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Matt Collins
08-01-2010, 10:59 PM
I am Being Interviewed By Reuters Tomorrow About The Tea Party.

The reporter wants to know specifically a) what the Tea Party movement’s prospects are for affecting the outcome of the midterm elections and b) what is going on within the Tea Party movement itself.


Do you have any thoughts?

free1
08-01-2010, 11:23 PM
End the Fed - printing money from thin air is never a good thing, and when you can do in in complete secrecy, that's even worse.

The government is using the words "citizen of the United States" to trick you into signing documents that state that you are a subject of the United States, the words "United States" means the U.S. government. It's a lawyer trick.

Hope you will be live so you can get both of those out.

RPgrassrootsactivist
08-01-2010, 11:29 PM
You definitely need to work "Ron Paul 2012" into this interview.

In reference to what is going on in the tea party, talk about the Ron Paul wing and how more and more people are recognizing that Ron has embodied the anti-establishment movement all along, throughout his entire career (and thus decades before the tea party even existed). Talk about how more conservatives are starting to become anti-war/anti-imperialism. Talk about state sovereignty, nullification and Tom Woods' new book.

Regarding midterms, talk about Rand, Paul LePage's gubernatorial campaign in Maine, Justin Amash, and the comeback being made by Schiff.

BenIsForRon
08-01-2010, 11:32 PM
I am Being Interviewed By Reuters Tomorrow About The Tea Party.

The reporter wants to know specifically a) what the Tea Party movement’s prospects are for affecting the outcome of the midterm elections and b) what is going on within the Tea Party movement itself.


Do you have any thoughts?

Mention how there are two forces fighting for the direction of the movement: the activist side and the corporatist/neocon side. Give examples of how people at Fox and Freedomworks have tried make this part of the republican party, then show how the liberty movement is working within the tea party to open minds and drive the movement away from petty politics and more towards policy.

A story like this will be interesting, and show that we are the good guys trying to make this into a force for change.

Bman
08-01-2010, 11:33 PM
I think for a) I would answer something to the effect of, to get politicians in office who understand a constitutional republic and will work to shrink the size and scope of the federal government so that we can better protect personal liberties and get control over our national debt.

for b) I don't know how you answer that. Most Tea Parties I have talked to really aren't some kind of combined larger group. They rather enjoy their independence from some sort of central committee.

Pauls' Revere
08-01-2010, 11:44 PM
A) The prospects are good the tea party will have an impact, it already has.
B) Since it started with Ron Paul etc... it has become co-opted by the GOP with the likes of Palin, Beck, and yes even heard Sean Hannity mention how the "got religon". I admit, I had my aha moment I'm wary of the GOP machine getting behind this to get back into office and back into power so they can do more of the same. Honestly, I'll be impressed with the GOP (and might even vote for them) if they throw thier own under the bus. Bob Bennet was a great start but the job isnt finished. McCain,Pelosi,Boxer,Liberman, and a slew of others must be ousted regardless of affiliation. My worry is that the tea party will vote the party line and concentrate only on Dems when GOP's need to go as well. Also, I want to hear the tea party talk about repealling laws.
C) and tell them this election is about constitutionality and Ron Paul has the record to be the next Prez.

and GOOD LUCK!

Pauls' Revere
08-01-2010, 11:48 PM
Matt read this thread...
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=254614

Matt Collins
08-01-2010, 11:50 PM
Keep the ideas coming, my interview is at 11am CT, I'll be checking this thread until then.

free1
08-01-2010, 11:58 PM
I think for a) I would answer something to the effect of, to get politicians in office who understand a constitutional republic and will work to shrink the size and scope of the federal government so that we can better protect personal liberties and get control over our national debt.

for b) I don't know how you answer that. Most Tea Parties I have talked to really aren't some kind of combined larger group. They rather enjoy their independence from some sort of central committee.

