Political Pitfalls of Hating the "Tea Party" Movement

Why do all these people have to be hatin' on the "Tea Party" people? Rep. Steve Cohen, among others, brand us as racists. Now, I've never been to a "tea party" rally, though I've wanted to check one out. I'm one of them because for years I've advocated the same principles they espouse, and am happy to see people rallying to something I agree with. I don't know how Rep. Cohen equates "limiting government spending and taxes" with "racism," but he's in a seat that is supposed to be "reserved" for a Black candidate, according to a supporter of his African-American primary opponent. This being his second time through that wringer, he's obviously grasping at a political straw, by bashing the "tea partiers" as racists.

The real problem I have is with the media coverage of the protests, and the movement in general. Like any "movement," it's more about ideas that people share, and agree on, than the differences between them. Media outlets that allow the race card to be played against the "tea party" supporters on their programs, unchallenged, are not giving an analysis of what is bringing these people together, or what they're protesting for. "Limiting government's power, to comply with the Constitution; cutting government spending; balancing our total national debt, and putting all of it "on the books." Is that too difficult for them to report? I suspect that the "cutting government spending" part is considered "racist" by the media, for the usual reasons...(social justice, etc.)

Unfortunately for both the left-wing media, and the progressive Democrats, it looks like most people agree with the "tea partiers." The venom directed at them from both the media and politicians is backfiring, primarily because most people don't trust the MSM on politics. If I can coin a phrase, "Some bad press is good press." This was/is a real "grass roots" movement, although it's going through the turmoil of political popularity/infamy. There are many "tea party" groups, at many different levels of organization, across the nation. Some may be frauds or fronts, but it's a fact that this is a more valuable "demographic" than most media or political strategists realized, when they alienated them.

I expect to see alot more "tea parties" this Summer, but wonder how the media coverage will slant. Pres. Obama is on shaky ground with the media already, over a number of other issues. I'd be pleasantly surprised to see a change to objective reporting of "my political community's" complaints against President Obama and Congress, on CNN, (ms)NBC, ABC, CBS, theNY Times, WaPost, etc...but I don't expect that to happen. Still, they're being stung by their blatant slander of a large group of Americans, so they may need to "kiss some ass." Actually, they better, if they want to survive as media outlets. (Barring a government takeover)

A final note: Remember how the details of the TARP and Stimulus bills "dribbed and drabbed" out over the Spring and Summer, and dragged Dem's poularity downward, as they were trying to pass health care? Think of the "dribs and drabs" that have already started to come out of the health care bill. Besides not covering children's "pre-existing conditions" immediately as promised, Congress is holding hearings on why so many large companies are anticipating losses on their balance sheets, since it's passage. I don't think the surface has been scratched, yet, when it comes to unknown parts of this law. That reminds me of another "tea party" principle that I forgot to mention: "Let us read the bills before you pass them." It could be the final nail in the Dem's political coffin.