READER COMMENTS ON

"'Tea Party Express II: Rise of the Tea Bags'"

(91 Responses so far...)





COMMENT #1 [Permalink]

... Floridiot said on 10/28/2009 @ 7:35 am PT...





I just noticed, the bus(es) only travel to wingnut states, they stay out of the Midwest and Northeast.

Northern Montana straight down to Texas, lol Gotta stop that healthcare reform...pfft Good job Brad on the video BTW

COMMENT #2 [Permalink]

... sergesret said on 10/28/2009 @ 9:09 am PT...





The depth to which these Teabaggers are deluded is astonishing and depressing. They really, really scare me.Great work making this video though. Perhaps if you were on the network news there would be a little less of this pervasive misinformation so much in evidence amongst these people.

COMMENT #3 [Permalink]

... czaragorn said on 10/28/2009 @ 9:22 am PT...





Great Stuff, Brad! And you really have that straight man bit down! We want a regular BradCast!

COMMENT #4 [Permalink]

... planetxan said on 10/28/2009 @ 9:33 am PT...





It really fascinates me to listen to people who don't know what they are protesting. You ask all the right questions, like, "What's an example?" or "Can you be specific?" I hope you do more of these. I can't wait until they run into the "Billionaires for Wealthcare." That is going to be a super fun time. Too bad they're not coming through my blue state. btw. I noticed my taxes went down around April. I get about $30 more per cheque. That's about $780 per year - more than the cheque I got from Bush ($600). Maybe you should ask them if they have looked at their cheques and noticed a difference.

COMMENT #5 [Permalink]

... David Lasagna said on 10/28/2009 @ 10:16 am PT...





Hiarious and brilliant display of detachment and equanimity on your part, Brad. I so admire that you can do that. Also, very funny, especially when you're facing the camera while interviewing that guy and you keep being so enthusiastic about the litany of freedoms(we never actually get to hear)this guy's gonna tell us that have been taken away. Welcome to the monkeyhouse.

COMMENT #6 [Permalink]

... Savantster said on 10/28/2009 @ 10:18 am PT...





The level of ignorance and delusion on the right-wing is crazy scary. These people have no idea what they are pissed about, they're just pissed. Well, they're pissed because Democrats are in power, despite the fact that we have some pretty pro-corporate Democrats in office these days. And these people vote.. and think it's "their country".. Majority and elections be damned, right? excellent videos, Brad!

.

COMMENT #7 [Permalink]

... Floridiot said on 10/28/2009 @ 10:52 am PT...





I know time is limited, should have dubbed a little of this in when the bus arrived

COMMENT #8 [Permalink]

... Dble T said on 10/28/2009 @ 10:54 am PT...





That was excellent work Brad! More news organizations should follow your lead and interview the nutbags.

COMMENT #9 [Permalink]

... marzi said on 10/28/2009 @ 11:05 am PT...





Great job, Brad. You show the tea-baggers inconsistencies. I happened to be in DC during the Tea Bag rally and it was huge, bigger than the press reported. People flew in from all over. There were varying types of people - some educated and fed up and others proudly working class. There were signs like - Hillbillies against Government Healthcare, etc. There were also some racist signs against Obama. One person had a sign - Against all personal income tax. Many had enough money to stay in the DC hotels so they could afford their own insurance.

COMMENT #10 [Permalink]

... Joyce said on 10/28/2009 @ 11:39 am PT...





Nobody can tell the story like you. Keep up the good work. You should have you own show on one of these so called news stations.

COMMENT #11 [Permalink]

... Damail said on 10/28/2009 @ 12:17 pm PT...





"The busses only travel to wing-nut states..." Wrong. One bus is coming to Oregon this Friday. (Well, Oregon is a bit of a left-wingnut state, but you get the picture.) Unfortunately, I will be working that afternoon, so I won't be able to show up and voice my support.

COMMENT #12 [Permalink]

... Matthew said on 10/28/2009 @ 12:27 pm PT...





I could only stand 3 minutes before it hurt too much watching America's uneducated underbelly sound like fools. I wanted to wretch.

COMMENT #13 [Permalink]

... Brad Friedman said on 10/28/2009 @ 12:49 pm PT...





Thanks for the nice words, guys. BTW, the tea baggers are likely to vote this into oblivion over on REDDIT, etc. Please DIGG, REDDIT, vote up wherever u can. It takes a second only, and often results in thousands more (at least!) getting the word...

COMMENT #14 [Permalink]

... Nunyabiz said on 10/28/2009 @ 12:52 pm PT...





Great job Brad you should do more of these.

These teabaggers are easy marks. BTW what is that about 2 to 3 Million teabaggers there?

COMMENT #15 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/28/2009 @ 1:00 pm PT...





Check this out: Dems: CIA may have misled Congress five times since 2001 The CIA may have misled Congress at least five times since 2001, two Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee said Tuesday. Intelligence subcommittee Chairwomen Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.)................ http://thehill.com//home...validated-by-intel-panel Ummmmmm.....Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) ring any bells???

COMMENT #16 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/28/2009 @ 1:04 pm PT...





That teabagger bus is the "McCain Straight Talk Express" painted over, I can see the paint coming off...

COMMENT #17 [Permalink]

... barbara cummings said on 10/28/2009 @ 1:27 pm PT...





Comment #4 The tea bag express DID meet the billionaires in San Diego http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_okVt2UdKZI

COMMENT #18 [Permalink]

... Agent 99 said on 10/28/2009 @ 1:29 pm PT...





