The World According to Oatney

The Road To Nowhere?

By engaging in behavior that can only be characterized as childish and politically naive, the so-called leaders of the Tennessee Tea Party show us why the national Tea Party may be on the political rise, but in our State the movement seems to be dying a slow and painful death. Tea Partiers made complete fools of themselves a year ago this week at the State Capitol, with many screaming "kill the bill" while the House Industrial Impact Subcommittee was conducting a hearing on what would eventually become the Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act-a bill the Tea Party supported. Protestors nearly rioted in the hallway when the hearing was delayed a week after the bill was amended in subcommittee, which is standard operating procedure in many House committees. One of the so-called leaders of the Knoxville Tea Party shouting at Tennessee Eagle Forum President Bobbie Patray-one of the bulwarks of the conservative movement in this State.

The shame of the behavior of some in the local Tea Party folks is that so many of us agree with their basic ideas and have been preaching many of these concepts for many years ourselves. The arrival of the Tea Party made us believe that people were finally waking up to see what we've been saying. However, it matters little how "right" a person is if their "correct" political beliefs are accompanied by a lack of knowledge, a lack of respect for others, and an unwillingness to learn how the business of government works-and could work to all of our benefit.

Labels: Conservatism, Local politics, News Media, Republican Party, Tennessee politics

posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 4:47 PM