great but pandering too much to both sides I think i’d prefer to see parker and spitzer speak more that the useless guests.

Penguin60 said:
And this is a fact or another paranoid opinion? Nevermind, everyone knows the answer.

O, please. What is the liklihood of a “grassroots” gathering in America without an African-American presence? Spare us all your gross intellectual dishonesty. Now, go make yourself a turkey sandwich on Wonderbread with Miracle Whip and conjure up thoughts of African Americans driving down property values in your trailer park.

Penguin60 said:
And this is a fact or another paranoid opinion? Nevermind, everyone knows the answer.

The sun rose in the east today and The Real Royal Kook is lying. Situation normal.

The Real Royal King said:
O, please. What is the liklihood of a “grassroots” gathering in America without an African-American presence?

What is the likelihood that the facts don’t fit your fantasy? 100%, girlfriend.

The Real Royal King said:
O, please. What is the liklihood of a “grassroots” gathering in America without an African-American presence? Spare us all your gross intellectual dishonesty. Now, go make yourself a turkey sandwich on Wonderbread with Miracle Whip and conjure up thoughts of African Americans driving down property values in your trailer park.

Wow, touch a nerve there royal queen? Your calls of racism, are sooo plaaayed. That card is over the limits so why don’t you buck up in cash and prove how the TEA Party “go to great lengths to ensure that no African-Americans are about.” Other than your propaganda opinions, please show me. Also is that your half assed idea of a dis, trailer park? Another clueless lib, speaking out his ass, how’s the view from up there?

Pablo, Penguin, I know the truth is ugly when filtered through your lenses, but I can’t change that. I can only sympathize with both of you. And, I do.

The Real Royal King said:
Pablo, Penguin, I know the truth is ugly when filtered through your lenses, but I can’t change that. I can only sympathize with both of you. And, I do.

Just what I was thinking. Seems like a typical lib MO, throw out accusations and back them up with ……nothing. Yeah, that’s what I thought.
But thanks for the sympathy, I lay awake at night longing for sleep knowing that a deranged lib doesn’t agree with me, now I can sleep, thanks queeny.

The Real Royal King said:
O, please. What is the liklihood of a “grassroots” gathering in America without an African-American presence? Spare us all your gross intellectual dishonesty. Now, go make yourself a turkey sandwich on Wonderbread with Miracle Whip and conjure up thoughts of African Americans driving down property values in your trailer park.

You appear to have an immense disdain for “certain peoples” of low social-economic status. You realize that puts in you in direct opposition to one of the main goals of the Obama Administration. “Social Justice” knows no color; only where the poverty line rests. You appear to be guilty of ideological dishonesty.

The Real Royal King said:
go make yourself a turkey sandwich on Wonderbread with Miracle Whip

I prefer “Nature’s Own” bread. Is there something wrong with Miracle Whip on a turkey sandwich? I admit I used to prefer Hellmann’s mayo, but in the last year or so I’ve switched. I still use Hellmann’s on my tuna sandwiches. Miracle Whip just doesn’t taste right with it.

The Real Royal King said:
Pablo, Penguin, I know the truth is ugly when filtered through your lenses, but I can’t change that. I can only sympathize with both of you. And, I do.

When you sympathize with someone, it means you know where they’re coming from. I think you meant that you sympathize for them.

Haimerej said:
You left out this part-

“It’s taken three trips to Kentucky, but I’m finally getting my Tea Party epiphany exactly where you’d expect: at a Sarah Palin rally. The red-hot mama of American exceptionalism has flown in to speak at something called the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, a gospel-music hoedown in a giant convention center filled with thousands of elderly white Southerners.”

Not exactly a Tea Party Rally. Being “struck” by the fact that there are mostly old white people at a “gospel music hoedown” in Kentucky called, “The National Quartet Convention” betrays a little naivete. I suppose he goes to rap concerts in South Central and is “struck” by the fact that he mainly sees young black guys wearing clothes that are too big for them.

