The PTB in a party sharpening their knives against those who would disagree. Who coulda anticipated.

… Fox News has tossed the Tea Parties al lot of free PR to co-opt their “fiscal responsibility” message, as if George Bush hadn’t been on the biggest drunken spending spree in the history of the federal government. They certainly weren’t aiming to hand the party over to the rabble, just give it an image overhaul. No doubt the long knives are being sharpened right now …

If we consider FN to be a branch of the Republican party quasi-officially, then certainly the Tea Party in Nevada is going to have its tea supply cut short by FN if they threaten Republicans. The Democrats did this with Nader and the Greens.

For my part, I simply deeply want to see Harry Reid handed his hat and told to hit the highway. Harry is part of the have-no-hope-for-a-better-future faction of the Democratic party, a shining example of how the party has largely been co-opted by deep-pocketed special interests. The best outcome in the Nevada election will be a Democratic party lacking one more Harry Reid. Maybe with 30 such elections the party will become useful to progressive activists and the model of real representative democracy again.

Who said Nader and the Greens were Democrats? In at least some states, the Republicans bought the Greens.

But why would the Tea Party split from the GOP, right after their happy Nashville convention headlined by Sarah Palin?

I think that the convention got a lot less happy when Palin suggested that the TeaPartiers should be co-opted into the R party.

I’m a bit confused by the title. It’s clear that the NV Tea Party is breaking with Republicans, but I don’t see where they’re breaking with Glenn Beck. I only see that they have some cause to be skeptical (re: Deborah Medina).

The Teabaggers are irrational and so the Repug Party so it seems as if they should all steep together. There is probably some big rich Vegas whacko with some money behind this.

Could the Tea Party Candidate have won the GOP Primary the Tea Baggers are exactly the kind of motivated voters to show up in off year election Primary.

It’s OT, but when either of us say “Nader and the Greens” we need to specify “Nader during which election” and “Greens during which election”.

Anyway, the Democrats burned Nader to the ground and the Greens as well not because of the use of Republican funds by either in campaigns or the willingness to work with Republicans but because Nader and the Greens both represented (past tense) a direct threat to the stranglehold the Democrats have over liberal/leftist/progressive voters and activists. Without anywhere to turn, every two years the only thing the Democrats have to do is trot out lesser-evilism again and again and again and …

Sorry for going OT here Jane, but the Breaking News on CNN (via the NYT):

Secret Joint Raid Captures Taliban’s Top Commander

The Taliban’s top military commander was captured several days ago in Karachi, Pakistan, in a secret joint operation by Pakistani and American intelligence forces, according to American government officials.

The commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, is an Afghan described by American officials as the most significant Taliban figure to be detained since the American-led war in Afghanistan started more than eight years ago. He ranks second in influence only to Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban’s founder and a close associate of Osama bin Laden before the Sept. 11 attacks.

Mullah Baradar has been in Pakistani custody for several days, with American and Pakistani intelligence officials both taking part in interrogations, according to the officials…

I’m guessing there’s no Miranda warning being given. If that’s alright with Senator Kit Bond.

No doubt the long knives are being sharpened right now.

Yep – the R’s need to do some brain surgery, but how do they actually co-opt the teapartiers without alienating them?

I prefer the term tantō instead of long knives. It’s pretty obvious that they’re committing political suicide here.

Are the Tea Baggers throwing the GOP election as a favor to Harry?

Let the chips fall where they may.

Speaking of Greens, any challenge from Harry’s left in NV this year?

What is the difference between Al Quieda and the Taliban?

There’s this thing called teh google.

I’d sure like to see if any of Harry Reid’s capacious warchest has gone the TeaParty’s way in Nevada. It’s happened before elsewhere.

Are the GOP Primary candidates so far Left that the Tea Baggers felt they had to leave the party?

Foreign and domestics.

Remembering Siuns post noting pentagon or DOD estimated about 100 Al Q in Afghanistan the week Obama announced his surge.

Can I have some of what you’re imbibing? *g*

If they both hang with Ossama, probaly both get money and weapons from Ossama I’m thinking the differences are semantics.
Ossama has outside contacts for guns and cash the Taliban didn’t have to many friends except Pakistani intelligence who also helped set up Ossama.

