The Liberal Fear of Gaia

July 2010
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The Liberal Fear of Gaia

11 July 2010

George Rebane

Russ Steele and I are a constant thorn in the side of local liberals. Yesterday Russ addressed the ad hominem vitriol that comes from our neighbors on the left (here and here), and again raised some excellent points on the reception of our writings and ruminations. As Russ points out, the overwhelming feedback from that quarter simply demonstrates the lack of reading and/or critical thinking skills of the respondents. To that extent they provide a certain humor content to the rest of our readers.

And to be fair, there is the occasional serious comment where the liberal and collectivist views are presented to counter the point(s) made in the post. These are appreciated in the extreme and their writers are encouraged to continue contending in the arena of ideas.

But unfortunately when a progressive knows he will be bringing a knife to a gunfight (apologies to Indiana Jones), he resorts to personal attacks on the conservative writers and worse. The worst part is the compelling nature of the leftwinger to argue and militate for the censoring and expulsion of conservative and libertarian contributors to the public debate.

These self-aggrandized champions of personal freedoms immediately go for the First Amendment throat of their opposite numbers. They use bizarre logic that argues for the prohibition of conservative ideas broadcast into a population that they contend is mostly liberal. An example is the aggravation they show to my monthly column in The Union.

That newspaper publishes about 130 op-ed pieces a month of various flavors. Most of us on the right see a bit of tilt to the left, and I’m sure that the left is convinced of the opposite. But my little monthly screed is 1/130th of the newspaper’s commentary, yet the progressives howl at the publisher to have my column expunged with the regularity of wolves under a full moon.

This phenomenon is not peculiar only to this remote mountain county, it is a nationwide, and more accurately, an international affliction unique to the left. How often have you read or seen a conservative columnist call for the censoring, restriction, or removal of a leftwing commentator no matter how egregious his copy? The left responds to their lack of audience by such nostrums as the Fairness Doctrine that seeks to impose state monitored censorship on dissemination of political speech.

The right would like nothing more than the side-by-side presentation of such opposing views for better to highlight the sinister silliness of socialist solutions. And the left knows it, hence their tack for advocating simply the removal of conservative voices from the public forum.

This behavior reaches heights of high comedy in Nevada County. Here leftwing bloggers and commenters decry the right’s paucity of ideas and their negligible audiences. Yet it is they who constantly editorialize against our ideas, revelations, and arguments. And it is they who constantly present themselves at their ad hominem best in our comment threads. There must be something that we are saying to enough people out there that is scaring the living bejeezus, … er, make that Gaia, out of them.

Posted in Culture Comments, Nevada County, Our World

123 responses to “The Liberal Fear of Gaia”

Jeff Pellne

11 July 2010

George,
You don’t seem to understand that people in the middle also find you nauseating.

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Russ Steele

11 July 2010

Jeff,
If freedom of expression makes you nauseous, then I suggest that you stop reading local conservative blogs. And, if you are middle of the roader then the fog strip is the center line. You might want to get your glasses checked.

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Jeff Pellne

11 July 2010

George,
Please. Nobody is arguing against freedom of expression. They are arguing for balance and relevancy. Could you point me to the local who is ranting from the left on a monthly basis, just as you rant from the right? As for my politics, I’ve voted for Republicans and Democrats over the years. Your feet seem firmly planted in the right shoulder of the road, with a “no yield” sign.

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Russ Steele

11 July 2010

I have suggested many times in the comment section on the Union, and on my blog, that potential writers on the left side of the road sit down with Ackerman and offer a monthly column. No one to my knowledge has posted a comment saying they were rejected, so I am assuming that they did not make the offer, or were too timid or lazy to submit a proposal, or just have coffee with Ackerman discuss their options. Everyone in the community has the option to submit an Other Voices monthly. Where are the Other Voices with the counter arguments?
I think the real problem is progressives fear their precious feelings will get trampled in the comments by conservative thinkers, who have the historical depth and knowledge to destroy their arguments. They are more comfortable doing hit and run rants in the comments than taking on a commitment to write a monthly column. As you know writing a column is a thinking exercise. It takes time and energy, and ability to cobble together some coherent thought that people will take the time to read.
The problem is not that George and I take the time to write, it is that other are not writing to provide their points of view. You are pointing the finger in the wrong direction, you should be pointing the finger at those who are not engaged in the discussion. I certainly welcome more discussion of the issues.

