General Discussion

True Blue Door

(2,969 posts)

26. The Tea Party is what it is because conservatives can't think for themselves and don't try.

Fri Dec 12, 2014, 05:38 PM

Dec 2014

But progressives are incapable of pursuing a permanent common cause. No matter how distilled the movement becomes, there are always some who are closer to the establishment, and some who are more radical, and the radical side tends to constantly flake off from movements that become politically relevant.

In fact, the more relevant it becomes, the more they see it as "selling out" and desperately want to break away from it - thus depriving it of their energy, and depriving themselves of its legitimacy and practical resources. And no matter how often this pattern is repeated, they never learn from it.

If this were not the case, rebuilding and surpassing the New Deal in this country would be trivially easy. If everyone on the left would just agree that everyone who wants to move in the same direction is on the same side regardless of their ambitiousness, the right has nothing that could possibly compete with that.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

88 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

'The liberal version of the Tea Party is just waiting to happen' [View all] Newsjock Dec 2014 OP

With the rising popularity of Senator Elizabeth Warren, if not now, when? BlueCaliDem Dec 2014 #1

Warren isn't running. She has said to time and again. RBInMaine Dec 2014 #56

I know. But it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind. :-) BlueCaliDem Dec 2014 #65

But everybody knows that Hillary will be coronated President. ... spin Dec 2014 #2

It's 20-some years overdue. polichick Dec 2014 #3

You're right. So it starts NOW. Today. With #OccupyWhatever, with #ItStopsNow, with#OURWalMart genwah Dec 2014 #7

+1000 N/T UglyGreed Dec 2014 #18

yeah, but without 1200 rradio station and with very little representation in dc and Doctor_J Dec 2014 #4

A meaningful liberal version of the tea party is unlikely. BillZBubb Dec 2014 #5

but the TEA party was a well-finance creation designed to pull the more radical, GreatGazoo Dec 2014 #6

Exactly -- who's going to fund it? Nt lostnfound Dec 2014 #23

The Democratic Party must be purged of the Conservative/Corporatists that are against rhett o rick Dec 2014 #8

Never gonna happen. I think a new party, but that won't be allowed to happen either. 2banon Dec 2014 #12

We can't abandon the Democratic Party. It's kick out the impostors or go down trying. nm rhett o rick Dec 2014 #25

I like how you are calling for purges YoungDemCA Dec 2014 #45

hilariously the purge of the Democratic Party is being called by the minority Left Leaning Indies! VanillaRhapsody Dec 2014 #52

They're called "standards" and "principles." Scootaloo Dec 2014 #53

+++++++++! 2banon Dec 2014 #83

Yep. They use the old Alfred E. Neuman defense. nt raouldukelives Dec 2014 #86

Wow are you way off base. The Democratic Party leadership has been taken over rhett o rick Dec 2014 #66

Since when was support for dubious foreign wars out of line for Democrats? muriel_volestrangler Dec 2014 #59

So are you trying to say you approve of the continuous war in the middle east? rhett o rick Dec 2014 #67

No, I'm saying the Democratic Party has never been an oasis of pure goodness muriel_volestrangler Dec 2014 #72

I guess I am missing your point. Are you suggesting we let the Wall Street/Neocon Wing of the Party rhett o rick Dec 2014 #74

the point seems to be related to your use of this phrase... jberryhill Dec 2014 #76

Thank you - yes, that was what I was saying muriel_volestrangler Dec 2014 #78

Carter too? BootinUp Dec 2014 #80

crickets.. 2banon Dec 2014 #85

Not sure of your point. Just because a Democrat does it doesn't make it a Democratic principle. rhett o rick Dec 2014 #87

OWS wasn't trying to 'gain political traction'. They were trying to, and succeeded sabrina 1 Dec 2014 #9

You are right. OWS succeeded by bringing the issue of income inequality into focus. CTyankee Dec 2014 #11

Huh? Sabrina said nothing about income inequality muriel_volestrangler Dec 2014 #60

Well, there's the 99% and the 1% idea... CTyankee Dec 2014 #61

Well, I thought that, but Sabrina said it was about Wall St. corruption muriel_volestrangler Dec 2014 #63

My take-away was different from Sabrina's I guess. But it was a lot of others take away, too... CTyankee Dec 2014 #64

In one sense, OWS evolved in an opposite direction to the Tea Party. Maedhros Dec 2014 #13

bingo! liberal_at_heart Dec 2014 #19

+1 nt justabob Dec 2014 #20

AND OWS chose to drop out of the political process, in favor of creating its own mini-societies... brooklynite Dec 2014 #29

