I started this site to help my fellow Tea Party members. It should assist those people starting their own micro-tea parties or regional groups by supplying an ample amount of discussion topics and snappy responses to lame liberal attacks. With time and input from others, this site could supply Tea Party comments on events of the day and define what it is to be a Tea Party Citizen. See the article, "The Essence of the Tea Party Struggle" shown below.
Joe Pelati
(send comments and submissions to jepelati@gmail.com or at the forum under the forum tab)
I have a Ph.D. in chemistry and have worked in petrochemical research and development for more than 20 years. I was swept into politics via the Tea Party Movement on April 15, 2009 when I attended my first rally in downtown Houston. I have worked with the Houston Tea Party Society ever since. I am also now an Election Judge, precinct chairman and tea party regular.
Joe Pelati
(send comments and submissions to jepelati@gmail.com or at the forum under the forum tab)
I have a Ph.D. in chemistry and have worked in petrochemical research and development for more than 20 years. I was swept into politics via the Tea Party Movement on April 15, 2009 when I attended my first rally in downtown Houston. I have worked with the Houston Tea Party Society ever since. I am also now an Election Judge, precinct chairman and tea party regular.
The Essence of the Tea Party Struggle
by Joe Pelati
The Tea Party Movement crashed into the orthodox political system, shaking it to its core. The conflicts have run deep and evoked intense emotions. However, what essence remains beyond specific issues, candidates, slogans, name-calling and policy demands? The average citizen realized that their country is dominated by an elitist ruling class whose values and motives are foreign and unacceptable to those inspired by our founding fathers and born again in the emerging Tea Party Spirit.
Rick Santelli’s rant about the collapse of the housing market and the gigantic spending stimulus was merely the spark. The government plan to spend huge sums of money to bail out those who had acted irresponsibly awoke the general population, those who have “worked hard and played by the rules”, to borrow a phrase. The last straw was asking these citizens to give their money to those who had set up the bad practices of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, profited by the fraudulent mortgage derivatives market or obtained mortgages that they couldn’t afford.
A majority of citizens still believes in the Constitution and the notion of limited government because they know it is the source of freedom and independence from a centralized authority. The reality now apparent to a growing number of citizens is that the federal government is dominated by an out-of-touch ruling class intent upon growing the federal government and asserting their power over all aspects of life.
Who are these “big government” people and what are their motivations? There are the “Ivy League” elites who believe that the magnificence of their benevolent intentions is beyond question and whose efforts warrant unlimited treasury funding. Such faux altruists are really in it for power. These elites, their brethren on Wall Street, and the mainstream media form a powerful self-perpetuating cabal.
Then there are those who rely directly upon money from the government. Direct employees, contract or grant recipients, lobbyists, government unions, welfare recipients, social security retirees, and profiteers of byzantine tax laws. These types either control the federal “trough” or feed directly from it.
A third class consists of the true believers. They subscribe to the philosophy of a strong, dominant central authority. They include socialists, communists and all those who believe in a nanny state where the government supplies all life’s needs.
Contrast these groups with the Tea Party Majority desiring less government, lower taxes and more freedom. Fundamentally there is no common ground between the Tea Party and the big government groups. One side can only defeat the other as the opportunity for compromise does not exist. That means this will be a fierce, winner-takes-all struggle.
What does a Tea Party activist or supporter need to do?
First, realize that the conflict is with the ideals of an authoritarian central government. The proponents have the need to sustain an ever-growing federal authority to sustain their livelihood or feed their ego. For these reasons, they will not fade away after losing an election or two. Decades were required to grow their power and this government, so it will take a long, sustained fight to fully defeat it. Judging from what transpired this year, the conflict will get dirty and nasty. The Tea Party needs to stay tough and prepare for a hard fight.
Secondly, this is a broad struggle encompassing federal, state, county and municipal entities as well as the major media, environmentalists and many other such activist groups. Feeding the system are the government’s public schools, which continue a curriculum that instills big government, collective thinking in our country’s children. The Tea Party needs to engage at all levels against a variety of opponents.
Thirdly, it’s about outreach and education by the Tea Party Movement. We must find, inform and inspire those who are too busy working to pay attention to the direction of the country or who have been misinformed about what is actually going on. Merely shedding light on the authoritarian actions by the federal government and its consequences can trigger a great deal of change. The Tea Party needs to bring more of those into the struggle who believe in the concept of “less government” and provide avenues for all likeminded to participate. That means we need to be more organized, active and strategic. Although the challenge of this struggle can appear daunting, we should be confident. The Tea Party Message is still extremely popular with the majority; do not forget the results of the last election, wherein the political establishment was significantly rocked by the Tea Party Movement that is only one year old.
