# Where the Hell Is the Tea Party? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 15, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262 "2013-10-15T00:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/1 "2013-10-15T00:02:44Z")
Isn’t this the time? Shouldn’t we expect them to be rallying in huge throngs? Shouldn’t we see Fox slavishly drooling over massive crowds of dull-normal protesters? And what do we get? [http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/10/14/2776491/veterans-march-shutdown/](http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/10/14/2776491/veterans-march-shutdown/) Looks like Cruz and Palin couldn’t get their own rally, so they stole one! Seriously, wouldn’t you expect them to have their own shin-dig and invite the vets to it? Where’s the big ass touring buses, the professionally managed lighting and sound? And what about that massive truckdriver’s protest? Epic fail. > **[Truckers Protest Looks Like A Day 1 Bust](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/truckers-ride-for-the-constitution_n_4086156)** > > Truckers Protest Looks Like A Day 1 Bust Didn’t anybody stop to wonder how many ordinary over-the-road truckers could take time off and buy their own gas? Who’s dumbass idea was this? Anyway, in other threads, I’ve pointed out this seeming dearth of activity. I suggested other people look up their local Tea Party and see whats cooking, or not. Around here, in the People’s Republic of Minnesota, I found a film being shown at a local library about the evils of collectivism. Pulse pounding. Where’d they go? With so many people being polled who claim to be part of it, where are the millions and millions of seething morans? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/2 "2013-10-15T00:11:38Z")
The Tea Party that can be described is not the true Tea Party. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/3 "2013-10-15T00:25:49Z")
The Tea Party will appear when it suits them. [sub]…get it? “suits them to a Tea” ? huh? huh? Screw you, that’s funny.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Werekoala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7993a0/32.png) [@Werekoala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Werekoala)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/4 "2013-10-15T00:27:58Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Where’d they go? With so many people being polled who claim to be part of it, where are the millions and millions of seething morans? Getting exactly what they want, a partial government shutdown. Also, enjoying driving people like you nuts. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/5 "2013-10-15T00:30:34Z")
By shutting up and going away? Oh, the agony! ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/6 "2013-10-15T00:37:02Z")
Plenty of groups and meetups around here: [http://tea-party-patriots.meetup.com/cities/us/ca/irvine/](http://tea-party-patriots.meetup.com/cities/us/ca/irvine/) [http://tea-party.meetup.com/cities/us/ca/irvine/](http://tea-party.meetup.com/cities/us/ca/irvine/) Massive rallies? Nope - just some meetings it appears. Some of these folks were really into it (I know one of them), and still identify themselves that way. They have worked on taking over the local Republican party organizing committee, running for city level offices, etc. They are your basic angry Republicans - not sure what percentage they represent, but they are out there still. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/7 "2013-10-15T00:40:40Z")
So, got any pics to share from that Patriotic Singles shindig? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/8 "2013-10-15T00:41:07Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > **Where the Hell Is the Tea Party?** That is a more serious and important question than you know (but only because “tea” is an old slang term for marijuana). ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/9 "2013-10-15T00:46:08Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > So, got any pics to share from that Patriotic Singles shindig? To clear the air - I am not a tea party member. I just did a quick Google search to see what stuff might exist around here. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/10 "2013-10-15T00:47:56Z")
My guess is that they went back into their local groups much like the Perot 19 did (the 19% of the nation that voted for Ross). They got agitated, active, did some rallies and meetings, and then gave up when they realized that they were getting lots of attention but no real support (cue Le Miz and the students at the barricades). ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/11 "2013-10-15T01:42:08Z")
They heard a gay black doctor was about to give a white woman an abortion somewhere in Texas. So they all scurried down there to protest the event. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/12 "2013-10-15T02:32:29Z")
> [@Werekoala](#): > > Getting exactly what they want, a partial government shutdown. Well, [the ranchers in South Dakota don’t like it too much](http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-dead-cattle-20131012,0,3708892.story?page=1). But they’re all Commies, y’know. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/13 "2013-10-15T02:47:38Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Anyway, in other threads, I’ve pointed out this seeming dearth of activity. I suggested other people look up their local Tea Party and see whats cooking, or not. Around here, in the People’s Republic of Minnesota, I found a film being shown at a local library about the evils of collectivism. Pulse pounding. Collectivism? Seriously? You couldn’t pay to go to something like this even if I were a conservative. And therein lies one of the many problems with the Tea Party. Honestly, how many people are really losing sleep over or otherwise give a shit about collectivism. Instead of focusing on real problems, these clowns are just pushing an array of boogiemen, strawmen and bullshit issues. And more and more people are finally starting to see through the bullshit. It’s not a matter of if, but when these assholes will finally bloviate themselves into irrelevance. ---
**Author:** ![Werekoala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7993a0/32.png) [@Werekoala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Werekoala)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/14 "2013-10-15T03:27:48Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Well, [the ranchers in South Dakota don’t like it too much](http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-dead-cattle-20131012,0,3708892.story?page=1). But they’re all Commies, y’know. Tough. A further example of how out of whack this country has become when “tough, resilient, salt-of-the-earth” ranchers in the heart of the far West can’t face difficulties without whining about not getting help from Washington. If I’m not mistaken, based on some of your prior posts, you should be happy about the fact that those red-state leeches aren’t siphoning off more of your precious Federal tax dollars anyway, so what’s your gripe? Although I’ve heard interviews with a couple of ranchers who basically said that it sucks, but fuck Washington, so that’s a better (and more widespread I’d wager) point of view out there. Also, this is about where the Tea Party has vanished to, and your link provides no indication that the man interviewed is a Tea Party member, so it’s unrelated and irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/15 "2013-10-15T03:58:20Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > And therein lies one of the many problems with the Tea Party. Honestly, how many people are really losing sleep over or otherwise give a shit about collectivism. Too few, but that’s all to the good. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/16 "2013-10-15T05:36:40Z")
> [@Werekoala](#): > > Tough. A further example of how out of whack this country has become when “tough, resilient, salt-of-the-earth” ranchers in the heart of the far West can’t face difficulties without whining about not getting help from Washington. You realize that the Federal government has propped up welfare cowboys for the past 50+ years, right? And that you’re basically pining for the glory days preceding the Great Depression? And that, heck, the Feds have been involved in agriculture since the 1800s - witness the agricultural land grant colleges set up. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/17 "2013-10-15T05:54:53Z")
Heck, the USDA is on furlough! They can just pick up the frozen corpses, load them on trucks and they’ll be the Mystery Meat in our school lunches by next Wednesday! ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/18 "2013-10-15T06:32:34Z")
I guess I missed all the big liberal protests going on lately. I was greatly amused by the idea of the Tea Party truck protest. It reminded me of IOZ’s sardonic plea to dissidents to do something that could actually affect something, like driving slowly in the left lane. ---
**Author:** ![Honesty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f04885/32.png) [@Honesty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honesty)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/19 "2013-10-15T06:37:21Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Heck, the USDA is on furlough! They can just pick up the frozen corpses, load them on trucks and they’ll be the Mystery Meat in our school lunches by next Wednesday! That’s not funny. How can markets still sell meat if its not being inspected by the government? Are we supposed to think that these private companies are going to “self-regulate” their meat inspection procedures? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262/20 "2013-10-15T06:40:11Z")
> [@Honesty](#): > > That’s not funny. How can markets still sell meat if its not being inspected by the government? Are we supposed to think that these private companies are going to “self-regulate” their meat inspection procedures? Well, it worked out so well with the banks, so why not? What could possibly go wrong? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-the-hell-is-the-tea-party/671262.md?page=2)