Good answers, but the guy is going to ask question "b" first, then he's going to get into the race issue, with the "tea party express" having some guy who made some sort of racist comments in satire (of course he won't mention the satire part, or that they kicked him out already, or that the tea party express isn't the whole tea party movement)

Well, it's a trick to get you from mentioning anything else, like limited government, end the fed and all that stuff.

As soon as you get to the important stuff, "sorry, we have to go to a break" and you won't be back on after.

They will play the race card and try to make the tea party look racist. It's the only thing they have to throw at the movement.

Mainstream banker controlled media, what do you expect? When you can print your own money, you can control anything.

So just beware and know the situation you are walking into.

Oh and don't forget they can just edit everything if it isn't live. So you may think you got something out, but they will cut out all the good stuff.

Matt Collins
08-02-2010, 12:24 AM
As soon as you get to the important stuff, "sorry, we have to go to a break" and you won't be back on after.This is not a live or recorded interview. Reuters is a newspaper wire service!

free1
08-02-2010, 12:42 AM
This is not a live or recorded interview. Reuters is a newspaper wire service!

Does it matter?

It's going to be about race, and you can count on this guy cutting out the good stuff.

Now if you can avoid the race issue, and not give him any content on it at all, he may have to take any other content you give him. Or he may write it all down, but the editors in NY will simply drop the whole interview because it doesn't fit their agenda.

"Reuters is your source for breaking news videos and top stories. Watch video clips about business, technology, sports and entertainment video. ... Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news,"
http://tv.reuters.com/

"Reuters.com brings you the latest news from around the world, covering breaking news in business, politics, entertainment, technology, and more in video and pictures"

First thing on their site is a video, and a whole bunch of videos you can click on.

Matt Collins
08-02-2010, 12:44 AM
It's going to be about race, and you can count on this guy cutting out the good stuff.I tend to doubt it, but if it is, then it'll be a very short interview because I don't put up with the race-baiting bs. :rolleyes:

Kregisen
08-02-2010, 01:10 AM
Good luck man.

Just remember to insert Ron in the whole tea party topic and you should be good.

emazur
08-02-2010, 01:46 AM
Easy ways to slip the words "Ron Paul", "libertarian", and "Constitutionalist in there for question B):

1) "The Tea Party began during Ron Paul's presidential campaign in 2007 an 2008. This side of the Tea Party is full of Constitutionalists, libertarians, and various others who have a dislike for big government and the status quo. The other part of the Tea Party movement are traditional conservatives who might be more satisfied simply by lowering taxes and putting a stop to massive government debt. This group is more likely to include those who have socially conservative views on gay marriage, abortion, and religion. So there is no "monolothic" tea party, but what they share is a desire to scale back the size of government, and you can expect the tea party movement to accomplish this by [insert tactic(s) here]"

Distinguished Gentleman
08-02-2010, 01:53 AM
Here's how I would answer:

a) what the Tea Party movement’s prospects are for affecting the outcome of the midterm elections?
The most obvious affect of the tea party is changing the framework of the issues being debated. This has already been realized. Democrats have been pushed into making statements regarding issues in which they have even less credibility than Republicans-debt and federal waste. Republicans are seizing on the national zeitgeist by comparing their small government bona fides to an electorate that is increasingly concerned with credibility on the issues. If Republicans make significant gains in the coming elections, as I suspect, it won't be because the country is particularly convinced of the sheepish answers the party's leadership has provided. It will be because there is a general feeling of overreach and economic incompetence in the democratic leadership, and Americans are hoping to keep them in check.


b) what is going on within the Tea Party movement itself.
The demographics in the movement are interesting. There is some class and worldview separation between the typical activist and broader voter base that they are hoping to reach. Polling has confirmed that the activist structure of the tea party is generally male, better educated and higher achieving than the average voter, and is disproportionately concerned with economic issues. They are a mix of the independent minded people who might of voted for Perot, Ron Paul, or Steve Forbes over the years. They are in stark contrast to the 40% or so of the GOP who were very satisfied with George W Bush. There are many who are openly concerned with Sarah Palin's acumen for the issues.

