BTW, BBA, if you were really concerned about the Florida recounts, you would realize that bush won the state when the newspapers finally completed their tallies. Also, it wasn't Jeb Bush who stopped the recounts, but the US Supreme court. If you're gonna rant, please be
informed. I know people get all up in arms about Bush losing the popular vote and still winning the election, but it's happened 4 times already and it'll happen again.
That being said, to call the Tea Parties a protest of fiscal policy is absolutely absurd. To even say that the majority were protesting fiscal policy is absurd. While there were certainly a good number of folks there for that reason, it was a hodgepodge of racism, a right wing reaction against losing the house and presidency (and the policy changes because of it), and a good dose of simple stupidity.
The very idea of the tea parties is absurd and shows a lack of rational thinking on the part of the organizers. The original tea-party was a semi-spontaneous act against taxes which the people felt were unfair because they were unable to vote for their representatives. Not agreeing with a tax policy because you are in the minority is so far from not being represented it's not even funny. Additionally, the majority of the crowds protesting increased taxes are actually seeing DECREASED taxes as they make less than $250,000. The republican party certainly should be credited for the effectiveness of their propaganda that they were able to convince people that they were being taxed more when they actually will see a noticeable decrease.
Obviously not all of the people (or even the majority) are not protesting on the basis of race, but it was a freakishly significant portion. What reeks, however, is that there was not attempt on the part of the protesters to try and organize and unify. They let people run around with ridiculous, backwards, racist signs (LOADS of them) which unfortunately means support. If you refuse to try and oppose something like that, you unfortunately become associated with it. Was the COMEDIAN wrong? Hell yeah. She exaggerated significantly. But I would argue that racism played as large a part as fiscal responsibility or states rights. If states want to assert their authority, they can simply refuse the money. They don't, so they have no leg to stand on.
~Jason