Maybe lefties should follow that tour and educate the protesters about the solidly factual things they probably would be roaring louder over. Some of them seem to be on part of the right track. Maybe somebody should go in and explain exactly how much those "grassroots" busses cost. Maybe everyone ought to start contemplating WHO has control of law enforcement. Maybe Frank Schaeffer should be at those protests, explaining to them things like how "FNC" is preying on their belief system to twist facts. I happen to have, by dint of pure existential happenstance, a pipeline into a rather large base of "village idiots" --- to use Schaeffer's term --- and all of them want Single Payer... they just start getting confused when you call that "government run". Since he had so much to do with developing tactics like this, I think he would be the ideal person to go to these events and start tuning them up about this problem. I'm glad there are people out protesting this administration, but I just wish they would have the facts and protest those.

COMMENT #19 [Permalink]

... Agent 99 said on 10/28/2009 @ 1:34 pm PT...





And, you didn't have an uplink to the international space station... or The Edge... otherwise I'm sure YouTube would have taken this global too.

COMMENT #20 [Permalink]

... planetxan said on 10/28/2009 @ 3:46 pm PT...





barbara cummings, Thanks. That was brilliant. "Let 'em die!" Never mind that insurance, by definition, is paying for someone else.

COMMENT #21 [Permalink]

... don knuttel said on 10/28/2009 @ 4:10 pm PT...





Good job Brad, I would like to know who these people are? My guess is that they are Liberterians and not Republicans.Next time wear a Ron Paul shirt or a hat.

COMMENT #22 [Permalink]

... Grizzly Bear Dancer said on 10/28/2009 @ 4:18 pm PT...





These interviews demonstrate why the Illuminati/New World Order own and run America. They own are at the helm of control of the US corporate mass media, with their criminal lobbying groups, energy oil barons, multi-national bankers, defense contractors, and of course their politcal puppet sellouts (like Obama). The are the mass US killers. The silent giant that has had their way for decades with the 300 million stupified medicated manipulated brainwashed robots who call themselves free Americans they use to fight in their wars. I will say they waged bets using Wall Street stocks when the lying murderous Cheney-Bush Cheney White House and top Pentagon officials did the 9-11 attack. Since they knew they would get away with 3000 American civilian murders, direct millions of tax dollars to their causes, and start 2 wars, they bet they could get away with it and then hid the identities to cover their tracks like the 9-11 Commission Report that doesn't even mention World Trade Tower Building #7 that was not hit by a plane and fell as a traditional demolition in 6.5 seconds. Architects and Engineers will explain how 3 World Trade Tower steel concrete buildings were turned into dust clouds and molten metal was documented running all 3 sites. They present evidence to support controlled demolition of all 3 buildings in under 10 seconds using bombs and the partical signature of high tech military nano-thermate cutter charges has been positively identified. www.ae911truth.org 80,000 New Yorkers signed a petition to have a vote for a new 9-11 independent investigation on the next NY ballot and NYC Mayor put an end to that with some bushit denial. We the People have been hosed again by a corrupted official while the real murderers responsible stand to continue their illegal immoral wars while continuing to drive people and ethnic race against each other. This after taking over land stolen from the indigenous American Indians who lived here for thousands of years. Killing them off mainly with their white man's diseases the brought with them from Europe. And now they want to keep foreigners out.ha hah ha ha ha

COMMENT #23 [Permalink]

... Brad Friedman said on 10/28/2009 @ 4:40 pm PT...





Don Knuttel - I would like to know who these people are? My guess is that they are Liberterians and not Republicans Nope. They were Republicans. Dyed-in-the-wool. The Libertarians are easy to spot, particularly after talking to them for about two seconds. There were very few there. I spoke to one who wanted to "End the Fed" (she didn't make it into the final cut), but just about everyone else there was a Bush-lovin' Repub, even when they had trouble admitting it (at first, but a question or two wore down their fortress).

COMMENT #24 [Permalink]

... Barry said on 10/28/2009 @ 5:00 pm PT...





We all know what teabagging is, putting certain parts of the mail anatomy in one's mouth. Brad, this homo-erotic bloggin' has to stop.

COMMENT #25 [Permalink]

... Disillusioned said on 10/28/2009 @ 5:10 pm PT...





I was literally laughing out loud during the first part. Awesome work. Those are the kinds of questions which show there is no substance to any of the Fox/Rush/Beck inspired hate of Obama, its just stupid ignorant hate. The scary thing about it was how the police were very intent on the small group of pro-reform protesters. That was a bit disturbing. But what do they know anyway, they're all socialist communists.

COMMENT #26 [Permalink]

... Bill Stone said on 10/28/2009 @ 5:21 pm PT...





Touche! A recent CIA report https://www.cia.gov/libr.../rankorder/2091rank.html shows how far the U.S. has fallen in regards to healthcare. How can one not want reform?

COMMENT #27 [Permalink]

... Lora said on 10/28/2009 @ 5:23 pm PT...





Excellent, Brad. As I've said before, we are fighting some serious brainwashing. Brad, you made a valiant effort to pry open the snapped-shut clamshell minds and let in a little fresh seawater to wash out the stale tea. I loved "Both Sides:" approx. 30 cops on approx. 30 protestors because they were "yelling" at the Tea Party Express protesters, who were not yelling at them. Hey, now we know, right? Good thing we had "Both Sides" to set us straight. And who knew that Obama raised taxes on our grandchildren, and cut off Fox News, taking away our right to free speech? The things you learn when you report on both sides of an issue!

COMMENT #28 [Permalink]

... DES said on 10/28/2009 @ 6:33 pm PT...





