This, from Thomas Friedman in today’s New York Times:
The Tea Kettle movement can’t have a positive impact on the country because it has both misdiagnosed America’s main problem and hasn’t even offered a credible solution for the problem it has identified. How can you take a movement seriously that says it wants to cut government spending by billions of dollars but won’t identify the specific defense programs, Social Security, Medicare or other services it’s ready to cut — let alone explain how this will make us more competitive and grow the economy?
And how can you take seriously a movement that sat largely silent while the Bush administration launched two wars and a new entitlement, Medicare prescription drugs — while cutting taxes — but is now, suddenly, mad as hell about the deficit and won’t take it anymore from President Obama? Say what? Where were you folks for eight years?
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I agree 100%, and am thrilled someone has the guts to say so. The Tea Party wants to be taken seriously. Its members insist they are not nuts, but genuine patriots interested in taking back “our” country. Fine—give me ideas. Real ideas, not blather about no new taxes and reduced spending. Tell me how we’re going to pay for things and cut taxes? Do you want to get rid of all social programs?
And Friedman’s right—where was this anger when Bush got us into the mess? Why are you so angry now?
