I guess Obama knows about the Tea Parties *now*.


"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." - M. Gandhi

[UPDATE] “Say what you will about George W. Bush, he had a skin whose thickness wasn’t measured in Planck lengths.” I really wish that I had written that.

Because he’s sounding just a little bit self-conscious on the subject:

Obama targets tea bags at town hall

At his 100th-day town hall meeting in St. Louis Wednesday, President Barack Obama took direct aim at the anti-tax “tea party” demonstrations that have cropped up over the last month and took a veiled shot at the Fox News Channel, the cable news network closely associated with the protests.

[snip]

“Those of you who are watching certain news channels on which I’m not very popular, and you see folks waving tea bags around, Obama said, “let me just remind them that I am happy to have a serious conversation about how we are going to cut our health care costs down over the long term, how we are going to stabilize Social Security.”

See also (originally noted via FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog) the video below the fold:

He’s not really all that gracious when it comes to dealing with people that don’t already love him, is he? Kind of smirky, with a faint flavor of exasperation. But perhaps I’m just being mean and cynical: if you really want to have a conversation on our financial situation, Mr. President, that’d be great. Can we start with this?


(The Foundry)

As in, which idiot convinced you that this was a good idea?

Moe Lane

PS: If you don’t want to answer now, maybe you’ll feel like answering in September.


09.12.09 National Taxpayer Protest

Organized protesting is kind of fun, isn’t it? I can see where the Right might decide that we have a taste for it. Well, at least a taste for the kind that actually does something with it. The Activist Left’s habit of using the practice to indulge in synchronized mass-onanism doesn’t really appeal.

Crossposted at Moe Lane.

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44 Comments Leave a comment

Moe, Gandhi is the correct spelling.

progressivelibertarian Wednesday, April 29th at 3:12PM EDT (link)

Could you please correct that?

My bad. [nt]

Moe Lane Wednesday, April 29th at 3:29PM EDT (link)
 

Perfect quote and

paulincolo Wednesday, April 29th at 3:31PM EDT (link)

I think the activism and marches may be the only way to get the message through since we aren’t invited to those media dinners with the administration.

However, I don’t much like the graphic that was chosen for the march, it seems a little soviet. I would much prefer to have those hands holding up the middle finger.

When dealing with a mule...

Moe Lane Wednesday, April 29th at 4:03PM EDT (link)

…first you have to get the mule’s attention.

The idea here - I think - is to get and keep the attention of the forces of reaction by co-opting their own iconic imagery; this will encourage them to make heavy-handed attempts at suppression of the movement, which will both: alienate them from the populace in general; and cause a rift with the more progressive* and perceptive elements from their own faction. The latter we can then draw into the movement in general, so that we can begin the process of demonstrating to them where their own class interest actually lies. A true popular front seems the best way to effect broad, cross-class change: certainly it’s better than the fake-populist techniques being attempted by the reactionaries over on the Left…

Moe Lane

*I use ‘progressive’ in its proper sense here, of course; not as a synonym for the reactionaries and divisionists that make up the bulk of the Activist Left.

In other words, they chose the class war language

LJ "Beaglescout" Miller Wednesday, April 29th at 5:25PM EDT (link)

And we are able to wage a class war against them demonstrating that the “progressives” and Democrats are the ones with false consciousness, who refuse to examine the results of their ideology. Results testing is what will destroy them, because it demonstrates the truth of the bankruptcy of their position.

“Each of us has a natural right, from God, to defend his person, his liberty, and his property.”

–Frederic Bastiat
 

Ok, so we are

paulincolo Wednesday, April 29th at 6:07PM EDT (link)

going to out-alinsky the alinskyites. It’s possible, I suppose I’ll have to think about it, but you may be right in that Obama attacking the tea parties, he may be recognizing a true grass roots organization growing and aligning against him (alinsky rules #1 and #4).

That was actually Rule #5. :)

Moe Lane Wednesday, April 29th at 9:57PM EDT (link)

Just a little grit in the gears.

 
 
 
 

Tea Time

rfpzzzzz Wednesday, April 29th at 3:41PM EDT (link)

So Obama gives Chavez a bro shake and demeans U.S. citizens…so I guess he talks to certain “enemies” but talks about others , usually behind their back….wonderful leader !

 

If we keep up the pressure.