This short article helps explain some of the basis for the extremely out-of-touch views of the tea baggers. Some nuggets: The Very Separate World of Conservative Republicans First and foremost, these conservative Republican voters believe Obama is deliberately and ruthlessly advancing a ‘secret agenda’ to bankrupt our country and dramatically expand government control over all aspects of our daily lives. They view this effort in sweeping terms, and cast a successful Obama presidency as the destruction of the United States as it was conceived by our founders and developed over the past 200 years.

...

These conservative Republican base voters were not just shooting off half-cocked theories about conspiracies. They actively believe President Obama is purposely lying about his plans for the country and what his policies would do, and that he is exaggerating the threats America faces in order to create support for his policies.

...

The notion that Obama’s health care reforms represent a government takeover of all aspects of health care is an article of faith; they reject as laughable the suggestion that it might not, pointing to his arguments to the contrary as further proof of his determination to lie and deceive to fulfill his ultimate agenda. These are people who are essentially living in and clinging to a demonstrably false alternate reality. Fascinating stuff.

COMMENT #29 [Permalink]

... TLV said on 10/28/2009 @ 6:38 pm PT...





You just made all of those tempestuous teabaggers "famous" by exposing their cluelessness. I have no doubt they are very proud of their ignorance. I wonder how they feel each time their dire predictions of what President Obama will do to THEIR freedoms does not come true.

COMMENT #30 [Permalink]

... TLV said on 10/28/2009 @ 8:45 pm PT...





I loved the way Brad kept giving the guy the chance to state what freedoms have been taken by Obama and the guy had NOTHING. Nothing.

COMMENT #31 [Permalink]

... Floridiot said on 10/28/2009 @ 10:40 pm PT...





Good one Desi, I liked it. This one I found recently called "Tentacles of Rage" shows the history of the messages and funding the 1%ers used to get the ignorant thinking this way. Most hilarious was a quote by Lionel Trilling, who said in 1950; "In the United States at this time, liberalism is not only the dominant but even the sole intellectual tradition." He went on to say that "there are no conservative or reactionary ideas in general circulation," merely "irritable mental gestures which seek to resemble ideas." Man, does that ever fit today.

This article has to be one of the best ever describing the evil plot IMO. This should be passed out at every Teabagger Convention to show them how they've been duped.

COMMENT #32 [Permalink]

... Shortbus said on 10/29/2009 @ 5:51 am PT...





It really is sad that part one came as close to one of the best scripts I have ever seen on Saturday Night Live, I mean I was pissin myself laughing, great interviews, you really couldn't of written the lines these people were coming at you with cause a writer would say to their-self, no, no one would ever say that, we need to make it more realistic.

This sure the fuck was real and that's the scary reality of it all

Thanks Brad

COMMENT #33 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 7:15 am PT...





The teabaggers are like the military: the most basic instinct people who are the most easily manipulated by the rich manipulators who need them to fight their wars for them. Unthinking, never questioning anything, repeating things they're told and doing what they're told. And there's "X" amount of them in both the teabaggers and the military who actually think and question and leave both. The teabaggers, as ALL videos have shown by anyone who actually interviews them instead of just "showing" them on TV, prove exactly that: they are repeating slogans handed to them by their rich manipulators without thinking, slogans that are factually incorrect. Brad could've shown us that the teabaggers were intelligent thinking people that made sense and we were all wrong about them, but as every video has shown of anyone who actually spoke with them instead of filmed them chanting en masse, they are simply chanting their rich manipulators' slogans for them...the same manipulators who get the military to fight for their $$$ off in other lands and have the military chant that they're "fighting for our freedom".

COMMENT #34 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 7:18 am PT...





On the other hand, in video 2, Brad shows us that the pro-health care reform are what we suspected too: intelligent thinking people who, in some instances, instead of running their diarrhea of the mouth slogans handed to them without thinking and making fools of themselves, they say to Brad: "Who are you? What side are you on? What's your mission? etc...." So, both sides are exactly what we thought, Brad's videos and other videos continue to verify this.

COMMENT #35 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 7:20 am PT...





Brad proved it's easy to make fools of the teabaggers, and NOT easy to make fools of the pro-health care people. The teabaggers actually make fools of themselves, the rope Brad is giving them to hang themselves is the microphone. Speak, and you could remove all doubt...how does that saying go?

COMMENT #36 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 7:55 am PT...





Also, I went to a tea party in April in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. because it was next to where I work. I witnessed the same thing, it was totally pro-Republican. One guy was railing about the bailouts and I said that Bush/Paulson started them, and he said: "That isn't true, I didn't see that on the news." And there were a couple of kids there with pro-Obama signs and an older teabagger told them to get down on their knees and pray.

COMMENT #37 [Permalink]

... Ernest A. Canning said on 10/29/2009 @ 8:35 am PT...





The level of ignorance on display by these deluded tea baggers is scary.

COMMENT #38 [Permalink]

... Jason Weixelbaum said on 10/29/2009 @ 9:26 am PT...





Fantastic video, Brad! Keep up the good work!

COMMENT #39 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 9:46 am PT...





And sites like Alex Jones are not telling the truth of what the actual videos show: these people are ignoramus scary cavemen who chant slogans for their rich manipulators. Alex Jones portrays them as "patriots" so he doesn't alienate them from buying his Alex Jones coffee mugs on his website. TELL THE TRUTH, ALEX JONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COMMENT #40 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 9:53 am PT...





Why isn't Alex Jones covering the real patriots: that small group chanting for health care reform. You know, the ones being intimidated by the police in brad's video, which Alex Jones loves to point out...but not in this case! I guess they're not buying his coffee mugs.

COMMENT #41 [Permalink]

... Lou Bruhn said on 10/29/2009 @ 10:09 am PT...





