Cenk Uygar (the Seminal at Fire Dog Lake) has issued an invitation to tea parties.
I issue a challenge to the tea-party movement. If you’re true to your word, and you believe in protecting the American people and principles, and you think government is too big and hands out money to the wrong people, then join us in fighting against the biggest giveaway to biggest culprits. Fight the power of the banks with us.
Don’t get me wrong, I think creating a majority of Americans fighting against banks is a good idea. That said, I already think this coalition, while not organized under one name, exists across ideological lines. I also think pointing out how tea parties are being played by astroturf organizations is smart.
What I’m not sure is smart is hitching your cart to a group of people who didn’t exist until Barack Obama became President. So forgive me for questioning the sincerity of tea parties – a group who apparently didn’t seem to care all that much about deficits and debt during the Bush Administration. To me their history is questionable, their timing far too obvious to be coincidental, and their sudden concern over spending shallow at best. Unless… someone here actually believes they would exist if McCain won. So, color me extremely skeptical. To me, tea parties have always been far more political than populist.
But there’s another side to this debate, and that’s the movement courting the tea partiers. From where I’m standing, the only way to bring these two groups together involves compromise And, let’s face it, the side issuing this invitation, as well as the side being asked to RSVP, aren’t known for compromise. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I’m having trouble seeing these two groups playing happy family for more than 30 seconds before all hell breaks loose.
But what really bothers me about this post is the use of specific language designed to woo tea partiers. Take this line for instance: If you’re true to your word, and you believe in protecting the American people and principles, and you think government is too big and hands out money to the wrong people... Wrong people? Government too big? Hmmm… Think the Tea Partier’s idea of where government needs to shrink and who constitutes the wrong sort of person to hand out money will match up with a Progressive’s idea? And don’t even get me started on trying to define American “principles.”
I have one last thought, giving the recent split on the left. Before we start adding additions, perhaps we should get our own house in order. Unless… I’ve already been divorced and my former partner is moving onto their next relationship? Say it ain’t so!