CAN THE TEA PARTY SURVIVE?
by Jo Fox Burr

The final for our college biology course on evolution presented us with an imaginary creature. Using the rules of evolution, we had to determine if it could survive. Lately I’ve found myself wondering if there were a similar set of rules for determining the survivability of the Tea Party. While evolutionary rules could be a factor, the complexity of human thought complicates the issue beyond my ability to use them. So I am left with my instincts and they say there is no way such a party could survive in the long run, but it could cause rather extensive damage as it blows itself out.

Except for the level of anger that permeates the group, I have had a hard time sorting out what the Tea Party is about. That alone would seem to be a factor in its durability. I know you can find birthers, people believing Obama is a Muslim, and those simply crippled by raging prejudices among its members. What they stand for was harder to discern – that is until a contingent of Tea Party activists from Knox County, Maine succeeded in getting their version of a Republican Party platform passed. In reading this document, it seems clear that the philosophy it espouses is essentially self-destructive.

First, there is Climate Change. The platform calls for the defeat of Cap and Trade, an investigation into the collusion between government and industry to spread word about the global warming “myth,” and prosecution of any illegal collusion. Well clearly there was prosecutable collusion between government and industry on this issue – during the Bush years. However, the collusion was not to promulgate the myth of global warming, but to squash the truly incontrovertible fact that humans are causing climate change. Thousands of scientists world wide have come to this conclusion, yet the Tea Party chooses to believe the few who disagree. Why? Well, perhaps it is because believing otherwise would require them to make sacrifices and they simply do not want to do this. Should they succeed in diverting efforts to fix the problem, climate change will happen with a vengeance that even they could not deny.

Second, there is their desire to ultimately eliminate the Federal Reserve. In fact, they are generally against most government regulations. Well, the lack of regulatory overview is what brought us the Savings and Loan debacle, the Wall Street banking debacle, a number of mine disasters, and more than likely the massive Gulf oil spill. Without the Fed, our economy would just go into free fall and the only body left to do anything about it would be Congress – whom the Tea Party hates.

Then they want to seal all borders. For Maine, which depends heavily upon trade with Canada, this could have serious economic implications. Would no Tea Partiers be negatively impacted?

I was particularly disturbed with their assertion that “Freedom of Religion” does not mean “freedom from religion.” This sounds an awful lot like the doctrines of the Taliban. Hey wait, will we need a regulatory body to ensure we go to church?

The provision calling for the passage of a “Read the Bill” act which they felt would insure clarity and eliminate corruption associated with earmarks, etc was interesting. Just how would this be implemented? Would there be minders watching or test questions before being allowed to vote? Who would be the regulator here? Get real! According to many sources, sufficient copies of the Tea Party Platform were not made available for review before it was voted upon. From the get-go, they themselves do not measure up to their own standards.

This platform leaves me thinking that Tea Partiers are more like children throwing temper tantrums than adults trying to find practical, reasonable solutions to very real and serious problems. Fear and anger do not generally generate rational ideas that stand the test of time. Yet they can generate some very destructive passions that are hard to control. Many who approved this platform never read it. Why? Because party regulars feared the backlash of this impassioned group.

With the Democratic victories both nationally and locally in 2008, our hopes were raised to what were probably unrealistic heights. What Bush left behind was more disastrous than we imagined. In reality, it is amazing that we have accomplished what we have in just over a year. Should the Tea Partiers bring about significant Republican gains in 2010, I believe they will only self-destruct and lose these gains by 2012. But just think about the damage they could do in the meantime. We must find a way to reenergize ourselves. Fear and anger cannot be allowed to trump hope.

FUND RAISING
We are still raffling a Kindle 2 from now until the Kitsap Central Committee Picnic on August 15th. Please contact Ginger Sommerhauser if you are interested in buying tickets. They are $5 each.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Kitsap Co. Dem. Women
Date: May 26th (Wednesday)
Time: 11:30 am lunch; 12:30
Meeting Place: Old Town Bistro, Upstairs; 3388 NW Byron St, Silverdale
Speaker: Christine Rolfes, 23rd LD Rep.
 

Kitsap Co. Dem. Central Com.
Date: May 17th (Monday)
Time: 6 pm dessert; 7 pm meeting
Place: Fairgrounds Events Ctr.
Purpose: County Nominating Conv.
Speaker: Russ Hauge, Kit. Co. Prosecutor
 

26th Legislative District
Date: June 1st (Tuesday)
Time: 7-9 pm
Place: Kitsap Rm, Givens Comm. Ctr; 1026 Sidney Rd, Pt. Orch.
 

NEXT KCDW MEETING – MAY 26TH
Focusing on the 23rd LD this month, we will have Rep. Christine Rolfes as our speaker. Rep. Sherry Appleton (23rd LD) will be out of town, but we hope to hear from her at our picnic.

KCDW ANNUAL PICNIC – JUNE 19TH
This year’s picnic will be at Jo Fox Burr’s house. Starting at noon, we will ask you to bring a salad or a dessert. We are charging $5 to cover cost. More info. will follow.

IN MEMORY OF 3 KCDW MEMBERS
In the past 2-3 months we have unfortunately lost three of our members; Muffy Pickel, an outstanding former Mason Co. School Superintendent of Education; Gerri Grimm, a very loyal and active Democrat; and Reta Short, an active long time member and accomplished writer. We will miss them all.

Jo Fox Burr, Newsletter Editor - 360-613-4042; foxburr@comcast.net

“Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.” Mahatma Gandhi