The Tea Party Should Be Called the Koch Party

I have previously stated my belief that the Tea Party is not a populist nor a grass-roots political movement, not truly the "common man" rebelling against excessive government and excessive taxes, as some of their demonstrations and sloganeering have tried to persuade us. I am happy to be able to say that I find the same idea expressed elsewhere. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the Tea Party:

Former ambassador Christopher Meyer writes in the Daily Mail that the Tea Party movement is a mix of "grassroots populism, professional conservative politics, and big money", the last supplied in part by Charles and David Koch.[134] Jane Mayer says that the Koch brothers' political involvement with the Tea Party has been so secretive that she labels it "covert".[135]

David Koch and his brother are billionaires. Their money allows them to be very powerful and influential. Their interest--not to say that they don't have other aims--is to keep taxes on the wealthy low. Again, on the role of David Koch and his brother in advancing conservative politics:

Americans for Prosperity, an organization founded by David H. Koch in 2003, and led by Tim Phillips. The group has over 1 million members in 500 local affiliates, and led protests against health care reform in 2009.[103]

One million members may sound like a lot but it represents only one-third of one percent of the American population.

And the Wikipedia article quotes others:

In an April 2009 New York Times opinion column, contributor Paul Krugman wrote that "the tea parties don't represent a spontaneous outpouring of public sentiment. They're AstroTurf (fake grassroots) events, manufactured by the usual suspects. In particular, a key role is being played by FreedomWorks, an organization run by Richard Armey.". . .The same month, then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California) stated "It's not really a grassroots movement. It's astroturf by some of the wealthiest people in America to keep the focus on tax cuts for the rich instead of for the great middle class"[219][220]

Some have claimed that the Tea Party is racist. Going back at least to Ronald Reagan, conservatives have tried to play upon racism. If they were a little more blunt in how they state what they believe, we would more plainly see their unwillingness to pay taxes that, in their opinion, go for welfare paid to people who simply don't want to work. A poll (by the University of Washington?) showed that only 35% of Tea Party supporters believe that Blacks are hard working.

Updates December 17, 2011, December 18, 2011
The Koch brothers fund the Acton Institute and the Heartland Institute (among many other Right organizations), which are anti-environmental organizations which deny human-caused global warming. Many of the Kochs' organizations, like a lot of Right organizations, are interlocking in their funding, etc.
If there's anybody who didn't already know the power of money--the influence upon and control of our national affairs--he should just look at the Kochs.

Copyright (c) 2011 by Richard Stein