JV92-

Yes, I remember when extended families would live with their children. life wasn't a bed of roses when that was the case either. If your children were not fond of you, sometimes they would not take you in. If they did take you in, sometimes they treated you bad by not giving you money for things that you might like or other abuses. If you didn't have any children, you would end up in the poor house. (not a pretty place to be by the way) Nothing is perfect but having SS has given a lot of people an independence that they are so happy to have.

Also, if Medicare is taken away from people, who will pay their doctor bills? Do families make enough to pay their grandparents hospital stays or visits? I doubt very much insurance companies would let families put Grandma and Grandpa on their policies.

Just some food for thought on my end. It is interesting reading everyone's comments as long as they stay respectful.

MEH,
You could be more correct than you know. Modernity has allowed or depending on your perspective caused the extended family unit to basically deteriorate in the US. Many years ago it was not unusual for extended family to live near each other or even in the same household. In a way this created a sense of community because each generation had a purpose or role to fulfill. So yes multiple generations functioned together as a unit. These social programs, in a way, caused a dissolution of that system. Members of the extended family unit simply did not need each other as they had in the past. Some call this progress and becoming more modern and mobile. I'm not so sure its effect on society was positive. Maybe (and I doubt) if we went back to such a system we might gain something we lost.

I think most of us should agree to disagree as this can get messy. I did see some Tea baggers being interviewed and they were talking about getting rid of all the socialized programs and the interviewer asked if they were on Social Security and two said yes, so he asked them if they wanted to give back their SS because it was a socialized program. They had no words.

I agree that some of these people are just spouting off what they hear and not doing any research and that is true for both parties. The thing that is scary is, if people like that this get in power, a lot of programs (like SS) could be taken away. IF so, get ready for your grand parents to live with you again. It is something that is sad as most people want independence.

No, I'm not quite as rude as you. I did site one article as information but if you would care to do some research you will find others. But I know you won't because you think it's conspiracy and beneath you. That's fine, you have your opinions, I have mine. Difference is, I never insulted you for yours. Have a nice day.

Yes malky15. The serial jerk has already had several accounts deleted by the Gazette. S/he doesn't care.

Is that all you do, insult people that have different ideas than you?

The tea party is just the christain conservatives (see also moral majority) re-branding themselves...

i know fool...thats why i thought id approach that tent...but i was shunned and so ended my short lived attempt at a political party. it lasted 7 steps:)

'I'd love to be able to throw back a 6 pack at the local bar and then drive home without having to worry about a DUI'

you put others at risk when you do that. its illegal for me to smoke pot on my couch.

'I've got a couple of sportbikes and cars that are seriously fun to drive/ride really fast--is the state denying me an individual liberty when the say I have to keep it to 65 because at 100+ they'll arrest me for reckless driving?'

you put others at risk when you do that on public roads. there are places you CAN drive that fast if you want. its illegal for me to smoke pot on my couch.

'So according to you, to be a member of the tea party and not be a hypocrite you have to basically be "anti" a majority of the laws out there'

not even close. you should pay attention. members of the tea party are hypocrites cuz they think spending money on health care is a waste and it steps on their individual freedoms cuz the feds force them to buy something all the while blindly agreeing with the war on drugs. a war that has cost BILLIONS with no positive result other than to put americans in jail, a majority of whom are black.

'Constantly dragging the "founding fathers" into it makes you look foolish though. That was hundreds of years ago--times change--they probably had their slaves processing their pot.....should we reintroduce slavery as well because the "founding fathers" were cool with it--Probably not....huh?'

again. victims in slavery. your inability to see the difference between the comparisons you make and me or any american smoking pot on their couch shows you are not prepared to have a rational conversation as much as just rant your arrogant opinion. so its ok to interpret what the founding fathers meant regarding health care and general welfare for all, yet i cant use them as a reference for growing and smoking marijuana, even though it takes no interpretation to know thats a fact?? your arrogance is approaching that of mr newbies.

Yes it is. I support the Tea party. all the way and will vote for anyone of supposes them

"i walked into the libertarian party tent at the rock county fair a couple years ago and the first words out of my mouth were 'do you support the re-legalization of marijuana?'...the old boy hitched up his britches and said 'absolutely not'."

That ol' boy was an idiot, thekid3477. Simply not true!

"We favor the repeal of all laws creating “crimes” without victims, such as the use of drugs for medicinal or recreational purposes." - http://www.lp.org/platform

The repeal of victimless 'crime' laws been an integral part of the Libertarian Party platform since the beginning, circa 1970.