Here we go AGAIN. To 'drop out of the political process' you have to have sabrina 1 Dec 2014 #33

What was the purpose of raising awareness...if not to address the issues you're aware of? brooklynite Dec 2014 #38

I'll make it as simple as I can. It is a Social Justice Movement. sabrina 1 Dec 2014 #48

Thank you for saying that. It's exactly what I think. OWS was a great success. rhett o rick Dec 2014 #27

You always bring up goals after the fact. randome Dec 2014 #73

You never like that Social Justice Movement. Why is a mystery. Though sabrina 1 Dec 2014 #79

There is much afoot, happening under the radar. Jackpine Radical Dec 2014 #10

Occupy deserves enormous credit for changing the national conversation from the debt to inequality. Scuba Dec 2014 #16

They deserve 'credit' for squandering the opportunity to get things done, too. randome Dec 2014 #68

Occupy continues to get good things done, and not naming a leader denied the right a target ... Scuba Dec 2014 #75

I actually like her in the Senate... Wounded Bear Dec 2014 #17

Me too. zappaman Dec 2014 #37

It's easy for Republicans to neutralize a Democratic administration Fumesucker Dec 2014 #62

Occupy was a dismal FAILURE and Warren isn't running. She has said so time and again. RBInMaine Dec 2014 #55

Yet a DUer wrote just today that running for President would make EW a quitter just like Sarah. Scuba Dec 2014 #14

I hope you can see the difference. Those that fear her running will say about anything. nm rhett o rick Dec 2014 #28

surely they feel the same about Obama.. frylock Dec 2014 #40

Couldn't agree more... AzDar Dec 2014 #15

The best thing that could ever happen to the Democratic Party. kentuck Dec 2014 #21

K & R !!! WillyT Dec 2014 #22

I'm ready for it LittleBlue Dec 2014 #24

The Tea Party is what it is because conservatives can't think for themselves and don't try. True Blue Door Dec 2014 #26

Well said. The Democratic Party is deeply divided... YoungDemCA Dec 2014 #46

The "liberal version of the Tea Party" has been around a whole lot longer than the Tea Party Bjorn Against Dec 2014 #30

Herding cats and nailing Jell-O to a tree is easier than organizing progressives Brother Buzz Dec 2014 #31

If it hasn't congealed by now, I fear it never will... blkmusclmachine Dec 2014 #32

I feel the same way. Have been for a while now. Aldo Leopold Dec 2014 #34

You can only count me in if they call it the Coffee Party Reter Dec 2014 #35

Only there is a critical difference.... jimlup Dec 2014 #36

K&R DeSwiss Dec 2014 #39

I really like Elizabeth Warren and would vote for her Mr.Bill Dec 2014 #41

The Sweet Tea Party. kentuck Dec 2014 #42

when pigs fly DemandsRedPill Dec 2014 #43

The conservative members of the Democratic party are simply afraid of losing elections. randome Dec 2014 #69

If you peel back the window dressing, it looks a lot like a class war. Snarkoleptic Dec 2014 #44

Hang on, let me finish popping my popcorn and putting ice in my cup... wyldwolf Dec 2014 #47

Simple-minded hooey. geek tragedy Dec 2014 #49

+1 nt steve2470 Dec 2014 #51

The opposite of save the Billionaires and Destroy the Planet doing it. yeah, I like it. Cha Dec 2014 #50

Can we get the Koch brothers to fund our "grassroots" movement? Quantess Dec 2014 #54

Not really. 40% of the US call themselves conservative, and 20% call themselves liberal Recursion Dec 2014 #57

Sorry, I can't see the Tea Party as something Democrats should want to emulate. baldguy Dec 2014 #58

Yep - and, you just described Occupy Wall Street to the letter. maced666 Dec 2014 #70

You confuse FORM with CONTENT Cosmic Kitten Dec 2014 #77

Ain't no "puff" of outrage here: LiberalElite Dec 2014 #71

K&R I'd be very interested to see if this happens or if this is just more chattering Number23 Dec 2014 #81

Waiting for some rich people to endow and televise it? Orsino Dec 2014 #82

I'll believe it when I see it MrScorpio Dec 2014 #84

It already has. It's called the third way, DLC, new dem etc. Both funded by the Kochs. nt adirondacker Dec 2014 #88