Off-Topic

It's blocked at work, so I'll have to read it when I get home. I hardly think that supports your argument about "vast majority". And believe it or not, there are many people (myself included, and I'm pro gay marriage) who support the idea of limiting the effects of a CFA boycott just because their CEO happened to voice his opinion.

But seriously, let's not start this again. This is a dumb topic for this thread anyway. If you can't accept the fact that the TP is a fiscal conservatism movement that happens to have some members who have opinions on other topics than fiscal conservatism, I don't know if I can explain it to you.

99% of americans, conservative, liberal, or other, support the ability of people to speak about what they feel. that issue was never in question. so you can't lie and say it was about freedom of speech. it was about being a "proud christian" and supporting bigoted ideals.

Frode trying to defend the tea party never gets old.

Agreed.

not even close to what he said, at all

"The Tea Party movement is an American political movement that advocates strict adherence to the United States Constitution, reducing U.S. government spending and taxes, and reduction of the U.S. national debt and federal budget deficit."

These are the main stances of the Tea Party, who gives a shart if they support Chick-Fil-A, it's not extremely radical to support freedom of speech.

so if i'm going to support the KKK's ability to say what they want, i have to attend a rally and hang someone from a tree?

as a closer analogy, i support the salvation army's ability to be bigots, but i'm sure as hell not dropping a dollar in their bucket.

This article explains in further detail why I said before that I consider the "Superhero Debt Crusader Paul Ryan" persona a bit of a phony.

Can I get some freedom fries with my chargrilled, no homo, chicken club?

Well, Christie can point to some of the things he (and Walker) have done to bring about big deficit reductions at the state level. Christie is somewhat of an attack dog in terms of how he operates, but he's much more about giving the straight dope and not being afraid to do it.

Let me get this straight, the left attacks Ryan as some right wing zealot/extremists on the one hand, then on the other hand cites to his voting record to show that he has on occassion compromised, hence he is a phony? No Pol has a perfect voting record. As to some of the votes mentioned, Ryan's position on the bank bailouts is congress was told by experts that if this measure didn't pass, it would end the banking system in our country and destroy our economy. They had 48 hours to decide and vote on the measure. In that scenario, was it a bad vote? Don't most Dems point to this vote as heroic? With respect to Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug) vote, there were two plans being discussed at that time, one with some free market principles incorporated, which is what was passed, and one that didn't contain these principles and was based on the current Medicare model. According to Ryan, one of the two plans was going to get through congress and Bush made it clear that he was going to sign which either of the plans got to his desk. Naturally, the Libs wanted to pass the plan without any free market competition and was 100% Gov't run. Ryan chose the lesser of two evils and voted for the plan that implements some free market competition. This plan has proven to save money over the plan that didn't rely upon free market competition (no big surprise), and it has provided a model for Ryan's plan to bring free market competition to Medicare for those under 55 years old. Notwithstanding the above, Ryan is the first to admit that he made some votes as a younger congressman that were for the team, and he wished he had not done. He, as well as a few other young Pubs, beileved the Pub Party had gotten away from their conservative fiscal principles. That's why he and a few others young Pubs decided to break away from the establishment Pubs (see link) and became known as the young guns.

It took courage and guts for Ryan to distance himself from the establishment Pubs and author and push his plans. You may not agree with or like Ryan, but I disagree with any characterization of him as a phony.

please read the previous 20 or so posts relative to the Christian values of tea party members...and tell me that isn't out of hand....

Nah, what I'm saying is he is riding a media created persona that isn't very accurate given his past voting record. Much like Obama in 08 in a way.

He's no Ron Paul or Tom Coburn. I detest them but at least respect their principled stances on things. Ryan's just a pol, a good one. Also much like Obama.