Krugman On Tea Party Movement: "Embarrassing To Watch"

Anti-tax organizers of "tea parties" around the country have tried to keep out fringe elements like birth certificate conspiracy theorists and potentially embarrassing national politicians like Michael Steele and David Vitter. But Paul Krugman writes in the New York Times Monday that the "movement" is of a piece with the Republican party of the past decade or so:

Republicans have become embarrassing to watch. And it doesn't feel right to make fun of crazy people. Better, perhaps, to focus on the real policy debates, which are all among Democrats.

But here's the thing: the G.O.P. looked as crazy 10 or 15 years ago as it does now. That didn't stop Republicans from taking control of both Congress and the White House. And they could return to power if the Democrats stumble. So it behooves us to look closely at the state of what is, after all, one of our nation's two great political parties.

The tea parties, he points out, are funded by typical Republican billionaires and promoted by Fox News. The crazy attacks that spring up at them resemble the ones levied at Clinton. Krugman doesn't say how, in his opinion, the GOP will once again take power. But, he concludes, "we can only hope that Republicans have moved on by the time that happens."

Read the whole thing.

Fox News has accused the Huffington Post and other "diabolical liberals" of attempting to infiltrate the tea parties. See video of tea parties around the country here.

The Huffington Post wants to have citizen journalists at as many of these tea party events as possible. If you think you'd be interested in attending one of the Tea Parties and reporting back to us with dispatches, photos, or video, click here to sign up. We'll contact you shortly with further instructions.

Comments

[Kache]

08:00 PM on 04/17/2009

Embarrassing? Have you looked at your self in the mirror while doing your impersonation of chicken little? OK, I admit, Gov. Rick Limbaugh is more embarrassing, but why are you trying to compete with them Paul?

[drummer 40]

06:15 AM on 04/17/2009

I'm left leaning but happen to agree that increased spending to prop up failing businesses won't help in this situation.

However, I refuse to protest amongst a crowd of people who have not organized to unify their message. The result is that you get people standing around with Confederate flags and anti-abortion signs at some of these rallies which just diffuses the message and the impact.

I will protest with people who know how to protest. After all, the teabaggers were protesting wasteful spending by throwing away tea. Irony anyone?

[allamericanmale]

10:10 AM on 04/17/2009

So you agree with what the protesters stand for? So if we get rid of a few idiotic red necks you'll come to the next one? So if they don't do anything silly at all you'll support it?

AWESOME! I'll call the Right Wing Conspiracy Panel and let them know... see you in July!

[jacw20]

06:04 AM on 04/17/2009

You know I thought that those protests at the RNC convention were Embarrassing to Watch, but at least now the protesters are nonviolent and generally clean up after themselves.

[katmeyster]

02:40 AM on 04/17/2009

We surely are a stupid nation. I mean that literally. We have spent years making sure we have dumbed down the electorate (NCLB), and have promoted anti-intellectualism. So when people are frustrated and angry, afraid for the future, they will believe any swill that seems right to them. No matter if it is wrong, no matter if corporations spew the nonsense, no matter if it doesn't have any historic or economic truth to it -- people just believe and repeat. Believe and repeat. Buy guns. Believe and repeat. We surely are a stupid nation.

[allamericanmale]

10:10 AM on 04/17/2009

Exactly what I was thinking, last November...

[Harmony1812]

11:08 PM on 04/16/2009

Most people protesting are just venting. We are all mad at the way things are. But stop hating the guy that had nothing to do with creating it but is only trying to fix it. Give them a chance.
Would you rather have McCain/Palin walking round in prayer circles?

[Harmony1812]

11:04 PM on 04/16/2009

Think how much of our money has gone to healthcare costs. Big pharma and uncooperative insurance companies that provide the least possibe services for the most profit has cost lives and livelihoods. Obama is right to put this as a priority. As with many things, his plan is an investment in the future. It will cost a lot to implement, but will in the long run be more cost effective. The same is true of other things like infrastructure, energy and transportation.
Times have changed and many things that worked before just don't work anymore. The changes we need to make will also provide jobs and new industry.
We must be patient.

