I wonder if the Tea Party showed up to support OWS would the situation change

[DainBramaged]

just wndering.......musing.........supposing........that is all.......

[valerief]

1. Well, then there'd be civilian gunfire. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. They have

The discussions between AMERICANS on substantive issues warms my heart.

[baldguy]

3. If Tea Baggers were honest, rational & serious they'd *JOIN* OWS.

But then, they're 0 for 3 in that regard.

[Fumesucker]

4. I wonder if gravity all of a sudden started pushing instead of sucking?

Would the situation change?

:hi:

[DainBramaged]

5. If Ford's became Chevy's?

[vcc]

6. they'd hijack it for their ends, if they haven't already.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. We can expect indiviual tea partiers

Remember, the Tea Party is not a grass roots movement. It is a corporate funded imitation of one.

Nevertheless, the Tea Party is made up of individual people, each of whom, by definition, is capable of transcending the astroturf and thereby breaking the ideological chains that bind them to a failed economic system that is more likely to starve them with the rest of us than it is to reward them for their loyalty.

The rank and file tea partier is a prisoner in Plato's cave. Let up bring him into the sun.

[vcc]

8. how do we know they're not already trying to bring us into THEIR fold?

The most extreme people in the Tea Party are about one thing and one thing only: dominating the turf. That is their whole thing. Not every loosely-subscribing member is, but they naturally defer to the more extreme ones, who represent the very antithesis of what the *spirit* of OWS is supposed to be. They're not about social and economic equality. Their version of "freedom" is "free" to be in charge of others, and their "rebellion" is against having to have any limits on their power. So, since they have to be in power to be happy, they will seek to overpower this movement. My big question is how do we know they're not already in the process of doing that?

[Jack Rabbit]

14. That sounds a bit too conspiratorial for my tastes

The most extreme people in the Tea Party are right wing billionaires like the Koch Brothers. That's the kind of person who is about dominating the turf, and OWS is clearly not interested in making an alliance with bastards like that. The goal, however else it may be stated, is to keep bastards like the Koch Brothers from dominating the turf. OWS cannot possibly reach out to those who manipulate the right wing mob.

The Koch Brothers, Dick Armey, etc., etc., of course can be described as rebelling against limits on their power, whose idea of freedom is the freedom to enslave others. However, the rank and file Tea Partier has no more power to limit than you or I. He is a useful tool for the elites. We can pick up those who are tired of being used. There are rank and file members of the Tea Party who are true believing bigots; they will remain so. There are some who really are authoritarian personalities and will defer to the leaders of the Tea Party movement, because they have no imagination to see themselves as free, independent human beings. They will continue to follow the authority of the wealthy.

No, there can be no alliance with the Tea Party per se. The Tea Party per se is a cabal of astroturf manufacturers, not the right wing demonstrator you see on TV. When that right wing demonstrator comes to realize that he, too, is just as much a victim of the 21st-century robber barons as the rest of us, then we can make an alliance with him.

[vcc]

15. it's far more likely than other conspiracy theories floating around.

you think the Koch brothers are just going to let us lure their minions away? You think they haven't realized from day one how useful it could be to them to take control of a movement with OWS's potential? They've got infinitely more money, power, strategy, organization and firepower than us, and they intend to dominate as much of America as they can.

[Jack Rabbit]

21. No, they're not going to let them be lured away

If you are suggesting that they Koch Brothers are going to attempt to infiltrate OWS with rank and file tea partiers, that's not going to happen. Being modern businessmen, the Koch Brothers are allergic to risk. The Kochs are not going to put their minions in a position where they will be see for themselves what this is about, and thus raising the odds that a few will be lured away.

Following their established MO, they're more likely going to bus their minions in en masse to shout down OWS or instigate violence. That's how they opposed health care reform.

You think they haven't realized from day one how useful it could be to them to take control of a movement with OWS's potential?

No, that doesn't occur to me, at least not for any longer than it takes to dismiss the idea. I have never heard of any one co-opting a mass movement that demonizes him. Of course, they will try to shut down the movement, but they cannot co-opt it. The only stated goal of OWS so far is to prevent people like the Kochs, the banksters or other robber barons from buying what is supposed to be a democratic system.

They've got infinitely more money, power, strategy, organization and firepower than us, and they intend to dominate as much of America as they can.

True, but all the king's bought politicians and all the king's PR agents aren't going to stop this movement. Firepower? OK, they can shoot us. I'm ready to die for democracy. Are you?

[zbdent]

9. Why don't you ask me what I'm going to do when I hit the MegaMillions Friday and

the Powerball Saturday?

I mean, it's as likely an event as the TPers supporting OWS ...

[DainBramaged]

10. Did you understand the concept of my OP?

And even if I won both I'd still be posting here and supporting OWS via other $$$$$$ means.

[vcc]

12. oh, they'll support it-- i predict it-- but only to serve their ends.

[movonne]

11. Why would they ..they belong to the koch bros...

[kctim]

13. Probably be big change

seeing how one group wants more government and the other group wants less government.

[EFerrari]

17. There would be no change whatsoever because

the police's counter-insurgency tactics would just be deployed against the tea klan and OWS is not interested in arguing partisan bs.

[graywarrior]

16. Oil and water

[librechik]

18. they aren't really like us, and they don't like our agenda, they won't come--armed or otherwise

Those teaper turkey would have protested their way right out of Social Security and Medicare if they had their way, and not even know it. They'd be so surprised. "But I thought you teaper Congressmen were on our side!!" Waaaaah!

[mmonk]

19. The press would switch to our side I suppose.

But they are OWS's opposite.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

20. The "Tea Party" (to the extent that it is a actual movement)

is basically comprised of (mostly) members of the 99% fighting-wittingly (or unwittingly) AGAINST the 99% (and themselves) for the 1%. OWS is comprised of members of the 99% fighting against the 1% for the 99%. The "Tea Party" is really quite a phenomenon. They claim to be so outraged at the bank bailouts and Wall Street's oppression of Main Street but yet they fight against increased regulation thereof and seem in general more aligned in support of Wall Street interests rather than their own. When you boil it down to its bare roots, it seems to have been created mostly to muster opposition to Obama and the Democratic Party and to help the Republicans capture state houses, legislatures, and Congressional seats in 2010 and, presumably, the WH in 2012 (though THAT project is in need of a LOT more work before that can happen IMHO :eyes:).

[RagAss]

22. No room for the Medicare paid for oxygen tanks !

[Uncle Joe]

23. I don't believe so, the corporate media and PTBs; only support the Tea Party because

the Tea Party consciously or subconsciously supports corporate supremacy and that's consistent with their status quo world.

Thanks for the thread, DainBramaged.