Interesting Way to Start Another Tea Party Thread

Tom Tancredo and the right-wing mind

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/02/tom_tancredo_and_right-wing_co.html


Tom Tancredo used to be my congressman. The large geographic swath outside of Denver that he represented included ranchers and suburban families. And though once upon a time Tancredo had a wider array of issue interests, his brain gradually was taken over by rage against immigrants.

In our moderate, land-locked state, my Republican neighbors would sometimes express puzzlement over Tancredo’s obsession. He came to sound more like a deranged border-patrolling Minuteman than a Colorado congressman.

On Thursday, Tancredo delivered the opening remarks at the national Tea Party convention, and, as I watched the clips, I was struck by two things.

First, it was oddly gratifying to see Tancredo take the next step in a long personal journey toward Crazy Land.

Second, it was interesting to see how the far right relates to “the common man.”

You see, the popular conservative meme right now is that Democrats are arrogant and condescending and think that voters are stupid. Charles Krauthammer expressed this sentiment in a column on Friday, claiming that Democrats believe, “The dim, led by the malicious, vote incorrectly.” Gerald Alexander pushes this narrative in an Outlook essay subtly headlined: “Why are liberals so condescending?”

Given Democrats’ condescension, I wanted to see how a real American conservative would relate to the average voter. How would the far right express its deep belief in the power of the people?

Here is Tancredo’s opening: First, we should have a “civics literacy test” before people are allowed to vote. Second, “People who could not even spell the word vote or say it in English put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House whose name is Barack Hussein Obama.” Convention organizer Judson Phillips helpfully explained that "Tancredo doesn't feel like a lot of people who supported Barack Obama understand the basics of this country."

Oops. And this on the heels of a couple of polls showing that a surprisingly large chunk of Republicans believe that ACORN stole the 2008 election.

You know what I think? The right wing doesn’t trust the people! It believes that the dim, led by the malicious, vote incorrectly!

Actually, this mainly reinforces my firm belief about ideologues and American politics: If you travel far enough to the right, you are sure to meet the far left on the other side of the circle.

 

And the Tea party conventioners applauded this statement by Tancredo:
"First, we should have a “civics literacy test” before people are allowed to vote."

Last time I checked, these laws were struck down in the deep south back in 1965 as unconstitutional but Tancredo and his fellow Tea Partiers want to go back to this most racist exclusionary tactic the southern clansman ever devised.

WHAT THE FK IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE!?

 

I have my doubts that a lot of the population understands the basics of the country. That is probably why we only have 2 parties. Much easier to choose sides without really thinking about it. We good. Them bad.

But, my problems with the Tea Party is the same as with the Republican Party...not surprising since it is just a subset of the Republican Party ...

They are infected with the religious right and also have no real care about any personal liberty or freedoms. This Tancrendo guy seems right up that alley based upon those snippets. I know nothing about this guy but I bet he supports the Patriot act and a constitutional amendment against gay marriage and probably secretly wants a Christian Theocracy...but would never admit it.

 

Who would determine a "civics literacy test", what would it entail?

 

Moen, here's a quote from one of your recent posts:

"If you haven't learned to read between the lines of campaign rhetoric these days, you really shouldn't be voting."

So, it's okay for you to determine one's fitness to vote, but it's not okay when someone on the right raises the question?

 

O.K. Please read between the lines for me on this one. What is he really saying? This isn't a campaign promise, this is a group that believes that there should be a civics literacy test you have to pass in order to vote in this country. My quote taken out of context says that you shouldn't be voting if you are actually voting against your own best interests but you get to decide. I don't propose to ban anyone from voting but rather suggest that they shouldn't vote if they actually are fooled by the rhetoric they hear. Mandating a civics reading and writing test before you are allowed to vote goes quite a bit further don't you think? Civics isn't even taught in many schools anymore. Or were you just unsure what the term civics literacy meant?

 

Thats easy Clembo, the same one as those applying for citizenship..........youd be amazed how many could not pass.

I wont get into the left calling the right racist thing, old hat Names will come next

 

Will this make your liberal voters feel better?
Face it...this is one of the primary reasons why democrats lost in 2000. Their message of "gimmee-gimmee-gimmee" which is catered to the stupid and ill informed, backfired (at least in 2000) because liberal voters couldn't fill out a voting ballot correctly. Serves them right.

I support a "civics literacy test" to weed out the stupid voters like the idiots who voted for B.O. because they really believed that B.O. would pay their mortgage, fill their gas tanks...EVERTHING!!

Remember this Obama "smart" voter??:



Bet she couldn't pass a 5th grade test...any takers?

Of course, this is what liberals do when they have NO argument. They bring race into the equation and could care less how stupid the people that they support are...and getting worse!

What's next? Bush is burning Black churches? Bush is throwing seniors and children out on the street? Wait...he is not President anymore, is he?

Class warfare...race...so typical, YES...typical because it is the same play book since liberals took over the democratic party in 1972.

 

Bingo!

This was discussed in my house when I typed that question.

Next question. If someone doesn't pass that test for VOTING purposes are they still a citizen?
I'm talking U.S. born here for those that may have a problem following it.

 

Whatever will chop the number of left leaning voters I guess.

By the way Jack.....ever come to any conclusions with Diebold?

 

Spin it however you choose but (and I'm reading between the lines here)what you were really saying is that someone who doesn't believe as you do shouldn't be allowed to vote. And your quote wasn't taken out of context, your words were simply isolated.
For the record, I believe in our right to vote- even for those who hold an opinion contrary to that of Moen.

 

But your tea party pals don't believe in everyone's right to vote. For the record, I'd rather see people vote for the opposition than not be allowed to vote for any reason. We've had litmus tests in this country for voting throughout our history. You used to have to be a white, land-owning male to vote. Then you just had to be a white male. Then you just had to be white. Then we had literacy tests to allow people to vote. And finally we had one person, one vote making all citizens no matter what their income level, their racial affiliation, or their gender.

The only reason any of the above mentioned restrictions were ever enacted was to preserve the people’s position at the top of the ladder. When you disenfranchise the working class and poor of this country you get government by the rich, for the rich. This is what you are agreeing with and I find it repugnant. You must be very wealthy.

 

I don't believe I've ever posted anything that would indicate I am a member of the Tea Party movement, have I? I support their (and everyone's) right to assemble & voice their opinion, don't you?
I believe I'm on record as supporting the right everyone has to vote, without submitting to a litmus test, correct? Trying to paint me as one thing or another makes you guilty of the same things you accuse others of being, does it not?
And for the record, depriving people of their right to vote is every bit as repugnant as "influencing" the vote of "disenfranchised" voters. Wouldn't you agree?

 

I do sometimes wonder if a inteligence test of some sort shoudnt be used to see if candidates should be able to run for office

 

Would they get to use a teleprompter when taking the test...or would they have to write notes on their hands instead?

 

A tea bagging truther?

Hey, Tomc. Check this out.

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/196/36197/

 

Not until they get sodium pentethol (sp)?.

Ask a simple question and get the "truth". Then hook them up to a lie detector.

Wonder how many would go for that on a voluntary "it doesn't prove anything" basis.

To me that would be VERY interesting.

 

TRUTH we are talking about Politicians here LOL Now Stu that is a good question I think a commitee should be formed to discuss it and then we can take a straw poll of the politicians after all we dont want to ask the public do we