[allamericanmale]

10:13 AM on 04/17/2009

I have health insurance, because I have a decent job and I pay for it out of my paycheck. Health care issues for the ones that don't have full time jobs or haven't already signed up for free healthcare that's available all over the US is NOT a priority for me.

"...many things that worked before just don't work anymore. " are you talking about the people who don't have to pay taxes because the Obama's gonna pay their mortgages?

[Coattails]

10:17 PM on 04/16/2009

He should be more embarrassed that his company has been run into the ground, in my opinion.

The stock is down to about 5 bucks a share now, about the same as a pack of smokes or a meal at a fast-food restaurant.

If you guys think they are so great, go invest and save them, its cheap, but will probably go lower.

I'd rather get something tangible, I wouldn't use that paper to line to bottom of a bird cage with.

[JaneK13]

10:00 PM on 04/16/2009

It is good that overseas cable viewers mostly watch Fox News. I'm glad they got to see how enthusiastic yet well-mannered Americans are during protests. Quite a contrast to the protesters at the G20.

Happily, Europeans got an amazing and impressive demonstration of how classy Americans can be. We know how to protest peacefully and have fun doing it! I just loved reading all the clever signs.It was great that it was broadcast all over the world, especially after our leader went abroad and trashed Americans as being arrogant .Actions speak louder than words.

My favorite sign at the protests was "Nobody paid me to come here." That about sums up the first amendent right.

[Harmony1812]

10:26 PM on 04/16/2009

It's good that the world watches FOX?

[FormerReaganite]

12:53 AM on 04/17/2009

So they can be entertained by America's Lunatic Fringe...

[jacw20]

06:08 AM on 04/17/2009

Yeah, last time I was in Europe it was generally 2:1 Fox over CNN. Even more in favor of Fox when I was in Iraq. All I can say is that the RNCs protesters are a lot more pleasant than their DNC compatriots.

[katmeyster]

02:32 AM on 04/17/2009

Are you serious? I heard lots of people in crowds talking about revolution and not taking it anymore. They may not have been violent at the moment, but there was plenty of incitement all around -- especially if you are a fanatic. Talking about secession, revolution, and Obama Hitler taking away peoples' guns is a call to arms for a lot of people out there listening and watching FOX. And Europeans would surely see how crazy this is. Your so called clever signs made the people who wrote them look pretty stupid. We pay the lowest taxes in the world, so having a tea party on tax day not only completely misrepresented the actual historical significance, it was ridiculous. I don't mind people protesting policies and how our tax money is spent, but this really was a call to white (many racist) people to get angry about something, anything -- even if they have no idea what they are talking about. I'm sure it was pathetic to anyone of any intelligence who watched it.

[allamericanmale]

10:31 AM on 04/17/2009

I doubt the people in Greece or Italy or the rest of the world getting fed up with the way the world is heading ever worry about what everyone else thinks of them when they are participating in REAL protests, only the snotty liberals are concerned and turning up their noses at the same type of activities our founding fathers (patriots) participated in, not these soft, well-behaved ones over here. 1 arrest out of 250,000 protesters. That's commendable. I know this isn't the same type of call to arms as the founding fathers, but all of these people would proudly call themselves patriots.

[JayDDrew]

09:07 PM on 04/16/2009

If people would just read a book or articles about recessions, you'd understand what's going on. And pay attention to the chapter on the Great Depression, will you?
The only reason the current administration is spending so much is that's the last credit card available to get the economy rolling again. Americans are tapped out, thanks to low interest rates since 9/11. Businesses are tapped out, thanks to banks' bad loans to consumers, the businesses inability to get loans because of banks' problems, and the lack of demand from consumers being tapped out. It's up to the Fed to get the economy rolling.
The vast majority of economists (conservative, liberal and the middle) all agree this is necessary, they only disagree on if enough is being spent.
And I've said it before, I'll say it again: Ronald Reagan said the natinal deficit didn't matter. The Bush administration followed that creed for eight years. Why do conservatives feel it is so important now? And it was so unimportant in 2000, you voted out the continuation of the administration that actually had gotten this country in the black (Clinton/Gore). That's how little deficits meant to you then.