Steph C Wednesday, April 29th at 3:42PM EDT (link)

He’s really going to blow up. When that happens there won’t be any more cover or excuses for the tyrant in the making.

“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics

Good point....you can tell he's getting chippy...

$peciallist Wednesday, April 29th at 4:07PM EDT (link)

I heard some clips on the radio where he could have used some cheese with his Whine…

Obama's definately has a case of the Whine Flu.

Old_Crow Wednesday, April 29th at 4:24PM EDT (link)

Symptoms are:
Uncontrolled ego.
Narcissist world view.
Inability to admit to making mistakes.
Limited intellect, inability to comprehend alternate viewpoints.

“Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.” — James Madison
“So this is how liberty dies.. with thunderous applause” — Star Wars III

 

Don't you think we owe it to the country

Steph C Wednesday, April 29th at 4:31PM EDT (link)

to do just that? ;-)

“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics

 

Don't you think we owe it to the country

Steph C Wednesday, April 29th at 4:31PM EDT (link)

to do just that? ;-)

“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics

 
 
 

16 May 2008...Candidate Obama claimed he was willing

USNJIMRET Wednesday, April 29th at 3:57PM EDT (link)

“anywhere, anytime” to have a ‘conversation’ with Senator McCain about things they disagreed on.
Don’t recall that the ‘conversation’ ever came to pass.
Or did I miss something?

A "conversation?" Really?

kweiss01 Thursday, April 30th at 2:37PM EDT (link)

Would that conversation about health care be anything like the conversation we had before the so-called “Stimulus” bill was passed? I don’t recall being able to read it before the bill’s passage (and you’d be hard pressed to find a congressman who read it either). Or wait, maybe he’s talking about the conversation we had before the massive government budget was passed? Oh, right… We didn’t have a discussion before that either, unless by “conversation” Obama means telling us, “I won.”

 
 

Thanks, Moe.

progressivelibertarian Wednesday, April 29th at 4:01PM EDT (link)

Reaching across the aisle my arse!

rsrob Wednesday, April 29th at 4:07PM EDT (link)

He would find a more receptive audience with the right if he stopped saying things like this or similar utterances such as “I won”. He will continue to be the chosen President for 56% of voters….until of course the honeymoon period is over as Dick Morris suggests.

See http://thehill.com/dick-morris/obama-sows-seeds-of-demise-2009-04-28.html

 

Tea Baggers to Obama - "Let's play games"!!

izoneguy Wednesday, April 29th at 4:13PM EDT (link)

Bring it ON!!

Let’s Roll!!!!!

“When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”
Thomas Jefferson

watch your terminology

JoeG Wednesday, April 29th at 4:29PM EDT (link)

If you don’t know what the term means, google it.

 

umm...think you meant Tea Partiers

techsan Wednesday, April 29th at 4:34PM EDT (link)

n/t

In the end, all we have on our side of the debate are facts and history.

 

Never never ever reinforce the lying left's perversion of our language

LJ "Beaglescout" Miller Wednesday, April 29th at 9:19PM EDT (link)

They say tea bagger. They own it. That phrase alone lays the black, rotten heart of their perversity open for anyone with eyes to see.

If they call you a tea bagger, you call them a disgusting pervert throwing tantrums over their adolescent obsessions. Tell them when they grow up you hope they stop practicing the kind of language that a prostitute would use. You have to shock them with your attack. Get as obscene and scatalogical as you feel comfortable with. Rock them back on their heels. Don’t give them a chance to recover. Keep on chewing them a new one and then turn and leave. Don’t give them a chance to recover or retaliate. Make them feel bad about their own crap. That is the only thing that will get them to change it.

“Each of us has a natural right, from God, to defend his person, his liberty, and his property.”

–Frederic Bastiat

Right ON, Beaglescout, right on!

papalee Wednesday, April 29th at 11:09PM EDT (link)

You have said it as it should we and told all of us exactly what we have to do when we run into these folk with both their brains and hearts in the gutter.

 
 
 

Proud to be aggitating The One....no one deserves it more!..nt

JadedByPolitics Wednesday, April 29th at 4:23PM EDT (link)

….

Whoever has his enemy at his mercy &
does not destroy him is his own enemy

ahem that should be "agitating"...long day...

JadedByPolitics Wednesday, April 29th at 4:24PM EDT (link)

working to pay my taxes to a tax cheat my apoligies!

