WHAT IS " ALEC " AND WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH THE TEA PARTY?
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills.
Through the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council, global corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors to try to rewrite state laws that govern your rights. These so-called "model bills" reach into almost every area of American life and often directly benefit huge corporations.
In ALEC's own words, corporations have "a VOICE and a VOTE" on specific changes to the law that are then proposed in your state.
DO YOU?
On August 5th, 2011, Dick Armey spoke at a plenary session of the 38th Annual Meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Institute for Policy Innovation, which Armey founded in 1987, is also an ALEC member. Bartlett Cleland, Director of the Center for Technology Freedom at the Institute for Policy Innovation, represents IPI as a co-chair of the ALEC Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force.
WHO IS DICK ARMEY?
Arney IS the Tea Party, or was...
AFTER AN ARMED CONFRONTATION AT TEA PARTY CENTRAL, HE WAS BOUGHT-OFF, BASICALLY, & SENT AWAY.
SEE: http://youtu.be/xU5P6V5bQx0
For those not familiar with the former House Majority Leader let me by way of introduction paraphrase Jack Abramoff’s famous prologue about Tom Delay
– [Dick Armey] is the kind of scumbag every two-bit beltway hack wants to
be when they grow out of their larva stage. Before the ink was dry on
his resignation letter he jumped into Washington lobbying to leverage
all his “public service” to the highest bidder . Being a congressman was just a stepping stone to being a high paid lobbyist.
Yeah, THAT Dick Armey...
The Tea Party movement is an American political movement that advocates strict adherence to the United States Constitution, reducing U.S. government spending and taxes, and reduction of the U.S. national debt and federal budget deficit. The movement is generally considered to be partly conservative, partly libertarian,and partly populist.
Ned Ryun, president of American Majority, an organization that offers training for many Tea Party activists, believes this movement is not about political parties, stating, "It's very much anti-establishment at both parties ... They don't care about party labels."
The Contract from America was the idea of Houston-based lawyer Ryan Hecker. He stated that he developed the concept of creating a grassroots call for reform prior to the April 15, 2009, Tax Day Tea Party rallies. To promote his idea, he launched a website, ContractFromAmerica.com, which encouraged people to offer possible planks for the contract. The top ten planks were decided by online voting at Hecker's website.
~Identify constitutionality of every new law: Require each bill to identify the specific provision of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to do what the bill does (82.03%).
~Reject emissions trading: Stop the "cap and trade" administrative approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants. (72.20%).
~Demand a balanced federal budget: Begin the Constitutional amendment process to require a balanced budget with a two-thirds majority needed for any tax modification. (69.69%)
~Simplify the tax system: Adopt a simple and fair single-rate tax system by scrapping the internal revenue code and replacing it with one that is no longer than 4,543 words – the length of the original Constitution. (64.9%).
~Audit federal government agencies for constitutionality: Create a Blue Ribbon taskforce that engages in an audit of federal agencies and programs, assessing their Constitutionality, and identifying duplication, waste, ineffectiveness, and agencies and programs better left for the states or local authorities. (63.37%).
~Limit annual growth in federal spending: Impose a statutory cap limiting the annual growth in total federal spending to the sum of the inflation rate plus the percentage of population growth. (56.57%).
~Repeal the health care legislation passed on March 23, 2010: De-fund, repeal, and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (56.39%).
~Pass an "all-of-the-above" energy policy: Authorize the exploration of additional energy reserves to reduce American dependence on foreign energy sources and reduce regulatory barriers to all other forms of energy creation. (55.5%).
~Reduce earmarks: Place a moratorium on all earmarks until the budget is balanced, and then require a two-thirds majority to pass any earmark. (55.47%).
~Reduce taxes: Permanently repeal all recent tax increases, and extend permanently the George W. Bush temporary reductions in income tax, capital gains tax, and estate taxes, currently scheduled to end in 2011. (53.38%).
Sounds good, right?
Well, like Ron Paul said, that was then, this is now!
The Tea Party Patriots have asked both Democrats and Republicans to sign on to the Contract. No Democrats signed on, and the contract met resistance from some Republicans who since created "Commitment to America". Brendan Buck, a spokesman for that agenda explained that the Contract is too narrow in focus, and not exactly what the Republican party would include in its own top-10 list of priorities. Candidates in the 2010 elections who signed the Contract from America included Utah's Mike Lee, Nevada's Sharron Angle, Sen. Coburn (R-OK), and Sen. DeMint (R-SC).
In an August 2010 article for Foreign Policy magazine, Ron Paul outlined foreign policy views the Tea Party movement should emphasize: "[W]e cannot stand against big government at home while supporting it abroad. We cannot talk about fiscal responsibility while spending trillions on occupying and bullying the rest of the world ... I see tremendous opportunities for movements like the Tea Party to prosper by capitalizing on the Democrats' broken promises to overturn the George W. Bush administration's civil liberties abuses and end the disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A return to the traditional U.S. foreign policy of active private engagement but government noninterventionism is the only alternative that can restore our moral and fiscal health."