I sincerely hope the Billionaires for Wealthcare plan counter-demonstrations at all of the scheduled stops of the Teabag Express, otherwise known as the Wandering Worried and Factually Challenged.

Maybe they could also bring signs to slip on those busses that asks "Who paid for this bus?"

COMMENT #42 [Permalink]

... RobertM said on 10/29/2009 @ 11:15 am PT...





Hilarious and brilliant, Brad. Keep up the good work. You make an excellent interviewer!

COMMENT #43 [Permalink]

... karen from illinois said on 10/29/2009 @ 11:44 am PT...





huge new storage for warrentless wiretaps http://www.thenewamerica...private-data-permanently

COMMENT #44 [Permalink]

... karen from illinois said on 10/29/2009 @ 11:52 am PT...





good job on your video brad,i watched the billionaire video too and the thing that struck me is...the chick screaming,"let em die" has a cross around her neck,,,,this is exactly the opposite attitude of Jesus

COMMENT #45 [Permalink]

... karen from illinois said on 10/29/2009 @ 1:16 pm PT...





propellor has picked up your video.....vote it up folks http://www.propeller.com...=5635174#comment_5635174

COMMENT #46 [Permalink]

... Larry Bergan said on 10/29/2009 @ 1:55 pm PT...





So much to be discussed. So little time.

COMMENT #47 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 3:01 pm PT...





I was thinking of a chant the pro-health care reformers could chant: they should chant for health care for the teabaggers...I'm serious! Like, shout at the teabaggers: "YOU NEED HEALTH CARE, TOO!!!" or something like that.

COMMENT #48 [Permalink]

... David Lasagna said on 10/29/2009 @ 3:26 pm PT...





There is not much that makes sense from the teabaggers and I agree they're factually challenged. But, to my way of thinking, to dismiss them as so many do is to exhibit a level of consciousness not much elevated from theirs. It is making these people, as cuckoo as their positions may be, into another "them". I believe the challenge for those of us who disagree with them or ANYONE is to see them as human beings, to find common ground, and to build bridges. I all too painfully realize this may be a quixotic mission but I don't see anything else for it. And I think we should revel in the challenge. We have to find a way to somehow move FORWARD WITH these people. THAT would be a revolution worthy of all.

COMMENT #49 [Permalink]

... Lora said on 10/29/2009 @ 3:51 pm PT...





David (#48), There will be no common ground until they have been deprogrammed. They are as fanatical as any cult member. How to deprogram them without kidnapping them, confining them and talking to them nonstop for 48 hours, I don't know. And I'm not kidding; wish I was.

COMMENT #50 [Permalink]

... David Lasagna said on 10/29/2009 @ 4:06 pm PT...





Lora,

I understand, believe me. Was in a cult myself(got kicked out). Therefore, for me anyway, the creative challenge is to find conversation that facilitates or at least presents a possible doorway to, should they ever choose to open it, the deprogramming. Not saying it's easy or even possible. Just saying that I suspect making the teabaggers into another "them" will bear about as much(and about as tasty) fruit as the teabaggers themselves harvest.

COMMENT #51 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 4:09 pm PT...





David: I think we all agree with you. It's just that we're coming to the conclusion that the majority of them may be a lost cause and a waste of time to convince them of what the truth is. Like I said in one of my comments above, both the teabaggers and the military have "X" amount doing that: seeing the truth and speaking out against the group they're leaving. Some might say, there's better things to use your time on, than wasting it on a hopeless cause. They're presented facts in their faces and still keep chanting their manipulators' slogans for them. What may help, is having the fairness act restored and having other opinions on the radio. Where I live, it's all rightwing on AM radio. People do NOT get to hear other opinions other than rightwing on the radio. Maybe that's a bigger part of the problem than is being pointed out.

COMMENT #52 [Permalink]

... Batocchio said on 10/29/2009 @ 4:12 pm PT...





Your best post to date, perhaps.

COMMENT #53 [Permalink]

... Brad Friedman said on 10/29/2009 @ 5:18 pm PT...





Big Dan - You are absolutely correct on the radio/media point you mention. Precisely what I wrote about at Alternet a coupla weeks ago. Shamefully, the Dems (for the moment anywhere) seem petrified to go anywhere near the issue.

COMMENT #54 [Permalink]

... Lora said on 10/29/2009 @ 7:50 pm PT...





Right wing talk radio is, I have no doubt, responsible for a good deal of the brainwashing. I listened to some on a road trip a short time ago with only AM radio in the car, and I was appalled. When I got home I deliberately listened to some more so as to anaylize their very successful psy-ops. I happened upon a program about (against) a new regulation on food labelling. In a very short space of time, here are some of the phrases I transcribed, typing as fast as I could, from listening to Hugh Hewitt on KRLA 10/21/09: They genuinely believe that they’re in charge of your life

It’s a constitutional right to raise your children as you see fit

The government has no business doing it

Government regulation in the guise of assisting the unwary consumer

It’s not their job

It’s just socialism

The government control of the private sector is simply socialism Listen to that 24/7 and you just about have no choice but to drink the koolaid.

COMMENT #55 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 9:21 pm PT...





...and AM radio is FREE, don't forget that. So, they monopolize the FREE radio! In our area, you have to PAY for XM radio to hear any alternate opinions other than the one-sided rightwing opinions on AM radio.

COMMENT #56 [Permalink]

... Big Dan said on 10/29/2009 @ 9:24 pm PT...