Whoever has his enemy at his mercy &
does not destroy him is his own enemy

Oh, I don't know, jaded...

Steph C Wednesday, April 29th at 5:17PM EDT (link)

aggitating gives it a nice Southern ring… but you coulda dropped the “g”, too.

“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics

 
 
 

obama Hannity and Rush both invited you to have discourse on Heath Care and Craps and Shove the foney fraud climate change tax

bobojake Wednesday, April 29th at 4:36PM EDT (link)

and you won’t show up. You always distort the truth obama. my Grandpappie called that lying.
The last President that said I am not lying and will tell you the truth was Richard Nixon. Maybe obama you should follow Nixons lead. RESIGN

 

So, the Recovery Act's ...

skorrent1 Wednesday, April 29th at 4:53PM EDT (link)

800 billion is “just a fraction of the overall problem that we’ve got,” but 100 million in proposed “cuts” is a great start worth bragging about. Hoookaay?

obviously he was serious about the "Line by Line" examination

JLenardDetroit Wednesday, April 29th at 5:15PM EDT (link)

this would be so laughable, if there were not so many darn dumb folks out there that heard that $100M BS and thought - Wow, he did mean he wants to reduce spending…

(RS:Help) (JLD) (Hollyweird) (Brain-deads) (SPIN-cycle) (Obamaocare) (Party of kNOw) (Conservatism) (TEApeats) (respectful) (Reco) (Quotes) (removeRINOs.com) (RSmas)
+ 0bama Lies & your Bank acct will Die! (4/15 Truthers)
+ Heil “O” Hell No Obamao is NOT MY PRESIDENT! “No U won’t”
+ I want “O” to FAIL (here, here, & whole Diary (Ofail) here, is why)
The first Liberal was Satan” - a Rush caller (other Quotes)

It's the old business scam

Kyle-MI Wednesday, April 29th at 6:14PM EDT (link)

Double the price of a product and then put it on sale for 25% off. Obama and the Democrats have jacked up spending and the deficit so much that any reduction can be spun as a cut. Also keep in mind that Democrats define cutting as spending less than what you were planning. For example, if you planned to increase spending by 50% but only increased it by 40%, you have just made a Democratic cut of 10%.

Well, actually, the correct math is

Praying Wednesday, April 29th at 6:52PM EDT (link)

The difference between a 50% cut and a 40% cut is 20% (you’re cutting 4/5 of what you originally planned, or saving 1/5, or 20%)

But who can be expected to do math when there are more zeros in this budget than fit on most calculators!

Crazy Eyes

 
 
 
 

He gets testy when he doesn't get his way.

olsmithie Wednesday, April 29th at 5:27PM EDT (link)

I understand King George was the south end of north bound mule too, but we sent his guys packing.

Good piece, Moe

.Regards

I was thinking of a whiney Che’ Obama baby in diapers pitching a fit graphic to go here. More later

 

TEApeats across America

JLenardDetroit Wednesday, April 29th at 5:28PM EDT (link)

Plan to attend a TEApeat July 4, 9/12, Thanksgiving, etc…

ReTeaParty (for 4th of July) site

Contact the other sites and urge them to organize for the subsequent dates also:
09/12/09 DC Tax Protest
Tax Day Tea Party site with Daily email update signup
Tea Party Revolution site
FreedomWorks

(RS:Help) (JLD) (Hollyweird) (Brain-deads) (SPIN-cycle) (Obamaocare) (Party of kNOw) (Conservatism) (TEApeats) (respectful) (Reco) (Quotes) (removeRINOs.com) (RSmas)
+ 0bama Lies & your Bank acct will Die! (4/15 Truthers)
+ Heil “O” Hell No Obamao is NOT MY PRESIDENT! “No U won’t”
+ I want “O” to FAIL (here, here, & whole Diary (Ofail) here, is why)
The first Liberal was Satan” - a Rush caller (other Quotes)

 

let me complete Obama's thoughts

Marcus_Traianus Wednesday, April 29th at 5:58PM EDT (link)

“I am happy to have a serious conversation about how we are going to cut our health care costs down over the long term,”

-No you are not. You have slipped funding into every bill that was shielded from scrutiny or representative discussion. That’s a rather undemocratic “debate”. Where I come from, that tactic is called usually called tyrranical or disengenuous mendacity.

- Yes, costs will be driven down by cutting services, denying treatments, cutting the ability for private providers to offer an alternative and using taxpayer money to subsidize everyone including non-citizens. Cut costs, indeed.

