Bigotry and Insanity On Parade at Denver's "Tea Party"
| By Alan Franklin - Apr 15th, 2009 at 4:42 pm EDT |
Bigotry and Insanity On Parade at Denver's "Tea Party"
"Astroturf" organizing effort by out-of-state lobbyists results in more shameful displays of ignorance and racism by local Republicans, headlined by Senate Minority Leader Penry
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
CONTACT: Michael Huttner at 303-931-4547
DENVER: ProgressNow Colorado staff once again braved a crowd of belligerent right-wing protesters at today's "Tea Party" protest event at the Colorado State Capitol. And once again, ProgressNow recorded for posterity shameful displays of both ignorance about President Obama's agenda and overt racism.
"These protesters were exercising their First Amendment rights to assemble and say whatever they want, but Americans need to understand who was really organizing these 'protests' and what attendees were actually saying," said ProgressNow Colorado Founder Michael Huttner. "We believe that most Americans, even many who may disagree with the President's policies, would never identify with what was on display at the Capitol today."
Billed as "citizen-organized" and "spontaneous" events, the "Tea Parties" were in fact chiefly organized by well-known right wing D.C. lobbyist groups such as FreedomWorks and the Club for Growth. Not to mention the Fox News Channel, who according to a report from Media Matters "provided organizing details, publicized the rallies on their website, used news anchors to invite people to attend the rallies, interviewed protest organizers, publicized the appearance of news hosts as special guests of the tea parties, and Fox News host Glenn Beck even called the gatherings 'FNC Tax Day Tea Parties.'"
"This is what happens when out-of-state 'astroturf' groups push demagogic events like this in our state," Huttner continued. "It brings out the worst elements in our political culture, people who embarrass the event's organizers more than anyone else. What does Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, the keynote speaker at this event, think of the young kid carrying the 'Obama monkey' sign? Or the many pictures of Obama dressed up as Hitler? Is this the kind of political discourse he wants to foster by headlining at these rallies?"
"This insanity isn't going to convince Americans that Obama is on the wrong track. According to a Gallup poll released just yesterday, 71% of Americans have confidence in the President to bring about an economic recovery. To answer that overwhelming majority, Dick Armey and Josh Penry managed to scare up--quite literally--a few hundred crazies and racists on a beautiful April afternoon."
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"Astroturf" organizing effort by out-of-state lobbyists results in more shameful displays of ignorance and racism by local Republicans, headlined by Senate Minority Leader Penry
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
CONTACT: Michael Huttner at 303-931-4547
DENVER: ProgressNow Colorado staff once again braved a crowd of belligerent right-wing protesters at today's "Tea Party" protest event at the Colorado State Capitol. And once again, ProgressNow recorded for posterity shameful displays of both ignorance about President Obama's agenda and overt racism.
"These protesters were exercising their First Amendment rights to assemble and say whatever they want, but Americans need to understand who was really organizing these 'protests' and what attendees were actually saying," said ProgressNow Colorado Founder Michael Huttner. "We believe that most Americans, even many who may disagree with the President's policies, would never identify with what was on display at the Capitol today."
Billed as "citizen-organized" and "spontaneous" events, the "Tea Parties" were in fact chiefly organized by well-known right wing D.C. lobbyist groups such as FreedomWorks and the Club for Growth. Not to mention the Fox News Channel, who according to a report from Media Matters "provided organizing details, publicized the rallies on their website, used news anchors to invite people to attend the rallies, interviewed protest organizers, publicized the appearance of news hosts as special guests of the tea parties, and Fox News host Glenn Beck even called the gatherings 'FNC Tax Day Tea Parties.'"
"This is what happens when out-of-state 'astroturf' groups push demagogic events like this in our state," Huttner continued. "It brings out the worst elements in our political culture, people who embarrass the event's organizers more than anyone else. What does Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, the keynote speaker at this event, think of the young kid carrying the 'Obama monkey' sign? Or the many pictures of Obama dressed up as Hitler? Is this the kind of political discourse he wants to foster by headlining at these rallies?"
"This insanity isn't going to convince Americans that Obama is on the wrong track. According to a Gallup poll released just yesterday, 71% of Americans have confidence in the President to bring about an economic recovery. To answer that overwhelming majority, Dick Armey and Josh Penry managed to scare up--quite literally--a few hundred crazies and racists on a beautiful April afternoon."
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Is that your son holding the monkey sign in the first picture? And what is different from the "Bushmonkey" crap the left put out the last 8 years?
There is a difference between "Hitler was a great orator" and Obama. Hitler didnt need a teleprompter. LOL! (Get over it, its a joke).
And Michael, you might want to work with your daughter on drawing swastika's. The "Heil Obama" poster is missing them.
Rather than taking ownership and responsibility for the deplorable antics instigated by the GOP provocateurs, he offers the cool-aid of conservative lies and distortion. Smoke and mirrors about unproven and un-confirmable police escorts and mythical family relationships cannot disprove that every instance of conservatives behaving badly is absolutely true.
Live with it. Josh Penry will have to for the rest of his political life. By his example, and others, the Colorado GOP has branded itself.