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Jeff Pellne

11 July 2010

Russ,
It’s up to the paper’s management to invite a balance of local opinions. This is known as “community journalism.” Many “progressives” have been insulted by the paper’s management going back to the Bruce Conklin days, so the ball is really in the paper’s court (and should always be). Progressives such as Jim Hurly write thoughtful commentary for Yubanet. Also, nobody I know is intimated by our local “conservative thinkers.” In fact, they are doing a good job of alienating many conservatives with their half-truths, insults and negativity. Didn’t you get the memo in the District 3 Supervisor race or the clerk-recorder race? Bottom line: It’s just not very persuasive. That’s sad because their are thoughtful, persuasive commentators. I like Victor Davis Hanson, as I’ve said many times before. But I’ve never heard him refer to people as “nutcases” or talk about “spread eagle grandmas” as our local conservative commentators do.

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Todd Juvinall

11 July 2010

I think Mr. Pelline is another left wing denier. I have experience on a daily basis since about 1978 with liberals. They are as Mr. Rebane has described them. They do want a contra point of view expunged. The liberal has also denies he is a liberal, this is the true disappointment. We conservatives call ourselves conservatives, we are proud of our ideology. Liberals are ashamed of theirs. Liberals will always lie when they say they “like” something a conservative writes or says. We know they are lying, they think they are being “open minded” and tolerant, it is a smoke screen. But they are lying. They whine and complain they are being picked on all the time. Those big bad conservatives are keeping them off the team and snapping towels on their bare butts in the lockers room. Meanies. My experience is liberals carry grudges and are always looking to get even. They get fired from a job, then try and retaliate against their oppressor any way the can. They even create fake persona’s and use them to spread their lies. They complain about being called, gosh, a liberal, yet call conservatives every vile name in the book. We know liberals are hypocrites, they are just in denial. So Russ and George, keep calling a spade a spade, liberal are just name calling whiners and there is no way to placate them. The will never like you and will stab you in the back if you try to reconcile. Stay the course, the county and country and world have figured the liberals out and are rejecting them.

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Steve Enos

11 July 2010

George… what about all the endless ad hominem and personal attacks from “conservative” folks that blog on Russ’s site, yours and The Union?
Why do you never say one word about the ad hominem and parsonal attacks by folks like Dixon and Todd Juvinall?
There are endless such attacks by these two and others on your blog and Russ’s blog and under the commnet of The Union, but you say NOTHING, not one word abut them.
George, you have the largest double standard on thi sissue and it’s here for folks to see by reading the comments from Dixon, Todd J. and others.

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George Rebane

11 July 2010

Re ad hominem attacks and reprisals. If I had knobs on people’s heads I would adjust them so that in these pages ad hominem attacks would not be used, or if so compelled, that they of the churchillian type which convey the (not necessarily accessible to all) message with a dollop of wit and wisdom thrown in. Prefereably, such responses should address the broader class in which the barb’s target is an implied member.
In general, I decided some time ago not to tolerate empty ad hominem attacks on RR against the author of the posted piece, which is usually but not always me. I wish that other commenters would also not so attack each other, but we are all adults and that is for each to decide.
Since the topic of this post is about asymmetrical censorship and ad hominem responses to a certain type of commentary, I have allowed ad hominem comments against me in this thread. Specifically, the predictable ‘nausea’ comment serves as Exhibit A to the points this piece seeks to communicate. This is not a contravention of my rule, but an instance of its meticulous application.

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Russ Steele

11 July 2010

Steve,
Man up, this is not the first grade school yard, we are all adults here.

