Why The Tea Party Is Unyieldingly Stupid

The Washington Post published an op-ed today by Judson Phillips, the founder of Tea Party Nation. The opinion piece appeared under the title “Why the Tea Party is unyielding on the debt ceiling.”

Tea PartyThis is a serious subject that could result in severe economic hardship if the Republicans, steered by their ignorant Tea Partners, persist in refusing any reasonable compromise or resolution. However, the editorial was so rife with dim-witted logic it’s hard not to ridicule. Phillips opened the article by complaining about a media narrative that…

“…Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner were close to a deal last week that would have resolved the debt-ceiling crisis. It would have allowed for continued borrowing and more ‘revenue,’ the euphemism of the day for tax increases. And the Tea Party said no.”

The next paragraph began “The Tea Party did say no,” effectively taking credit for doing the very thing he’s complaining of being accused of. Then Phillips asks…

“Why is the Tea Party intransigent on the debt ceiling? Why is the Tea Party pushing congressional Republicans so hard that we have a crisis?”

Phillips answers his own question by saying that…

“We do not have a debt crisis. We have a spending crisis. There is only one way you get to a debt crisis — you spend too much money.”

In that bit of twisted logic Phillips denies that there is a debt crisis while simultaneously explaining how we came to have a debt crisis. Then he gets off into some contortions about Greece and Star Wars while blaming Obama for this “axis of fiscal evil.” He makes no mention of the fact that Obama’s proposal cuts the debt by four trillion dollars, four times more than the GOP plan. He also misstates the desires of the American people saying that they don’t want their taxes raised. In fact, most polls show majorities favoring an approach that includes new revenues imposed on corporations and the rich. Next Phillips complains that…

“The left has accused the Tea Party of wanting America to default on its debt obligations. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Tea Party wants America to stop incurring debt obligations and to cut back on the wasteful spending already in place.”

Phillips knows a little something about getting further from the truth. Remember, the title of his op-ed is “Why the Tea Party is unyielding on the debt ceiling.” So, his irrational whining notwithstanding, he is explicitly advocating that America default on its debt obligations. That’s what will occur if the debt ceiling is not raised. What’s more, he misunderstands that raising the debt ceiling now does not in any way incur new spending. It merely authorizes payment of debts already incurred, mostly before Obama even took office. But Phillips saves the best, and funniest, for last:

“America cannot keep borrowing money it does not have.”

Um…Jud…I’m pretty sure that the only time you borrow money is when you don’t have it. If you have it there would be no need to borrow it. And this guy is a leader of the Tea Party movement? What does that say about the followers? It is truly frustrating to think that our nation could be plunged into another recession because of these dolts.

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31 thoughts on “Why The Tea Party Is Unyieldingly Stupid

  1. Mark, you mention the idea of americans agreeing to have their taxes raised. I saw the same polling, but I don’t see people wanting their taxes raised, but they have no issue raising OTHER PEOPLES taxes (ie the rich) – I don’t see that as anything remotely close to the shared sacrifice leftists like President Obama like to proclaim. Shared sacrifice would be when everyone pays more, not just the upper income earners – yes.. EARNERS (for those that believe no one actually earns what they make). When all the people of this country agree to have their taxes raised equally, then you’ll have your true shared sacrifice. I’ll admit, those lefty politicians have spread their fear very well. They and you, have adequately divided the people of this country, keep up the “good work” – cowards – you’re cowards because if you actually believed your beliefs to be the will of the people, you wouldn’t need to resort to spreading fear and dividing the people of this country as you’ve done well to this point (which isn’t reserved for the democrat party).

    • See SC’s response below.

      Yes, there is class war. They (the rich) started it, and we (everyone else) are losing. For them to now complain about it is the height of disingenuous hypocrisy.

      And you must not have noticed that average Americans have already suffered the most, while the rich have prospered and had their taxes cut. Raising their taxes now IS balancing the sacrifice.

      For you to suggest that the poor should suffer even more to keep the rich from having to contribute at all is pathetic. Millions of Americans are already hurting badly and you want them to suffer more, to go hungry, to lose their homes, etc., so a rich person can getting a bigger yacht?

      It’s disgusting how people are being manipulated by the Koch-sponsored, Fox hyped Tea Party BS to pursue policies that are against their own interests.

  2. Shorter version:

    “Why it the Tea Party unyielding on the debt?”

