It is not about the election...
It is about pulling the Republican Party to the Right.
The Democrats moving to the right to appear centrist.
And the mobilization and "education" of about 20 million people through fear to scapegoat Blacks, Muslims, Mexicans, Immigrants, and gay people for the real problems faced by our society.
The grassroots wing of the Tea Parties is a social movement. Trying to analyze it as a political campaign organization is asinine.
-Chip Berlet
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org
> [mailto:lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org] On Behalf Of Doug Henwood
> Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 5:42 PM
> To: lbo-talk
> Subject: [lbo-talk] Tea Party: less than meets the eye
>
> [cue the liberal fearmongers to refute this, since they need
> the TP - via The Awl]
>
> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/
02/AR2010110201301.html>
>
> But at least two uncertainties remain. First is the finding,
> in an extensive Washington Post canvass conducted last month,
> that local tea party groups are less organized and
> politically active than previously thought - and that much of
> the grassrootsorganization that swayed primaries was
> coordinated and financed by large national groups led by
> Republican insiders, including FreedomWorks, Tea Party
> Express and Americans for Prosperity.
>
> Second is the question of how, and whether, such a disjointed
> army can make a difference in a general election. Polls show
> that more Americans than not are turned off by the tea party,
> with many viewing the movement as extreme.
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