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RL Crabb

11 July 2010

At some point you have to ask yourself, if these liberals and conservatives are so goldanged smart, why can’t either of them hold onto office for more than a few years? I mean, we are constantly being inundated by commentary by the opposing factions, informing us of the dire consequences should we entrust power to one or the other. You’d think that if what either of them was telling us was true, one of them would emerge as the dominant party, and we’d being living in a prosperous and happy society, cats and dogs would live together in peace, and we could concentrate our brainpower on how to turn turds into gold nuggets.
The truth is; neither of these nincompoopical ideologies is capable of solving this nation’s mountain of problems. Both have a few decent ideas, but are unable to overcome their need to be right about everything all of the time. They both whine about the opposition, but will do whatever is necessary to squash the emergence of a third alternative. As long as they can force the independents to hold their noses and choose between bad and worse, their power and fund-raising abilities will be secure. Never mind that the country is going to hell in a handbasket in the meantime.

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Russ Steele

11 July 2010

Jeff,
Yes, I got the District 3 and Clerk-Recorder memos. They said, that there were two poorly run campaigns, and those campaigns lost to two more robust campaigns. What did you think the memos said? Sue ran a strong campaign with some professional help, which you chided her for doing. Terry had some experienced advisors and helpers. John miscalculated and did not run a robust campaign. Barry will do much better next time, experience can be a very valuable teacher. Life is full of surprises and we all have to deal with the results. The Tea Party is growing stronger every day and will have a larger impact on future elections.

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George Rebane

11 July 2010

Bob, independent of the progressive and conservative prescriptions for society, the see-saw effect which you correctly describe can be explained away by the abilities and interest levels of the overwhelming majority of voters. Bryan Caplan presents the details of academic studies into this phenomenon in his ‘The Myth of the Rational Voter’.

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Steven Frisch

11 July 2010

I think the solution to the deadlock of ideas would be to stop empowering George and Russ by even engaging with them on their blogs. Let them talk to each other (and their fellow ‘conservative thinkers’ like Todd, Dixon and McD). Perhaps they could start by translating this little gem, “They do want a contra point of view expunged.” Can you guys post a translation in about a week when you have it figured it out?
By engaging with George, Russ and company on their turf, we empower them to have influence in the community. The smarter course would be to develop other routes to the community, and leave these guys to wallow in the mud of the ‘conservative thinkers.’
Mr. Crabb articulately nailed the crux of the problem, again.

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Steven Frisch

11 July 2010

Ironic grammatical error in my post duly noted, it should read’ “when you have figured it out.”

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Steven Frisch

11 July 2010

I do kind of love this picture of the Contras though. Kind of makes one want to be a counter-revolutionary.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Contra_commandas_1987.jpg

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D. King

11 July 2010

“By engaging with George, Russ and company on their turf, we empower them to have influence in the community. The smarter course would be to develop other routes to the community, and leave these guys to wallow in the mud of the ‘conservative thinkers.”
La la la I’m not listening to you!
Yes, a “smarter course” Steven.

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George Rebane

11 July 2010

D King, did we just witness another call by the progressives for people to stop reading conservative commentators, and frequenting places where they hang out? Their message is loud, clear, and one-sided. We on the other hand welcome their offerings and logic, any time they care to come and contend.
But didn’t I just say that somewhere recently? It seems like we’re now wandering around in ever smaller self-vindicating circles.

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Russ Steele

11 July 2010

Yes, we are looking forward to blogs by Mr Frisch and Mr Enos to join Mr Pelline to keep and the rest of Nevada County Citizens in formed and up to date on the latest liberal and progressive ideas on how to create more green jobs, how more regulations are going to spur a surge in small business development, how increasing California’s debt, to meet the demands of government service unions, is the right course of action, and we would certainly like to know how more illegal immigration will be good for the economy and farther reduce California’s debt.
California spent $12 Billion on services for illegal immigrants last year according to a recent study, and California is $19 Billion in debt. If we had solve the illegal immigrant issues year ago, California would have a $2 billion dollar surplus. Well not really, as the socialist in Sacramento would have found a way to spend it and more.

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Barry Pruett

11 July 2010

Someone needs a lesson in logic. If George, Russ, Todd, Dixon and I are conservative, and Mr. Pelline, Mr. Frisch, and Mr. Enos disagree with everything we say, what does that make them? I learned this proof in 9th grade geometry. This is not rocket science (no offense George), but it does give me a chuckle when I read the daily rantings. The only moderate that I see around here is Mr. Crabb.

