Please help me - I'm starting to like the Tea Party crowd

[Captain Utopia]

Tempest in the Tea Party

Would a true Tea Party patriot drop nearly $1,600 in donor money for a small meal at a fancy steakhouse? Robin Stublen says no, and he's mad as hell about the profligate expenditures of a GOP political organization that has glommed on to his grassroots movement.

...

"Six people averaged $266, that's not grassroots. I kill bugs and cut grass for a living. I'm splurging when I spend $19 at Chili's. Outback Steakhouse is reserved for Mother's Day," Stublen says.

Or rather - I'm having trouble finding something to hate in that.

[Cain]

The only hateful thing about a political party is it having power.

Since the Tea Partiers are quite literally powerless, they are inoffensive, and should be treated as light entertainment.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Well, a few of them appear idealistic and thats cute... but I went to a couple of their 'rallies'... and the idealistic ones are a tiny minority. The majority scare the fuck out of me (mostly in the "OMGZ these people vote?!?!?!?!" sense).

[Captain Utopia]

Aren't the idealistic ones those who are mostly in power?

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Aren't the idealistic ones those who are mostly in power?

They seemed far closer to crazy than I was comfortable with. I suppose it may just be the Columbus locals... but WOW I was surprised by the level of crazy.

Also that was back at the early start, I have no idea what they're like now.

[Cain]

Depends if you consider being a hardass, Movement Conservative purity troll a form of idealism or some sort of pathological mental illness.

[Captain Utopia]

I think it's likely that they believe they are doing the best for their family/country/etc. If so then they are correct and/or just delusional - a mental illness but not always pathological.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

I think it's likely that they believe they are doing the best for their family/country/etc. If so then they are correct and/or just delusional - a mental illness but not always pathological.

I agree, they don't have a disease other than being human and they're not that far out from most humans... just more loudly focused right now. Most of the people I met THINK that they are doing The Right Thing. They THINK they're supporting the Constitution, but that's mostly because they listen to idiots who tell them lies. Again, pretty normal for a human.

[Cain]

I guess I'll have to start work on that "some of the things said above may be for hyperbole" tag again...FFS...

[Captain Utopia]

I guess I'll have to start work on that "some of the things said above may be for hyperbole" tag again...FFS...

Yeah, but using "pathological mental illness" to describe the Tea Party isn't hyperbole. 

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

I guess I'll have to start work on that "some of the things said above may be for hyperbole" tag again...FFS...

Yeah, but using "pathological mental illness" to describe the Tea Party isn't hyperbole. 

*snerk*

They're pathalogically human... thats bad enough.

[Captain Utopia]

What's the difference?

[Jenne]

Dude...PURITY.  Get it?  GET IT?!  (at all costs, purity, btw)

Don't make me go all Godwin's Law on your ass, FP.  For fucks sake already.

[the last yatto]

when thinking of a tea party do you first think of
A) mad hatter
B) guys dressed up like Injuns
C) your mother forced you to be nice to your little sister

[Captain Utopia]

Dude...PURITY.  Get it?  GET IT?!  (at all costs, purity, btw)

Don't make me go all Godwin's Law on your ass, FP.  For fucks sake already.

I thought the Tea Party was more about ideological purity, than racial purity. Most people and groups of people seem to uphold at least some level of ideological purity - e.g. this forum does on the subjects of pinealism or "REAL Discordians", I don't think that's a bad thing at all - it's necessary in places.

Sure, the Tea Party seems to attract racists like wasps to a picnic, but unless I've totally misunderstood it - that isn't the point of the movement, or where its leaders want to take the movement.