drifter51
"Learn why The Tea Party movement is a growing force in American politics."
The sprawling Federal government, bailouts & more!
The Tea Party Goes To Washington
2011 nonfiction book by Senator Rand Paul with Jack Hunter
The Tea Party Goes to Washington is a book by United States Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. The book, co-written by radio host, columnist, and blogger Jack Hunter, describes the Tea Party movement's impact in the 2010 midterm elections in the United … see full wiki
Genre:
Government
Publisher:
Center Street
Date Published:
February 22, 2011
1 review about The Tea Party Goes To Washington
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Learn why The Tea Party movement is a growing force in American politics.
-
Aug 12, 2011
- by drifter51
- posted in Public Policy
Rating:
"A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have." ---Thomas Jefferson
+5
Truer words were never spoken. Tea Party members and their supporters know this instinctively. We are seeing it happen right now before our very eyes. Members of the Tea Party are not wild-eyed radicals as they as being portrayed in the mainstream media. Rather, they are the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker who own and operate small businesses all across America. They are also the hard-working individuals who go to work each and every day, pay taxes and obey the law. These people are frightened by the direction President Obama and our leaders in Congress have been taking this country. They have found their voice in the Tea Party. Senator Rand Paul of the great state of Kentucky is a newcomer to politics. When he announced his candidacy he was given little chance of being elected. Senator Paul subscribes to much of what the Tea Party stands for. He firmly believes in a balanced budget and that across-the-board spending cuts are in order. For Rand Paul there are absolutely no sacred cows. Senator Paul makes an impassioned case for a return to fiscal sanity in his new book "The Tea Party Goes To Washington". You will find an abundance of common sense in this volume.
In the pages of "The Tea Party Goes To Washington" Senator Paul reiterates time and again that he does not consider himself to be a leader of the Tea Party movement. While he espouses many of the positions championed by Tea Party members Paul points out that the Tea Party is largely a grass roots movement that has sprung up spontaneously in cities and towns all over the country. There is an old expression that says that "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." Depending on where you are Tea Parties have been formed in reaction to issues like bank bailouts, auto bailouts, mortgage bailouts, stimulus, cap and trade, new business regulations and Obamacare. Some Tea Party groups choose to focus more on state and local issues. Paul points out that there is precious little communication between most of these groups and that by design the movement lacks strong and identifiable leaders. He believes that this is the way that it should be and is confident that the Tea Party will never be co-opted by the existing political establishment.
Throughout his primary and general election campaigns in 2010 Rand Paul was portrayed by his opponents, the political establishment and the mainstream media as some sort of kook who was totally out of touch with average Americans. The voters in his state did not buy it and were ready to move in a new and different direction. In "The Tea Party Goes To Washington" Paul offers up his thinking on how to resolve the current budget mess we are confronting in this country. He is willing to take an ax not only to the social programs that are the darlings of those on the left but also to the bloated military budget that is the sacred cow of those on the right. Currently, military spending by the United States accounts for 45% of the defense spending in the entire world. This is clearly unsustainable! Rand Paul is also opposed to the whole notion of nation-building which he believes has caused the tremendous spike in defense spending over the past decade. Being a practicing physician Rand Paul sees the sheer folly of Obamacare and has a lot to say about it in the book. Clearly he would like to see this ill-advised debacle repealed by the Congress.
Time and again in "The Tea Party Goes To Washington" Rand Paul harkens back to the Founding Fathers for wisdom and guidance. He seems to be particularly fond of Thomas Jefferson. Senator Paul believes that we can extricate ourselves from this mess but that the average citizen has to become more informed and involved in the process. Despite all of the obstacles that they face he believes that the Tea Party will ultimately be successful in their quest to take back this country. These are not just conservative Republicans. The Tea Party includes lots of disaffected Democrats and independents as well who love their country and want to put an end to the abuses that have been heaped upon them from above. They are tired of being labeled as racists, homophobes and mean-spirited. It is becoming increasing clear that the Tea Party movement is gathering steam as we head towards the 2012 elections and that the political establishment in both of the major political parties are scared to death of them. In my view reading "The Tea Party Goes To Washington" would be a great way to get up to speed on all of these substantive issues. If you have high school or college student in your family give them a copy. Likewise if you own a copy pass it on to a neighbor or relative. Spread the word! Unlike a number of other books I have read by politicians "The Tea Party Goes To Washington" is a thoughtful and extremely well written book. Very highly recommended!
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Charley2
August 14, 2011
As a counterpoint to Msrs. Rand's and Hunter's polemic, The Tea Party Goes to Washington, and Drifter51's review of it, the following might be way off base, right on target, or just somewhat interesting. ----This is a short excerpt from the New York Times column of Charles Blow which appeared today (August 13, 2011). It is based on several national opinion polls which were asked August 2-3, 2011, and compared with the results of the same questions asked previously. For those who like to check original sources, the poll data is available on the Times site. Full disclosure requires me to state that the Times is considered part of the lamestream media by at least one politician. ----Says Mr. Blow: "One of those polls was a New York Times/CBS News poll released last week. It found that the percent of people with an unfavorable view of the Tea Party increased by more than a third from the last time the question was asked. Furthermore, the percent of people who considered themselves part of the Tea Party dropped to 18 percent from 26 percent and the percentage who said that the Tea Party had too much influence over the Republican Party increased by more than half, crossing 40 percent for the first time."
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Charley2
August 12, 2011
Just want to add a thought. As you say, "...they [Tea Party people] are the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker who own and operate small businesses all across America. They are also the hard-working individuals who go to work each and every day, pay taxes and obey the law." This also describes nearly all of the Republicans and Democrats I know, have met, or know about. If we all could keep ourselves from seeing ourselves as victims, and if we can somehow work our way through the current age of hypocrisy and pandering, we might all be able to remember that Americans have far more things in common than differences. On a brighter note, as a liberal to moderate Democrat with some moderate Republican instincts, I'd love to see Rand Paul run for President!
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