Brad: you can bet, if the Dems want to re-introduce the fairness doctrine, we will be bombarded 24×7 by the airwaves the rightwing monopolize that it's "communist", "against America", "against free speech", etc... The funny thing is, the way it is NOW is against "free speech". One opinion is NOT free speech! They claim that free speech is only if THEY have free speech and others don't. Ironic, factually untrue, but they will sell it like that. Where will they sell it like that? On the airwaves we're trying to stop them from monopolizing! Catch-22, that's why they took them over!

COMMENT #57 [Permalink]

... perris said on 10/30/2009 @ 5:24 am PT...





the first thing that needs to be done on all of these "tea bag" threads would be to expose the entire hypocrisy of the very concept and how it relates to the original Boston tea party, the revolt this movement claims as their foundation; the king's homey's (the east India import company) couldn't compete with the colonists AND they wanted to dump their excess tea the king LOWERED taxes for his homeys the locals went BALLISTIC and REFUSED entry ANY product whence TAX WAS LOWERED rather then allow this contraband of goods without tariff they dumped said contraband into the port THUS the Boston tea party, A REVOLT AGAINST RELAXING TAXES this really needs to be brought up in every discussion and brought up with the method as to demonstrate how moronic these marionettes of the corporate world really are

COMMENT #58 [Permalink]

... Floridiot said on 10/30/2009 @ 5:25 am PT...





If you buy up all of the media, you too can have the right to bullshit free speech. That's why the fairness doctrine in the first place.

COMMENT #59 [Permalink]

... BlueHawk said on 10/30/2009 @ 7:31 am PT...





This is a great topic thread and Brad this is a great piece.....I enjoyed reading all of your comments; even the right wingers. The right wingers are so loyal to their brain-washers it would be comical if it weren't so alarming. I'm absolutely convinced now that if an asshat like Glenn Beck can have such a huge loyal following...and an unrepentant liar as Rush Limbaugh can become a multi-millionaire media machine...and a mendacious blow-hard like Sean Hannity can be taken as authority then we're doomed as a culture. To all rational, reasonable, awake Americans....it's plan B time.

Plan A has failed miserably...you know Plan A, the democratic process of one person one vote, representative democracy and freedom from corporate big business domination as spelled out in the constitution ? Well we went to sleep and let that plan die on the vine...we wake up to find ourselves under the thumb of fearful bullies and thieves (Wall Street-Military Industrial complex) and their brainwashed brood...to find our air-ways filled with mind numbing crap that has no redeemable value to our culture or public discourse. We find ourselves in an Idiocracy, an insane nation run by the cynical, greedy, fearful few....while their mindless programmed automatons enforce their mandate by shouting down any resistance and threats of violence. All counter to their own best interests. We've been sold out

COMMENT #60 [Permalink]

... David Lasagna said on 10/30/2009 @ 1:49 pm PT...





Dear Bluehawk and all others,

I agree. As an ameliorative I recommend checking John Perkins' tour for his latest and upcoming books and go see him if he's coming anywhere near. He's the guy who wrote "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" which should be required reading in this country. He knows all the shit your talking about and speaks about it with the insights and unassailable authority of someone who's spent years and years(and with friends who are still) in the belly of the beast.

He's inspiring. Not only because it's so refreshing to hear someone speak out so authoritatively, coherently, and unapologetically about how everything we've been doing clearly hasn't, doesn't, and can't work but even more importantly because he is so infectiously optimistic and enthusiastic about the revolution he sees at hand and that we all must be a part of. Saw him in Boston on Tuesday. Can't recommend him enough. Hope this helps.

COMMENT #61 [Permalink]

... Agent 99 said on 10/30/2009 @ 3:45 pm PT...





Yes. John Perkins is amazing. He just comes right out and testifies to the kind of perfidies our oligarchy-driven government commits abroad, because he was part of the mechanism that gets it done, and it blows my mind that so few seemed to wake up immediately upon hearing him on his first book tour. Amy Goodman had him on. There there's a two-hour video of him giving it to us straight. I don't know what his latest talk is like, but if it's anything like that one, whoa. Listen to the guy. Let it sink in. Don't let yourself factor it out of anything you hear about US foreign policy. It obviously has a bearing on domestic policy now too.

COMMENT #62 [Permalink]

... Agent 99 said on 10/30/2009 @ 3:48 pm PT...





Here... I think this is it... on Google Video: http://video.google.com/...docid=808526880666247652 [It might be reluctant to start playing, but if you move the gizzy on the play bar, it gets going.] No one should miss it. It's Friday. What the hell. You don't have anything better to do.

COMMENT #63 [Permalink]

... J said on 10/30/2009 @ 4:05 pm PT...





In reply to comment #1 that "the bus(es) only travel to wingnut states," this may be mostly true, but these videos were shot at Griffith Park in the middle of Los Angeles, CA, hardly a bastion of wingnuttiness. Though, as the video proved, this city is so big that we harbor many a moron that can be flushed out with misinformation and fear mongering.

COMMENT #64 [Permalink]

... d said on 10/30/2009 @ 5:39 pm PT...





seeing those fancy busses with their expensive logos made me wonder whether the teabaggers had applied for a permit for their "demonstration" and if so, who/what is the name of the applicant & how is the applicant being funded?

COMMENT #65 [Permalink]

... Floridiot said on 10/30/2009 @ 6:58 pm PT...





Maybe I should have said "(potential) wingnut states as the state that brought us Nixon and Reagan should be counted in there. As a native Minnesotan that hasn't voted Puke for Pres. since 1972 yet that one also is growing in wingnut numbers since the fairness doctrine was ignored.

I always thought Florida was wingnut too until my son went to camp in the Ocala National Forest with the Rainbow Gathering. Surprising to me, a lot hang there year round.

