Jackson Free Press

NPR's Fresh Air Host Terry Gross interviewed historian Sean Wilentz today about his recent article in "The New Yorker" exploring the roots of the Tea Party movement. He writes that the tea party is rooted in an extremist ideology that started during the Cold War.

Wilentz argues this same climate has allowed Glenn Beck to emerge as a dominant voice in the Tea Party movement with his relentless assaults and comparisons between Woodrow Wilson's Progressive Era and the policies of President Barack Obama. He also points out that Beck uses rhetoric similar to the John Birch Society, a 1950's political group that "became synonymous with right-winged extremism."

Previous Commentsshow

JBS is still around and kicking... thanks to some local joker, I get their newsletter every week. (Their advocacy page is hilarious, with titles like "Continue to Oppose Food Safety Legislation," "Stop the new START Treaty" and "Protect Free Speech -- Reject the Campaign Disclosures Bill, H.R. 5175".) Riiight. They are about as adamantly anti-Obama as the Grover Norquist apologists over at Americans for Tax Reform, which is ironic considering how many of the recently enacted programs would likely help what I assume is JBS' target membership.

Todd Stauffer

Oct 14 2010

The tea party is extreme. I didn't know that. I hope that doesn't include Grand Paul and that witch Christine O"Donnell. I don't know which I dislike most the witch O'Donnell or that _____ Sarah Palin. I meant "woman" you know! "Sump got to be did about the tea party." This coming November we plan to do just that SUMP!

Walt

Oct 14 2010

The Tea Party is indeed extreme. See the NAACP report for further edification or just take a look at them individually. The new kkk aka Tea party has already picked it new slave drivers and informants. They are black and have been made some of the spoke persons for the group this time around, unlike the old time when they were hidden informants and supporters. Many of them are runnung for office and the only thing they like black is the night time when they can put on their sheets and look like everyone else nightriding. They're often light-skinned but occasionally dark. You will know them by the company they keep and their hatred of Obama and other Blacks other than themselves.

Walt

Oct 20 2010

The Tea Party was born out of discontent with the way things are. That's just a fact. Love them or hate them they will be around for a while. Liberals should support the Tea Party because of the damage they can do to Republican chances for taking the White House in '12. I'm relatively conservative but I'm not voting for a nitwit like Palin for POTUS or VPOTUS. So libs, grab yer Tea Party duds and start screaming for SARAH.

Mr Fat Back

Nov 5 2010