What plays out over and over again is a Republican primary where an establishment conservative opens up a lead at the beginning of the primary. If the tea party is concerned with his record they will start campaigning for his opponent, first locally and sometimes nationally. If the candidate ever gets wind behind his back, the larger PACs of the movement will throw their resources into their campaign, so far to a fair amount of success. The candidate walks a fine line, throwing red meat to their base, without offending the Bush Republicans who are concerned about terrorism or the Sarah Palin mom that wants to talk about social issues.

The tea party isn't homologous, but the overwhelming consensus is that the country would be better without a democratic majority.

EDIT:
"didn't you mean homogeneous instead of homologous?"

I've heard it outside the context of genetics to describe things that are in agreement towards a specific goal, and I associate homogeneous with racial uniformity instead of worldview. That said, I think history will show that I think too much and that homologous was a douchey word to use.

low preference guy
08-02-2010, 02:04 AM
didn't you mean homogeneous instead of homologous?

JK/SEA
08-02-2010, 02:09 AM
Remind them where the modern day Tea Party movement started and why, and by whom.

Here's a little reminder.

YouTube - Ron Paul Tea Party 07 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG_OwTthS-E)

Good luck.

TNforPaul45
08-02-2010, 07:54 AM
End every sentence with "9/11" and you'll be on CNN by nightfall! ;)

IPSecure
08-02-2010, 08:02 AM
Bring up the co-opt of the tea parties....

The guy who helped create the department of homeland security via freedomworks, supporting the establishment gop vp nominee...

speciallyblend
08-02-2010, 08:23 AM
The tea party's goal is Ron Paul's 2008 Platform nothing more nothing less! If the gop fails to follow this 2008 platform. they will fail to get my tea party vote!! Liberty Candidates 2010, Ron Paul 2012! It is the platform stupid to steal a line!!


as my wife said for ad below (she has 14 fused vertabrae:( 1 Rule of a flat stomach: cut down a bit of stomach fat everyday by using this 1 wierd tip. Oxycotin!! lmfao but seriously what is up with the 2 guy's hugging. I demand 2 women hugging asap or i am calling rpf racists!!

Matt Collins
08-02-2010, 08:41 AM
End every sentence with "9/11" and you'll be on CNN by nightfall! ;)Maybe I should invite Basil Marcuex to join me for the interview :p

TNforPaul45
08-02-2010, 08:50 AM
Maybe I should invite Basil Marcuex to join me for the interview :p

HAHAHAHAH

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm voting for Basil Marcuex for Governor! HE'S CATCHING ON! I too think that increasing the acreage of grass planted means strong leadership LOL"

Yes, "LOL."

Imaginos
08-02-2010, 08:56 AM
Good luck man.

Just remember to insert Ron in the whole tea party topic and you should be good.
Yeah, and remind them that Ron Paul has been the one man army of Tea Party for more than three decades.
Ron Paul IS the Tea Party.

GunnyFreedom
08-02-2010, 08:57 AM
The best responses I have been getting from people, tea party or not, is "restore the Constitution"

I say,

quote

I have been a constitutionalist for as long as I can remember, and have been angry at BOTH parties for as long as I can remember. I was out protesting Bush when he violated the Constitution, and I am out protesting Obama when he violates the Constitution.

Almost all of the problems we have int he US and NC today stem from ignoring the Constitution, and our goal here is to restore the Constitution and restore freedom and prosperity for all peoples.

/quote

Unlike what I was told when campaigning for Ron Paul that the people wanted to hear more about political philosophy and didn't care about the Constitution, I have found the exact opposite to be true. People light up like a Christmas tree when you talk about restoring the Constitution.

IPSecure
08-02-2010, 09:23 AM
Up until Dr. Paul ran for president in the last election, has the Constitution ever been mentioned in presidential debates?

