Tea Party hosted townhall with Senator Lindsey Graham

[Jeff.OToole]

A couple weeks ago the Charleston SC Tea Party hosted a townhall with Senator Lindsey Graham where the crowd was free to ask any questions we wanted (questions were not pre-selected). I was definitely a bit surprised at how many of Senator Graham's positions the Tea Party was in agreement with! Especially after Senator Graham was quoted as saying "The problem with the Tea Party, I think it's just unsustainable because they can never come up with a coherent vision for governing the country. It will die out" and most Tea Party members would classify Graham as a classic neocon. I made a quick 4 minute video about the session:

YouTube - "Where is the Tea?" - Is the Tea Party really different from establishment Republicans? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DgMu_yOgYI)

Thanks for watching and feel free to forward to anyone who you think might be interested!

[erowe1]

I was definitely a bit surprised at how many of Senator Graham's positions the Tea Party was in agreement with!

I can't view the video right now. Can you be specific about some positions of his you were surprised they agreed with?

[brandon]

I can't view the video right now. Can you be specific about some positions of his you were surprised they agreed with?

+1

[Justinjj1]

Thanks for the video.

For those that couldn't see it, he was surprised that Lindsey Graham and the Tea Partiers both agreed that we need to invade more middle eastern countries and they applauded him when he spoke out against the mosque. And basically the Tea Partiers clapped every time he said something that sounded like an establishment Republican. However this doesn't surprise me one bit.

[Jeff.OToole]

Let me first say that I feel the original "Tea Party" movement has definitely been hijacked by figures like Sarah Palin. The views of the media portrayed Tea Party conflict in many areas with the positions the Tea Party was first mobilized under. That being said here are some main points where the Tea Part and Senator Graham were in agreement:

1) Preemptive war. Both sides agreed we should go next into Yemen, Somalia, Iran and all over the world indefinitely in our fight against terrorism. This is a stark contrast with one of the primary positions the Tea Party was founded under.

2) Opposition to "ground zero" mosque. The Tea Party claims to be strict constitutionalists but apparently not when it pertains to private property rights and freedom of religion (unless is theirs).

3) Energy. Both sides agreed we need more drilling. Barely anything was discussed about alternative energy sources like wind and solar.

4) Monetary Policy. Not a single question was asked about Auditing the Fed, returning to the gold standard, or really anything regarding the current system. This really surprised me.

5) The Bailouts. This one was a bit strange, the discussion started with disagreement here but in the end most seemed to agree with why Graham voted for this. No one really held his feet to the fire here.

These are a few of the main ones. The biggest surprise to me was that positions on MOST of the topics discussed were the same with both sides. If Lindsey Graham is a Tea Party candidate now, it is further proof that this movement (as it sits today) means nothing in regards to actual change. The only things the group really disagreed on was the Kagan nomination, Grahams position on immigration, and Graham stating that Obama is not a Muslim. Once the crowd booed that one I knew I could never claim affiliation with the Tea Party again...

[squarepusher]

you have got to be kidding me

[angelatc]

Jeff, can I copy and paste this to my blog?

[Sola_Fide]

Let me first say that I feel the original "Tea Party" movement has definitely been hijacked by figures like Sarah Palin. The views of the media portrayed Tea Party conflict in many areas with the positions the Tea Party was first mobilized under. That being said here are some main points where the Tea Part and Senator Graham were in agreement:

1) Preemptive war. Both sides agreed we should go next into Yemen, Somalia, Iran and all over the world indefinitely in our fight against terrorism. This is a stark contrast with one of the primary positions the Tea Party was founded under.

2) Opposition to "ground zero" mosque. The Tea Party claims to be strict constitutionalists but apparently not when it pertains to private property rights and freedom of religion (unless is theirs).

3) Energy. Both sides agreed we need more drilling. Barely anything was discussed about alternative energy sources like wind and solar.

4) Monetary Policy. Not a single question was asked about Auditing the Fed, returning to the gold standard, or really anything regarding the current system. This really surprised me.

5) The Bailouts. This one was a bit strange, the discussion started with disagreement here but in the end most seemed to agree with why Graham voted for this. No one really held his feet to the fire here.