The Tea Party is becoming more exposed as an army of shallow-thinking citizens who, due to the economy, are attracted to the fear-mongering and misinformation manufactured by the machinations of the extremely wealthy Koch brothers, and the Koch brothers have one objective: the protection of their monied interest. In the context of the American Revolution, the Koch brothers would have been Tories. In today's context, they are certainly no patriots.

The fat cats are out of the bag.

malky15: Thanks for the link to the New Yorker article. Very interesting piece.

Read this, there is also a book coming out later on it from a guy that does real investigative journalism, not tabloid/Fox news. Oh and thanks for the insult there big guy. I love it how people are so quick to insult whwn faced with another perspective.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/...

EARTH FIRST...WE'LL LOG THE OTHER PLANETS LATER

Nope, no emotional connection with the educational world at all. (Except for the fact that I was once a student.) I work for a large west coast lumber wholesale company.

I cited educational funding because it was part of an actual conversation that I had with a self-avowed tea-party member/activist. That person brought it up, I was referencing that converstion.

Mudsill, I am not a teacher and absoluely did not bash the military. You just made about 5 incorrect assumptions about me. Sounds like your looking for an argument that's probably not really there. Dad fought proudly in Korea and brother in Vietnam. Not a day goes by in my life that I don't think about the sacrifices that you and them and all the other brave people in our armed forces have made and will continue to make for us. I made a simple comparison about government spending. Does one have to have served personally in the military to understand the meaning of liberty?

mudsill, I am indeed politically unaffiliated. My comments were directed at the content of this particular article. Left-wing belligerence is just as offensive as right-wing belligerence

When actually questioned about what they believe, every tea-bagger with whom I have spoken has exposed themselves for what they really are, hypocritical bigots bent on "taking America back" for people who look, talk,act and think like them. Ask a tea-bagger how to address the current school funding crisis and they will tell you to cut or freeze teachers' pay because that's what makes up the largest part of a school district's budget. If that logic holds true, then what should be cut first from our federal budget? Military spending of course, because that is far and away the largest part of our federal budget. Ever see a sign at a tea-bagger rally calling for cuts at the Pentagon??? haha These people have absolutely no meaningful understanding of what liberty really means. They know what they believe is right and wrong and want to impose their morality on the rest of us. Liberty is messy and uncomfortable and sometimes down-right offensive to our personal world-views. True liberty doesn't leave much room for public self-righteouness.

thekid3477....You're too funny! A majority of things that are currently considered illegal could be considered "individual liberties" in that context. I'd love to be able to throw back a 6 pack at the local bar and then drive home without having to worry about a DUI--Is the state denying me an individual liberty for saying that this is illegal? I've got a couple of sportbikes and cars that are seriously fun to drive/ride really fast--is the state denying me an individual liberty when the say I have to keep it to 65 because at 100+ they'll arrest me for reckless driving?
So according to you, to be a member of the tea party and not be a hypocrite you have to basically be "anti" a majority of the laws out there.......too funny!

As far as your legalization ranting, I could seriously care less if it's legalized. I grew out of that phase and have better things to spend my money on. Constantly dragging the "founding fathers" into it makes you look foolish though. That was hundreds of years ago--times change--they probably had their slaves processing their pot.....should we reintroduce slavery as well because the "founding fathers" were cool with it--Probably not....huh?

P.S.It's "liberties" not "libertys" Sorry--normally I'm not a grammar nazi--but for some reason that one is irritating:)

wow. i gotta be honest here jv. props on acknowledging the mistake. ive owned up to mistakes w andre and raf in the past...but i dont think ive ever seen one at me:) for what its worth, and to stop short of a feel good make out session here;), the long winded numbered points you made on the thread the other day was just about spot on. i dont affiliate with a specific party, well cuz mostly i dont like to recieve(other than hippie pothead:) or give labels, but also cuz i see the people on here who claim the other side is the problem and accept no fault for blindly following their party lines...you sir are not one of those. ok thats all the love i got for tonite...its almost bowl:30:) peace.

