Attacking the Tea Party

Elitism

This post is in response to: The Tea Party: Populism of the privileged published April 19, 2010 in the Washington Post by: E. J. Dione

OK, Is that the new attack line?  "fellow liberals, so now that we have analyzed who participates and sympathizes with the Tea Party we can feel better because we can now neatly fit them into a shoebox of old clichés".  I understand this.  The movement has generated a lot of buzz and for a while liberals everywhere were confused.  I mean what in heaven’s name could be driving these people that they would even elect a Republican to the sacred blue states of New Jersey and Massachusetts.

So, instead of actually listening to the reasoning and argument of the people in the movement, now begins the (mis)characterization of the people of the movement.  This is typical of the liberal eggheads media elite and consistent with the tactics of Saul Alinsky.  Don’t engage in the discussion, instead characterize and demonize the participants.

Mr. Dionne, you have done this in a particularly clever manner because you hide your contempt around the mantle of academic study.  This makes your tactics more refined, but at the end of the day, you are guilty of the same old cry to “ignore the message” “shoot the messenger”.
Yesterday I wrote in a commentary on a similar topic that the core values of the Tea Party Movement are:

• 1) Limited Government
• 2) Freedom and Responsibility
• 3) Lower Taxes for everyone
• 4) Living within our means at every level

These simple values are the ones that drive the movement.  So now let’s compare these values with your statements.

You said: “Their (New York Times/CBS) findings suggest that the Tea Party is essentially the reappearance of an old anti-government far right that has always been with us”.  Please see core value number 1.  Limited government is not “anti-government”.  It is our belief that government power should be wielded only when it is absolutely necessary.  Our founding fathers understood only too well that concentration of power, especially in government becomes a breeding ground for corruption and abuse.  What we are protesting here is not a mindless drive to anarchy, but rather a tempering of the drive by politicians to aggregate power in the name of  the people.  History shows that the more power is concentrated in the hands of the few, tyranny soon follows.  So like Paul Revere before us, we cry out with arguments that are intended to alert the citizenry to the current and potential abuse of government power.  Paul Revere stated “The British are coming” our cry might be “The ‘Government’ is coming.

Now let’s look at point number two.  You said that the statement “…do you think too much has been made of problems facing black people…” Your evidence that the tea party “race is part of picture” comes from the results of the poll that 52% of tea party sympathizers agree with that statement.  Further, you extrapolate a privileged elitism because 73% of tea party members believe that “providing government benefits to poor people encourages them to remain poor.” 

The answer to both of these comes from principle #2.  Freedom and Responsibility should be cornerstones of American values.  There are few who would deny support to those who are truly needy.  The question is not, should the poor and historically disenfranchised be abandoned and offered no support.  That is the wrong question.  The question should be “What is the most effective way to support those who have suffered from misfortune and bigotry?”  “What role, (how much), should government play in providing this support?”  Is it possible that when (government) support is offered that there are unintended consequences and potential for dependencies that keep in place the very thing that we are trying to eliminate? 

Next up taxes.  It was very interesting the way the NYT/CBS poll phrased the question…. “Asked about raising taxes on households making more than $250,000 a year to provide health care for the uninsured, 54 percent of Americans favored doing so vs. only 17 percent of Tea Party backers.”  The very phrasing of the question paints a picture that supporters of the tea party are only concerned about taxes on the wealthy.  Well, if you actually read what the tea party stands for it is for lower taxes on EVERYONE.  However, since many in America pay no income taxes, this point gets muffled and obscured.  the truth is that every day Americans, even those who pay no federal income taxes are seeing an ever increasing amount of their money being vacuumed up in government fees, sales taxes, social security and real estate taxes.  So while many liberals such as yourself tends to focus on income taxes and the tea party stand against them, the facts are that tea party members and sympathizers are wanting EVERYONE to retain as much of their own money as possible.

Which leads to the fourth principle, Living within our means at every level.  This is so much common sense that it is often completely ignored by liberal blowhards such as yourself.  Nothing can exist forever with more money flowing out than flowing in.  However, it is not simply a matter of raising revenue (taxes) to balance the books, even thoughtful economists such as Alan Greenspan note that raising taxes alone will not being the books into balance.  We must make choices that will lead to spending cuts.  Some of these are difficult and personal.  I personally have an expectation that even though I have paid into the Social Security system for nearly forty years, I fully expect to see my benefits throttled.

I offer these as a principled argument.  I ask you to respond to the argument rather than hide behind a curtain of (mis)characterization.