These are a few of the main ones. The biggest surprise to me was that positions on MOST of the topics discussed were the same with both sides. If Lindsey Graham is a Tea Party candidate now, it is further proof that this movement (as it sits today) means nothing in regards to actual change. The only things the group really disagreed on was the Kagan nomination, Grahams position on immigration, and Graham stating that Obama is not a Muslim. Once the crowd booed that one I knew I could never claim affiliation with the Tea Party again...



How disheartening...


Thanks for the info anyway man....

[Jeff.OToole]

Jeff, can I copy and paste this to my blog?

Yes, feel free to distribute as you wish!

[Matt Collins]

YouTube - SA@Takimag - Lindsey Graham's Hot Air Conservatism (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCnpZSeAasM)
YouTube - SA@TAC - Lindsey Graham Explains Neoconservatism to SA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A7vF6cl0HI)
YouTube - SA@TAC - Wither the Neocons? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLxwWl6_-FU)
YouTube - SA@Takimag - Lindsey Graham vs. Ron Paul (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl2avly6jtE)
YouTube - Ron Paul Teabags Lindsey Graham (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzrfu4h6TeY)
YouTube - Ron Paul Responds To Lindsey Graham On MSNBC (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_Pk2euVW08)
YouTube - Ron Paul Responds to Lindsey Graham's statement on CNN (10/14/09) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBdc9LGH1Qk)
YouTube - SA@Takimag - Lindsey Graham Republicans (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLdo1fKQXC4)
YouTube - SA@TAC - Uncomfortable Lindsey Graham (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPViGSk_9tI)
YouTube - SA@TAC - 'Conservative' Lindsey Graham (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaLHQhpbzzE)

[libertygrl]

And the Republicans have a coherent vision for governing the country???? :rolleyes:

[Fr3shjive]

When Lindsey Graham is even associated with the tea party you know its been co-opted.

RIP Tea Party

[Jeff.OToole]

Its been amazing (and extremely frustrating) to see how the establishment Republicans have taken the Tea Party - a movement they at first claimed was extreme and radical - and turned it into a label that supports all their core ideals. That is the problem with labels. If you label yourself, it allows those in power to gradually change the perception of what that label stands for until your loyalty to that label blinds you to the reality of what it has become. Sad day indeed.

[Fozz]

Very disheartening.

Worse than anything else is their cheering for more war.

[klamath]

I don't recall huge calls in the original tea party to emphasize solar and wind over nuclear and domestic oil. As I recall RP says nothing promoting one source of energy over another just let the free market determine the out come.
I see a little of RP agenda being hijacked by someone elses.

[purplechoe]

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/23381/thumbs/s-MCCAINGRAHAMLIEBERMAN-large.jpg

[Jeff.OToole]

I don't recall huge calls in the original tea party to emphasize solar and wind over nuclear and domestic oil. As I recall RP says nothing promoting one source of energy over another just let the free market determine the out come.
I see a little of RP agenda being hijacked by someone elses.

I think you might be misunderstanding the point I am trying to make... The tea party, as it exists today, (at least what I saw and the media portrayal of who the tea party is) is not challenging the status quo Republican agenda on hardly anything. Its not about the Ron Paul tea party ideas vs the Palin/Beck tea party ideas - its about the fact that collectively we are not out there challenging the status quo we have been bitching about for the last two years.

[HOLLYWOOD]

Thanks for the video.

For those that couldn't see it, he was surprised that Lindsey Graham and the Tea Partiers both agreed that we need to invade more middle eastern countries and they applauded him when he spoke out against the mosque. And basically the Tea Partiers clapped every time he said something that sounded like an establishment Republican. However this doesn't surprise me one bit.

Don't you think Lindsey Graham had his plants there too? He's a frigin slimy and very good evasive Lawyer. He can turn anything around and onto it's face... even against the Southern Avenger, he fared quite well.

This guy is getting good, very good at infiltrating, organizing his own backers to manipulate and twist the attendees. South Carolina is going to be a battle and all the Constitutionalists, Libertarians, True Conservatives, Independents, etc, will have to organize and unite, every time Lindsey Graham does a public appearance.

This is going to take organizational intensity... Ron Paul supporters better prepare, because Lindsey is prepping his state and Tea Partiers to follow him and the establishment. Remember, Ron Paul supporters made him look like an ass/phony... he, his staffers, and supporters, haven't forgotten that and will be prepared for future encounters.