Bern
08-02-2010, 09:30 AM
a) what the Tea Party movement’s prospects are for affecting the outcome of the midterm elections and b) what is going on within the Tea Party movement itself.

a) Huge. Tea Party activists will swing primaries in the GOP and possibly help unseat numerous incumbents.

b) IMO, there is more than one "tea party movement". The original tea party started as a protest against the Bush bailout and Santelli's call on CNBC. It was comprised originally mostly of Ron Paul supporters/activists. The Dick Army/Sarah Palin tea party has overlaps, but is not the same.

dean.engelhardt
08-02-2010, 09:37 AM
I am Being Interviewed By Reuters Tomorrow About The Tea Party.

The reporter wants to know specifically a) what the Tea Party movement’s prospects are for affecting the outcome of the midterm elections and b) what is going on within the Tea Party movement itself.


Do you have any thoughts?

Good going Matt! Impressive to get the attention.

My recommendations to answer the questions is to keep the basic theme that people think the government spends to much of our money and violates too many of our freedoms.

There are too many neocons speaking for the Tea Party. I'm glad you have a chance to set the record straight.

GunnyFreedom
08-02-2010, 09:45 AM
Up until Dr. Paul ran for president in the last election, has the Constitution ever been mentioned in presidential debates?

Not very much, no. but when I was off canvassing several states for RP08, I was told several times "don't talk too much about the Constitution, people don't understand it. Instead talk about these points." And, well, I followed the advice.

Since I had my OWN campaign and could talk about what I want, I now have evidence that that advice was wrong, and people really REALLY respond well to the idea of "restore the Constitution."

Ethek
08-02-2010, 10:18 AM
Hmm, TeaParty is about jeffersonian traditions! Hayek (and others) saw that a framework that respects the rights of the individual as key to a voluntary society. It is that framework of tradition backing the rule of law that beholdens people to any government. Every Gov program we have outside of that tradition of rule of law is what we have today. It makes Gov more and more regulated, more and more insensitive to individual human conditions. People want to be free from worry but what we have is simply the absence of a working constitution.

Since the federal gov is outside of that framework it comes off as arbitrary. It is unpredictable. There is no equality under the law. Contracts public and prviate are meaningless subject to the whim of brurcrates, most of whom are not elected and ignore the agreed up framework of the land even if they were elected. Gov is trying to be all things to all people when it is not its purpose. The end result is the complete opposite of the rule of law. Its arbitrary and there is little wonder people are frustrated.

The Tea-Party, in short, is an outlet for that frustration. The more productive people will be able to constructively deal with that frustration and will be come very principled. More than likely they will side with the principled Jeffersonian traditions eximplified by Ron and Rand or they will be co-opted by the established political order.

Brian4Liberty
08-02-2010, 10:54 AM
The Tea Party is a mix of individuals. They do not agree on everything.
But they do agree on:

- Restoring the Constitution.
- Fiscal responsibility.
- Smaller Federal government, less paperwork, less taxes, less government intrusion.

TXcarlosTX
08-02-2010, 11:23 AM
Ron Paul is the Godfather of the Tea Party.

Id end the interview

Matt Collins
08-02-2010, 12:29 PM
Thanks for everyone's input, I definitely used some of it. The reporter was foreign, from Scotland, very friendly, and seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say. He was trying truly understand and wrap his head around the tea party movement. He interviewed me with a local Libertarian Party candidate for state house over lunch. He is interviewing people all throughout the country to write a 4000 word feature piece released later this month. He had previously met with the organization American Majority.

Valli6
08-02-2010, 12:33 PM
Conservative principles require that our government abstain from interfering in foreign governments.
We are NOT pacifists and fully support legal, purposeful wars that are necessary to protect the US and it's citizens.

The "Tea Party" is not, and never has been, an organization or a party, but a response to a self-centered, ever-intrusive government that we never consented to.
Those calling themselves "leader" are self -appointed opportunists. There are quite a few who are just using the tea party as a marketing strategy. (The hangers-on will disappear once republicans regain power.)

