Ed Without starting another debate, when I google tea party and do some minimal research on it, it has predominant ties to Freedomworks and appears to be a thinly disguised arm of the Republican Party. Rather than being a voice for change, The Tea Party and Freedomworks appear more to be chinks in the armour of the current government. They appear to be very partisan and their main preoccupation is not change but rather throwing mud at the democrats in the hope that if you throw enough mud at a wall some of it will stick. From new reports and media coverage that I have seen, their sole proccupation seems to be attending town hall meetings and disrupting the current government. We have had enough debates that I know where everyone stands. My point is that these people don't seem to be working for change, but rather to get the republicans back in power.
rdubnpk As Bush-Cheney showed, it doesn't matter whether they label themselves conservative or democrat, tons of our money continue to be spent and the little guy foots the bill. A middle class revolution is needed in the worst way but they keep us infighting so much that we don't grasp the big picture. We are ALL getting royally screwed.
Mine probably are too, I had only ever been affected by a Conservative Government when I was your age. People used to tell me then how bad Labour of the 70's were, but I was too young to remember them. I think a lot of people are. I might support UKIP if they had a chance of getting in, but could never vote BNP. I do, but (unless it's been modernised) it's a postal vote and the post in Mexico is hugely unreliable in either direction - I doubt I'd ever receive the ballot paper let alone be able to get it back in time. I also feel that since I dont live in the UK and am detached from day to day life there and a non taxpayer then I shouldn't really have much of a say in how the country is governed anyway.
The Media It's strikes me that the real problem these days is the media. And, behind that, the fact that we support them by watching their news channels and buying their papers, etc. The media holds the true power. They can make or break a politician or political party. Where they should be reporting the news objectively, instead they cleverly craft their stories to reflect the political biases of their organization and ultimately their owners. Stories are peppered with sensationalism rather than facts. They give voice to powerful lobby groups that support their biases. Most great politicians from the past would never survive the microscope of today's news organizations. They have scared all the capable people away. Remember Donahue's early shows? They were largely intelligent exploration and conversation about socially relevant issues. Eventually talk shows eroded to where Jerry Springer was king of the talk shows. The same thing has happened to television news channels. We have gone from Walter Cronkite become Glenn Beck?? From the New York Times to the National Enquirer?? The people are placing more importance on being entertained than informed. That is what truly needs to change. I don't have a clue how you do that.