[klamath]

I think you might be misunderstanding the point I am trying to make... The tea party, as it exists today, (at least what I saw and the media portrayal of who the tea party is) is not challenging the status quo Republican agenda on hardly anything. Its not about the Ron Paul tea party ideas vs the Palin/Beck tea party ideas - its about the fact that collectively we are not out there challenging the status quo we have been bitching about for the last two years.
I guess Where you and I disagree is I am not a radical in that I want to tear everything up. I am not a RP supporter because I want to challenge everything. I challenge what I disagree with and support what I agree with. Palin supported Rand and I supported her there. Palin supported McCain and I don't support her there. There are a lot of different ideas in the tea party movement and it varies from area to area. A good part of the tea party supported Miller, Rand, Lee, Buck and Angle and in those races I agree with them.

[Jeff.OToole]

I guess Where you and I disagree is I am not a radical in that I want to tear everything up. I am not a RP supporter because I want to challenge everything. I challenge what I disagree with and support what I agree with. Palin supported Rand and I supported her there. Palin supported McCain and I don't support her there. There are a lot of different ideas in the tea party movement and it varies from area to area. A good part of the tea party supported Miller, Rand, Lee, Buck and Angle and in those races I agree with them.

Actually from reading your response Im not sure we disagree at all. I would like to see less picking labels and sides, and more discussion of how we can change the various things that obviously are not working.

[Jeff.OToole]

Don't you think Lindsey Graham had his plants there too? He's a frigin slimy and very good, evasive Lawyer, that can turn anything

I dont know about plants but he was MASTERFUL at turning questions to fit his answers and delivering them in a way the crowd agreed with. He started and ended the meeting with topics he knew people universally agreed on to get buy in at the beginning and leave them agreeing with him at the end. Hell over half the group gave him a standing ovation at the end! He is very good at what he does.

[Jeff.OToole]

...On a side note, I am curious if you guys would classify yourselves as "tea party" members. And if so, do you feel the views mainstream media equates with Tea Party represents your positions?

[klamath]

...On a side note, I am curious if you guys would classify yourselves as "tea party" members. And if so, do you feel the views mainstream media equates with Tea Party represents your positions?
No I am not a racist.

[aclove]

The local Republican parties have turned the fear/panic/unity spigots on full blast for the next 30 days, and almost without exception, local Tea Party groups aren't thinking about anything other than beating the Democrats in November. Trying to stir things up within the GOP before then is a losing proposition, in my opinion. You'll just get labeled as disruptive and marginalized.

However, the day after election day is the day to start planting the seeds in the Tea Party groups for an intra-party insurrection for next year's delegate cycles. Then non-Liberty oriented Tea Party groups will be more open to hearing about the failings of their party leaders. It sucks, but it's the nature of the beast.

[itshappening]

Graham is getting rightly worried about 2014, he is seeing his incumbent friends being tossed out so is making a dive to the right.

he is still trash and I hope someone challenges him

[angelatc]

Graham is getting rightly worried about 2014, he is seeing his incumbent friends being tossed out so is making a dive to the right.

he is still trash and I hope someone challenges him

Yes, I think that if he was running this year, Bob Conley would have been able to garner more attention, money and votes as a Tea Party Democrat. He was just too early.

[Jeff.OToole]

The local Republican parties have turned the fear/panic/unity spigots on full blast for the next 30 days, and almost without exception, local Tea Party groups aren't thinking about anything other than beating the Democrats in November. Trying to stir things up within the GOP before then is a losing proposition, in my opinion. You'll just get labeled as disruptive and marginalized.

However, the day after election day is the day to start planting the seeds in the Tea Party groups for an intra-party insurrection for next year's delegate cycles. Then non-Liberty oriented Tea Party groups will be more open to hearing about the failings of their party leaders. It sucks, but it's the nature of the beast.

Interesting, and I agree its as sound a strategy as any. I guess only time will tell. Thanks for the reply!

[Jeff.OToole]

No I am not a racist.

Good to know :)


Graham is getting rightly worried about 2014, he is seeing his incumbent friends being tossed out so is making a dive to the right.

he is still trash and I hope someone challenges him

...I hope whoever does is someone I can support because I would love to work on a campaign AGAINST Lindsey Graham!!