For the Libertarians Planning to write in Ron Paul

[plank white]

I think you have a significant and basic misunderstanding of what the Tea Party is, the major misunderstanding being not recognizing that there is no "Tea Party".

There is a movement of hundreds, maybe thousands of different groups with somewhat similar ideas about government...some of those groups support, Romney, some don't...most are less concerned about the Presidency and far more concerned about local and regional and state elections because there is where change has to start. To ascribe monolithic ideas to the movement is to totally miss the point.

If you've given up on the movement after only three/four years then I'd say your expectations of how quickly things can change are more than a little unrealistic.

I havent given up on the way I feel at all and I know just how fast things can change aswell well as be taken over Like I said the TEA Party Lost alot of supporters with the Neocon influence and Romney Support this hasnt changed me or alot of people however you wont turn on any main stream media outlet and see a huge following of the Tea Party Saying Nope thats wrong we dont support that guy or any of his Ideals period even though that does happen alot of Tea party members and supporters do say and have said things similar you need to go research it and find that stuff for your self because according to the major media outlets "The Tea Party" supports Romney therefore if im out wearing my TEA PARTY shirt fools automatically assume im a pissed off republican that supports Romney ,Simply because thats how the Media portrays the Tea Party now . Where as before if folks saw those same shirts they assumed I was pissed at the government and the staus quo Just because the Tea Party was Hi-Jacked by Neocons in the media doesnt mean it has been but it is what everyone Thinks it has been so there really isnt much difference . So until the Media starts reporting on the rest of the TEA Party My shirts will stay in the closet . It doesnt matter though a bunch of angry republicans will join in and by somemore etc.

I actually got in an argument over facebook on the Teaparty page with a guy who swore up and down the Tea Partys Goal was to get rid of Obama at all cost , After trying to explain "No thats the Republicans goal " I finally logged off, said its pointless ,and quit supporting the Tea Party and I hate That because they really did have a good thing going but when the Big Boys get involved and decide they want control they will at the very least make everyone think they are in control which is pretty much the same thing . I However still feel the same way and will still vote based on that from now on no matter who the media tells me runs what group or who can and cant win I will vote for the best man everytime

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I think it's called the "microwave mentality"...people think that problems that have been brewing and gaining momentum since the 1930s are going to be solved by one movement and in one or two election cycles.

If people aren't willing to work for something that may take decades, maybe even not be resolved in their lifetimes then they might as well save themselves the headaches, put blinders on and hope for the best.

Yep I don't disagree. And there is the "oven mentality" where people perpetually shove cow patties into the oven, expecting that one of these days they will eat pork roast for supper.

There are many strategies none of which so far seem effective. There is the anti-incumbent strategy which I first read about even in the ancient times, after the invention of fire but before Al Gore invented the internet. Vote against the incumbent every time regardless.

And then there is the dedicated third-party strategy which values principle over personalities.The nature of the candidate is not critical provided a candidate is dedicated to the principles, can explain them well, and is not an incompetent nincompoop. Vote the same principles year in year out because otherwise critical mass will never be achieved. Perhaps critical mass can't be achieved regardless-- But it's certain that critical mass will never be achieved if you keep sending donations to the "bestest party in the universe" while personally voting the least odious criminal for fear of the most odious criminal. Sometimes in retrospect it is difficult to decide which would have been least odious.

After decades, neither strategy-- Neither anti-incumbent or third-party-come-hell-or-high-water has gotten anywhere near critical mass. Perhaps the major parties have become too expert at herding voters. Maybe such strategies are ultimately as futile as repeatedly putting a cow patty in the oven expecting pork roast. OTOH, I don't recall that we ever got pork roast out, after repeatedly putting cow patties in. Its not like that hasn't been tried!

[RobertNashville]

I havent given up on the way I feel at all and I know just how fast things can change aswell well as be taken over Like I said the TEA Party Lost alot of supporters with the Neocon influence and Romney Support this hasnt changed me or alot of people however you wont turn on any main stream media outlet and see a huge following of the Tea Party Saying Nope thats wrong we dont support that guy or any of his Ideals period even though that does happen alot of Tea party members and supporters do say and have said things similar you need to go research it and find that stuff for your self because according to the major media outlets "The Tea Party" supports Romney therefore if im out wearing my TEA PARTY shirt fools automatically assume im a pissed off republican that supports Romney ,Simply because thats how the Media portrays the Tea Party now . Where as before if folks saw those same shirts they assumed I was pissed at the government and the staus quo Just because the Tea Party was Hi-Jacked by Neocons in the media doesnt mean it has been but it is what everyone Thinks it has been so there really isnt much difference . So until the Media starts reporting on the rest of the TEA Party My shirts will stay in the closet . It doesnt matter though a bunch of angry republicans will join in and by somemore etc.

I actually got in an argument over facebook on the Teaparty page with a guy who swore up and down the Tea Partys Goal was to get rid of Obama at all cost , After trying to explain "No thats the Republicans goal " I finally logged off, said its pointless ,and quit supporting the Tea Party and I hate That because they really did have a good thing going but when the Big Boys get involved and decide they want control they will at the very least make everyone think they are in control which is pretty much the same thing . I However still feel the same way and will still vote based on that from now on no matter who the media tells me runs what group or who can and cant win I will vote for the best man everytime

You still seem to keep thinking of the Tea Party movement as if it's some sort of one homogenous group of people; it's never been that and I pray to God it never is like that.

I'm not sure why anyone would care what others think the Tea Party means or who the Tea Party supports, most especially the "media"...I don't give a rat's ass how the "media" portrays it or what they think about it; it has never had a clue what the movement is which is why the media and both parties are scared to death of it (and should be).

[dlm37015]

were it not for the many tea party groups we wouldnt have control of congress now.as others have said we cant start at the top we must work up to it

[Guest HvyMtl]

I think I will vote for this guy:

[sigmtnman]

Yep I don't disagree. And there is the "oven mentality" where people perpetually shove cow patties into the oven, expecting that one of these days they will eat pork roast for supper.

Don't know why, but you made me think of this

[Guest HvyMtl]