Yep – the R’s need to do some brain surgery, but how do they actually co-opt the teapartiers without alienating them?

Very carefully. The Republicans may have long knives, but some of the Tea Party base is better equipped. And we know how that ends.

It’s really even more than that.

Al Qaeda means “the base” and is mostly politically motivated, although there are roots in conservative/radical Islam.

Talib means “student” where Taliban is plural. Those folks are entirely religiously based, yet politics and violence are the way they do business.

Much like Neocons are related to, but not entirely, with the Branch Davidians. Anyways, that’s how I think of it.

Speaking of imbibing, its time to stretch out a bit and I think tonight I’ll make a stretching date with a bottle of rotted grape juice, at least until it is time to make dinner for The Missus. Ah, Presidents Day! Ah, Presidents! They’re enough to drive a Seymour to drink -

So the Taliban are FBI, Al Quieda is CIA it works and just like are FBI and CIA they might not work to well together but unlike our guys its not widely known they take orders from the same guys?

Depends on who you ask.

To the denizens of the previous administration, and Repugs in general, there is no difference.

To Afghans, the view depends on your family, tribe, your alignment pro or con with the Karzai government, etc.

To the current administration, there seems to be the view that al Qaeda is beyond the pale, but that the Taliban, or at least parts of the Taliban can be “dealt” with or even “rehabilitated”.

For my view, I’m in the corner that al Qaeda is beyond the pale, but I’m not so sanguine as the current administration regarding the Taliban. Maybe yes or maybe no.

While I know some general things about the Taliban, I’d probably still rate myself as ignorant or not in a realistic position to judge.

Who is funding the teabaggers nowadays? PhRMA, Koch brothers?

You and me both – I’m working on this cheap yet palatable Merlot and cooking a bit of dinner.

Cheers!

Thats just it what so provoked the Tea Baggers that they felt they had to leave the GOP?
Sure maybe their candidate is an ego manic but all he accomplishes by splitting the GOP vote is electing Harry.
I am open to other possible motivations.

I am sure we take weapons orders from most any buyer. /s

ka-ching! (Spanish Quarter red here, quite affordable red blend table wine from, yes, you got that, Spain! Ta-DAA!)

Work hard on that Merlot, hard work pays off they like to say and besides its a very Christian/Puritan thing to do. Your ancestors would be well pleased.

I’m suggesting the Taliban and Al Queida are friendly and cooperate at the very least.

Blackwater probably sold guns to Afghan Poppy dealers or Pakistani intelligence gave some of those billions in American aid money to Ossama.

You’re assuming that the baggers think more than one step ahead about the consequences of their actions. If
they had thought, they probably wouldn’t have made completes idiots of themselves at the town hall meetings in the past. I don’t think legitimate political parties want to present that face to the country but that’s just me.

Let’s look in the mirror.

What provokes us to primary candidates? They don’t do what we think they should do. And when we threaten 3rd party, the Establishment flips out and says “Why do you want to throw the vote to the other guy?”

Which then answers the question of motive; the TeaPartiers want a more Right and White America.

This Tea Bagger thing is smelling like a classic GOP third party candidate set up only it benefits Harry.
I think some Lobbyists for the insurance industry called some Markers in with the GOP.

They have done so in the past, are doing so now, and may do so in the future.

That doesn’t make their agendas or objectives the same.

The Oligopoly is drinking our milkshake – thanks Obama, Harry and Pelosi!
The Socialists are drinking our milkshake – impeach Obama, Harry and Pelosi!, and fuck Boehner, McConnell and the RNC.

I imagine that the establishment Rs are freaking out all over the place. This is a real danger to them if the baggers do this in several elections this year.

Ok but the Tea Baggers splitting from the GOP just how do they think they can win? I would have thought they would have had a better chance winning the GOP primary.

Ok a valid motivation.

From what I read, the Taliban is a U.S. slur (since they hosted OBL when they last controlled Afghanistan) on your garden variety Pashtun domestic insurgency against both domestic & foreign occupation. All Taliban are Pashtuns but not all Pashtuns are Taliban. But many Pashtuns are against the Karzai govt (I’ve heard he’s Pashtun but also read he’s mixed; in any eveny the bulk of the Afghan national govt is dominated by the Northern Alliance, who, at U.S. support, fought against the Pashtun Taliban in 2002). The Taliban have no objectives outside of Afghanistan and are of no danger to U.S.ians.