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D. King

11 July 2010

“D King, did we just witness another call by the progressives for people to stop reading conservative commentators, and frequenting places where they hang out?”
Yep, but it’s necessary. As their processes and plans
are brought to light, the deficiencies become apparent
and therefore decent must be muzzled. Unfortunately,
this historically repeating pattern never ends well.

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Todd Juvinall

11 July 2010

The first instinct of a liberal who encounters a contra point of view is surprise. The in crowd cocktail parties liberals throw for each other insulates them from life’s realities. Once they discover and then calm down a bit, they then seek revenge on the conservative troublemakers. The revenge has some predictable leftwing forms. Censor, denial, finger pointing, name calling and boycotts. Letters to the Editor’s boss, public derision from numerous soap boxes and outright calls for execution. Wow, what a bunch of ingrates to all that made this country great!
RL, my response to your distaste for political parties is shared by many people. I chose the R’s because for the most part, they reflect my values. Freedom, free enterprises, smaller government, less interference in my life and business and property rights. The left probably has theirs too. If the country were run with a parliamentary form of government, and that has some affection for you, I would suggest following the British. CSPAN carries Prime Ministers Questions every Wednesday and replays them on Sunday. The number pf parties in Britain are enormous. I watched the returns in 1997 and just this last May for the elections there. What turned out was TWO major parties and a so so third party, )the libdems). There were any minor ones. So the British have any number they can choose from but yet they choose two and a small third.The first instinct of a liberal who encounters a contra point of view is surprise. The in crowd cocktail parties liberals throw for each other insulates them from life’s realities. Once they discover and then calm down a bit, they then seek revenge on the conservative troublemakers. The revenge has some predictable leftwing forms. Censor, denial, finger pointing, name calling and boycotts. Letters to the Ediitors boss, public derision from numerous soap baxes and outright cals for execution. Wow, what a bunch of ingrates to all that made this country great!
RL, my response to your distate for political parties is shared by many people. I chose the R’s because for the most part, they reflect my values. Freedom, free enterprises, smaller government, les sinterferenc in my life and business and property rights. The left probably has theirs too. If the country were run with a parlimentary form of government, and that has some affection for you, I would suggest following the Britsh. CSPAN carries Prime Ministers WQuestions every Wednesday and replays them on Sunday. The number pf parties in Britain are ernormous. I watched the returns in 1997 and just this last May for the elections there. What turned out was TWO major parties and a so so third party,)the libdems). There were any minor ones. So the British have any number they can choose from but yet they choose two and a small third. Why? Power to achiev the goasl of the party. ASeems to me the people still make the choice there. What do you think! Why? Power to achieve the goals of the party. Seems to me the people still make the choice there. What do you think!

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Jeff Pellne

11 July 2010

“If George, Russ, Todd, Dixon and I are conservative, and Mr. Pelline, Mr. Frisch, and Mr. Enos disagree with everything we say, what does that make them?”
Barry,
I don’t disagree with many things that Nate Beason and Ted Owens say. So what does that make you?

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Steve Enos

11 July 2010

Poor Barry… you claim that we Lib’s “disagree with everything” you guys say… BS Barry, read the past posts, on some issues we agree and that’s a FACT.
But nice job with your Barry Pruett Tea Party clan run for public office. Seems the VAST MAJORITY of Neavda County agreed that you should not get anywhere near public office. And by the way Barry, a LOT of conservatives and R’s voted against you vs. for you… learn that in 9th grade?

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Barry Pruett

11 July 2010

Mr. Enos: Please inform me…what do we agree on?

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Barry Pruett

11 July 2010

Mr. Pelline: I gotta hand it to you…you are very cunning. LOL. I could try to follow your logic, but your proof does not work as one is not related to the other. I will simply restate the facts I already presented. I am conservative…and now…please…answer my question. If you disagree with the very conservative on almost all issues, what does that make you? Your cunning is evidenced by your feigned lack of understaning between D and R & liberal and conservative. Jeff…my friend…I know that you are smarter than that.

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Steven Frisch

11 July 2010

What proof was that Barry?–it follows no logic model. If A and B are different and A and C are different, it does not mean that B and C are the same.
By the way, Russ equating you guys with the cream of the conservative intellectual elite, is kind of sad.
But the truth is. and always has been, that talking to any of your clown is a waste of time. It is kind of like ….well I won’t go on to equate it to what I really think it is… suffice it to say that self gratification is not a sin, just very un-gratifying.