Finish reading before critcizing.
He actually takes a cynical view, and PRAISES the beginnings of the Tea Party

The original Tea Party was launched by a real opponent of the political establishment — Rand Paul’s father, Ron

He’s a libertarian, but he means it. Sure, he takes typical, if exaggerated, Republican stances against taxes and regulation, but he also opposes federal drug laws (“The War on Drugs is totally out of control” and “All drugs should be decriminalized”), Bush’s interventionist wars in the Middle East (“We cannot spread our greatness and our goodness through the barrel of a gun”) and the Patriot Act; he even called for legalized prostitution and online gambling.

Paul had a surprisingly good showing as a fringe candidate in 2008, and he may run again, but he’l
l never get any further than the million primary votes he got last time for one simple reason, which happens to be the same reason many campaign-trail reporters like me liked him: He’s honest.

right-is-wrong said:
He actually takes a cynical view

towards both parties

right-is-wrong said:
Finish reading before critcizing.

I prefer to criticize the picture the poster who linked the article was attempting to paint.

right-is-wrong said:
He actually takes a cynical view, and PRAISES the beginnings of the Tea Party

I guess you think that means it’s valid for Greg to post the bit of the article that paints the supposed, “Tea Party” (which a gospel music convention aint) as nothing but old white people?

right-is-wrong said:
The original Tea Party was launched by a real opponent of the political establishment — Rand Paul’s father, Ron He’s a libertarian, but he means it. Sure, he takes typical, if exaggerated, Republican stances against taxes and regulation, but he also opposes federal drug laws (“The War on Drugs is totally out of control” and “All drugs should be decriminalized”), Bush’s interventionist wars in the Middle East (“We cannot spread our greatness and our goodness through the barrel of a gun”) and the Patriot Act; he even called for legalized prostitution and online gambling.

The only problem I have with modern libertarianism is their isolationist attitudes. Isolationism works in a world in which it takes months to cross the oceans. His quote above about spreading greatness and goodness through the barell of a gun misses the reason we’re over there. It’s not to “spread our greatness”- it’s to deal with a growing problem. The idea that violence doesn’t solve anything is bogus. There are times when violence is needed, and dealing with people hell bent on killing innocent people in large amounts is when violence can solve a problem. I’m also hesitant to say that Ron launched the Tea Party. I think there were many groups who were criticizing government spending, even before TARP went through. I would Santelli helped to bring them together under the name.

right-is-wrong said:
Paul had a surprisingly good showing as a fringe candidate in 2008, and he may run again, but he’ll never get any further than the million primary votes he got last time for one simple reason, which happens to be the same reason many campaign-trail reporters like me liked him: He’s honest.

I don’t think it’s his honesty, I think it’s his dovish nature. I think alot of people have no problems and even encourage using our military to fight terrorism overseas. I would prefer someone with his fiscal attitude in charge of the economy, but isolationism is a dead ideology. I honestly believe that’s what keeps libertarians from getting more acceptance in the Republican party.

Haimerej said:
I prefer to criticize the picture the poster who linked the article was attempting to paint.

fair enough

Haimerej said:
I would prefer someone with his fiscal attitude in charge of the economy,

so what did you think of Matt Taibbi’s assessment of the Tea Party Hippocracy?

Sorry so long to respond. Been enjoying a vacation.

right-is-wrong said:
so what did you think of Matt Taibbi’s assessment of the Tea Party Hippocracy?

Well, the first encounter with the old couple shows a lack of understanding about the welfare state. He accuses the man of living off the government when he provided a service and was paid for it by the government. That’s different than being a welfare recipient. As far as them being on Medicare, I don’t blame them. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of it? I don’t begrudge someone living off the government if they can. That’s smart in many cases as it will afford them a better living than they would otherwise be able to make on their own. My stance is that it shouldn’t be there to begin with, but if it is, you’d be a fool not to take advantage of it if you can. That’s not hypocrisy, it’s opportunism.