Right, White and Straight.

I guess if you want to start a third party you have to begin somewhere but you are still assuming that they are logical. I doubt that – they are angry and are striking out in all directions. It will be very interesting to watch.

If yours and Kelly’s ideas are true then Fox News should be ready to go ape shit on the Tea Baggers very soon.
Either that or Karl will arrange for several Tea Bag leaders to be arrested as evidence mysteriously turns up, or their could be a plane crash.

:( fine I was assuming they were logical

The timing of the announcement to the public re: the capture is just adorably cute. Now that the US domestic mass media audience has had two consecutive days of civilian casualties in the mow-the-lawn Afghan offensive, its time to trot out a HVT. This Afghan offensive is all about changing the subject from the disastrously failed health care “reform” effort going into the election year, and now that the Afghan offensive is producing a bumper crop of dead children it must be handy to have a HVT up your sleeve.

Fox News should be ready to go ape shit on the Tea Baggers very soon.

Yes, which is why I think Jane wrote:

No doubt the long knives are being sharpened right now.

That’s the deal. How do you get teapartier votes and dismiss them simultaneously?

One way is to marginalize them, and hard. But will the Neocon apparatchiks do that?

“If yours and Kelly’s ideas are true then Fox News should be ready to go ape shit on the Tea Baggers very soon.”

Then we can agree with the T-baggers to band together against the real enemy – Wall Street, and Big Corporate Socialism. Once we win, we can carry on hating each other – I’d be for it!
If you’re right, they maybe soon enough be as swell.

What if this is a fake out if the Tea Baggers are not GOPers then they can say any crazy thing they like about Dems like Harry but the GOPers in Moderate Voters eyes would have clean hands.
Then at the last minute the Tea Bagger then withdraws from the race and endorses the GOP Candidate.

Here in NV, most of the people I deal with on a day-to-day basis tend toward that now familiar TeaBagger catchall cohort. Probably a lot of them are essentially Republicans, but the “independent” chic runs deep here. If the TeaBaggers have a chance at placing someone in Congress it might well happen first in Nevada.

Based on the tax and social policy philosophies I’ve heard well…just imagine the current Colorado Springs, rendered as state policy.

Given the trouble with first Dubai then Greece and the financial markets the banks may again be the issue very soon.

Toby Wollin is upstairs!
Late Night: I Won’t Worry About That — Until the Next Time

Your saying the Tea Baggers really might win? Ok its your state I’ll bow to your knowledge of the local politics.

lurkety lurk lurk!

Oh don’t do that! ;-)

Just saying that we seem to have a lot of Teabaggery LUV here. And oh how they hate Harry. But then I’m up north, down in Las Vegas it may well be a much different story.

It will also be interesting to see what happens with the Governor’s race.

I would make a minor correction to your comment. I generally discriminate in the use of the acronym HVT and HVD.

The HVD, or High Value Detainee, is someone the US wants to detain and interrogate (or in the case of the previous administration, and the current set of Repug clowns, to torture).

I use the acronym HVT to mean a High Value Target to be killed! Generally, though not always, from a Hellfire missile fired from a Predator or Reaper UAV.

As Mullah Baradar is now in custody, that would make him a HVD in my lexicon.

Just IMHO, and YMMV. *g*

In the Republican primary for President in 2007/2008 the Ron Paul people out voted the regular Republicans and they had to shut down the convention to keep the Ron Paul people from taking the win and going to Minnesota with a Nevada Ron Paul slate. There was a lawsuit and such to stop this, but it was too late before anything really got underway.

As far as Glen Beck… just go to DailyPaul.com … you will see he is getting alot of hate over there now. Before people accepted him because he got Ron Paul on TV… no more.

Check out Medina’s web page. One of the local 912 chapter heads was pissed off at Glenn Beck and still backing Medina. He called Beck something to the tune of an imposter sticking up for the elite. The 912 thing was Beck’s from the beginning. This is not just a libertarian tea partier, but a Beck tea partier who is starting to see Beck as a problem instead of a leader.