No kid I had no idea. Look I'm probably not disagreeing with you or perhaps if I had heard you say it in person, there would not have been a misunderstanding. I have never had issue with legalization of any number of drugs. What you put in your body is your business and not in my authority or anybody else's to dictate. How I read your original statement was not the way I think you meant it to be read. I think previous posts were leading me to interpret your post incorrectly. I get it now that you restated it with more info. My bad.

dwight: im sure there are some. i have yet to see one on this site. every admitted tea party person ive asked has said no. that is the definition of hypocrisy. where are they when adults are being arrested for POSSESSION of marijuana?? they always claim 'founding fathers' yet they forget that the founding fathers grew and smoked hemp. why was there no tea party uprising at the money wasted on unfunded wars?? or when gw was stepping on our rights?? i walked into the libertarian party tent at the rock county fair a couple years ago and the first words out of my mouth were 'do you support the re-legalization of marijuana?'...the old boy hitched up his britches and said 'absolutely not'. i walked away.

you couldnt get why that was said jv?? even tho i just explained it?? do you support the re-legalization of marijuana?? for what its worth you are the one who claimed to have a simple thought process...not i;)

Probably because I'm too simple.

916,
Don't try. I didn't get it either and could not get why that was said.

thekid - considering a good portion of the tea party is libertarians who support legalization - you may have to keep looking a little harder.

hahaha. are you serious?? i have yet to see one tea party person agree w me that marijuana needs to be re-legalized or that the war on drugs is a failure...even tho according to the constitution legal marijuana should be a states rights issue...even though it steps ALL OVER individual libertys...even though we've spent BILLIONS trying to eradicate drug use and usage numbers are the same as they were in 1970. my tea party has the EXACT same issues that their tea party does...only they dont care cuz it doesnt affect them. you cant stand for something...part of the time. you either believe in less govt, less wasteful spending, individual libertys FOR EVERYONE or you are a HYPOCRITE.

Bella.....Maybe you should attend a rally or a "voter intimidation party" held by the new black panthers. As they threaten people who are against Obama, chanting "kill whitey" while they do it. I think it would lessen the impact the tea party rally had on you:)

thekid3477.....Please provide a specific example of tea party hypocrisy involving the party supporting wasteful spending on issues which affect them.......

Bella,

I find your comments about Beck's rally at the Lincoln Memorial interesting. I didn't find that the crowd was full of loons or nuts that I think you suggested they were. As a matter of fact, the reports came out that the crowd was very peaceful. Al Sharpton himself said the crowd was very respectiful. Becks' ralley was about reviving some of America's values that many believe are being lost. Respect, honor, self reliability. It seems like some very similar principles that Dr King was about and preached himself. So what's the problem? I don't find it at all disrespectful to Dr King where it was held or when, especially if Dr King was alive today, he may indeed himself preach the same things about what the rally was about. very little of it dealt with politics, although some are always going to argue there was some political overtone.
I don't think it was a Tea Partier that wanted a Satanic death cult started at Fox News or that wanted that targeted at memebers of the GOP as John Cusack suggested, who is on the left side of the political spectrum. Wasn't it Rev Wright who said "God D$%* America"? that's not coming from Tea Partiers or Conservatives..your comparrison to the Beck Rally to a Nazi Rally (if I understood your post correctly) is way off base and without merit.

surprises me to see you cut a portion of my statement and forget the portion that would define them as hypocrites. what chapter in mr becks book does he teach you how to do that??

entitlement=hypocrite??

your thought process IS simple. it is nice that you are aware of that simplicity though

jewels45 - really? That's the example you want to use? A clearly mentally ill man whose delusions led him to committ a terrorist act alone? I am pretty sure he wasn't following any voices except the ones in his head. Do you have any other examples? Some that actually make sense?

Ezoner...yes, I am sure that's exactly what happened. The film makers hired actors to play stupid tea party participants. Of course they did. That's clearly the only thing that makes sense. Come on!

And for those claiming the tea party is financed by some "right wing conspiracy." Who is George Soros?

hey Bella, want to meet a left wing loonie. See what happened at the Discovery Building yesterday. How some far out wackos are inspired by Al Gores movie.

"if they believed they deserved the free money"-I thought this was understood? Is that not the definition of entitlement? Since hypocrite is the favorite word, does that fit now? Are we OK?

'Kid my thought process is simple'

understatement of the day;)

'Would I call them selfish and opportunistic then or does hypocrite still work?'

still?? hypocrite doesnt work to begin with. call them selfish and opportunistic if you want, thats your opinion, but you cant rewrite the definition of a word to fit your belief. if they believed they deserved the free money and you didnt theyd be hypocrites like the tea party.