This rally took place in 750 cities and towns across the country with an estimated 250,000 people in attendance. The funny thing is that there were NO reports of violence or damage.
This is a similar example to the Michelle Malkin BS you pulled.
Why did windows get broken at American Unversity when Tom Tancredo came to speak? Why did Ann Colter have to dodge "pies" while speaking at Columbia?
Even Ward Churchill has the freedom of speech without the worry or threat from the right.
No Ralph, I dont take ownership of these liberal tricks. I am more apt to believe Gunny Bob than some progressive blog. He was right there and witnessed the "gentlemen" confronted by police and escorted away. I am more willing to beleive that the pictures here and at the February rally were plants because this is the only place Ive seen them. I am more willing to beleive it, too, because of the "rallies" that liberals held at the DNC. I am more willing to beleive these are plants because the left has a history of property damage, verbal and physical violence, finger-pointing, and attempting to create facts.
Try as you might, the evidence is bursting forth that teabagging is little more than further examples of rich and media empowered conservative mega-elites manipulating a pliable population. These manufactured astroturf movements are a farce than will only further marginalize the GOP.
Changing the subject and twisting the debate into your targeted rants is a false pretense to clearly avoid the focus issue of this blog string. Leave the media celebrities and hate-spreaders out of this.
Your feeble attacks and code-book right wingnut rhetoric are no defense for the truth that only GOP office holders sought to bolster their radical fringe credentials. This is only a thin veil of legitimacy and credibility in stark contrast to the continued confidence of the vast majority of American's in the agenda and leadership of the President of the United States.
$4 Trillion dollars added to the National Debt (children's tax) by the most recent Republican Congress and Republican President. Over the past 28 years Republican Presidents have presided over $8.3 Trillion added to the National Debt, over 86% of the total. Only a Democratic President has produced Federal Budget Surpluses that were a step in the right direction of reducing the children's tax. But, leave it to a Federal Government completed controlled by the GOP to destroy that positive fiscal path. George Bush the rubber-stamp Republican controlled Congress increased the National Debt by nearly the amount of ALL previous Presidents combined.
Stick that in your "user" and try to explain to us why you and your "trusted radio microphone" have practiced the complacency and conspiracy of silence for the past 8-years. That silence is an indictment against all of your "Oh no, not me!" accusations and fairy-tales.
ps - "i" before "e" except after "c." At a minimum I can certainly verify that you didn't graduate from an Arvada school.
Keep hiding behind "user," it's a clear indication of the shallowness and untrustworthy foundations of the mole-hills and mouse droppings you're leaving around here.
What radical fringe groups showed themselves at the rally? The answer is none. The only fringe members at the rally were the left wing trying to make this look like some radical rally, but was shown to be who they were.
You continue the false assumption that because Hannity and Fox News gave this rally the media attention that the MSM failed (or falsely) covered, does not make this some sort of "manipulation by the rich and media empowered conservative mega-elites". Is that the new name for Fox News?
Obviously, I cant cite a source, but it sounds like the left is just mad that they cant bring forward any sort of rally to stand for something, or peacefully stand against something. The MSM was clearly against this rally and spun the meaning and debate around it. Case in point; CNN. Yes, taxation had something to do with it, but the real complaint is the excess deficit spending.
Your math and research are clearly faulty. At the end of the Bush Administration, the federal deficit was at one half a trillion dollars. This was spending that occured during wartime. You may also see that the real non-military spending didnt start to occur until the democrats took congress.In the first 100 days of Obama, the deficit is now at $4 Trillion. In his first 100 days, Obama has pledged to spend more money than all previous administrations combined. You seem to be confusing your talking points by trying to say this is all Bush.
P.S. Why do you seem so angry and hostile? Dont like being proven wrong?
The deficit borrowing conducted by the previous administration and congress grossly overwhelms the first Obama budget from every angle of measurement. The record is clear and already written into the history books:
- Clinton left Bush with Federal Budget surpluses and a roadmap to eliminate the National Debt
- Bush squandered that with tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% (clearly, as a reward for campaign donations)
- Clinton left office with the accumulated National Debt of 42 Presidents at $5.77 Trillion
- Bush borrowed another $5 Trillion just during his term in office
It is inexcusable that conservatives, epitomized by their sock-puppets, are now moleing their way into forums critical of the radical rightwing, for the sole purpose of distorting the truth and whitewashing their own complicity. The occupation of Iraq and the failure to secure Afghanistan and bring Osama Bin Laden to justice are no excuse for mis-managing the Federal Budget, funneling $100s of Billions in US dollars to China, and setting this nation onto the path of financial crisis.
Despite the hype from the tunnel-vision conservative propaganda machine it is evident that the teabag phenomenon was a fizzle. The April 23rd Associated Press-GfK Poll provides definitive evidence that the Nation is not willing to fall back to the fear and smear of the Republicans, "faux-noise" or their new partners the teabaggers.
One week after the teabag spectacle it is clear that 48% of Americans say the country is on the right track. This is an increase from the 40% who expressed that same confidence in February. The President of the United States has a 64% approval rating.