” how we are going to stabilize Social Security.”

- Oh yes, by moving out the retirement age, cutting payments, making people pay more and denying the “rich” access to money they already paid. I suppose you also now intend to fully fund this unfunded liability (that would close the cell door on any corporation) which on any other planet would surpass the Madoff Ponzi scheme? Really? More borrowing from the Treasury and taxpayers? I didn’t think there was anything left.

Email me and we can have that debate. Although you might want to make it a phone call, lest you publicly embarrass yourself.

“Both of our political parties, at least the honest portion of them, agree conscientiously in the same object—the public good; but they differ essentially in what they deem the means of promoting that good. One side believes it best done by one composition of the governing powers; the other, by a different one. One fears most the ignorance of the people; the other, the selfishness of rulers independent of them. Which is right, time and experience will prove.”.Thomas Jefferson

Contributor to The Minority Report

 

I think things are going perfectly

antisocial Wednesday, April 29th at 6:19PM EDT (link)

because he is getting testy. Tea Parties have had an impact. We need to keep the pressure on.

We just got rid of Specter.

No you can’t - Moe Lane
——————————
The Emperor has no clothes!!!
——————————
Republicans who lost the Crap-and-Raid fight in the House -
Mary Bomo Mac (CA-45)
Mike Castle (DE)
Mark Kirk (IL-10)
Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02)
Chris Smith (NJ-04)
Leonard Lance (NJ-07)
John M. McHugh (NY-23)
Dave Reichert (WA-08)

 

What I find interesting, and disagreeable, in Pres. Obama's response

aesthete Wednesday, April 29th at 7:18PM EDT (link)

is not that he disagrees with the tea partiers’ ideology–that’s to be expected from one who holds his views, and I don’t begrudge him that (though I do oppose the logical conclusions of that viewpoint)–no, what is enlightening (though sadly, not surprising) about his response is how angry, bitter, and, yes, divisive it is.

From evoking the “tea bag” pejorative, to implying that this “revolt” is based on a personal or partisan dislike, to insinuating that the concerns brought forward are juvenile, as well as general body language and vocal inflections, it seems that this is more than a simple disagreement for him, and that he genuinely disdains the people on the other side of the divide, and not just the political system that they espouse. He is going out of the way to attack the upstanding Americans involved in these protests, rather than just sticking to attacking the ideas behind the protests.

Though I don’t like making these comparisions, I think that it is telling that Pres. Obama didn’t have such a reaction when meeting with leaders like Chavez and Ortega. I don’t know if this is because he doesn’t care about their transgressions, or if it is that he hid his objections behind a mask of “politeness”, but I wish that he had extended the same courtesy to his fellow countrymen.

Guilt is a rope that wears thin.
-Ayn Rand

“I am a freeman in a free state!”
-Last words of Dumnorix, chieftan of the Aedui, 54 BC

This is the crux for me: how much he hates us

peg_c Thursday, April 30th at 5:50AM EDT (link)

His disdain and outright contempt for normal Americans is what is so shocking and bewildering. The Tea Parties will only grow bigger and stronger fueled by his arrogance and dismissive attitude.

There has never been an American president so utterly devoid of love for his country and his people, and in fact so full of contempt and loathing. Well, what goes around comes around. For some of us, sooner, for some of us, later. For those of us who did not vote for this man because we knew exactly what he was, there is a feeling of righteousness flavored with an overwhelming sadness. Those who did vote for him - at least some of them - will sooner or later come face to face with the abject horror of what they have done. I still think he is cruising for the most vicious backlash ever.

Government cannot be the solution when government is the problem.

For all of Bill Clinton's flaws

aesthete Thursday, April 30th at 6:15PM EDT (link)

I could never imagine him discussing a subset of the American people with the hatred and disdain demonstrated in Obama’s statement. Same goes for the two Bushes and Reagan. I think that this is what really bothers me about this reply, and Obama’s candidacy in general — those who disagree with him aren’t just wrong; they are stupid, evil and are, at best, a distasteful element of American society to be reluctantly tolerated, and at worst, a group to be marginalized and “dealt with” through various means. I’m afraid that I’m leaning towards the latter.