BUT, RONNNNN, THAT MEANS NO HUGE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS FOR THE FILTHY RICH MEGA-CORPORATIONS, NO GAINS FOR STOCKHOLDERS! DAMN YOU, RONNNNN!
So Ron was OUT! The Tea Party went into over-drive to make sure Ron was NOT going to win so much as a speaking position at the GOP convention.
An October 2010 Washington Post canvass of local Tea Party organizers found 87% saying "dissatisfaction with mainstream Republican Party leaders" was "an important factor in the support the group has received so far". Joshua Green has said that Ron Paul is not the Tea Party's founder, or its culturally resonant figure, but has become the "intellectual godfather" of the movement as many now agree with his long-held beliefs. Fox News commentator Juan Williams argues that the Tea Party movement emerged from the "ashes" of Ron Paul's 2008 presidential primary campaign. Others have argued that the Koch brothers were essential in fostering the movement. Tea party activities have declined since 2010. According to Harvard professor Theda Skocpol, membership in Tea Party chapters across the country has slipped from about 1,000 to 600. Several polls have been conducted on the demographics of the movement. Though the various polls sometimes turn up slightly different results, they tend to show that Tea Party supporters are mainly white and slightly more likely to be male, married, older than 45, more conservative than the general population, and likely to be more wealthy.
Three main groups provide guidance and organization for the Tea Party: FreedomWorks, dontGO, and Americans for Prosperity. Americans for Prosperity was founded by David H. Koch in 2003. Former ambassador Christopher Meyer wrote that the Tea Party movement is a mix of "grassroots populism, professional conservative politics, and big money", the last supplied in part by Charles and David Koch. Jane Mayer says that the Koch brothers' political involvement with the Tea Party has been so secretive that she labels it "covert"
[FreedomWorks is led Dick Armey. dontGO was founded by Patrick Ruffini, who had previously created the blog The Next Right, and libertarian Eric Odom, an internet marketer living in Chicago, Illinois.
The Tea Party has also gotten substantial support in the form of promotion from Fox News, owned by RUPERT MURDOCH.
The Tea Party is strongly opposed to government-imposed limits on carbon dioxide emissions. This has led to 'funding' by several oil companies & coal-mining groups who "wish to remain anonymous". So, the Tea Party obliges.
An October 2010 Washington Post canvass of 647 local Tea Party organizers asked "which national figure best represents your groups?" and got the following responses: no one 34%, Sarah Palin 14%, Glenn Beck 7%, Jim DeMint 6%, Ron Paul 6%, Michele Bachmann 4%.
Since its inception, the Tea Party movement has struggled with charges of racism. Opponents cite a number of events as proof that the movement is, at least in part, motivated by bigotry and intolerance:
[WARNING, THESE ARE DIRECT QUOTES & SOME ARE VERY INCENDIARY!]
~TeaParty.org owner Dale Robertson protested in 2009 with a sign that said "Congress = Slaveowner, Taxpayer = Niggar".
~Placards at protest rallies as early as 2009 have depicted President Obama as a witch doctor, and as having plans for "White Slavery".
~While attending the March 2010, health care rally in Washington, D.C., the Springboro, Ohio, Tea Party founder Sonny Thomas posted a racist comment on the Springboro Tea Party Twitter page he managed by tweeting "Illegals everywhere today! So many spicks makes me feel like a speck. Grrr. Wheres my gun!?"
~Tea Party Express leader Mark Williams posted a fictional letter named "Colored People" on his blog. Williams said that the letter was a satirical response to a resolution passed by the NAACP calling on Tea Party leaders to "'repudiate the racist element and activities' from within the movement".
~During a protest rally in Washington, D.C., March 2010, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (a Black man) was spat upon, several black lawmakers said that demonstrators shouted racial epithets at them, & Congressman Barney Frank, who is gay, was called a "faggot".
Such things are commonly seen in online posts by alleged Tea Party adherents. Banners abound about how the POOR, the OTHER RACES/IMMIGRANTS have ruined America, about "HUMAN LEECHES", about the "KENYAN MUSLIM PRESIDENT".
Race, class, poverty become sick jokes for far too many. This is likely another reason many have distanced themselves from the Tea Party?
And the IN-FIGHTING?
December 11, 2009 , from a surf of the internet:
When people think of the Tea Party movement, what comes to mind are the Tea Party Express rallies that received extensive coverage over the summer [of 2009] from FOX News. Due to its association with Our Country Deserves Better PAC, which is led by GOP strategists, the Tea Party Express has been publicly shunned by other Tea Party groups, creating a fractured movement.
The Tea Party Patriots considers the Tea Party Express to be 'Astroturf', fakes, frauds, claiming that it is directed by Republican strategists, although its founder Amy Kremer recently switched sides from the Tea Party Patriots to the Tea Party Express.
This summer FreedomWorks supported the efforts of both the Tea Party Patriots and the Tea Party Express.