[Tom Spettigue]

09:20 PM on 04/16/2009

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_reeo_0uYuKM/ScpI4p7-HwI/AAAAAAAAEMA/729Ac7KKemE/s1600-h/bush_obama_deficit.jpg

And I believe that the tea party movement, also closely aligned with the Ron Paul/Libertarian party movement, has opposed reckless federal spending since the beginning. I don't remember when I saw Democrats wanting to end the $40 billion annual drug war, but...

[teabagger]

10:53 PM on 04/16/2009

It wasn't Clinton/Gore but rather when the Republicans took control of the house. Remember Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America. The Republicans are the ones that did welfare reform, etc. If you read the books about the Great Depression it is now surmised that the steps the government took prolonged the depression and most economist I hear say you can not spend your way out of a recession. Do you need to spend money? Yes but on things that will grow the economy. The so called Stimulus Bill is caulked full of pork from both sides. Includes many things that has absolutely nothing to do with growing an economy. We are also no longer talking of billions or one trillion in debt, we are now looking at over ten trillion. It is amazing that the the previous administrations, both democrats and republicans alike, valued the opinion of the Congressional Budget Office. They are the ones who believe the Obama's projection are greatly flawed. However, he thinks he knows best. This is not grade school where well try different things and if they fail, oh well we'll try something else. This is real life and we are on a fast track to disaster.

[MaximMaximus]

12:39 AM on 04/17/2009

I'd suggest you go check the facts once more. It is through massive government spending we got out of the Great Depression. Only for 1 year FDR went along with the GOP's idea of cutting gov't spending and the economy went south. He had to turn on the gov't spending again after which the economy picked back up until WWII. There is no other instrument that government spending to pull an economy out of recession as per capitalist economic theory.

[mairs]

01:23 AM on 04/17/2009

The fast track to disaster was the last 8 years.

[Mykel]

07:17 PM on 04/16/2009

I think the Obama Administration should investigate where the Republican billionaires who are funding these "teabagging" (LOL) protests got their money.

TARP funds, perhaps?

[Joseph Upton]

07:44 PM on 04/16/2009

I guess I missed out on the "funding" when I attended a tea party yesterday. You left wingers are so full of hatred and mean-spiritness you can't think straight. Someone should investigate Obama/Pelosi to see if they are insane the way they have been wasting the taxpayer's money.

[Kenji]

09:16 PM on 04/16/2009

Project much?

[Harmony1812]

10:30 PM on 04/16/2009

The first bailout money was under GWBThe money will not be wasted. It is going into help rebuild the America that previous administrations neglected. In doing so it will create jobs and make money flow through the stagnant system. Where were you when Bush gave all those no bid contracts to his buddies at Haliburton and friends? Oh, that's right, he "forgot" to include that and Katrina in his phoney budget.

[JaneK13]

10:01 PM on 04/16/2009

They made their own signs...with their own money.

[Buddy McCue]

07:08 AM on 04/17/2009

And it shows.

Making your own sign usually looks about as good as cutting your own hair. Support your local signshop and get it done right!

(full disclosure: yes, I make signs for a living.)

[jasonsabio]

05:15 PM on 04/16/2009

Lazy good for nothings protesting during a weekday! In this economy!! The audacity! They're probably living off welfare checks. Get a job hippies! The economy is bad because of bums like these.

[Harmony1812]

10:31 PM on 04/16/2009

Yeah, they weren't at work were they?

