regarding the Founding Fathers...

[primrose]

I honestly don't know much about the Tea Party movement. So last week when Morning Edition hosted a point-counterpoint between two leaders within the movement about what the focus of the Tea Party, I was intrigued

Comments

[mareserinitatis]

Snarky comments aside, I don't think this is true only of the tea party but of many political conservatives. It makes it very difficult to believe they are competent enough to grasp the complexities of the current political and economic situation when they have obviously failed to comprehend some of the most obvious facts about our nation's history. They would rather view history through rose-colored lenses, which makes me doubt they are sufficiently objective about the here and now.

Of course, I have an issue with many of these people for other reasons, as well: most of them also lack any understanding of or interest in science and engineering.

[joannaravenclaw]

"they're not going to be able to claim the mantle of the founding fathers unless they affirm that morality and religion are indispensible supports of political prosperity."

I interpret this differently... specifically, that he's not saying that the FFs were paragons of morality and Evangelical Christianity, but rather that the FFs considered morality and religion to be important aspects of political prosperity even if they did not live up to their own ideals (cf. Jesus' command to "Do as they say, not as try do.").

That being said, while I respect the intent of the Tea Party, I'm not a member. Mainly because I can't stand Glenn Beck or Newt Gingrich. I like Sarah Palin as a person, but I think she's not a very good politician.

[joannaravenclaw]

That should be, "not as they do."

[julia1]

...the idea that they truly think that their movement should be rooted in a white male-dominated world where the "cultural and social values" were just as likely to condone slavery, oppression, and imperialism as they were freedom and independence.

This is what I fear of the Tea Party - and so far none of their actions have done anything to convince me otherwise.