For months now I have been having fun pointing out the ridiculousness of the “tea” parties. From the fact that the original tea party was to protest a corporate tax cut, to the fact that Big Government millionaires Paul Ryan and Tommy Thompson have been headline speakers, to their beginning of funding and organizing by Dick Koch(the 7th richest man in the country) and Dick Armey, to the free PR campaign that Fox has given them to the racism and hatred that is ever present at the events, to the fact that after 30 years, they finally cared about government debt on January 20th 2008, to its love of “Joe the Plumber” who is not named Joe and is not a plumber, and many more examples. This weekend took the cake. There was a “tea” party in Washington County WI. Washington County is the county that unfortunately unleashed the ignorance and tyrannical hand of Glen Grothman on the rest of the state. Saturday August 7th set a new bar.
I will not even get into how horrible an organization Americans for Prosperity and Mark Block are, or how it amazes me that Sam Wurzelbacher’s 15 minutes are not up yet, despite Sam admitting in the last election that Obama’s tax policies would be more beneficial to his own pocketbook than McCain’s. I will not even mention that big brother Glen Grothman keeps trying to add more and more government interference every time he gets inconvenienced. I will not bring up how much stimulus money that Mark Neumann’s businesses have received or the fact that Scott Walker is a career politician. The topic I want to address is someone else who was in attendance. The most ridiculous man in America, Bob Basso. Mr. Basso has become a d-list celebrity by dressing up as Thomas Paine and ranting to the right wing. The problem with this is Thomas Paine was one of the original progressives and makes Bernie Sanders seem right wing! Paine was for the equal treatment of all including minorities and women. The first Republican president, John Adam’s wife was even enthralled with the writings of Paine. When she asked about women becoming part of the American dream, as Paine suggested, he responded “Not you too!” Paine advocated for Social Security, a strong public education system, equal rights for all, was a Deist, and also realized the problems that can come when you have a huge disparity between rich and poor. Some interesting quotes of my favorite founder:
“My country is the world, and my religion is to do good. “ Thomas Paine
“One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests. “ Thomas Paine
“I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.” Thomas Paine
Finally to Bob Basso and the rest of the “tea” persons, I will leave you with what the real Thomas Paine would probably say after observing your little get together in Washington County :
“When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon. “ Thomas Paine.
7 thoughts on “I Rest My Case!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
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Proud Progressive,
You are pissing into the wind. No one really cares what you have to say about the Tea Party.
I am a proud member of the Tea Party in Eau Claire. Obama’s agenda and Fiengold are going to get rolled over in November so you better get used to it.
Your post is schizophrenic at best but that is normal for you.
Kent
You apparently care enough to read and respond…LOL!
Kent,
I appreciate when people get involved in politics. I think it helps keep everyone honest. My point in this post is simply to point out how out of place Thomas Paine is at one of these rallies. It would be like having Eric Heiden on the olympic curling team…
You missed a few Paine quotes…
“Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property… Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.”
“Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad.”
“Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.”
For being an “original progressive” as you claim, that last quote hardly sounds like any modern day progressives I’ve heard!
Paine was a writer, he wrote numerous books, pamphlets etc… He was one of the key figures of the founding of our country. Hard to sum up in three quotes so there are plenty I left out. There is no amount of quotes in the world that could turn Paine into someone who would have nothing but disdain for the “tea parties”. Truly John Adams was our first right-wing president and he loathed Paine. The first right/left debates came between Paine/Adams and continued between Jefferson/Adams.
“He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.”
— Thomas Paine
“Give to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself – that is my doctrine.”
— Thomas Paine (The Age of Reason)
“Let them call me a rebel and welcome. I feel no concern from it. But should I suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul.”
— Thomas Paine
“That there are men in all countries who get their living by war, and by keeping up the quarrels of Nations is as shocking as it is true…”
— Thomas Paine
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Paine-Promise-America-Harvey/dp/080908970X Highly recommended reading!
I don’t think you can equate those founders into modern left/right debates. My Paine quote says government is a necessary evil. What progressive would say that today? You say Jefferson/Adams was a left/right debate, but Jefferson did not want a strong federal government. Who on the left does advocate for federal jurisdiction when it comes to shower heads, recycling, or parking tickets?
Adams didn’t own any slaves, but Jefferson did. I guess the left supports slavery. See the flaw in your argument? Just because you don’t like someone doesn’t make them the first right-wing president.
I like the second quote you cited, PP. I’ll try to remember it:
“Give to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself – that is my doctrine.”
I don’t think I interpret it in the same way as you though. I think we should all have the freedom to control our own destiny, without interference, nor direction from the government. That is a right I claim for myself. I am a self-made man who is proud to stand on my own two feet. We have a right to lie the bed we make for ourselves.
As a country, we elected this President, and he is doing what he said he would do to this country. Sadly, it will take decades to undo.