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Barry Pruett

11 July 2010

We espouse conservative ideology.
Conservative ideology is the opposite of liberal ideology.
You do not agree with that which we espouse.
You are a liberal.
Simple logic…very simple.
Also…if so ungratifying…why are you reading it?

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Mikey McD

11 July 2010

The bigger question is what tenets of the Tea Party do the progressives hate- Fiscal responsibility? The constitution? Free markets? Or do the progressives that frequent this blog just hate the messengers of the TPPs?
The bickering is worthless. It may be too much to ask for such comment threads to become arenas for productive debates?

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Jeff Pellne

11 July 2010

Memo to Mikey: Find some more persuasive messengers. Barry Pruett lost in every precinct in the county. An abysmal showing. Russ and George are summed up well by Steve Frisch in an earlier post — let’s just say not exactly a Victor Davis Hanson. Todd J., “no comment.” I’d embrace guys like Nate Beason and Ted Owens, moderate Republicans who believe in Tea Party values, can build a consensus and are respected by people in the middle. On the other hand, most Democrats would say to “carry on” with your current show.

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Mikey McD

11 July 2010

Peeline, you just spent a entire paragraph ignoring my questions. Maybe my questions sounded rhetorical?

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Steven Frisch

11 July 2010

McD–I don’t hate those values–as stated many times here, I support all of them. You don’t own fiscal responsibility, the constitution, or free markets. We all do, as our American birthright. For you to imply with your rhetoric that we have to believe in your twisted interpretation of them to be valid is a travesty of American values.
I fight every day to try to get a more fiscally responsible government and society. The entire philosophical movement I am dedicated to is based on the idea that we must use only what we need, and always leave enough for future generations. I can’t imagine a philosophy more grounded in fiscal responsibility than that.
I love my country and its constitution, I just think I should love all of it, and that certain elements require balance between competing interests. I believe, as Thomas Jefferson did, that, “”no society can make a perpetual constitution or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs always to the living generation.”
My work leverages free markets, and actively competes in free markets, and I espouse free market solutions over government solutions first, every day. I just don’t think that free markets are always the ONLY way to address an issue. I think there is an appropriate role at times for government, and for more than printing money and national defense.
What you guys represent is an extremist worldview, where every issue is either/or, black/white, good or evil.
Russ, George, Dixon, Todd—all attack any point of view that has any nuance, or does not represent an extreme,
and they place every point of view or idea at the extremes.
The worst thing is that they imply that people who do not believe as they do are not good Americans, that they are contrary to American values, that they are ‘socialists’, and ‘communists’, ‘atheists’, ‘ragheads, ‘anchor babies’, ‘idiots’, ‘morons’ and ‘illiterate’, and by placing those labels on opponents, by professing they are any one of those things, their intellectual opponents are somehow less than ‘real Americans.”
They are hopelessly out of touch with the reality of the world; the world is complicated, nuanced, chaotic, and constantly adapting. And you are hopelessly lost if you follow, them, because they are charlatans, manipulating the truth to meet their ends.
You see I despise the ideas of Russ and George BECAUSE they are tearing down America. They are making it less than it can be by making my country an exclusive, nativist, fearful place. My America is a place of hope and opportunity. I see it every day in the hopes of young people I work with, and communities striving to lift themselves up and do better for the future. They would shut out that opportunity by spreading fear and forcing every discussion to course, unrealistic extremes.
To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson this time, ” Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.” Russ, George, et al, would make that reckoning a very dark place.

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Todd Juvinall

11 July 2010

Since the liberals will only listen to other liberals is it any wonder the country is going to Hades? Their policies have wrecked 100’s of years of work to make this country work. They did it in 18 months! The local liberals are a fine example of why they cannot be in charge of anything greater tan a one person ride. I do feel for them however, if I was as ignorant as a liberal, I’d got to Uzbekistan.

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Steven Frisch

11 July 2010

And while I was writing this you resorted to calling Jeff “peeline”. I think you just summed up the quality of a ‘productive debate’ with your ilk.