Guilt is a rope that wears thin.
-Ayn Rand

“I am a freeman in a free state!”
-Last words of Dumnorix, chieftan of the Aedui, 54 BC

 

An observation of many White Southerners

Achance Thursday, April 30th at 6:32PM EDT (link)

who came up in the Jim Crow Era and saw the Civil Rights Movement first hand, is that if they had been born Black, there is no doubt they’d be mean. Ironically, BHO seems to have had the “Black Experience” second hand but seems to believe he has the right to the chip on his shoulder that Blacks from other backgrounds can, I think, legitimately claim, and like many who are faking something, he has to do it all the more strongly.

In Vino Veritas

 
 
 

What I find interesting, and disagreeable, in Pres. Obama's response

aesthete Wednesday, April 29th at 7:18PM EDT (link)

is not that he disagrees with the tea partiers’ ideology–that’s to be expected from one who holds his views, and I don’t begrudge him that (though I do oppose the logical conclusions of that viewpoint)–no, what is enlightening (though sadly, not surprising) about his response is how angry, bitter, and, yes, divisive it is.

From evoking the “tea bag” pejorative, to implying that this “revolt” is based on a personal or partisan dislike, to insinuating that the concerns brought forward are juvenile, as well as general body language and vocal inflections, it seems that this is more than a simple disagreement for him, and that he genuinely disdains the people on the other side of the divide, and not just the political system that they espouse. He is going out of the way to attack the upstanding Americans involved in these protests, rather than just sticking to attacking the ideas behind the protests.

Though I don’t like making these comparisions, I think that it is telling that Pres. Obama didn’t have such a reaction when meeting with leaders like Chavez and Ortega. I don’t know if this is because he doesn’t care about their transgressions, or if it is that he hid his objections behind a mask of “politeness”, but I wish that he had extended the same courtesy to his fellow countrymen.

Guilt is a rope that wears thin.
-Ayn Rand

“I am a freeman in a free state!”
-Last words of Dumnorix, chieftan of the Aedui, 54 BC

 

hey obama get used to it

secondpatriot76 Wednesday, April 29th at 7:45PM EDT (link)

Obama should get used to the tea bags he will see a lot of them over the next four years

scott

 

Great Post, Moe, and great responses from all.

papalee Wednesday, April 29th at 11:48PM EDT (link)

I went through everyone and signed myself up for the revolution. I hope we can recruit a few million people for this and do it so quickly that D.C. begins to tremble!

 

Tea Party talking point missed by Obama…

1stRichard Thursday, April 30th at 7:14AM EDT (link)

At what point does it become “We the Government” and no longer “We the People”? Don’t be fooled in to thinking this is about the rich and the poor because the haves and the have not are now between the people and the government. The real threat comes from our own government and its own corporate greed. Higher taxes, regulations, fees, all have pushed out individual private capitalism and individual opportunity. These are individual freedoms as in you and me that are about to be lost. Manufacturing across the nation has dropped to its lowest levels and so has your jobs in response to this government monopolization. Government was never intended to be the largest employer and it must never be allowed to be the largest employer. We have separation of church and state for a reason, fear of oppression. The same applies to our government becoming a corporation, a self serving institution and oppressor.

Where is the tipping point in this, where will all the people start to revolt because they found nothing remaining? The revolt is here and it is growing….

 

This is our POTUS

arel Thursday, April 30th at 7:32AM EDT (link)

and he has shown the American people exactly what he is an extreme liberal elitist. He has shown disrespect for those he is supposed to represent. He isn’t the POTUS of just those that voted him into office and it is time he matured and stops acting like a celebrity. He grand stands and pokes fun at the many Americans that are against all these taxes that he proposing in this budget of his because he isn’t for America or its citizens he is for Obama and his agenda only. What he is doing is a slap in the face to many Americans and of our founding fathers. Maybe he doesn’t remember being educated on the original tea party.
I cringe every time he comes on tv which seems to be all the time.

Arel

 

Belittling Citizens?

pascasha Thursday, April 30th at 4:17PM EDT (link)

Wow! I sat mouth agape when watching this. Instead of taking the opportunity to discuss why we were mistaken about his agenda he belittles concerned citizens. Has a president EVER done that before? I am beholden as an American Citizen to respect the office of the US President. But as an American Patriot, I am finding myself at an impass: I despise this man. He has done everything he can to make a position that demands respect little more than that of a movie star.

How can a President of the United States of America intentionally divide the Country? His intent should be to unify through upholding the Constitution.

 

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