Respectfully,

Great Time in San Diego

On Thursday, August 6th, we were hosted by our good friends Chris and Lorraine Stiehl to a delightful evening at San Diego's Petco Park. A great time was had by all as we watched the Padres beat the Mets 8 to 3.


Below is a video that captures some of the flavor of the evening.

Fathers Day 2009 – A Tribute to My Father

James Franklin Snowden, Jr.

April 26, 1924 – May 2, 2003

James Franklin Snowden, Jr., devoted husband and Father was born April 26, 1924 in Mt Vernon, Wa. The son of James Franklin Snowden, Sr. and Beatrice McCain, he grew up on a farm in Skagit County, WA. Upon graduation from Mt. Vernon High School in 1943, he entered the Navy to support the efforts of his country during World War II. He saw action in the Pacific Theater and ended his tour in 1946 with stations in Japan and China and achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer.

Upon his return from WWII, he married a high school sweetheart, Marilyn June Osbrink, in 1947. Together, they had four children. He briefly saw military action again when he was called up from the reserves during the Korean conflict.

After graduating in 1950, from the College of the Pacific, he began a 35 year career as a high school science and math teacher. He had a life long commitment for learning and achieved a Masters Degree from the University of California. Over his career, he taught at Tracy Union High School, El Rancho High School, Sierra High School and ended his teaching career at California High School, the last two in Whittier, CA. During this time he coached many sports but was most known for his support of Track and Football. In fact many of his athletes, students, family and friends simply called him “Coach”

Jim, as he was known to friends, spent most of his summers in his childhood home of Mt Vernon, WA where he worked for the Skagit Valley Trucking Company. After losing his first wife, Marilyn to cancer in 1980, he was fortunate enough to experience love again married Doris Mae Bogda in 1981. He was heard often to say how lucky he was to have been married to two wonderful women. This union created a family of seven children who eventually blessed them both with fourteen grandchildren.

Jim retired from full time teaching to Nevada City, CA in 1983 where he and his wife, Doris, have lived for the past 18 years. During this time, he continued to be an active participant in education. He was a substitute teacher for Nevada Union High School as well as other local schools in the district. During this time he was active in a number of local organizations such as the “Sons in Retirement”, where he was chapter President in 1994.

Jim had a special passion for horticulture and planted over 100 trees and plants on his property. He had a special interest in fruit trees, especially apple trees with several varieties growing on his property.

Jim is survived by his wife Doris, sons Jim and David daughters, Sharon and Suzanne, stepsons Bill, Richard and David and 14 grandchildren, all of whom will miss him dearly.

Services will be held at: Chapel of the Angels, 250 Race Street, Grass Valley, CA (530) 273-2446 on Saturday, May 10th, 2003.

The Death of Common Sense

Someone sent this to me several months ago. I remember reading it and chuckling.

Well with all that is happening in the world, it seems to make sense to re-run this classic. While CS has been dead for more than 10 years, if you are like me you still miss "him".

The Death of Common Sense

By Lori Borgman
Three yards of black fabric enshroud my computer terminal. I am mourning the passing of an old friend by the name of Common Sense.
His obituary reads as follows:
Common Sense, aka C.S., lived a long life, but died from heart failure at the brink of the millennium. No one really knows how old he was, his birth records were long ago entangled in miles and miles of bureaucratic red tape. Known affectionately to close friends as Horse Sense and Sound Thinking, he selflessly devoted himself to a life of service in homes, schools, hospitals and offices, helping folks get jobs done without a lot of fanfare, whooping and hollering. Rules and regulations and petty, frivolous lawsuits held no power over C.S.
A most reliable sage, he was credited with cultivating the ability to know when to come in out of the rain, the discovery that the early bird gets the worm and how to take the bitter with the sweet. C.S. also developed sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn), reliable parenting strategies (the adult is in charge, not the kid) and prudent dietary plans (offset eggs and bacon with a little fiber and orange juice).
A veteran of the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, the Technological Revolution and the Smoking Crusades, C.S. survived sundry cultural and educational trends including disco, the men's movement, body piercing, whole language and new math.
C.S.'s health began declining in the late 1960s when he became infected with the If-It-Feels-Good, Do-It virus. In the following decades his waning strength proved no match for the ravages of overbearing federal and state rules and regulations and an oppressive tax code. C.S. was sapped of strength and the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, criminals received better treatment than victims and judges stuck their noses in everything from Boy Scouts to professional baseball and golf. His deterioration accelerated as schools implemented zero-tolerance policies. Reports of 6-year-old boys charged with sexual harassment for kissing classmates, a teen suspended for taking a swig of Scope mouthwash after lunch, girls suspended for possessing Midol and an honor student expelled for having a table knife in her school lunch were more than his heart could endure.
As the end neared, doctors say C.S. drifted in and out of logic but was kept informed of developments regarding regulations on low-flow toilets and mandatory air bags. Finally, upon hearing about a government plan to ban inhalers from 14 million asthmatics due to a trace of a pollutant that may be harmful to the environment, C.S. breathed his last. Services will be at Whispering Pines Cemetery. C.S. was preceded in death by his wife, Discretion; one daughter, Responsibility; and one son, Reason. He is survived by two step-brothers, Half-Wit and Dim-Wit.
Memorial Contributions may be sent to the Institute for Rational Thought.
Farewell, Common Sense. May you rest in peace.

