The Tea Party Goes on the Defensive … Sort of.

Today’s Maui News included a vociferous defense of the Tea Party movement from a regular contributor to the letters column. Here’s my problem with this so-called movement: The only “solution” they have for the immense and complex problems facing our country is smaller government and lower taxes. They offer no proposals to deal with poverty, homelessness, unemployment, out-of-control healthcare costs, home foreclosures, and on and on. Why is that?
Possibly it’s because, as surveys show, Tea Party members are overwhelmingly white, middle-to-upper class, and – this is the part that astonishes me – educated. In other words, most Tea Party people aren’t facing any of the problems that millions of ordinary Americans must struggle with every day. They just keep on yammering about “getting their country back” and demanding lower taxes.

The Tea Party, the letter-writer assures us, is not racist and isn’t against civil rights. Well, maybe. But, from everything I see and hear, these folks are something almost as bad: they’re selfish.
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I Rest My Damn Case!!!

If you can’t be right, be wrong at the top of your voice!

Have you noticed? These Tea Party “activists” yell and holler and demonstrate, but never offer any solutions to the problems we’re facing.

Thousands of bridges around the country are old and could be unsafe. Should we fix them?

No, no, no! Smaller government! Lower taxes! Close the borders!

Millions are still out of work. Can’t we have more programs to …

Smaller government! Lower taxes! Close the borders!

But what about the homeless people who literally freeze to death on city streets in the winter?

Smaller government! Lower taxes! Close the borders!

OK, but can’t we do something for inner-city kids who …

Smaller government! Lower taxes! Close the borders!

But … but …

Smaller government! Lower taxes! Close the borders!

* sigh *

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What the Hell Are We Thinking?

All the pundits continue to forecast doom for the Democrats in the November elections. Truthfully, I don’t get it. Can it really be possible that the American people are going to return the Republicans to power?

These are the very same politicians who (a) voted against the stimulus bill, who (b) happily took credit for any stimulus money that funded projects in their district, who (c) now say the stimulus program didn’t work, who (d) blame Obama for unemployment and who (e) say we should return them to power because they will oppose any more stimulus programs.

These are the very same politicians who (a) de-regulated the banking industry, which then embarked on reckless investment strategies bringing the financial world to near collapse, who (b) objected to Obama and the Democrats tightening regulations on the banks and who (c) are now asking us to return them to power so they can (d) once again de-regulate the banking industry.

These are the very same politicians who (a) passed the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy in 2001 and 2003, and who (b) wrote into the law that those tax cuts would expire at the end of this year, and who (c) watched their tax cuts result in a huge federal budget deficit, and who (d) have reneged on that deal and want the tax cuts to be continued, and who (e) are now accusing Democrats who want to let the tax cuts expire of raising your taxes.

And by the way, “your taxes” only means your taxes if your family earns a quarter-of-a-million dollars a year.

These are the people who are going to be voted back into power??

We are - alas - a nation of morons.

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Why Aren't More People Really Angry About This?

A month ago, the Hawaii Venture Capital Association held a forum at which they listened to presentations by the leading candidates for governor. Several days later, they endorsed Neil Abercrombie.

A few days ago, Mufi Hannemann was endorsed by the Venture Capital Association of Hawaii, which has suddenly popped up out of nowhere. Puzzled by the suspiciously similar names, a couple of alert reporters discovered that this “organization” has a grand total of 10 members, all of whom now admit to being Mufi supporters.

This is nothing less than a deliberate attempt to confuse and deceive the voters. And, once again, the Hannemann people manage to keep a straight face while saying they had absolutely nothing to do with this fraud.

What should bother us most about this foolishness is that Mufi and his brain trust are flaunting their contempt for the electorate. These bozos really think we're stupid!
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