I think the top runners in the GOP primary were not tea baggers. It’s not that hard to understand. They are like we are to the Dems, being told they have to vote for the lesser of evils but wanting to vote for someone who actually shares their values. Their base is more used to playing hardball with the party and winning, though, so the realization that they’re screwed by people who never intend to give them what they want and just tell them what they want to hear for their votes has pushed them to more extreme action than the mousier progressives.

Sarah Palin’s nomination was an eye opener to me. I was asking my dad the conservative (who actually knew all about her and the effort to draft her before I’d ever heard of her) why on earth McCain would nominate her. He said he needed to appeal to the base. I was incredulous. They couldn’t possibly need to appeal to the base. What were they going to do, vote for Obama? No way! He said they would just stay home. Even if that means Obama wins? They won’t vote for McCain, who is not a base candidate, without someone on the ticket with him that appeals to the base. They are willing to blow a few in the present in order to be taken seriously far into the future. They aren’t being taken seriously enough now by the GOP, so they’re willing to blow things up if they have to.

When I was looking into the Glenn Beck brush up with Medina in Texas, I saw that Medina wants to abolish the property tax in Texas. I wondered if there were people out there who looked at California and actually thought we weren’t screwed up enough that they think the solution is to go even further than we did.

I’m for abolishing property tax. The consequence of the existance of a property tax is that one does not own the property, but is instead leasing it from the government.

Prop 13 is a mess, becuase the major burden of taxation falls on recent buyers of property.

I wouldn’t say that Libertarian teabaggers think the GOP is to thier left.

I’d split the teabaggers into 2 groups:
Libertarian Teabaggers (usually Ron Paul supporters)
Fox News Teabaggers

I don’t think that left-right D’s vs R’s fits into Libertarian teabaggers thinking. They view most of the GOP as authoritarian warmongers. They don’t like Fox News and think Glenn Beck is a phoney.

Fox News Teabaggers on the other hand… they have melded with Glenn Beck’s brain. They think whatever insanity Fox News tells them to think.

Yes, that’s one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that you are part of a community and everyone needs to pitch in to make the community functional. I’m not for extremely high property taxes but some level of property taxation does make sense.

Personally I think taxes should be focused on “money you make in your sleep”. Rents, investment gains etc… Why tax hard work(labor) when people are making fortunes in thier sleep?

Of course that would require defining labor. Median annual employment compensation might be a reasonable approximation.

bet they don’t give near as much to the greens as to the dlc.

The Libertarians have nothing in common with the Cons and Thumpers just as the Progressives have nothing in common with the DLC and Blue Dogs. Cons, Thumpers, DLC, and Blue Dogs are all Corporatists. Whether you attack them from the left or the right, I’m on your side.

Thumpers, DLC, and Blue Dogs are all Corporatists.

I’d say they also have a distinctly authoritarian bent which is another reason that we must band together, regardless of any other differences we might have.

These are the kind of folks who can get enthusiastic about night rallys and bonfires, they’re all busy looking looking for a strongman strong leader, somebody they can really get behind, and that’s scary.

Understand Palin works for the “Establishment”, the generous and righteous folks of the NOW and their CFR henchman. Palin’s “job” is to split the Liberty movement, not the GOP. But if that means splitting the GOP they will do it, they will do anything to avoid losing their most precious assets; Federal Reserve, IRS, Dominance over the States, Wars, Patriot Act.

Liberty candidates are running in many contests throughout the union, and running strong in many including Nevada. The fact is the establishment fears the Liberty movement. Harry Reid, he’s just another complaint politician – supports the establishment on all their important issues. It’s Liberty at the root of the Tea Party move in Nevada – opposition to Liberty that is.

NO MORE TAXES.. Read my Hand, no my other hand!

The Tea Party Party (Tea Party Squared) in Nevada is made up of people who have never – not ever – been a part of any tea party activity in Nevada. The leaders have long track records as registered Democrats and at least one has been prominent as both a Harry Reid supporter and as an anti-war blogger.

They have begun organizing to protest at the Tea Party Express national launch at Searchlight Nevada on March 27 (and later that day in Henderson NV in Las Vegas Valley).

This is clearly an attempt to destablize and discredit the real tea party movement in Nevada, perhaps because it was so successful in electorally taking over the Clark County (Nevada) Republican Party.

The Tea Party Squared leaders’ motives are still emerging, but they are not part of the grass roots tea party movement in Nevada, that’s for sure.