Where was the "Tea Party" movement before now?
That was the incredulous, sniping demand of CNN "news" anchor Tony Harris, who gives almost as much opinion as news.
Harris was interviewing an organizer of the Tea Party Express -- a caravan that will ride from Sacramento, Calif., to Washington, D.C., to dramatize growing concern among many Americans about the out-of-control federal government.
Harris and Co. don't get it, largely because they don't want to get it. They want to couch this brewing revolt as a partisan thing, as an anti-Obama thing -- as anything other than the sincere, grass-roots uprising that it is.
Thus, his demand of the tea partiers: Where were you during the Bush administration?
There's a good answer, if you care Tony.
For one thing, many of us have had this on our radar screens for years and years. Armfuls of books about Washington's spending and America's impending financial disaster have been written. And this editorial page has featured a constant drumbeat of warnings -- including emphatic complaints and lamentations about George W. Bush's nightmarish fiscal mismanagement.
Both parties are to blame.
For another thing, this current sense of urgency that has given rise to the Tea Party movement only occurred last fall with the economic collapse -- and was inspired by a CNBC commentator's fiery rant just this year. It has taken time for many Americans to see what the others have been talking about for so long.
In addition, desperate concerns and anger about the direction of the country were aimed at Bush and his administration as he shepherded through the TARP bailouts and led us on a path of taking over General Motors. So, Tony, it's not like this just came up yesterday because Obama took office.
Moreover, would Harris rather have seen these protests occur last January, as Obama was taking the reins of power? Or would he have argued, rightly, that Obama deserved an opportunity to straighten things out?
Barack Obama preached hope and change. He did deserve a chance to fix things.
But many Americans are coming to see that his unprecedented spending, his plan to bail out irresponsible mortgage holders, his ineffective and wildly irresponsible stimulus plan, and his government-centric philosophy are making things worse -- especially for our progeny.
Not everyone is dismissing the concerns that are leading to passionate town hall meetings on health care and to tea party rallies across the nation. Arizona Sen. John McCain says he sees the seeds of a "peaceful revolution ... There is a grass-roots uprising the likes of which I have never seen."
Some want desperately to believe that this is about anything else but what it is: It's about us and our children.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
I am a middle of the road Southern Democratic supporter and I am against the Healthcare 'reform'
I'm an American and against the Democratic Party. I've yet to see them do anything worthwhile.
I served in the cold war to stop socialism and communism, and I'll be damned if I will welcome it with open arms.
I'm a brain dead mindless Rush Limbaugh/Glenn Beck follower and reader of the Augusta Chronicle opinion free non-biased Editorials. Where should I show up to Yell the Loudest??? I don't know what I'm so mad about, but it feels good.
OK fred, editorials are supposed to be opinion based. That is why it is listed under OPINIONS, DUH! What a flaming pinko liberal!
I will agree that the problem is a bilateral problem, but I also agree with the quiestion, where WERE the teaparties when the Bush administration raised the deficit to it's highest levels up until then? Where were the cries from Republicans for responsibility in government? Tigger, tell me, "are the prisons closed? Aren't there any work houses? Then maybe they should all die, and further decrease the surplus population!" Dickens; A Christmas Carol
Typical sourgrapes by a typical southern editorial writer, yawn...
overburdened, they are opinions but they aren't supposed to be lies. The tea party movement is totally a right wing movement. The editorial says it is not partisan that is what I don't like the blatant lies. I welcome the ACES supporting tea parties if that choose. But you can't do a hit piece on CNN for asking a legitimate questions of why now after years of overspending and also act if tea parties are some bipartinsan grassroots movement.
That's what I'm talking about Overburdened. Now call President Obama a racist and you're feel a lot better! May your funeral never appear in the Augusta Chronicle's Editorial Cartoon!
Research the passage of the Social Security Act and the same ole tired language will appear. Tea Parties are a joke because there are few minorities attending. Get some minorities and then U got something because heres what ol' Tony wanted to say: If GWB was responsible for wasting our dollars, killing our children, running up debts, faking security info-Why was he re-elected? So the truth is: Teabaggers/ACES failed to hold their elected officials accountable and NOW want us to believe that they were against Bush's policies. U can't re-write history with dishonesty and until there are significant numbers of minorities recruited, these tea gatherings are merely proxy meetings of U know who. Starts with a K...
Justus---your hate comes thru in everything you write. Like the UNCF ad says "A mind is a terrible thing to waste".