COMMENT #66 [Permalink]

... David Lasagna said on 10/30/2009 @ 9:30 pm PT...





Brad,

Just realized another great thing about your video.

As much as I love The Daily Show(last night's opening routine on Fox News is a classic), I've always been bothered when they pretend to be interviewing people in the world and they get mean spirited and start saying harsh things, somehow as a point of humor, taking viewpoints they completely don't mean. It's appears to be a weird mindfucking thing. And you see a lot of this kind of meanness in commercials. It's supposed to be cynical and hip and funny. I don't think it is. It another symptom of our dysfunction and path to inhumaness that's so popular these days. It's harsh mindfucking and it's against my rules. You were goofing with these people but were so very light about it. You weren't being mean to them, quite the opposite. You were getting your points across while being real and true to yourself. A much higher, more artful, and rare form of humor in my opinion. Really quite beautiful.

COMMENT #67 [Permalink]

... Woodhull said on 10/31/2009 @ 7:21 am PT...





It's too bad that none of you commenting seem to have any idea of the average person attending a tea party (not "tea bagger") event. If you actually knew any history of the founding of this great nation of ours (yours and mine, not the "leftist" or the "rightwingnuts"), you wouldn't be so quick to denigrate the millions of Americans who are expressing their (for now) free right of assembly and dissent. You take it for granted that it's okay for you to take a particular position, but woe unto the other guy or gal who disagrees with you. Most of the comments I've read here accuse the man or woman with a different POV to be stupid or, in some other way, mentally deficient. Or at least worthy of being labeled with a "tea bagger" as if that is certainly enough of an epithet to scare us off. Your ad hominem attacks are laughable. Please read some history of the founding of this country and decide for yourselves if the principals of this republic are worth retaining, or at least be honest and admit you are clueless as to what is happening. But, for heaven's sake, don't underestimate what your fellow Americans can and will do to ensure the continuation of America as a sovereign nation despite your ignorance.

COMMENT #68 [Permalink]

... Woodhull said on 10/31/2009 @ 7:31 am PT...





I forgot to add that your and your commenters focus their hatred not on the tenets of the tea party movement, but on the people themselves. Think about that. You don't hate what they stand for, you hate them. That is what is irrational.

COMMENT #69 [Permalink]

... David Lasagna said on 10/31/2009 @ 8:00 am PT...





Dear Woodhull, 1. I have a sister who's been an attendee at whatever you'd like to call these events. I don't know if she qualifies as an "average person attending" these events but I can assure you I have a very good idea who she is.

2.I do know a bit of our history, thank you very much, and from my reading of events it would appear both the "leftists" and "rightwingnuts" have been here from the beginning.

3. If you'd care to read "A People's History of the United States" by Zinn, I'd be happy to have a conversation with you about how "great" our nation is or is not.

4. I was taking pains NOT to denigrate these people but I certainly do feel free to criticize their ideas and thinking as I do yours and my companions on this blog.

5. Again, I have done quite a bit of reading, so again thank you so much, and I think there are many of us who feel it's not so much a matter of REtaining our principles(which is spelled "ples", the princiPAL is your "pal" in the principal's office(that's how I was taught to remember the difference between those two words)as ATTAINING them. That would be a fun thing.

COMMENT #70 [Permalink]

... David Lasagna said on 10/31/2009 @ 8:11 am PT...





Dear Woodhull,

Your comment#68 has both some truth to it and some nonsense. In the video Brad, at least to me, does not seem to be attacking the people at all. He's quite solicitous. I'd argue that their ideas are exactly what he's attacking. And since the videos are the principal starting point of all the rest here and I've already blabbed quite a bit on your other points(even before you posted), I'll leave it at that.

COMMENT #71 [Permalink]

... BlueHawk said on 10/31/2009 @ 8:15 am PT...





WoodHull..... I sensed none of the comments here being against the right of assembly....it's the manufactered outrage that's ludicrous. There are many things to be genuinely outraged about; but these ignorant *tea baggers* are outraged against their own best interests. They are brainwashed corporate lemmings driven to protest change in any form. I invite you to read comment #57 by Ferris to see what the original genuine tea bag protest was actually about....these numbnuts calling themselves "teabaggers" today are in actuality anti-teabaggers. WoodHull some things deserve ridicule....The willful ignorance of the present day tea baggers invites a healthy belly laugh from any rational thinking person. As I said earlier, there's plenty out there to be genuinely outraged about...but these present day teabaggers are clueless about that. These tea bagging fools are clueless about the out right theft of our national treasury by Wall Street and the Federal Reserve, the unwinnable blackhole that is "the war on terror", the selling out of our jobs to India and China, the 2 party political system that's actually not 2 parties...but 1 party with 2 faces.....I could go on...but if you're awake you'll get the picture.

COMMENT #72 [Permalink]

... DGP North said on 10/31/2009 @ 8:57 am PT...





Agent 99 Here is a better link to the "Economic Hitman" interview. http://www.kickthemallou...nfessions_Of_Eco_Hit_Man

COMMENT #73 [Permalink]

... Brad Friedman said on 10/31/2009 @ 9:49 am PT...