    Because they have the same combination of delusional faith, willful idiocy and desire for martyrdom that SUICIDE BOMBERS typically do. Cantor and his fellow teahadis might as well be standing in the House with explosives strapped to their chests…

  3. When the rich in this country are taking in more and more money, doubling their incomes every few years and sheltering much of their money offshore to avoid the lowest marginal tax rates in nearly 100 years while the rest of us have seen our income go down, this is not shared sacrifice.
    When the policies set forth by the uber rich are the cause of the shrinking wealth of the middle class, while the rich get tax breaks on yachts and jets, this is not shared sacrifice.

    When the top 0.1% had more combined pre-tax income than the poorest 120 million people , yet paid an average of only 15% in taxes, that’s not shared sacrifice.

    When CEOs are getting bonuses by firing American workers, and the companies (in the new TeaOP parlance – ‘Job Creators’) are funneling their $ to bigwigs or offshore accounts instead of paying taxes, or ::GASP:: hiring people, that’s not shared sacrifice.

    The Tea Party faithful need to see that they have been being used by the Kochs and other super-rich people who have bamboozled a bunch of old white people on fixed incomes into thinking that they are part of the 1% of Americans who own 40% of the wealth.

    • What a bunch of cowardly losers you are. Jealous of everyone else and their things. And it’s all someone elses fault.

      • What a lazy robot you are. And I’m betting you’re not rich but expect to be when your masters reward you for towing their line. Which would also make you a sucker.

        • Who is the sucker here – those who can pay their bills without help or those with their hands out waiting for others to bail them out. Where do you fall? I know I’m not worrying about how rich people should be paying my bills for me or how much they have vs what I have. like I said – losers who refuse to do for themselves vs. hope for some rich guy to come to my rescue.

          • Typical Randian coldheartedness.

            You think the beneficiaries are just freeloaders and losers. In fact, they are our grandparents, our disabled, and our kids. And you think that the only people who should pay (and suffer) in order to bring our nation back to fiscal health are the least fortunate amongst us.

            Worst of all, you think that the people who caused all of this, the ones who have prospered at our expense, should get a free pass. You think they shouldn’t have to share the sacrifice. In fact, you think there should be more welfare for the rich and corporations.

            It’s clear who the sucker is here.

            • You’re right, I am cold-hearted in the sense that EVERYONE should be treated equally and participate in paying for this mess – not in actual dollars, but percentage of their income. You’re afraid of that though because it would probably be the end of a lot of you precious social programs because the average person would not want to pay for it. It’s really easy to push the bill onto someone else – like the rich.

              I would prefer to be called a coldhearted randian than to be a Communist like you who thinks all individual wealth belongs to everyone – it doesn’t. Yeah, I know….you never said that, but it’s clear in what you’ve written.

              And by the way, there are a lot of people responsible for the situation in which we find ourselves, not just the rich. We’ve been heading for this for years and we have no one to blame but ourselves. Now it’s time to pay and we’re stil trying to avoid the pain that will be required to resolved this.

      • Wow Steve, what a well thought out and in-depth rebuttal that was. I love your line-by-line rebuttal of each of SC’s statistics. Oh that’s right, you didn’t because you can’t. You’re very good, however, at repeating the same “other peoples’ money” and “redistribution of wealth” talking points that other people have written for you to copy and paste.

        • The facts stated are fine – who cares who has the money. I prefer not to be jealous of what others have just because I don’t have it – which is the point of the loser comment.

      • And the fact that in your earlier comment you used the term “democrat party” shows that you get your orders from El Rushbo the druggy.

          • You’re lucky Steve. No one has even mentioned Corporate Welfare, wherein laws and tax breaks are implemented by a well oiled, fully lobbied Congress to give Corporations billion dollar tax breaks. Nor has anyone brought up the “defense” industry, that concentrates on charging for breakthrough after breakthrough, even while knowing they have another better model in development, for which they will charge more. No one has mentioned the No bid clause of Iraq war partners, or the fact that a great number of our prisons are making their owners (yeah they’re privately owned) billions through the use of mandatory sentencing and longer sentences.

            To characterize my feelings about all this as “jealous” is ridiculous. I long ago gave up the idea that I’d be “rich” monetarily. I’m outraged.

            • As far as characterizing your feeling specifically, I can’t – the statement was general to those who continue to reach into other’s pockets to pay for what they want.
              Amazingly, there isn’t much disagreement on corporate tax incentives (you call corporate welfare) – I agree corporate tax breaks that are in place that no longer serve their original purpose should be eliminated, not because of the need for additional government revenue but because corporate america should stand on its own and be permitted to fail or flourish based on it’s own performance. But that goes to my general feeling that everyone, corporations included, should pay the same percentage of their salary in taxes – eliminate the progressive tax system and go to a flat tax rate for all income – regardless of who is earning it or how much is earned. Then we would all be equally treated and would be equally impacted. Then you would see what people really want in their government when they need to pay for it.

