The Cato Institute's 5 pieces of advice for "Tea Partiers"

[dookie1481]

Quotations mine. I hate the packaging and marketing of ideologies, but I'm digressing.

1. Republicans aren’t always your friends.
2. Some tea partiers like big government.
3. Democrats aren’t always your enemies.
4. Smaller government demands restraint abroad.
5. Leave social issues to the states.

http://bit.ly/b6l8IL

[rickrock305]

wow, you mean everything isn't black and white, left wing or right wing, liberal or conservative? you mean to tell me that there is actually room for grey area?

NAHHHHH, sounds too much like common sense to me.

[RancidSumo]

Nope. No grey area. "In a compromise between food and poison, the only outcome is death."

[l3mon]

this makes to much sense

thread\

[GermanSynergy]

Sage advice. I know a lifelong Texas Democrat that is a passionate 2A supporter, NRA member and voted for McCain.

Conversely, I know a Maryland Republican that is virulently anti gun, seems to love big govt and wants all handguns confiscated from private homes. She also happens to detest the Tea Parties as well... :rolleyes:

The issues regarding personal liberty aren't always as simple as (D) or (R).

[500grains]

Q
5. Leave social issues to the states.

http://bit.ly/b6l8IL


That is very appealing. It would cut the size of the fed govt by half, getting them back to DoD, courts, Congress, and other very basic federal functions, and abolish Dept of Education, HUD, Dept of Health and Human Services, etc.

[montanadave]

As laudable a goal as "leave social issues to the state" may appear, let's not forget that had this always been the case, we would likely still have slavery in this country.

The right thing to do is sometimes an unpopular thing to do and, for this reason (among others), many of our "founding fathers" were deeply distrustful of a pure democracy.

[HelloLarry]

It's really not Left vs. Right.

It's really Statism vs. Freedom

[rickrock305]

Nope. No grey area. "In a compromise between food and poison, the only outcome is death."



and this is why the country is in the state that its in.

[jwinch2]

Just watched the video and I thought it was quite good. I have been frustrated for years that the GOP was more concerned with what was going on in someone else's bedroom than they were in fiscal restraint.

If the Tea Party can rally around these principles of limited government, individual liberties, and state's rights and not let themselves be co-opted by other agendas such as social issues they can be a force for good in this country in my view. I have my doubts about that being able to happen unfortunately, but perhaps I am just jaded.

[SteyrAUG]

See sig.

[ra2bach]

As laudable a goal as "leave social issues to the state" may appear, let's not forget that had this always been the case, we would likely still have slavery in this country.

The right thing to do is sometimes an unpopular thing to do and, for this reason (among others), many of our "founding fathers" were deeply distrustful of a pure democracy.

that's not a social issue, that's a human rights issue.

education, welfare, housing = social issues...

[ForTehNguyen]

#5 is the biggest thing we need to do

[RancidSumo]

and this is why the country is in the state that its in.


Because of compromise or because of attitudes like mine? If the former then I agree but if you meant the latter, then I'm going to have to ask where it is exactly in our government that you have seen that attitude as the prevailing one.

[montanadave]

that's not a social issue, that's a human rights issue.

education, welfare, housing = social issues...

You can choose to make that distinction. Others may not. When it comes to drawing the dividing line between social issues vs. human rights issues vs. economic issues vs ________ (select your own) issues, we have once again entered the dreaded GREY ZONE!

As for those who denigrate compromise and view it as anathema to American ideals, I would suggest they read some history, starting with the first Constitutional Convention, the Federalist Papers, etc. This nation was founded on compromise. Those who equate compromise with surrender are akin to those who confuse complexity with obfuscation.

"Don't confuse me with facts--my mind's already made up." And while we're on the subject of facts, a fact is whatever I believe in. Further, the truth of that fact is based solely on how fervently I hold those beliefs and has nothing to do with whether that fact is congruent with reality.

America's greatest threat is the rising tide of ignorance eroding the foundations of our nation.

[Belmont31R]

Tea Party has lost all its appeal to me.