Note from Lori Borgman: This piece was first published March 15, 1998 in the Indianapolis Star. It has been "modified" and "edited" by others and circulated on the Internet, even sent to me several times. Imagine my surprise to see it attributed to some guy named Anonymous. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I take having my work circulated on the web as a compliment.

Practical Things

It has been awhile since I made an entry. So this is overdue.....

AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

• Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop.


• Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.


• For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.


• A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.


• If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives; then you'll be afraid to cough.You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.


• Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.


• If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.

Daily Thought:

SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES; NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.

An Open Letter to My Children - Part 1

Last year, as you know, I became something new for me… a cancer survivor. That experience was one that gave me significant pause and invited a certain reflection on my life. It is not unlike the very first time I had a shock about mortality. Back in 1976, I experienced mortality for the first time in a very personal way. My mother, your grandmother, went through a radical double mastectomy to remove breast cancer from her body. As I observed her ashen body recovering from the surgery and before she had fully awakened from the anesthesia, a new thought went through my mind. Could my mother die?

While we were able to enjoy my mother for another four years, that thought, of her possible death, that I had that summer day in 1976 profoundly altered the way I looked at the world. I would say, it was my first true step toward becoming a man. I loved my mother deeply. She was not only a wonderful mother to me, she was in many ways my best friend and the possibility that she would not be with me to see me get married, have a family, grow old with my father and simply live life was unthinkable until that day.

So, on that summer day in 1976, death became part of my life.

In a similar way, when I got the news in October of 2007 that I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, suddenly I was faced with a new step in my life's journey. The possibility of my own mortality. Until that day, I fully expected to go on living my life for many years to come. Now all of a sudden, I had to confront some stark questions. Would I live to see Michael graduate from college? Would I live to give my beautiful daughter Kelly away at her wedding? Would I live to coddle wonderful grandchildren on my knee. Would I be there to congratulate Mark as he made strides in his career? Would I live to walk along forest pathways with the love of my life, Cheryl? All of these questions, and more, went through my mind on that Friday in October 2007.

So now, here I am with over one year since I was declared in remission. As each day passes, the memory of that shocking day fades a bit. Still, I never go a day without pondering my own mortality and wonder what kind of legacy I am leaving.

Yesterday would have been my father's 85^th birthday. I thought it fitting as a tribute to him and to do what I could to honor you, my children that I would offer a few thoughts on what I have learned in my lifetime and who have been some of my key influences in my life. I do this both in a quiet way and a public way. I make no special announcement to you, yet I post it here for the world to see. Perhaps, you will run across this at some point and the discovery will intrigue you and you will find it fascinating. Or perhaps, you will find it and think, oh there goes my crazy Dad again imagining somehow that his thoughts are somehow more important than they are. Still I offer these thoughts sincerely with the hope that one day you may find comfort and perhaps a little wisdom in my musings.

For any of you who stumble upon this, and are not part of my immediate family, perhaps you may look at this as love letter to you from a father you may not have known as well but wanted to.

In the next few days, my father!

Don't Mess With Me

I had an hysterical conversation with my cousin from the great Northwest. She is absolutely a GREAT American. In fact, she shared with me a couple of items that all I have to say is GOD Bless You Kelly. You are almost keeping up the "John Wayne" tradition single-handed .

On a recent visit to her brother, the famous, Will Osbrink, she confessed to becoming enamoured with guns. Not some POP gun or BB Gun mind you, I'm talkin about .357 magnums. All I have to say is You Go Girl!

Here are couple of items that I am displaying that belong as badges of honor. The first is a picture of a coke can shot from about 35 yards away by her and the 2nd is definitely why you will always know if you shopping in Texas.

This is aptly and simply titled "Don't Mess With Me"

And now for a good humored poke at our fellow citizins from Texas, here is a video entitled, "How You Know You are Shopping in Texas.