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Todd Juvinall

11 July 2010

Mike makes you look like a real piker. You dish out your tripe and cry a river when someone bests you.

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Todd Juvinall

11 July 2010

Oh by the way. Peline deletes all my comments on his blog. I am glad we are better than he and his liberal nuts. We don’t censor their tripe but they love that delete button. Must be from never having been picked for the third grade softball team at recess.

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Dixon Cruickshank

11 July 2010

Mikey excellent point – and of course Peline boobed and weaved to note that somebody else could be respected but never answered anything – about what the TP stands for is so wrong/bad
now on the topic of censorship – not one of the people that has been named as a conservative in these comments are allowed to post on any of “liberial blogs” – why?, makes George’s point perfectly. Its called third party endorsement, the liberials will talk back and forth and tell each other how wonderful an idea that is, reinforcing the belief it is a good idea. When in fact it sucks, and a contrarian viewpoint would expose that with great harm to the Liberial’s worshiped – self esteem.
So they come here throw barbs, never actually commenting on the topic at all – never. I will say Mr Frisch does make comments on issues so cudo’s for that, but the rest just want to whine George is stupid – Barry lost an election so he’s stupid – Russ is stupid – if you can’t run with the big dogs just get the hell out of the way, or debate the topic.
For gods sake quit whining Enos, post something other than Barry lost an election so he’s stupid, Peline if I hear you say 1 more time “I’m a Centrist” I think I will really will puke, by the way nobody believes that, you can give it up really.

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Jeff Pellne

11 July 2010

Yes, once again you have set the standards for a “productive debate” and truly represent “the cream of the conservative intellectual elite” in our county. I am humbled.

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Todd Juvinall

11 July 2010

If Pelline represents the cream of the liberal crop, then we can all see why the world rejects their ideology. It also show why we have the best ideas on the right. I’ll stack any conservatives creds against his liberal creds anytime. It feels good to whip their butts on these threads. Pelline is a wimpish censor on his own blog. Make him feel powerful guess after he “left” the Union. Ackerman makes these libs look so bad.

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Jeff Pellne

11 July 2010

Yup Dixon, I’m a “centrist” — and perfectly happy with the moderate Republicans who represent the majority on our board of supervisors. They’re pragmatic, not ideologues. They’re uniters, not dividers. After all, most of us are in the middle.

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George Rebane

11 July 2010

SteveF, you did say something that may help establish your credentials as someone who “every day (tries) to get a more fiscally responsible government and society.” As someone who lives off grants and government subsidies, how do you do that? Is there any significant measurable that shows your successful efforts in having promoted wealth creating enterpises? We’re not here talking about the phantom jobs that Obama’s ilk has ‘created’ or ‘saved’.
This would give serious weight to “the entire philosophical movement” to which you are “dedicated”. Perhaps then we can get to the nuts and bolts of how you see achieving “a more fiscally responsible government and society”, because, frankly, that is what the other half of the country that holds such “despised” values is afraid of. If you wish, you may again post that on RR under your own name and manage its comment thread.

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Mikey McD

11 July 2010

So “the commenter” (a.k.a. Frisch one second, Pellne another) says he is for the constitution as long as he can change it, his work “leverages free markets” which I believe means he is funded by free market taxpayers, and fiscal responsibility means keep printing money and adding debt/inflation …. now that is some serious spin. What on earth would he call his “philosophical movement?”
Rebane, you ask some great questions regarding credentials etc…

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Dixon Cruickshank

11 July 2010

Jeff the things we talk about are a bit bigger than a little small town or county board, maybe thats where your losing the discussion. Barry is/was not a a precuror for the country just because he likes Russ and Russ likes him and they kinda like the TP. The liberials in CA have run it into BK, and now they are talking about selling 11 billion in water bonds – in the stock business we called those deals – too who’s – sell them to who?
To coin a phrase of one of your compatriots – if walks like duck and talks like a duck, I’m sure you get it – people ain’t loaning CA money forever cause you ain’t got no more Obama money left and you ain’t gett’in no mo.
I think Oboma ran on that uniter not divider platform – thats working just splendid so far, as the countries damn near BK too and everybody’s at each others throats.
just say’in

