To utterly despise the Tea Party. Reason number 345 why this so called “movement” is dangerous-and needs to be opposed:
In an exclusive review for Whispers of their plan, FreedomWorks president Matt Kibbe says: “Tea Party activists are willing to tackle progressive CEOs just as they tackled progressive politicians. Judging by the results of the midterm elections, progressive CEOs should buckle up, because Tea Party activists are going to give them a very bumpy ride.”
Center for Public Policy Research’s Free Enterprise Project, added: “Big businesses are now on notice that there is a measurable business risk for actively supporting the Obama, Reid, and Pelosi progressive public policy agenda.”
Their initial focus will be on consumer firms that lobbied for passage of Obama’s agenda items that helped their firms. “We are going after the rent-seeking corporations feeding at the public trough,” said FreedomWorks’ spokesman Adam Brandon.
Umm…….. right. So I presume that DOD contractors will be right at the top of your list to boycott? I didn’t think so.
If you do not find the teabagger point of view very disturbing-especially for a movement that is about “free market solutions”-then you need to have your head examined. Because read this for what it really says, ” Conform to our view point or else!” It’s crap and should be denounced as such.
Phrased another way-we would rather punish your employees for the views of their CEO. Even when the employees have done nothing wrong-except show up for work and do their jobs. I wonder who will be the first to complain when unemployment rises if this is successful.
“But what about the boycotts of Glen Beck and Limbaugh”, you ask? Well to start with-there are more than a couple of differences between the output of Beck et al and what is being challenged at GE and Johnson and Johnson. Beck was proposed for boycott because of verifiable incorrect statements, made with malice of forethought, to attempt to destroy the reputations of individuals. In the case of these companies-it is for excercising their rights ( as reinforced by the Supreme Court) to advocate for a point of view or a candiate. They-by any reasonable standard of inquiry-did not publically attack an individual and skirt the border of the libel laws. And second, by Kibbe’s logic, it is impossible to get behind a policy prescription because : 1) you might actually believe in it and 2) it might actually improve your bottom line. Clearly there must be something more sinister at work. Godless capitalists!
It seems that it is not enough these yahoos won some elections-now they want to ensure that if you do not agree with them, you will be relegated to the outer darkness. I don’t recall that as being one of the aims of the Founding Fathers in forming a democracy and building a Constitution.
The good news is that boycotts seldom seem to work-so GE and Johnson and Johnson are probably still in good shape. A good product with name recognition seems to beat ideology. At least in a proper world it should. Otherwise-all you would see on the road is America cars right? In support of Buy American campaigns? How well did that work? People-myself included- will buy the products they think are best for them, regardless of what side of the aisle their CEO is on.
Nonetheless, it is troubling, because it makes me wonder what is next? Harassmentof that firm’s employees? Demands to divest their shares from 401K’s? Even when- in several cases-the target actually makes sense to buy? And if the company grows it puts American back to work. It will now be a crime to employ Americans? Will someone be thrown out of the GOP for owning GE stock? What about all that nonsense of rugged individualism and building your business?
Sadly this is just the opening round-because our galtian overlords are after even bigger game-namely the creation of a climate of fear and conformity to their belief system. To your everyday tea party moron-freedom is only useful when it is given to their like minded folks. Otherwise, STFB.
Welcome to the 50’s all over again.
Skippy-san,
I wouldn’t worry too much about the Tea Partiers. As much as I loathe the man, Trent Lott was right about them. They’ll get to DC and be co-opted within six months. Moreover, upcoming votes on the debt ceiling and the Bowles-Simpson Commission are going to make them look weapons-grade ridiculous.
And let’s assume for a second that I’m wrong and they survive for more than six months. That’s when they have to start seriously thinking about raising money for their re-election campaigns. Does anyone think that a world-class tool like Matt Kibbe or any of the shitheads at FreedomWorks are going to be listened to when corporate lobbyists start dangling campaign money about? I don’t.
Look, James Carville is wrong and possibly satanically possessed. But he was right about one thing … Washington always wins.
The tea baggers will learn- if not already- resistence is futile. The Borg (AKA Washington, AKA the GOP in this case) will absorb them.
Several years ago when I lived in South GA I had occassion to speak with Rosalyn Carter. I asked her where are the good, honorable, honest people in Washington. She thought a moment and replied that she and Jimmy had discussed and considered the question many times and had concluded most people came to Washington with good intentions to serve and improve the country; but once they get to Washington they are unable to resist the temptations. My prediction is the Tea Baggers will succomb to temtations faster than most because my take is their agenda is basically protect what they already have. Nothing else. Assimlation will be rapid and easy.
Governments, if they endure, always tend increasingly toward aristocratic forms. No government in history has been known to evade this pattern. And as the aristocracy develops, government tends more and more to act exclusively in the interests of the ruling class — whether that class be hereditary royalty, oligarchs of financial empires, or entrenched bureaucracy.
Politics as Repeat Phenomenon: Bene Gesserit Training Manual
Good government never depends upon laws, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. The machinery of government is always subordinate to the will of those who administer that machinery. The most important element of government, therefore, is the method of choosing leaders.
Law and Governance The Spacing Guild Manual
Richard. From Dune per chance.
Wherever from I agree with both posts
There are problems in this universe for which there are no answers. Nothing. Nothing can be done.
Paul Muad’dib
Dune it is…
Grreat book(s). Thougt I recognized the quote.
Herbert wrote some good stuff.
Funny, I guess you libprogs fully support your close pals who protest the G20 meetings by smashing, trashing, attacking and setting fire to stuff. That seems to be the libprog way. Haters that you all are.
Watch this…… I like Sarah Palin and think she is smart and cool.
Thank you for proving your stupidity,
See how that worked? libprogs just can’t help themselves.
Let’s try again.
Palin is demonstrably smarter, cuter and more human than Obama!
Umm no. She is, however, a worthless whore. Or as Ed Rollins put it:
Ms. Palin, serious stuff needs to be accomplished in Washington.
If you want to be a player, go to school and learn the issues. Put smart people around you and listen to them. If you want to be taken seriously, be serious. You’ve already got your own forum. If you want to be a serious presidential candidate, get to work. If you want to be an imitator of Ronald Reagan, go learn something about him and respect his legacy.
WATCH THIS!
Even cooler!
Sarah Palin is to the left of JFK on every aspect of national policy!!!!