Media Spreads Tea Party Leaders as “Anti-Establishment” Myth

[Emit]

Media Spreads Tea Party Leaders as “Anti-Establishment” Myth

The Tea Party mythology – that it is a grassroots, “insurgent” movement bent on overthrowing the “establishment” – has taken root in the corporate and even independent liberal media, largely because of the Herculean efforts by conservative think tanks, media sources, and big corporate funding (as I discussed in the last essay in this series, Lisbeth Salander: The Dark Metal Sarah Palin). The Tea Party PR fairy tale is so pervasive that it has become a commonplace, and thus, the normal, “factual” way in which the media covers the election, as we see in the McClatchy newspapers’ report “Tea Party, Palin put GOP establishment on ropes in Florida, Alaska.” The headline – which introduces an “objective” news report – spreads this conservative manufactured myth, that the Tea Party is separate from the Washington establishment, that it is in fact “fighting” the beltway. The headline was published across its network of 31 papers nationwide, even growing into the independent media, even at progressive media bastion Truthout (who I have published with).

In the last week, the media – both corporate and independent – has unreflectively spread the manufactured myth that Tea Party candidates are outside of the political establishment. In simply reporting the Tea Party as a separate entity from the Republican Party, many media sources have helped perpetuate the false notion that its leaders represent a new political movement.

In even using the brand “Tea Party” we perpetuate the idea that it is not the same old Republican party.

To the contrary, while claiming to fight on behalf of the “little guy,” who is angrier than ever about the state of affairs today according to a recent PEW poll, the Tea Party leadership – which is ideologically and financially connected to the Republican establishment, and billionaire activists – sees the opportunity to turn the rage at government into a love for big business (Much to the intense criticism of some real grassroots Tea Partiers). As a result, the Tea Party movement, whether or not the on the ground activists are aware of this, appears to be acting as a set of sacrificial pawns on behalf of the corporate elite – the Plutocracy – at the expense of its own middle class interest.

The Tea Party candidates, their leadership, and their corporate sponsors are not anti-establishment. Let’s no longer use this fabricated fable, especially those of us working in the independent media, and no longer act as pack-mules for think-tank propaganda.

~snip~

In this capitalist revolution, multinational corporations are the Tea Party’s comrades in arms.

~snip~

The Tea Party is retro-Reaganomics, rebranded, selling economic inequity as middle class empowerment.

~snip~

A real Tea Party movement is one which adequately represents what the name symbolizes, one which represents the interests of the people, fights all excessive, abusive powers, not just those within the government, but those in multi-national corporations as well, who are not subject to democratic, transparent oversight. A real Tea Party movement will be skeptical of all those with unchecked, unbalanced and thus undemocratic power – in the government and without.

Only then can we follow Beck’s words, and be a country that truly stands up for the underdog. Only then will the Tea Party be anti-establishment.

Until then, let’s call the Tea Party by its true name – The Republican Party.

http://dailycensored.com/2010/09/16/media-spreads-tea-party-leaders-as-%E2%80%9Canti-establishment%E2%80%9D-myth/

[tularetom]

1. One day these fools are gonna wake up and realize they've been played

I want to have the popcorn concession when that day rolls around.

[Emit]

3. Lol, but will they ever wake up?

Some might, and I hope they do. But, seems no matter how much they are told they are being played, they blindly continue to follow ~ too brainwashed and paranoid to believe other, more reasonable sources. Rightwing authoritarian leaders and their Rightwing authoritarian followers are a strange, insufferable breed, indeed.

[Overseas]

2. K&R! //nt