# Tea Partiers pissed at GOP **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 2, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152 "2011-01-02T18:18:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/61 "2011-01-04T04:40:01Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > You think you got parental issues? Did your folks name you “Grover”? Obviously a bunch of Muppet Fuckers. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/62 "2011-01-04T04:52:24Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Saying you are going to fix the deficit by cutting government waste is like saying you’re going to fix the energy crisis by eliminating friction. That was rather beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/63 "2011-01-04T23:57:09Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Dude, I’ve **interviewed** Grover Norquist. He’s a weird guy to be in a room with. In a “bad touch!” kind of way? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/64 "2011-01-05T00:43:27Z")
In a ‘true believer’ sort of way. I’m not the most lefty or righty guy on earth but it was clear that, for all of him, I was an arch liberal member of the media that he had to tolerate. Weird. Weird to be with and weird to interview. ---
**Author:** ![padabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@padabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/padabe)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/65 "2011-01-05T01:56:18Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Saying you are going to fix the deficit by cutting government waste is like saying you’re going to fix the energy crisis by … Ya know, I thought you were going to say, “encouraging people to check their tire pressure.” And didn’t Obama campaign on cutting waste? I seem to recall promises about having people go through the books with a fine-toothed comb in the name of a balanced budget. Was he being dishonest? Naive? Insincere? Stupid? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/66 "2011-01-05T02:29:14Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > You think you got parental issues? Did your folks name you “Grover”? Better than Elmo, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/67 "2011-01-05T02:29:44Z")
> [@padabe](#): > > And didn’t Obama campaign on cutting waste? Did he? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/68 "2011-01-05T02:43:36Z")
Oh, hell, they all do! Its a “gimmee”, a note of political music you can sing that everyone likes to hear, esp. people who tend a bit conservative. Doesn’t cost anything, doesn’t commit you to anything, and may score a few hundred thousand votes. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/69 "2011-01-05T04:18:19Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think we have seen the peak of the Tea Party. They will make a lot of racket in 2012, and then we won’t hear much about them after that. Depends if the financial backers of the “movement” decide to re-animate it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/70 "2011-01-05T06:52:51Z")
> [@padabe](#): > > Ya know, I thought you were going to say, “encouraging people to check their tire pressure.” Anyone who isn’t a total moron knows that under-inflated tires do waste gas. Why not go after the low-hanging fruit? > [@](#): > > And didn’t Obama campaign on cutting waste? I seem to recall promises about having people go through the books with a fine-toothed comb in the name of a balanced budget. Was he being dishonest? Naive? Insincere? Stupid? Do you know this didn’t happen? And, please give me a cite to where he promised to balance the budget this year, or even next. Of course trying to balance the budget in a financial crisis worked really great for Herbert Hoover, so we should try it again. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/71 "2011-01-05T08:44:40Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Obviously a bunch of Muppet Fuckers. Tell that to Kermit Roosevelt’s dad. I dare you. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/72 "2011-01-05T14:31:36Z")
> [@padabe](#): > > And didn’t Obama campaign on cutting waste? No. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/73 "2011-01-05T14:57:52Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > No. Are you joking? 1. “Absolutely, we need earmark reform. And when I’m president, I will go line by line to make sure that we are not spending money unwisely.” 2. Promises to appoint a [Chief Performance Officer](http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/01/obama_targets_b_1.html) to cut waste 3. [Reducing Unnecessary Spending Act of 2010](http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/blog/10/05/24/Reducing-Unnecessary-Spending) 4. [Cancels](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/science/02nasa.html) plan to return to the moon 5. [One hundred twenty six](http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2011/assets/trs.pdf) programs cut in this year’s budget Granted, he didn’t go off the deep end and promise to cut $100 billion from the budget, but Obama most certainly did promise to cut “waste.” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/74 "2011-01-05T15:06:32Z")
Other than (1), all of that occurred _after_ the election. I don’t think one quote about earmarks means “he campaigned on cutting waste”. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/75 "2011-01-05T15:29:43Z")
This isn’t going to help the GOP with the tea partiers: [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/us/politics/05fiscal.html?ref=politics](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/us/politics/05fiscal.html?ref=politics) Looks like the $100 billion in savings is down to $50 or $60 billion, and it’s only the first day of the new term. Is that record time for breaking a campaign pledge? However, this may help them: [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/business/economy/05letters.html?ref=politics](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/business/economy/05letters.html?ref=politics) The title is “G.O.P. Asks Businesses Which Rules to Rewrite”, which looks like it was lifted directly from the Onion or the Simpsons (I think Mayor Quimby had a similar rule when Hollywood was coming to town). I have to imagine the title is somewhat misleading, but it’s too much fun just to assume the worst. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/76 "2011-01-05T15:54:55Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Looks like the $100 billion in savings is down to $50 or $60 billion, and it’s only the first day of the new term. Is that record time for breaking a campaign pledge? Even in this election cycle, that award would go to Rand “Well, I hate earmarks except in my own district” Paul. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/77 "2011-01-05T16:26:45Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Even in this election cycle, that award would go to Rand “Well, I hate earmarks except in my own district” Paul. Well, I’m sure he’ll do the right thing and resign. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/78 "2011-01-05T17:37:37Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Other than (1), all of that occurred _after_ the election. I don’t think one quote about earmarks means “he campaigned on cutting waste”. “And that’s why I think it’s important for the president to set a tone that says all of us are going to contribute, all of us are going to make sacrifices, and it means that, yes, we may have to cut some spending, although I disagree with Sen. McCain about an across-the- board freeze. That’s an example of an unfair burden sharing. That’s using a hatchet to cut the federal budget. I want to use a scalpel so that people who need help are getting help and those of us, like myself and Sen. McCain, who don’t need help, aren’t getting it.” Debate, 10/7/2008 “But there is no doubt that we’ve been living beyond our means and we’re going to have to make some adjustments. Now, what I’ve done throughout this campaign is to propose a net spending cut. … And some of the cuts, just to give you an example, we spend $15 billion a year on subsidies to insurance companies. It doesn’t – under the Medicare plan – it doesn’t help seniors get any better. It’s not improving our health care system. It’s just a giveaway. We need to eliminate a whole host of programs that don’t work. And I want to go through the federal budget line by line, page by page, programs that don’t work, we should cut. Programs that we need, we should make them work better.” Debate, 10/15/2008 Too bored to look up other examples. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/79 "2011-01-05T18:40:20Z")
All spending is equivalent to waste now? I presume you don’t feel that way about your salary. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152/80 "2011-01-05T19:21:12Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Depends if the financial backers of the “movement” decide to re-animate it or not. WRT a great many of the Tea Party’s members, by 2012 “re-animate” will require a literal interpretation. But that should be no problem for Rove. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tea-partiers-pissed-at-gop/566152.md?page=5)