How the right distorts symbols of democracy for their undemocratic ends

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

You will recall that back on February 19, 2009, CNBC analyst Rick Santelli complained about the Obama administration's plans to assist homeowners who are underwater on their mortgages or in foreclosure.

Santelli, who is a multi-millionaire former derivatives trader – you know, the people who invented splicing and dicing of subprime mortgages and then bundling them together into collaterized debt obligations (CDO) of questionable value, and who made millions of dollars in profits on these "toxic assets" until their House of Cards Ponzi Scheme came crashing down – stood in the well of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and called his fellow Americans who are in desperate financial straights "losers."

Santelli turned to the multi-millionaire commodity futures traders surrounding him – you know, the people whose speculation in the oil markets last year drove up the price of oil over $200 barrel and a gallon of gas over $4 gallon – and exhorted them to a "populist" uprising:

"We're thinking of having a Chicago tea party in July," Santelli said. "All you capitalists that want to show up to Lake Michigan, I'm gonna start organizing."

That's right, a multi-millionaire who personally profited handsomely from the fraud and speculation in the world's largest Ponzi Scheme on Wall Street is going to lead a "populist" uprising against providing assistance to average middle class Americans who are in danger of losing their homes during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. What a prick.

Well, wouldn't you know it, this "tea party" idea was seized upon by the Billionaires For Bush crowd who have morphed it into "tea parties" to protest not just the Obama administration's mortgage foreclosure rescue plan, but the bank rescue plan (even though they stand to benefit the most), federal economic stimulus spending, the Obama budget, tax reform, yaddy-yadda-yadda. In other words, generalized conservative opposition to all things Obama. This faux "populist" (sic) movement is just another front group for the very Wall Street Oligarchs who are responsible for this economic crisis in the first place.

What really pisses me off is how the right distorts our most cherished symbols of democracy and twists them into something unrecognizable to serve their undemocratic ends. As anyone with even a grade school education knows, the Boston Tea Party for which these conservative "tea parties" dare to compare themselves (this should offend any good American's sensibilities), was about "taxation without representation":

In December 1773, colonists reacted angrily to a tax levied by the British Parliament on tea shipped to the colonies. Dozens of protesters in Boston, led by Samuel Adams, disguised themselves as Native Americans, stormed ships in Boston Harbor containing tea and dumped it without paying the taxes due. As much as any protest of the time, the Boston Tea Party seemed to crystallize colonial resentment over taxation without representation.

We just held an election in November 2008. More people voted than in any previous election, and as a percentage of the population, it was the highest voter turnout in many elections. The American people overwhelmingly cast their votes for "change" from the conservative Bush Republicans by electing Democrat Barack Obama president and electing large majorities of Democrats to the House and Senate. No one can seriously argue that we are currently experiencing "taxation without representation" in a functioning democracy. The right is bastardizing one of the most enduring American symbols of democracy for their own partisan political ends (as they have done for years with the flag).

The right does not believe in democratic elections. They believe they have an inherent (some say God given) entitlement to rule over us. This explains the "Alaska Disasta" Sarah Palin calling for a "do-over" election in Alaska, and why the RNC lawyers have threatened to continue "junk litigation" lawsuits into the next election cycle over the Senate seat in Minnesota and the recent special congressional election in New York. The right does not accept "the will of the people" in democratic elections. They only believe in the raw exercise of political power.

Good Americans do not have to tolerate this basterdization of our symbols of democracy by the undemocratic right. We can and should fight back with symbols which mock these right wingnuts.

Mari Herreras at the Tucson Weekly blog The Range has suggested the following Don't Forget Your Tea Bag!

Former legislative candidate Trent Humphries is one of several small government folk taking up the lead for the local Tax Day Tea Party charge. They even have their own blog, where you can get the latest on their tea party on April 15 at El Presidio Park in downtown Tucson.

I understand the movement is into sending tea bags to state and federal legislators to remind them that in this time when we are hurting most, we need to get rid of those pesky taxes that support things like education and infrastructure.

All these tea bags flying everywhere, with some probably going into that poor fountain at El Presidio Park, I wanted to offer up another symbol for this (false) revolution. They come in all sizes, as well as gold, silver and blue, and can hang nicely behind your pickup.

My only question is whether Sheapenny will be the teabager or the teabagee. I am guessing he prefers the latter. (This is what happens when you abuse the comments privilege, Sheapenny. I gave you fair warning).

A sack-o-nuts is not the only symbol appropriate for this right wingnut crowd. They clearly have their heads up their asses so the ever popular "ass hat" is also an appropriate symbol. I'm not sure, but this could be Sheapenny.