Announcing my own Tea Party Points to Ponder

[Preface: Over the coming days up to the November 2nd election, I will be posing a series of questions designed to help members of the Tea Party movement dispel some of the fog in their own minds as to which political party actually serves their interests. It is clear to me that they are allowing their emotions to get the best of their powers of reason. For example, they rail against growth in government at a time when corporate power--over which they have zero influence--is at a zenith and has nearly resulted in a second Great Depression. They decry high taxes when taxes are lower than they have been in decades and our nation's infrastructure is crumbling. They bemoan government regulation of business at a time when lack of effective regulation has led to worldwide economic meltdown and environmental disasters of heretofore unseen magnitude. They whine about loss of freedom due to so-called socialistic Democratic policies as massive numbers of Americans have more free time than ever because of their lack of employment due to Republican policies for which they wax nostalgic.]

One of two things is happening--1) either they are simply in need of some lens cleaner so that they can see the world--as it really is--clearly or 2) they have lost touch with reality and need to be placed in some type of managed care facility. As a writer, I need something to do, so I will assume that the correct remedy is alternative # 1 and offer some Points for Tea Partiers to Ponder before they burst a blood vessel:

Case in Point # 1: Assuming you--the Tea Partier--agree that we live in a capitalist society and that "private ownership of the means of production, creation of goods or services for profit in a market, and prices and wages are elements of capitalism" [from the Wikipedia definition of "capitalism"] and assuming that you agree that there is a role for government in capitalist societies in the areas of consumer protection and fair and open competition, the question arises, "As a consumer, who is in the better position to look out for your interests: A corporation, whose principle stakeholders are the shareholders and employees, or the government, whose principle stakeholder--outside of corporate lobbyists--is the voter?"

If you answered "corporations", then you might want to ignore news stories about product recalls, ponzi schemes, sticking accelerators, oil spills, and corporate malfeasance; trust your soul to Wall Street and keep voting for Republicans.

But if you answered "government", then I have to ask, "What the heck are you thinking when you're out there supporting people like Palin, O'Connell, Joe Miller, and Angle?" Are you saying that you support these champions of laissez-faire economics as a shareholder or employee? If not, then who else do you expect to fight for your rights as a consumer/private citizen, if not your government? Or, has your conservative ideology become the enemy of your personal well-being? If so, then at least have the intellectual honesty to say so and stop hiding behind your irrational and irresponsible anger. For from such comes anarchy or, worse, totalitarianism.