The Ron Paul faction of the tea party was demanding a return to the constitution and fiscal responsibility long before it became popular and the media began covering it.
Ron Paul planted the seeds and we are the roots of this movement.

For those who would ask, "Where were you when Bush was in office?" - We were all over, including here:
NYC - youtube. com/watch?v=WUfYtdshDuQ
MODESTO - youtube. com/watch?v=8Jvuf0rEcCE
BOSTON - youtube. com/watch?v=cflovYEoEu0
OREGON - youtube. com/watch?v=L2m8SnZAW2s
LOS ANGELAS, CA - youtube. com/watch?v=RGB8BeUWtwA
WASHINGTON DC - youtube. com/watch?v=StkdFZB-ZZI
ILLINOIS - youtube. com/watch?v=Bi4UQBnxWFY
SANTA MONICA PIER - youtube. com/watch?v=JNP1-bokv2g
NEW HAMPSHIRE - youtube. com/watch?v=Sr06hlS8S70
FANEUIL HALL - youtube. com/watch?v=X3HdvQ9farI&feature=related
AUSTIN, TEXAS - youtube. com/watch?v=F9F0V89hUGk
F.R.E.E.PORT, TEXAS - youtube. com/watch?v=33ZjcnWf9hA
LAS VEGAS NEVADA - youtube. com/watch?v=xBSiLbmHlUM&feature=related
NEW ZEALAND - youtube. com/watch?v=4f997-10oNo
NEW ZEALAND EMBASSY - youtube. com/watch?v=1GINIZ_ho24
STRASBOURG - EUROPE - youtube. com/watch?v=07TVBLFroSM
DUBAI - youtube. com/watch?v=q3SF48LbXQs
UK - youtube. com/watch?v=JJ9bIZds2YM
(I have about 30 more 2007 Tea Party videos I could've posted - Not to mention the movie, "In Liberty")

Reports of tea party racism have always been a tactic used by those who oppose it.
See (Professor of American Social Thought:rolleyes:) Mary Frances Berry's comment: http://www.politico.com/arena/archive/an-iced-tea-party.html#91E3D9D5-C40D-440C-9D48-1C50CBC60C87

"Tainting the tea party movement with the charge of racism is proving to be an effective strategy for Democrats. There is no evidence that tea party adherents are any more racist than other Republicans, and indeed many other Americans. ... "

Slutter McGee
08-02-2010, 12:46 PM
The Tea Party is a mix of individuals. They do not agree on everything.
But they do agree on:

- Restoring the Constitution.
- Fiscal responsibility.
- Smaller Federal government, less paperwork, less taxes, less government intrusion.

Yep. This.

Mention that the tea-party is a mix of people with different beliefs. It is made up of Ron Paul and Libertarian types, but also Palin Fans and those who are fiscally conservative.

Play up that it is not about Conservative religious beliefs, nor Libertarian issues of Civil Liberties. It is about spending. And on this, real conservatives, and libertarian leaning conservatives can agree.

As long as the focus stays this, the tea-party can be a good thing unless it becomes nothing more than a soapbox for the GOP.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

Slutter McGee
08-02-2010, 12:46 PM
Yep. This.

Mention that the tea-party is a mix of people with different beliefs. It is made up of Ron Paul and Libertarian types, but also Palin Fans and those who are fiscally conservative.

Play up that it is not about Conservative religious beliefs, nor Libertarian issues of Civil Liberties. It is about spending. And on this, real conservatives, and libertarian leaning conservatives can agree.

As long as the focus stays this, the tea-party can be a good thing unless it becomes nothing more than a soapbox for the GOP.

Sincerely,

Slutter McGee

Ok too, late I guess. Hope it went well

Matt Collins
08-03-2010, 04:45 PM
After he left me and a local candidate I sent him up to KY. Glad to see he is doing a fair job:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=255683