''Us and our children'' will do the same as the past ''us and our children '' did. We will pay our taxes and let the people' WE' voted into office, do thier job! Tony Harris, was right to ask the question, where were the teabaggers, for the past eight years.Let's just call this what it is, the ones that are , saying that the president should, and,. could have cleaned up this mess, that the country is in, in seven months is insane. The only reason 'YOU' and others like you are so bitter is, you thought that you would not live to see a black man in the white house, that ''blacks'' built!! Tough" It is only fitting! It is past time for, you people to realize, that there are qualified black people to run this country, better than the last president!So stop complaining, and pray that he continue to do the best, that he can for the country, and the people!!
Keep up, Chronicle. The Republicans have advanced to something more modern. They're holding sock hops now.
1941; dare we ask that you factually show one good thing for America that Obumbler has done since the election; instead of the tiresome 'GET OVER IT" racist mentality when you and those who support the empty suit can think of nothing positive to say about his madness.
The libs can't tell us why we should support the incompetent prezbho and also tell us what he has done for OUR great country but they sure want to tell everyone and anyone why they shouldn't disagree with anything prezbho and admin says and does.
This TEA only started brewing in November of 08 and January of 09, LOL get real, if a republican was president the tea would still be on the shelf.
LOL @ our great county convertedsoutherner I guess you want your country baaaaccck like that lady from Delaware. How many of you (including you convertedsoutherner) go to bed angry and wake up with anger everyday and nite that Obama's president? I wonder how many white people who don't like him have ulcers, heart trouble, take sleeping pills, cry at nite, pray for his death, etc they need to do a survey/poll on that.
"who gives almost as much opinion as news." I guess I'll just have to watch Faux, they never do that. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Again and still libs can't tell anyone about the great things prezbho has done for OUR great country while they continue to whine and complain about anyone that disagrees with the incompetent prezbho. Just like prezbho 'all ramblings with no substance'.
Read these post and all the others ones posted today. People on both sides - See that dark cloud rolling in over the horizon. It is almost here. God help us!
convertedsouthener why don't you tell us what he's done LOL, evidently you must know something you keep asking, is there something he's done that you know of and are proud of tell us. Did you sleep well last night? are you walking around today (another one) angry that Obama's president, how's your heart? is your blood pressure up, have you been checked for an ulcer, how's your health since November 08 and January 09?
Actually, I cannot recall any continuous complaining about Bush's budget from the AC. Once in a while, maybe, a few half-hearted comments about it, but that's about it. These tea parties are purely political and purely silly.
The fact of the matter is this...Bush's defict with the catastrophe of 911 and 2 wars was 498 billion at the end of his term. Nobama's deficit has sky rocketed to 1.8 trillion in just less than a year, and he wants to spend even more. Tea party smea party...people should march on DC!!
The Tea Parties began when the teleprompter-reading empty suit revealed to this nation that his campaign promises were lies. Everything that he has proposed has failed, and his "Change" theme is to change from capitalism to socialism, and the kool-aid drinking voters with some semblance of intelligence have sobered up, and now reject Prezbho's policies. Bowing to Muslim Leaders, and apologizing for the actions of this country to our enemies will not be tolerated by true Americans. He will need to appoint aa new Czar in 2012, and that will be the "Packing Up" Czar in charge of moving the incompetent and his family out of the White House.
Yes, white against white, black against black, white against black, black against white, democrates against democrates, republicans against republicans, democrates against republicans, republicans against democrates, liberials against liberials, conseritives against conseritives, liberials against conseritives, conseritives against liberials, constitution against constitution, religion against religion, money against money, freedom against freedom. God almighty, the civil war was never this bad when it started. What can be done to save this once great nation?
55 F-100, "and his family out of the White House". You really don't like that type of family there do you. They don't have anything to do with it.
Democratic posters on here keep saying "where were the tea parties when Bush was in office". Seems to me if the democratics thought Bush was doing such a terrible job...WHY WEREN"T THEY HAVING TEA PARTIES themselves and complaining. If you sat back on your butt and didn't let your voice be heard...that's your fault. Just because almost half of the American people are upset and do not approve of the health care bill, are speaking out about it, some reason that has become unAmerican??
concernednative, you only read the last sentence, you are almost as bad as justus4.
inchrist the same could be said for you and the republicans where were you when Bush was doing such a terrible job? you weren't having tea parties and complaining, when he was president wasn't you still a republican, so again where were you? and surely you mean the REPUBLICAN half are upset right? I personally think Bush was a good president, I voted for him twice the only thing I didn't like was how NUTTY looking he looked at times (his facial expression) and doofusness LOL.
ACES, your paper is about to go belly up and yet you still insult the intelligence of the local population. Do you really want to hasten your demise? You'd best move on to Columbia County in your reconstruction efforts, and change your name. Augusta is ashamed and tired of you.