Brew all the tea you want, hold your street corner shows, but don't pretend that anywhere except in your own perception of reality that any of it will flip this Nation, or this State back to the mistake of 2000.
2006 was an election victory for the Democratic Party and Progressive values and principles of governing for the people. 2008 expanded that success and the mandate of the electorate to continue the fight for those values and principles to include the campaign Platform of Barack Obama.
Keep your street corners. We're focused on governing and winning the next round of elections.
Expenditures remained in line for the first 6 years even in light of recent history. The last 2 years were far different, especially in light of new socialist programs such as changes and expansion of Medicare Part D, unrestrained spending by congress, and bailing out the Barney Frank/Chris Dodd cronies.
In response to your history books....
From CBS News interview:
"Well, Anthony, the clock may have been covered up during this period, but the gross federal debt never declined during the Clinton years. Not once. According to the debt statistics at the Office of Management and Budget, the national debt was $4.351 trillion prior to the first fiscal budget authorized by President Clinton in 1994. When he left office in 2001, the debt was $5.770 trillion at the end of that fiscal year. That looks like an increase to me, Anthony.
Furthermore, during the years when Clinton and Company were reporting so-called surpluses to America (1998 through 2001), the nation's debt increased by almost exactly $400 billion, and went up every year even as we were being informed of surpluses as far as the eye can see".
From Bloomberg:
"After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan and later Iraq. Defense spending rose 48 percent to $454 billion in 2004, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
Discretionary spending under Bush rose from $649.3 billion in 2001 to $895 billion in 2004, CBO figures show. Discretionary spending also rose as a share of the economy, from 6.5 percent in 2001 to 7.7 percent in 2004.
Now with that as a background, what is Obama doing?
Heritage Foundation states:
"What's driving Obama's unprecedented massive deficits? Spending. Riedl details:
President Bush expanded the federal budget by a historic $700 billion through 2008. President Obama would add another $1 trillion.
President Bush began a string of expensive financial bailouts. President Obama is accelerating that course.
President Bush created a Medicare drug entitlement that will cost an estimated $800 billion in its first decade. President Obama has proposed a $634 billion down payment on a new government health care fund.
President Bush increased federal education spending 58 percent faster than inflation. President Obama would double it.
President Bush became the first President to spend 3 percent of GDP on federal antipoverty programs. President Obama has already increased this spending by 20 percent.
President Bush tilted the income tax burden more toward upper-income taxpayers. President Obama would continue that trend.
President Bush presided over a $2.5 trillion increase in the public debt through 2008. Setting aside 2009 (for which Presidents Bush and Obama share responsibility for an additional $2.6 trillion in public debt), President Obama's budget would add $4.9 trillion in public debt from the beginning of 2010 through 2016."
Link
Based on the rest of the drivel of comments, you STILL dont get it. The people werent happy with the massive spending of Bush, but when that spending is QUADRUPLED, someone has to stand up against it. So keep on with your "teabagging" and moving us towards a socialist society.
The funniest thing about this tea-bagging party is how hard Armey and Fox worked to turn out supporters, then literally "dozens" show up. The ones that did show are those like the mouth-breathing extremists who yelled "kill him" at the Palin rally.
That's all Freedom Works and Fox could manage. Now Freedom Works is calling you a liar for posting what you saw.
Really? 750 rallies at cities and towns across the USA is = literally dozens?
An estimated 250,000 rally-goers across the USA attending these rallies = literally dozens?
Is this anything like the "literally dozens" of rally-goers at the DNC? Oh wait, the largest rally crowd at the DNC was closer to 1 dozen.
BTW, why is it that CNN and the left has chosen to identify this rally by a homosexual act and then use it as a pejorative?
And while you're trying to badmouth the rallies, you may beed to recheck your facts... The only person that seems to have heard the "kill him" statement was the CNN reporter. The Secret Service and FBI have proved this report as patently wrong.
In the standard pattern of the disruptive influence "user" functions as a diversion and seeks to do little more than whitewash the truth and obscure the relevant facts of whatever argument it seeks to dominate and obfuscate. That is evident from "user's" penchant for calling out totally irrelevant comparisons. Rather than presenting support for its arguments, "user" continually undermines its dwindling value as a sock-puppet mole in our midst.
The "ah-hah," and ha-ha, in all of this teabag nonsense is the realization at even at the top end of the rolling escalation of turn-out bragging they mustered a clear one-half of one percent of active voters to their glorious cause. The Inauguration turn-out on the National Mall is a more pure and valid illustration of the support the President has received over the past 100 days.
I don't think it's too much to allow "user" and its other wingnut sock-puppet aliases to revel in less than 1% public acceptance. Especially since the April 23rd Associated Press-GfK Poll reports that the President of the United States that they seek to vilify has received a 64% approval rating, and that 48% of the rest of Americans approve of what is now happening in this country.
- 48% of all American in contrast to the 1/2 of 1% who are teabaggers
- 64% of America disagrees with the 1/2 of 1% who are teabaggers
I think I see a convincing pattern.