The Grey Lady Sings The Blues

Letter From Washington – Tea Party Doesn’t Need Votes to Win U.S. Elections – NYTimes.com.

“The Tea Partiers believe they are on the cutting edge of a revolution: the ‘future of politics,’ as Ms. Palin says. More likely, they are a short-term catalyst for Republicans and a long-term problem.”

A “long-term problem?”  To whom, exactly, does a leaderless movement that believes in smaller government, less spending, fewer taxes, and adherence to the U.S. Constitution, pose a threat, except Democrats, their statist bed partners, their relentless propaganda arm (as represented by the Times, et al), and RINOs ruffled at being put out of a job? Their fondest wish is that the grassroots Tea Party be plowed under before it matures into spreading groves of sturdy Constitutional oak.  The latest implement they have chosen to wield is the accusation that the amorphous TeePee has been funded by  unnamed “shadowy donors” (the very kind that fund the left).  An exchange between Face The Nation’s Bob Schieffer and Tea Party consultant Sal Russo:

Schieffer: “So, are you telling me that you don’t get any donation larger than $5,000? No way, no how somebody could give your organization more than that, one single person?”

Russo: “That’s absolutely correct.”

Russo (Later): “…one of the things we’ve had to face from the beginning . . . people have tried to demonize the Tea Party movement with a lot of false accusations. As you know, first it was we were all Astroturf – somebody was paying to turn out. Then we’re a bunch of crackpots and nuts and a bunch of racists.”

But that’s always the tactic of the Progressocrats.  Any rational discussion of their positions is not possible for them because facts are difficult to deny (unless you’re part of the O.J. jury), and the pesky things are rarely on the side of the left.  Thus, the inevitable resort to name-calling and shout-downs, time-honored reactions which sooth fuming liberals much as the approach of another Social Security day calms destitute muggers.  Besides, if you repeat a lie often enough, people begin to believe it (until you use the same one incessantly for 50 years or so).

Speaking of “shadowy donors”, TEAPARTYISOVER, a supposed grass-roots organization formed to counter the dreaded Constitutionalists is “actually the front end of an elaborate scheme that funnels funds–including sizable labor union contributions [SEIU]–through the offices of a prominent Democratic party lawyer.” (Anti-Tea Party Web Site Part of Scheme to Funnel Funds).  I suspect, however, that you will never hear spokesmen like former Adulterer-In-Chief Bill Clinton rail about any suspect cash that comes flowing into that till.