David Lasagna @ 66: I concur w/ your assessment about some of the Daily Show interviews. I too am troubled when they portray interview subjects unfairly. Sometimes it's within the realm of what they're doing (satirizing news media who are, themselves, unfair w/ interview subjects), but other times, they're just unfair in going for the cheap/easy laugh. I tried very much to avoid that in this video. I worked hard to portray everyone I spoke w/ fairly and resisted the impulse to make them look stupid vis a vis cheap shots, unfair editing. If the subjects in this video come across poorly, it's because that's the way they came across, not because I edited them as such. I tried very hard to give all of them their say. So thanks for noticing that. There were others who I didn't include in the video, by the way, due to time issues. None of them came across any better, some of them much worse. Woodhull @ 67: I'll associate myself with some of the other comments you've received in reply to your notes, but just a few thoughts of my own. Nobody is denigrating the right of anybody to express themselves. In fact, we have fought hard here for years to assure that everyone could do so --- even when most of those tea baggers didn't give a damn that free speech really was being curtailed (folks lost jobs for bumper stickers that didn't support George W. Bush, were arrested at rallies for wearing anti-Bush t-shirts, journalists were thrown in jail for taking pictures, citizens were imprisoned without charges for months and sometimes years, etc.) If the folks at these tea bag events had been on the front lines during those years, they wouldn't be ridiculed now. But they weren't. And only now, after being fed trumped up nonsense and unsupportable arguments from folks who don't give a damn about them, are they showing up to express outrage. Yes, they believe in their outrage. Trouble is, their outrage is unfounded. Eg. Ticked off at Obama for blowing out the deficit, when Bush's deficit spending make's Obama seem like a piker. Ticked off about taxes raised when their taxes have actually been lowered. But Fox "News" has told them otherwise, and they believe it. As to our history, I assure you the folks who read this blog know it well. Yes, go read about the Boston Tea Party, as others have suggested, and you'll learn that the revolt came about after the British Gov. had lowered taxes (duties, tariffs, import fees) for one favored government corporation (the East India Co.). I suspect 99.9% of the current tea baggers, or more, are unfamiliar with that point as they've been pushed into oncoming traffic by folks who likely know that damned well, but don't care as long as they can find a bunch of easily-outraged suckers to go out and fight for their corporate interests and against the best interests of the very folks they are pushing into traffic. I should also note, btw, that there are some at these rallies who *have* been yelling and screaming for years. They are generally the Ron Paul / Libertarian supporters who the Republican Party spent years ridiculing, marginalizing and regarding as complete and utter jokes. Thankfully, many of those Paul folks seem to be learning that the Tea Baggers who have coopted their movement and their legitimate outrage --- largely based on facts, and not trumped up disinformation --- are not their friends and, hopefully, they are beginning to separate themselves from the tea bag crowd. The thing is, we NEED legitimate opposition to power in this country. Unfortunately, the GOP, and their confused and clueless puppets in the Tea Bag movement are not legitimate in the least. They are arguing nonsense, while there is plenty that they could, and should, be out there protesting against.

COMMENT #74 [Permalink]

... Pam said on 10/31/2009 @ 2:27 pm PT...





Pretty funny. Almost as good as the videos where the people who voted for Obama were interviewed. ALMOST. It's really easy to find people who appear to be clueless. Having said that, I give you props for entertaining your liberal followers. You can't really be serious regarding the Public Option, and if you are, then you really do need to read more. Saying that the Public Option is not a government run program is like saying that taxpayer money will not be used to fund abortions. Takes all of a few seconds to see that LIE in the bill again. Sorry, but I don't think abortions have anything to do with health care when it's called "elective". There is so much you obvioulsy don't know, but I can see that you have a "job" to do. Finding anyone who you think will make your point. Much like some on the right do. It's too bad that you all don't just quit and pay attention to these bills that are being pushed. You may soon lose your freedom to do what you enjoy because you failed to pay attention. Making fun of people doesn't really accomplish a damn thing.

COMMENT #75 [Permalink]

... BlueHawk said on 10/31/2009 @ 3:07 pm PT...





Pam @74

Where does one start...? You can't really be serious regarding the Public Option, and if you are, then you really do need to read more. Saying that the Public Option is not a government run program is like saying that taxpayer money will not be used to fund abortions. Takes all of a few seconds to see that LIE in the bill again. Sorry, but I don't think abortions have anything to do with health care when it's called "elective". Pam to say that's not relevant is an understatement...was this a discussion about the public option and abortion...or are you simply trying to make it one ? There is so much you obvioulsy don't know, but I can see that you have a "job" to do. Finding anyone who you think will make your point. Much like some on the right do. It's too bad that you all don't just quit and pay attention to these bills that are being pushed. You may soon lose your freedom to do what you enjoy because you failed to pay attention. Making fun of people doesn't really accomplish a damn thing. Pam...that's spoken like a committed well trained teabagger. It's obscure but sounds authoritative and well thought out...when in actuality it says nothing. Pam...I'm left wondering...what exactly was your point ?

COMMENT #76 [Permalink]

... BlueHawk said on 10/31/2009 @ 3:17 pm PT...





RE: Comment 75...again.... I remember Dick Cheney scolding the American people and press about "How much we don't know"...When I hear someone trot out the "how much you don't know" smokescreen....it sounds so deflective and dishonest. Not to say you're dishonest or anything Pam.

COMMENT #77 [Permalink]

... David Lasagna said on 10/31/2009 @ 4:02 pm PT...





It's weird, some of these commenters. It's like drive-bys. Surfin' by or something. Don't really know where they are. Read a thing or two. Presume to know what's goin' on. Got some self-righteous anger to blow off and... KABLOOOIEEE!!!RIGHT IN THE KISSER...then..I'm outta here poof......

COMMENT #78 [Permalink]

... Infopro said on 10/31/2009 @ 6:50 pm PT...