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RL Crabb

11 July 2010

I’m responding to Todd from a few hundred comments back…Sorry I didn’t do so sooner, but I actually found something more entertaining to do on a beautiful Sunday afternoon than spar with you fellows.
Anyway, yeah Todd, it’s great that you are a Republican if that’s what greases yor gears. I’ve tried both parties and found that I don’t fit in either, the Repubs being too far to the right and the Dems being too far to the left. Our current representatives in power have shown themselves to be totally inept, from the bloated health care bill to their phony stimulus that hasn’t produced squat. I hesitate to replace them with your party of choice, as their philosophy of endless unregulated consumption offers little to the future except an endless row of strip malls from coast to coast. The Libertarians are just Republicans on steroids and the Green Party is a path to uber-democracy that would only confound our already constipated legislatures.
What you and your Tea Party allies don’t seem to get is that by moving farther to the right you only doom yourselves to the same fate as the left. I believe the American people don’t want extremes, they want a government that can get things done, that serves the interests of all the people and not one faction over another. You may win a few elections until voters see how radical you really are. Then what? Back to the Democrats? See my point?
As John Lennon said, “You make say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”

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George Rebane

11 July 2010

The millions of Tea Party Patriots don’t stray far from
– fiscally responsible government,
– Constitutionally limited government (including the Constitution’s built-in ways to modify itself to reflect new times and values),
– free markets.
People who believed in those were considered pretty much right down the American mainstream. What today has made them “extremes”?

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D. King

11 July 2010

Steven,
Can you help us with this?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/12/business/global/12refinance.html

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D. King

11 July 2010

My favorite line in that NY Times piece is:
“The cost of borrowing is likely to rise faster than banks can pass it on to customers, analysts say.” 😦

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Russ Steele

11 July 2010

I can not believe citizens who are seeking fiscally responsible government, free markets and constitutionally limited government can be consider far right radicals. They sound like rational citizens to me. Perhaps Mr Pelline, Mr Enos or Mr Frisch can explain how these citizens are far right radicals in such simple terms that even the mentally deficient can understand.

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Dixon Cruickshank

11 July 2010

The Honorable Mr Crabb:
What we actually have today is awakening or re-awakining of true American virtues that we haven’t seen for many many years. Todays Tea Party movement is really a grasroots revision to older time standards that many felt had left us. Many people in the country had become very complacent with the party bickering and things just muddled along, until this administration. This administration and its policies have awakened some very serious core values that have not been seen for 40 to 50 yrs – before my time. I have never seen this country so involved in what is going on in the government, which is a very good thing. This time it is just real people though, the little guy getting involved via the TP, probably not a good thing for the establihed parties – either of them. The TP people seem to have bones to pick with both sides but seem to want to roll back many years of crappola – JMHO
You and our other new poster Jon Stillings ( I think) are really closet TP’ers, theres nothing wrong with that and you don’t/won’t ever agree with anybody’s total concept of anything – we are just sick of all the crap that has been on both sides – thats why you have TP people not endorsing mainstream Repulican candidates like before. Kinda like being a political agnositic, I don’t think the majority of the TP movement is as nearly far right as you think, we have a uniquie situation with Enos, Peline and Frisch and your in CA remember.

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RL Crabb

12 July 2010

I agree with many of the Tea Party’s goals…responsible government spending at the top of the list. But I wonder how far the movement intends to go in their effort to “take back the country”.
Will there be a hit list of enemies? The big cities? The unions? Homosexuals? Mexicans? An endless series of wars in the middle east? Conservatives speak softly and in vague terms on these issues but will the big stick appear once they take over?
The mantra of both sides seems to be “never let a good crisis go to waste.” Sounds like a good opportunity to clean house.

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Barry Pruett

12 July 2010

“I’d embrace guys like Nate Beason and Ted Owens, moderate Republicans who believe in Tea Party values, can build a consensus and are respected by people in the middle.”
Mr. Pelline: Thank you for my morning laugh! You never disappopint. This is spin. You know as well as I do that neither Nate nor Ted believe in TP values. They are “politicians”…not statesman, and are militantly against the TP.

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