[RancidSumo]

Let me clarify my position on compromise since now we have seen two comments on it. I'm not talking about a compromise between

Person 1) "I think that stealing should carry a one year sentence"

and

Person 2) "I think stealing should come with a five year punishment"

Trivial matters like that can be compromised on. Things that cannot be are issues like government intervention in the market. You cannot strike a compromise between someone like me who believes in freedom and someone who believes in complete government control over everything because then you are compromising on a moral issue and not a logistical one.

[Belmont31R]

Let me clarify my position on compromise since now we have seen two comments on it. I'm not talking about a compromise between

Person 1) "I think that stealing should carry a one year sentence"

and

Person 2) "I think stealing should come with a five year punishment"

Trivial matters like that can be compromised on. Things that cannot be are issues like government intervention in the market. You cannot strike a compromise between someone like me who believes in freedom and someone who believes in complete government control over everything because then you are compromising on a moral issue and not a logistical one.





Compromise has been a total failure.


Say our country started at 0, and todays liberals are 10's.


So we compromise over and over again with each new generation. Split down the middle we get to 5, and compromise again we get 7.5. A few compromises, and we are where we are today with a totally out of control, corrupt, and overspending government that we can never go back closer to 0. Instead we are moving closer to 10 each passing year because of compromise. Its a win win for them since it moves their cause closer to fruitition, and ours further away. Status quo becomes the baseline instead of 0.


The only thing we can hope for is to keep from compromising (like McCain was so proud of), and keep things from getting worse. I have no faith in the GOP to do this as half of them are closest socialists anyways.

[HK51Fan]

[QUOTE=SteyrAUG;639817] "It's hard to be a ACLU hating, philosophically Libertarian, socially liberal, fiscally conservative, scientifically grounded, agnostic, porn admiring gun owner who believes in self determination."



If you were to add physically/mentally healthy heterosexual without homophobic prejudices put this on a dating website I think you'd get a lot of hit's!!!!:D

[toasterlocker]

The only thing we can hope for is to keep from compromising (like McCain was so proud of), and keep things from getting worse. I have no faith in the GOP to do this as half of them are closest socialists anyways.

The problem is most of the population is too stupid to recognize the GOP is almost as bad as the Democrats, if not worse in some cases. Your average Republican will go just as far to expand the government as a Democrat, the only difference is they say they don't. Guess which president was number 1 for expanding the government until Obama got in - it was a Republican, and it was recent.

Until the general population recognizes that the "battle" between the 2 major parties is a charade and BOTH are more or less fronts for corporations, things will only get worse.

[toasterlocker]

America's greatest threat is the rising tide of ignorance eroding the foundations of our nation.

I present to you our future president:
http://cruzweb.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/idiocracy.jpg

Anyone who hasn't seen Idiocracy really needs to.

[graffex]

I present to you our future president:
http://cruzweb.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/idiocracy.jpg

Anyone who hasn't seen Idiocracy really needs to.

Epic. Movie is epic.

[xfyrfiter]

The problem is most of the population is too stupid to recognize the GOP is almost as bad as the Democrats, if not worse in some cases. Your average Republican will go just as far to expand the government as a Democrat, the only difference is they say they don't. Guess which president was number 1 for expanding the government until Obama got in - it was a Republican, and it was recent.

Until the general population recognizes that the "battle" between the 2 major parties is a charade and BOTH are more or less fronts for corporations, things will only get worse.

Absolutely the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

[Abraxas]

I present to you our future president:
http://cruzweb.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/idiocracy.jpg

Anyone who hasn't seen Idiocracy really needs to.

One of my favorite movies.

[Abraxas]

The problem is most of the population is too stupid to recognize the GOP is almost as bad as the Democrats, if not worse in some cases. Your average Republican will go just as far to expand the government as a Democrat, the only difference is they say they don't. Guess which president was number 1 for expanding the government until Obama got in - it was a Republican, and it was recent.

Until the general population recognizes that the "battle" between the 2 major parties is a charade and BOTH are more or less fronts for corporations, things will only get worse.

Not in all cases but mostly right. Think of it like pro wrestling, they come out beat their chests, talk smack, and put on a show. But back in the locker room they are the best of friends.