His criticism of Rand Paul is unfair and off the mark. The full Rand quote- “Medicare is socialized medicine. People are afraid of that because, ‘Oh, you’ll say you’re against Medicare.’ No, I say we have to do something different. We can’t just eliminate Medicare. But we have to figure out how to get more to a market-based system. It’s counter-intuitive to a lot of people, but you have to pay for things if you want prices to come down. So you really need higher deductibles. And the real answer to Medicare would be a $2,000 deductible, but try selling that one in an election. But that’s the real answer is, you have to pay for things.” Rand understands how the market works. He realizes that paying even less than they do now to doctors would mean less doctors taking Medicare patients. Medicare must be fixed. I doubt the country will want it’s repeal.

Taibbi then goes on a rant about how the Tea Party doesn’t care about issues, blah blah blah. It seems he wants a candidate to come in and say, “We’re going to repeal everything the Federal government does!” as if that’s the only true tea party ideal.

His 5 things about the tea party – He doesn’t believe that some Republicans (which aren’t the entire Tea Party as he wants to believe) didn’t like Bush’s spending because they weren’t as organized as they are now. Perhaps TARP broke the camel’s back for them? Many libertarians were against it and they’re supportive of the Tea Parties. I guess his not knowing them proves they’re liars? The Constitution? Well, it doesn’t take a law student to recognize that what’s been done with the Commerce Clause has expanded the power of the government to levels the Founder’s never pictured.

Breaking down his 3rd one, I’ll quote him-

“They are all furious at the implication that race is a factor in their political views”

As they should be.

— despite the fact that they blame the financial crisis on poor black homeowners,

That’s literally the first time I’ve ever heard that. All I’ve heard is that people were given mortgages they couldn’t pay. I didn’t know they were all black. Perhaps Taibbi is the one betraying his own bigotry here.

spend months on end engrossed by reports about how the New Black Panthers want to kill “cracker babies,”

Actually, it was months on end wanting to see the guys who were intimidating voters at a voting booth get their due punishment. It would be the same if it were the KKK. Actually, no it wouldn’t because the rest of the media would be on board too.

support politicians who think the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was an overreach of government power,

Intellectual laziness should be expected from Taibbi at this point. Saying ONE provision out of 10 was an overreach doesn’t mean he thought the whole thing was.

tried to enact South African-style immigration laws in Arizona

That would be laughable if so many people didn’t believe it. He’s now officially a propagandist.

and obsess over Charlie Rangel,

Yeah, who cares if the guy who writes the Tax laws doesn’t pay his taxes?

ACORN

I guess we shouldn’t care about voter fraud, whore houses or how they were receiving government money and refused to prosecute one of the founding guys who took a couple million from them.

and Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

I haven’t seen any birthers in the Tea Party. In fact, I don’t hear anything about birthers except when people on the left tell me they’re out there. If they are, no one on my side takes them seriously.

Black friends? That usually happens when you accuse someone of racism. I don’t see why it’s to be mocked. Everyone who disagrees is a radical leftist who hates America? Coming from Taibbi, that’s laughably ironic. I mean, he paints this oversimplified caricature that the media had already painted and then he criticizes them for having their own caricatures of opponents?

The world is changing all around the Tea Party. The country is becoming more black and more Hispanic by the day.

Yet another attempt at saying they’re racist.

The economy is becoming more and more complex, access to capital for ordinary individuals more and more remote, the ability to live simply and own a business without worrying about Chinese labor or the depreciating dollar vanished more or less for good.

Which is partly why the Tea Party is so strong. The Tea Party wants a strong dollar, hence the opposition to all the deficit spending and the desire for a strong economy. Taibbi is apparently resigned to the idea that the US as an economic power is behind us. Well, if we continue down this road, he’s right. The Tea Parties want to fix that problem.

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