This Isn't A Tea Party, It's A Political Movement.
This Isn't A Tea Party, It's A Political Movement.
By David Mixner
Copyright by David Mixner
Mar 1 2010
http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/03/this-isnt-a-tea-party-its-a-political-movement.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29
Something is occurring at the grassroots level in America and it is far from a tea party. A deep populist anger and mistrust of government. A mounting frustration over the gridlock and lack of leadership in Washington, DC. The belief that our institutions no longer work. Fear about jobs, schools, safety and being able to provide the basics to your family. America is not working right now and the people know it isn't working. We better pay attention or we will pay a deep price down the road.
Those of us old enough remember 1964. The Democrats were riding high in an historic landslide that was fueled in part by the death of our beloved President Kennedy. Also the Democrats were able to make people terrified by the possible election of conservative Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona. For many that scenario will be confusing since Goldwater today in the Republican Party would almost be a moderate. However in 1964 he was viewed as extreme and dangerous. The Arizona senator first got noticed when he delivered a nationwide address for Ronald Reagan. His book "Conscience of a Conservative" was selling millions of copies.
Goldwater's nomination was viewed as the end of the Republican party and the beginning of years of Democratic rule. At the Republican Convention in 1964 in San Francisco, Goldwater delegates shook their fists at the media booths and booed New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller. They no longer had faith in the Eastern establishment of Republicans that had ruled the party to represent their needs and views. Goldwater's vote against the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 almost guaranteed his nomination and brought the long Democratic domination in the South to an end. Far from a 'hater', Goldwater was a man of deep principle and beliefs and in fact was one of President Kennedy's favorite senators. In the current political climate, he most likely would fall closer to Ron Paul than Sarah Palin.
There are lessons for us from the 1964 election.
All over America thousands and thousands of citizens who have not been active before are coming out of the woodwork to express their discontent. The media loves to highlight the divisions and the extremists among the Tea Party movement. The inside the Beltway crowd has already dismissed them as a factor in the 2012 election and have almost given the nomination to Romney. Democrats dismissed them and hope they stay active. They believe the Tea Party crowd will divide the Republican party and make it more extreme and thus unacceptable to mainstream America. In this upcoming congressional election, instead of standing for our ideals once again we are just blindly insisting that we must elect Democrats or "look who will be in charge."
Fear alone can't single-handedly carry a party to victory. As an incumbent party with control of both Houses of Congress and the Presidency, the American people actually expect an impressive list of accomplishments on our watch. The constituency of the party who have for years placed their hopes, dreams and aspirations in the hands of the party must feel motivated and believe they made a wise choice. A simple "we are better than them" is not going to put out this massive grassroots fire of discontent. The people will not go away and in the end they will be heard one way or another.
Unless America believes we have gotten back on the right track, this "Tea Party Movement" will continue to have life. They are the ones who will give $10 a month on the Internet this time around. They are the ones who will fill Republican caucuses in 2012. They are the ones who will work day and night to turn out their vote. They are the ones who this time can honestly talk about the need for change.
All is far from lost. However, the leadership of the Democratic party, the President and Congress better get their acts together soon or we will be reliving 1964 all over again. We have about six months to get health care, civil rights, climate control, job creation, infrastructure and deficit reducing program on the fast track or all will be lost. We will never have a better political opportunity than we do right now. Let's hope the people inside the Beltway don't blow it.
By David Mixner
Copyright by David Mixner
Mar 1 2010
http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/03/this-isnt-a-tea-party-its-a-political-movement.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29
Something is occurring at the grassroots level in America and it is far from a tea party. A deep populist anger and mistrust of government. A mounting frustration over the gridlock and lack of leadership in Washington, DC. The belief that our institutions no longer work. Fear about jobs, schools, safety and being able to provide the basics to your family. America is not working right now and the people know it isn't working. We better pay attention or we will pay a deep price down the road.
Those of us old enough remember 1964. The Democrats were riding high in an historic landslide that was fueled in part by the death of our beloved President Kennedy. Also the Democrats were able to make people terrified by the possible election of conservative Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona. For many that scenario will be confusing since Goldwater today in the Republican Party would almost be a moderate. However in 1964 he was viewed as extreme and dangerous. The Arizona senator first got noticed when he delivered a nationwide address for Ronald Reagan. His book "Conscience of a Conservative" was selling millions of copies.
Goldwater's nomination was viewed as the end of the Republican party and the beginning of years of Democratic rule. At the Republican Convention in 1964 in San Francisco, Goldwater delegates shook their fists at the media booths and booed New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller. They no longer had faith in the Eastern establishment of Republicans that had ruled the party to represent their needs and views. Goldwater's vote against the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 almost guaranteed his nomination and brought the long Democratic domination in the South to an end. Far from a 'hater', Goldwater was a man of deep principle and beliefs and in fact was one of President Kennedy's favorite senators. In the current political climate, he most likely would fall closer to Ron Paul than Sarah Palin.
There are lessons for us from the 1964 election.
All over America thousands and thousands of citizens who have not been active before are coming out of the woodwork to express their discontent. The media loves to highlight the divisions and the extremists among the Tea Party movement. The inside the Beltway crowd has already dismissed them as a factor in the 2012 election and have almost given the nomination to Romney. Democrats dismissed them and hope they stay active. They believe the Tea Party crowd will divide the Republican party and make it more extreme and thus unacceptable to mainstream America. In this upcoming congressional election, instead of standing for our ideals once again we are just blindly insisting that we must elect Democrats or "look who will be in charge."
Fear alone can't single-handedly carry a party to victory. As an incumbent party with control of both Houses of Congress and the Presidency, the American people actually expect an impressive list of accomplishments on our watch. The constituency of the party who have for years placed their hopes, dreams and aspirations in the hands of the party must feel motivated and believe they made a wise choice. A simple "we are better than them" is not going to put out this massive grassroots fire of discontent. The people will not go away and in the end they will be heard one way or another.
Unless America believes we have gotten back on the right track, this "Tea Party Movement" will continue to have life. They are the ones who will give $10 a month on the Internet this time around. They are the ones who will fill Republican caucuses in 2012. They are the ones who will work day and night to turn out their vote. They are the ones who this time can honestly talk about the need for change.
All is far from lost. However, the leadership of the Democratic party, the President and Congress better get their acts together soon or we will be reliving 1964 all over again. We have about six months to get health care, civil rights, climate control, job creation, infrastructure and deficit reducing program on the fast track or all will be lost. We will never have a better political opportunity than we do right now. Let's hope the people inside the Beltway don't blow it.
posted by Carlos T Mock at 9:31 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home