Letter to the Editor: TEA Party movement falling prey to lack of organization, power hungry leadership and political prostitution

BY: Roy Hollingsworth

With the taste of victory experienced by the TEA Party in the last elections came a false sense of power for some. As a loose confederation of like-minded individuals mad about government spending and overreach, the group found it easy to affect the political conversation. I was one of that number. But the details of policy are proving to be a little messier. The same group that railed at the audacity of then Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s flaunting of House rules to push her big government agenda have no problem demanding that Republican’s now do the same.

The current argument between House leadership and TEA Party activist’s swirls around that stalwart of publicity, Michelle Bachmann; the geographically challenged representative from Minnesota. Mrs. Bachmann has packaged herself as the TEA Party leader in the House by doing little more than grandstanding for political points. She, along with Representative Steve King, wants to add language to the current Continuing Resolution (CR) that will strip funding for Obama care from the federal budget.

Here’s the rub: The CR temporary spending bill is an appropriation bill, not an authorization bill. And you cannot take away "authorized" money on an appropriations bill without playing Pelosi style loose and goosey with the rules. If the TEA Party is about principle, then we should stick to that principle. If it’s now about winning at all costs, then some of our self-described patriots have shown themselves to be dupes at Bachmann’s self-constructed alter. I want no part of that.

Furthermore, many of the King/Bachmann supporters say they are willing to force a government shutdown over the whole affair. The shutdown would effectively slow government spending, but it wouldn’t cut government spending. And the House leadership is on track to do that across a large swath of federal agencies by passing CR’s, allowing for comprehensive reductions back to 2008 funding levels. This tactic not only follows the House rules, it puts our federal government back on a path to sustainable spending. We need not cut off our nose to spite our face. These problems didn’t happen overnight, and they won’t be solved in a week.

This lack of forward thinking by the TEA party “leadership” illustrates how the movement is coming apart at the seams. One of the latest state-wide leadership meetings attracted only a handful of people. Many Mississippians still identify with the basic TEA Party message of less spending and less government. But, I have spoken with a number of TEA Party members who believe that overzealous behavior and a lack of education with respect to process is exacting a price. The “cry wolf syndrome” without first studying all aspects and angles of an issue is pushing away many previously active members of the group. The members I have spoken with say current leadership seems to have allowed the new found power to go their head, as they begin to make decisions without consulting rank and file members.

TEA Party leaders continue to tout the organizations numbers for obvious reasons. But, the latest episodes show the gloss is wearing thin. The “mad as hell” antics are getting tired. It is time for the TEA Party to get serious about educating itself if it hopes to remain a force in politics. Launching an arm of the group that focuses on development of policy, procedure, and how to disseminate that information to members would be a good start. Until the TEA Party rank and file can have calm, considerate and informed discussions with public officials, we are ripe for the picking for state and national opportunists and personalities, and we will continue to fall prey to political prostitution.

You better pull up you paintses!

Jackson Man Cries Foul In Saggy Pants Arrest


Man Says Store Owes Him Apology

JACKSON, Miss. -- A man said he's humiliated after being handcuffed and led out of a Jackson grocery store.

Clint Jackson said a security guard cuffed him at the Kroger on Terry Road when he went to buy a few items from the store. He said he heard a loud voice behind him when he got to the self-checkout.

"He yelled at me, 'Sir, pull your pants up. Sir, pull your pants up,'" Jackson said.

Jackson said he didn't think the voice was directed at him, so he continued to check out. He said that's when the officer grabbed him and put him in handcuffs.

"It was crazy because I've never been in a situation like that," Jackson said. "Nobody (has) handcuffed me and (is) about to take me to jail for my pants being too low."

He said his pants were not sagging on Saturday, and he feels like the store owes him an apology.

"He harassed me," Jackson said. "I feel like he embarrassed me, and I want something to be done about it."

Kroger in Jackson referred WAPT's questions to their national office for comment, but the national office did not return calls.

TEA Party wants it all and they want it now despite not being sure how to get it.

Bring on the Big Stuff, Republicans


Not even the craftiest incrementalism is going to cut it with tea party types. They're still mad as hell and now griping as much about GOP leaders as they did last year about Obama.

Where's the big stuff -- such as switching Medicare to a voucher system for private insurance and raising the retirement age for Social Security? Oh there it is, lurking backstage in the planning for next year's budget.

What about blasting entire agencies, like EPA, out of the water? Or defunding NPR? This is the sort of stuff that warms the cups of your tea parties.

High Noon in April

Republican chiefs on Capitol Hill get to crunch time in about a month, when the Treasury Department loses its borrowing authority if the debt ceiling is not raised. So far, GOP leaders have claimed they would not back more borrowing unless "meaningful" cuts are made.

An undefined standard like that allows plenty of running room to trim fat and call it meaningful -- except with tea party folks, who will accept nothing less than cutting bone.

Time is running out for Republicans who privately call themselves the party's "adults." They are facing a very public split with the kids.