Hi Brad, I know this post is probably so far down the list you're probably not to see it, but, I wanted to post to it anyway and thank you for your very well done clips here on this topic. You my friend, hit one out of the park on this assignment. None of these people are "stupid". We all can agree with that in most respects I think. What we see here are talking points being repeated that they've been fed, thinking that's the best way to go. Fear has pushed them into a lemmings position of sorts. How did this happen do you think? We all know that answer, too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2a4MEAoxko

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQnmxW-UyKo Thanks again for all you do!

----- Hi there member of the republican party visitng BradBlog, offended by these clips! Good to see you out and about getting some insight to other points of view. Don't be afraid, we're here to help you out of this mess you've allowed yourself to get into. Here, take my hand and we'll walk away from this train wreck, together, and maybe we can work on saving this our great county yet. You may not like what MSNBC and the others you hate, report on, that's fine. But do not keep going back to faux for your news. They are the terrorists harming our country. They, are harming you more than anything else right now.

COMMENT #79 [Permalink]

... Larry Bergan said on 11/1/2009 @ 12:46 am PT...





Big Dan hit the nail! It the absolute dominance over the public airwaves by the right wing that is causing the problem. The teabaggers feel threatened because of the election, but it's easy for them to see progressives as losers because we are shut out of the conversation. They want to be on the winning side and people who think like them are everywhere - 24/7 - goaded on by stinkers like Dick Armey.

COMMENT #80 [Permalink]

... Brad Friedman said on 11/1/2009 @ 12:10 pm PT...





I did catch your thoughts, Infopro. Thanks for 'em!

COMMENT #81 [Permalink]

... Doug Rodrigues said on 11/4/2009 @ 10:23 am PT...





Good job Brad! You've done a beautiful job of asking leading questions that can only result in unprepared answers that make people sound like fools. How many weeks did you prepare for your leading questions? You are nothing but a left-wing "Useful Idiot" that Karl Marx mentioned to be helpful to the "cause." Go back to selling used cars. It fits your personality much better.

COMMENT #82 [Permalink]

... Joe Beineke said on 11/7/2009 @ 6:05 am PT...





It's funny only in that the clueless is interviewing the clueless. And sad. You surely edited out those who articulated the issues properly, which separates your video hobby from what could be true professional journalism. By the way, the campaign is over. Start taking account of those in office, not those who are no longer. Bush who?

COMMENT #83 [Permalink]

... A Freeman said on 11/7/2009 @ 6:58 am PT...





This Headline "Bachmann's D.C. Teabaggers Raise Holocaust Banner" prompted me to send $100 to the Tea Party Express. Until reading your Headline I hadn't realised that the Tea Party members were actually freethinking uninhibited sexual enthusiasts. Thanks!

COMMENT #84 [Permalink]

... Rick Gideon said on 11/7/2009 @ 10:04 am PT...





Brad, Great job. It is unfortunate that people go out and publicly support things they can't even explain regardless of what side of the fence they are on. Keep up the good work!

COMMENT #85 [Permalink]

... Brad Friedman said on 11/7/2009 @ 10:23 am PT...





Joe Beineke @ 82 said: You surely edited out those who articulated the issues properly, which separates your video hobby from what could be true professional journalism. Nope. Sorry. While some folks were edited out for time, none of them made any more sense than those you see in the video, and some of them, in fact, came across far worse. If you don't care for the people you saw, they have only themselves to blame. I went out of my way to be as fair as I could to everyone featured in the video. By the way, the campaign is over. Start taking account of those in office, not those who are no longer. Bush who? Well we do that every day here at The BRAD BLOG, Joe. Feel free to pay attention. Aside from that, "Bush who?", you remember him, he's the one who blew up the deficit, shredded the Constitution, spied on every American citizen, started two wars (at least one of them based on lies), outed a CIA officer and committed unprecedented war crimes in your name. He's not been held accountable for any of those matters to date, of course, so I'm sure you'll join us here in trying to assure that he is, lest Barack Obama, or any other future President, get the impression they can do the same (as Obama already is in several areas by not unwinding the unConstitutional, illegal policies of the Bush Administration in many areas.) On the other hand, if you believe bank robbers and murderers should go free, because they committed their crime yesterday instead of today, well, sorry, our Rule of Law doesn't work that way, and you'll have to wave that white flag on your own.

COMMENT #86 [Permalink]

... teabags vs golden showers said on 11/8/2009 @ 1:00 pm PT...





Expropriating the property of the haves

for showering on the have nots and antisocial engineering

programs tends to evaporate in the altitudes before

moistening the ground at the Animal Farm. When one

hears 'teabaggers' fondly uttered for its undertones of

cutesie-tootsie perverted sexual act innuendo, in all

feminization fairness, it is the Golden Showerers saying it. Teabags vs. Golden Showers

COMMENT #87 [Permalink]

... NativeSonKY said on 11/8/2009 @ 10:37 pm PT...





I think it's funny as hell that they name their effort after a sexual act of dipping one's ba11s into another's mouth hole. Fitting for them, though!

COMMENT #88 [Permalink]

... Kim S said on 11/10/2009 @ 10:10 am PT...





OMG! Dude! You go and bombard people, and with sarcasm, make fun of them. Just because happen to catch them off guard!!! You should be ashamed! BTW, I am NOT 40+ yrs old, I'm 25!

COMMENT #89 [Permalink]

... Kim S said on 11/10/2009 @ 7:46 pm PT...





wow! how yall are EASY to slander! wow-you are all pretty vicious! my God!

COMMENT #90 [Permalink]

... mark said on 11/11/2009 @ 1:36 pm PT...





They may not want to listen to America now, but I found a site that has some things to remind them they will have to listen next November. http://www.thinkrightstuff.com

COMMENT #91 [Permalink]

... Brad Friedman said on 11/11/2009 @ 3:15 pm PT...