            • When you say I’m lucky – do mean because I have a job? Don’t mistake good judgement for good luck although everyone needs a little luck these days as well as a useful college degree.

          • Really? Shit shovelers earn that much?

  4. Well put could this be the start of a new political shift in American Politics. Has our Country’s desires finally allowing it to move away from a 2 party system. Could a more dynamic political scene emerge from all of this. Lets wait and see what happens.

    Beware the Space Nazis for they strike at dawn… you have been warned … so it has been foretold.

    USA!

  5. Judson Phillips circular reasoning sounds more like a one man firing squad. “Don’t come any closer or the Country get’s it-starting with me.”
    I see the Teabagger stoooopidity is a “top down” concept.

  6. Everytime I read a news story about some senior who is afraid of not getting their SS check – the first thing that comes to mind is – Pathetic. What have we done to our people, desperate for their welfare checks. Another example of how dangerous progressivism is to the people of this country. I’ll be glad when this is over so I don’t need to be reminded about how pathtic our society has become.

  7. I’m glad someone is taking a stand in this fight. If we’re lucky, and I’m not optimistic when it comes to DC, we’ll be on our way to balancing the budget. Sadly, it probably won’t happen, but it was a nice dream.

  8. Steve, you find the seniors who are afraid of not getting their SS checks pathetic? Who do you think the Tea Party is? Do you watch the news at all? Ever see a tea party rally? Most of the signs (and I kid you not) were “Keep the Government away from my Medicaid!!”
    I’m beginning to think you’re a little troll in granny’s basement…

  9. What greedy corporation is the cause of wasteful spending the likes of Solyndra?

    Will one of you libs please tell me exactly how people are harmed by having any giant corporation here in America that pays NO taxes? At least greedy non taxed corporations actually create something of value to all. How the hell do you think they became so big? They grew because they created a good or a service that many VALUED and in exchange for this thing of VALUE we the people gave them money. They in turn took this money and created more things of VALUE and thus were willingly/ gladly given more money by we the people. Think of it as a vote for the Corp to keep doing this thing that we VALUE sooo much! Unlike Solyndra who didn’t create anything of value and thus disappeared and took with it much of our money given to it freely not by we the people but by B.O.. Do you think at least HE received anything of value from that? You people put your faith in that?

    Greedy Corp HERE creating value and jobs and on top of that… revenue from employees. OR Greedy Corp THERE producing something of value for us to buy, sending our dollars elsewhere, no jobs and no revenue. I think I’ll take the Greedy non tax paying Corp HERE.

    Perhaps it is that they inhibit competition. That shouldn’t be a problem for you lefties for you all hate that anyway don’t you! I, however, do have a problem with that!

    I’ll take the Greedy non-taxed giant coorporation any day!

    • Wow. Could you try to be little more incoherent? If I understand you, you think that any company that makes money should be exempt from paying taxes. That leaves only the companies that do not make money as taxpayers. Pathetic.

      • No, I’m just saying that these so called greedy corps. produce things that we value. That is why they have money- the monetary symbol of value. We gave them this becaused we wanted them to have it because we VALUE them. Money is used to communicate value indirectly (in place of a direct barter or swap) . What does it say about an individual, community, or country that willingly gives an entity money in exchange for a valued good or service and then turns around and forces the entity give the money back. Of course they should contribute to the funding of certain government services but absolutely not anymore than anyone else.

        I say take them for as much as you possibly can but what are you gonna do if you run them off? You will lose that thing of value that they produced – better make sure you don’t need it or the jobs or the revenue from those employed there. I suppose you think the government could do a better job than these corporations??? Not likely.

        • You said: “Of course they should contribute to the funding of certain government services but absolutely not anymore than anyone else.”

          So you agree with President Obama. That is precisely what he proposed today. Currently the rich pay a far smaller percentage of their income in taxes than the middle-class. Let’s bring them up to the same percentages that the rest of us pay. And let’s remove the cap on payroll taxes. If I pay tax on 100% of my earnings, why shouldn’t my CEO boss?

          • I agree. Just be careful not to run them off. Who knows what deals have already been made to keep them here. I’m all for a flat tax. Simplify it and get it out in the open. Backroom deals will still be made- some good for us and some good only for the politician but, a flat tax would be 1 step in the right direction. Create enogh tension without popping the string and you can make music.

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