Always remember that there are just two types of people and politicians in the era of the Tea Party: those who want an ever-growing central government and those who want a smaller, constitutionally-limited government. Judge all politicians, journalists and organizations by that classification. This is a conflict between two diametrically opposed viewpoints; there can be no compromise. One side must defeat the other in an all-out battle for the future of the country. The Tea Party has the momentum and needs to keep pressing forward with the clear understanding of the essence of the struggle.
by Joe Pelati
The Tea Party Movement crashed into the orthodox political system, shaking it to its core. The conflicts have run deep and evoked intense emotions. However, what essence remains beyond specific issues, candidates, slogans, name-calling and policy demands? The average citizen realized that their country is dominated by an elitist ruling class whose values and motives are foreign and unacceptable to those inspired by our founding fathers and born again in the emerging Tea Party Spirit.
Rick Santelli’s rant about the collapse of the housing market and the gigantic spending stimulus was merely the spark. The government plan to spend huge sums of money to bail out those who had acted irresponsibly awoke the general population, those who have “worked hard and played by the rules”, to borrow a phrase. The last straw was asking these citizens to give their money to those who had set up the bad practices of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, profited by the fraudulent mortgage derivatives market or obtained mortgages that they couldn’t afford.
A majority of citizens still believes in the Constitution and the notion of limited government because they know it is the source of freedom and independence from a centralized authority. The reality now apparent to a growing number of citizens is that the federal government is dominated by an out-of-touch ruling class intent upon growing the federal government and asserting their power over all aspects of life.
Who are these “big government” people and what are their motivations? There are the “Ivy League” elites who believe that the magnificence of their benevolent intentions is beyond question and whose efforts warrant unlimited treasury funding. Such faux altruists are really in it for power. These elites, their brethren on Wall Street, and the mainstream media form a powerful self-perpetuating cabal.
Then there are those who rely directly upon money from the government. Direct employees, contract or grant recipients, lobbyists, government unions, welfare recipients, social security retirees, and profiteers of byzantine tax laws. These types either control the federal “trough” or feed directly from it.
A third class consists of the true believers. They subscribe to the philosophy of a strong, dominant central authority. They include socialists, communists and all those who believe in a nanny state where the government supplies all life’s needs.
Contrast these groups with the Tea Party Majority desiring less government, lower taxes and more freedom. Fundamentally there is no common ground between the Tea Party and the big government groups. One side can only defeat the other as the opportunity for compromise does not exist. That means this will be a fierce, winner-takes-all struggle.
What does a Tea Party activist or supporter need to do?
First, realize that the conflict is with the ideals of an authoritarian central government. The proponents have the need to sustain an ever-growing federal authority to sustain their livelihood or feed their ego. For these reasons, they will not fade away after losing an election or two. Decades were required to grow their power and this government, so it will take a long, sustained fight to fully defeat it. Judging from what transpired this year, the conflict will get dirty and nasty. The Tea Party needs to stay tough and prepare for a hard fight.
Secondly, this is a broad struggle encompassing federal, state, county and municipal entities as well as the major media, environmentalists and many other such activist groups. Feeding the system are the government’s public schools, which continue a curriculum that instills big government, collective thinking in our country’s children. The Tea Party needs to engage at all levels against a variety of opponents.
Thirdly, it’s about outreach and education by the Tea Party Movement. We must find, inform and inspire those who are too busy working to pay attention to the direction of the country or who have been misinformed about what is actually going on. Merely shedding light on the authoritarian actions by the federal government and its consequences can trigger a great deal of change. The Tea Party needs to bring more of those into the struggle who believe in the concept of “less government” and provide avenues for all likeminded to participate. That means we need to be more organized, active and strategic. Although the challenge of this struggle can appear daunting, we should be confident. The Tea Party Message is still extremely popular with the majority; do not forget the results of the last election, wherein the political establishment was significantly rocked by the Tea Party Movement that is only one year old.
Always remember that there are just two types of people and politicians in the era of the Tea Party: those who want an ever-growing central government and those who want a smaller, constitutionally-limited government. Judge all politicians, journalists and organizations by that classification. This is a conflict between two diametrically opposed viewpoints; there can be no compromise. One side must defeat the other in an all-out battle for the future of the country. The Tea Party has the momentum and needs to keep pressing forward with the clear understanding of the essence of the struggle.