Americans for Prosperity may be the most moneyed and well-connected group engaging in widespread, on-the-ground organizing for the Tea Party movement. The group fields staff in several states who helped organize the original protests in February, again on Tax Day, and throughout the summer. Americans for Prosperity was founded by David Koch (left) of Koch Industries, America's 2nd largest privately held company.
American Liberty Alliance is the brainchild of Eric Odom, one of the self-proclaimed founders of the Tea Party movement. Among its leaders are former employees of the Sam Adams Alliance and former Republican congressional staffers.
Sam Adams Alliance has its origins in the libertarian group Americans for Limited Government. It is behind many elements of the Tea Party movement; and its allies in the game include American Majority, the American Liberty Alliance and the American Liberty Tour. The Sam Adams Alliance has ties the largest privately-held oil company in America, Koch Industries.
The American Future Fund is a shadowy organization, the staff of which are connected to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the Bush/Gore 2000 Florida recount effort, and the infamous Willie Horton ad in 1988. The Fund was involved in supporting the Chicago Tea Party since day one, and is currently fighting to expand limits on robocalling.
RecessRally.com is yet another website developed by conservative website guru Eric Odom (pictured). It provided a state-by-state listing of the addresses of each member of Congress with the option to list events targeting specific representatives. Most of the August Tea Party protests during the August Congressional recess were organized on RecessRally.com.
The Tea Party concept first gained widespread attention from the media on February 19 when Rick Santelli ranted about government spending on CNBC. Subsequently, coverage by FOX News, conservative talk show hosts, and right-leaning bloggers helped push the Tea Parties to political prominence.
American Solutions for Winning the Future is a 527 group that's been on the scene since 2007. Last year ASWF fought to expand offshore drilling with a campaign dubbed "Drill, Baby, Drill." The campaign was supported by members of Congress and Eric Odom, a Sam Adams Alliance staffer who publicized the movement on Twitter via the #DontGo hashtag.
ASWF has lobbied on behalf of the coal industry, advocating for tax breaks for coal companies. Such acts directly benefited Peabody Coal, the world's largest private-sector coal company, which has donated at least $500,000 to ASWF in 2008 and 2009.
The "Black Industries", OIL & COAL, have financed more campaigns than perhaps any other group, even BANKS in some instances. Who OWNS your politicians? Likely it's someone in the oil or banking cartels.
Who owns FOX?
Oh, you know! RUPERT MURDOCH!
Murdoch has been described as a "one man war against reality". To classify FOX as a NEWS channel is like saying pigs make good dance partners!
SIX (6) separate studies have shown that Fox News viewers are the most misinformed of all, and that those who NEVER watch news channels are MORE informed than FOX viewers!
A SEVENTH study, by American University, Washington, D.C., George Mason University, Fairfax, VI, & Yale University, New Haven, CT (YES, YALE!) concluded the same thing as the other 6.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to get out there & find me ONE study that shows FOX viewers are WELL-informed, or even better informed than those who don't watch TV.
GO!
Murdoch rejects any suggestion that doing business with the Chinese communist regime contradicts his conservative political views. China means more money, that's all.
Murdoch joined the Board of Directors of Philip Morris in August 1989 and he continued to serve on their board into the 1990s.If you haven't seen what charges have been brought against "PM", all I can say is tsk, tsk, tsk.
Murdoch told William Shawcross, who authored a biography of Murdoch, that he considers himself a libertarian. REALLY Was that today or....?
Remember the hacking scandal in Britain? Rupert escaped that one. Money talks!
Today's Tea Party movement bears only a small handful of similarities to the so-called 'Ron Paul Revolution'. Both are anti-tax AND anti-spending and they have issues with the Federal Reserve. But Ron Paul libertarians, on the whole, are also focused on ending the post-9/11 wars, are proponents of government accountability and transparency. Paul, as a guest on an MSNBC show, spoke about the Tea Party crowd. While both he and they are bolstered by anger at our current modes of government, Paul said the Tea Partiers only sometimes represent his own views, and suggested that their "message gets a little bit diluted when a lot of people come in." In particular, Paul said, the Republican Party has tried to insert a "neocon type of influence" into the movement.
In fact, many Tea Party adherents -- like neoconversatives -- are pro-war and pro-Homeland Security, whereas Paul has built a reputation on opposing the second Bush administration on everything from the PATRIOT Act to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As things slowly 'leak out' about WHO IS BEHIND THE TEA PARTY, & that the GRASSROOTS people have been run off, swept away, given the ax, public opinion of them has dropped.
A 2011 opinion survey by political scientists David E. Campbell and Robert D. Putnam found the Tea Party ranked at the bottom of a list of "two dozen" American "religious, political, and racial groups" in terms of favorability -- "even less liked than Muslims and atheists." A Gallup Poll of April 2010 found 47% of Americans had an "unfavorable" image of the Tea Party movement. A CBS News/New York Times poll in September 2010, showed only 19% of respondents supported the movement, 63% did NOT.
So, no, no way, no Tea Party for me!
If it's your BAG...knock yourself out!
No comments:
Post a Comment