Bella -- I am late -- but maybe its you who are misunderstanding the issues. Also -- I would not put any faith in you tube videos. I would be more apt to think it was anti-Tea partiers playing for the camera to make something up that just want true. It is just as plausible as any other arguement.

Kid my thought process is simple. Those who benefit the most from the wasteful spending do not want it changed. The only rights they care about are the rights that provide them a nice warm government blanket (e.g. those that affect them personally.) They are only worried about collecting, not about the people they are taking from in order to enjoy said benefits. Would I call them selfish and opportunistic then or does hypocrite still work?

'Kid, the same could be said for those who wish to preserve the status quo'

theyre hypocrites?? they only like wasteful spending when its spent on them?? please explain how 'those who wish to preserve the status quo' are hypocrites. im not saying im for continueing the status quo, cuz changes need to be made up and down the line...i just dont follow your thought process....

andre - I don't care for neither Matthews nor Olbermann (or however he spells his name). But I don't see either one of them on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's historical speech. I don't see them speaking to large crowds holding up signs calling our President a Nazi, or threatening to kill those they disagree with in Congress. If you can show me any left-wing media hosts that having these kinds of rallies, please enlighten me.

The tea-party movement is not a "grassroots" organization. It was started by and heavily funded by Koch Industries, the third largest polluter on the planet. The "movement" is just another corporate entity.

(Sorry folks, guess I should proof read closer)
Kid, the same could be said for those who wish to preserve the status quo. Many folks who benefit from a massive government sponsored welfare state do not want it to change. Your comment cuts both ways.

Kid, the same could be said for those who with to preserve the status quo. Many folks who benefit from a massive government sponsored welfare state do not want it to change. You comment cuts both ways.

Go to google...enter these words "anti Bush protesters." Then click on images. Enjoy!

the tea party is full of hypocrites. only worried about rights and percieved wasteful spending that affect them personally.

jv92 - please see what I just posted as a follow-up. Trust me, I know there are plenty of left wing crazies, too. But they are not the ones holding rallies at the Lincoln Memorial right now. I almost couldn't believe it when I heard Beck had picked that time and place for his gathering of loons. Total lack of understanding of the historical importance of the site - and a completely inflated view of his own historical importance. None of these crazies really scare me (left or right). What bothers me is that they blindly follow a leader without understanding the issues they are holding signs for. That's happened before in history, and it's never had a good outcome.

bella - I should also say that I don't believe the people interviewed in this YouTube clip are representative of ALL tea party supporters. I think many of the them are conservatives or libertarians that are disillusioned with both parties in power, and specifically with government spending policies. Sadly, their voices are almost drowned out by the crazies like Beck and Palin, who throw out some of the most ignorant and meaningless phrases for a cheap applause. Those that have an actual message, and an alternative to the fiscal policies we have today, should consider starting their own party and distance themselves from the Tea Party movement if they want to be taken seriously. All points of view should have a voice in politics, but lately the microphone seems to be going to whoever shouts the loudest and makes the most offensive remarks.

Bella would like some videos of left wing crazies? I can provide that as well. There are weirdos on both sides equally distributed. Some of the anti-Bush stuff was pretty scary. You weren't afraid of those people were you?

I usually have a lot of respect for grassroots movements. But the inflammatory retoric from SOME within the tea party, and the total lack of knowledge of their followers, is just baffling. Please watch - these are some of the tea partiers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUPMjC9mq....

I'd like to see another Teddy Roosevelt style offshoot of conservatism. That would be something I could get behind.

I would trust a grassroots movement such as this long before I would follow something emanating from Washington. I think people fail to see that the tea party folks really have two uniting concepts of anti-tax and anti-spend and that's it. The tea party folks I've talked to vary so much on the other issues that the only place they converge is financially.

I am for all politicians being one term and done...

Amish -- You want to talk Damage -- look at what the current adminstration is doing, look at what Bush has done. These career politicians are destroying our country. They all need to go. I don't trust anyone in the current establishment. Its guilt by association at this time. We need new blood. People that believe in the foundation of this country and the constitution. Small government, military,and the investment in small business and innovaiton.

There does not seem to be a clear vision of what either party stands for. Their only conviction is beating the other party at any cost. All legislation is controlled and written by special interest groups and our elected officials are officially their whores and salesmen.

If they're going to serve 1 term, they'll be sitting on the sidelines with our President.

Most of these 'Tea Partiers' will be 1 term canidates! Hopefully, the damage won't be permanent.