[teabagger]

10:57 PM on 04/16/2009

Well some of us are self employed and actually get our work done in a timely manner. If not were responsible enough to work after hours, at home or on weekends. But thanks for asking. Don't worry you'll still get my money through taxation to support you anyway.

[Nofuzzydreams]

04:50 PM on 04/16/2009

Why is everyone so bent of of shape over these parties. Reminds me of move-on house parties. These people do have a reasonable issue - that our government is getting too big and we will be running trillion dollar deficits for 10 years when few months ago Democrats were complaining about 200 billion dollar deficits.

[mairs]

01:35 AM on 04/17/2009

Bush grew the government more than any president has ever done. Funny I didn't hear any Republicans seeming to care. Why do Republicans only care about money when it's going to be spent on all of us? Why didn't they care when it was being wasted on wars of aggression for no reason?

[jacw20]

06:27 AM on 04/17/2009

Actually, quite a few of us protested his increases in non-defense spending during his presidency. The Department of Homeland Security is a waste. And many of us thought we weren't/aren't going to be able to afford the prescription drug plan over the long term.

I didn't mind his dramatic increase in aid to foreign countries, b/c countries that can feed their people are more stable over the long term.

[allamericanmale]

10:43 AM on 04/17/2009

So why do you suddenly NOT care about money being wasted? You can't have it both ways? Where were YOU when Bush was wasting money? Do you only care when it isn't you're guy doing the wasting? Are you just the same as the hypocrites you want to marginalize? Get it together LIBS, this is a non-party issue, it's an American tax payer issue, and if you don't support this movement, we will all suffer because of it down the road with higher taxes, an insolvent currency, and hyperinflation...

[andycan]

04:12 PM on 04/16/2009

How can "teabaggers" screen out lunatics, when they are lunatics?

[allamericanmale]

04:27 PM on 04/16/2009

Thanks for adding to the intelligent debate here...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/16/cable-anchors-guests-use-tea-parties-platform-frat-house-humor/

[Nofuzzydreams]

05:05 PM on 04/16/2009

At least they are not beggars asking for others money!!

[mairs]

01:37 AM on 04/17/2009

More Republicans come from states which get back more government money than they send in as taxes. More Democrats live in states that pay in taxes more than they get back from the government. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Red states are welfare states. Blue states effectively end up paying the red states to exist.

[tmuiney]

02:31 PM on 04/16/2009

As bad as Bush was I don't recall the country so split as it is now. It's kind of scarey. I didn't attend a tea party but I didn't attend war protests either. I get why they are doing it. This Administration ripped out a limitless credit card and is charging the hell out of it. Gibbs can talk about my current tax cut all he wants but I know how credit works and the bill will come later. My guess is we all will have to pay so I get the anger. Left, middle or right we all know there is plenty of waste and corruption with these bailouts and budget. But what happened to Obama bringing people together? This democratic "my way or the highway" is turning off alot of us independents who vote the person not the party into office.

[Wood]

03:22 PM on 04/16/2009

That's silly. What are you suffering from? Selective amnesia the last 8 years? It's easy to see why these people are reacting the way they are. Like you, they fall for the okey doke.

[EZD]

03:28 PM on 04/16/2009

So in other words you think after lets say 3 1/2 months he should have everything moving along just fine. As a former member of the military I know people want results as long as they do not have to pay for it... seems some feel we can continue on our reputation. If you or anyone feel we can stay competitive by just letting the selfish people keep all there money, we are truly done as a nation. I pay taxes and live pretty well when all is said and done. Maybe travel to some really poor countries will give you a better view of were we could be heading.

[PwnedByJesus]

02:23 PM on 04/16/2009

LOL. Even "diabolical liberals" couldn't stomach the nonsense that goes on at these whack-job conventions. The teabaggers' efforts to screen out lunatics has failed, from what I have seen. As soon as I heard one speaker extol the virtues of Alex Jones' form of insanity, I knew this movement will turn into clown car.