Jun 29, 2010

New documentary on teabaggers is the new Psycho


AFI lists Psycho, Jaws, The Exorcist and the Silence of the Lams as some of the scariest movies of all time; they have not seen "The Rise of New Right," a documentary with Chris Matthews.

In the documentary aired earlier this month, the MSNBC anchor summed up all the tea bagger nonsense that began almost two years ago with his opening statement.

“A raging hostility toward the elected government of the U.S.,” Matthews said. “Their common enemy, the President of the U.S., Barrack Obama.”

He highlights the extremisms of the teabaggers, including birhters, the Michigan Militia, secessionist groups and white supremacists. Matthews offers a crisp timeline, and a quick moving pace. Teabaggers and my rightwing critics on this blog will dismiss it because Matthews is a host on MSNBC and because of his past political affiliation. The problem is he used the teabaggers own words. How do you deny them?

We have rightwing extremist Alan Keyes, for example. I had the misfortune of hearing him speak when I covered the local anti-choice dinner where he was the guest speaker. The Maryland Republican is one of the early so-called leaders of the birther crowd. Keyes has an obvious hatred of Obama because Obama creamed the carpetbagger in the 2004 Illinois Senate election.

“Obama is a radical communist,” Keyes said. “We’ve got to stop him, or the U.S. will cease to exist.”

That’s a sane man? Funny, he calls Obama a communist, but the co-hosts of my favorite radio show have ignited a debate by calling Obama a corporatist who has tacked to the center on every issue. Even if Keyes’ insane rantings were true, the U.S. is stronger than just one man.

The documentary talks to teabaggers and shows photos of their racist signs, including the Gadsden flag that the first Marines used in 1775; just one of many symbols teabaggers have misused. It is displayed at the fake Astroturf “tea parties,” anti-health care rallies, militia events and even by Republican members of Congress playing to the extremists that control the GOP.

“The flag flew as a warning to the occupying foreign oppressor,” Matthews said. “Now, the enemy is not a foreign king, but the government chosen in an honest election by the American people.”

The documentary also talks to the Michigan Militia; a fringe, anti-government hate group. They are now trying to claim a legitimate role, but this is the same anti-government hate group that wants to overthrow the government by force of arms that went into hiding after the Oklahoma City terrorist attack in 1995. They were always there, but only the diehards stayed when people discovered what they were really all about in 1995.

Now, they are trying to clean up their image, but the mission and beliefs are the same as they were the last time we had a Democrat in the White House. But they have done such a great PR job hiding what they are really all about and the fact that the fringe element has taken over the GOP that their membership has tripled since Obama was elected President.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the documentary was the look back at the last tine the extreme right held away in this country, the McCarthyism of the 1950s and the rightwing John Birch Society. The language and rhetoric are eerily similar. Those people played on the fears of people just like they are now.

When you watch, “The Rise of New Right” make sure the lights are on, and you do not watch it alone.

22 comments:

Not Anonymous said...

Chris Matthews "past" affiliation? The guy is a flaming Socialist Democrat. It's not past affiliation. It's present affiliation. Or do you need to be reminded of his "thrill going up my leg" comment?

Typical of socialist Democrats to take things out of context and word things in a distorted manner and to mischaracterize the Michigan Militia as well as the Oklahoma bombing.

You really need a new schtick.

Communications guru said...

Congratulations, anonymous coward, you really can read. That is correct, past affiliations.

There is no such thing as a “Socialist” Democrat is this country, and that is just a false, fascist Republican talking point.

Again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a “Socialist” Democrat is this country, and that is just a false, fascist Republican talking point.

What is being taken out of context, anonymous coward? The false, anti-government rhetoric the Michigan Militia spouted in the 1990s led to the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil before 9/11. Are you denying that?

The Michigan Militia is an anti-government hate group, just like they were in 1995.

I challenge you to dispute a single word of the documentary, anonymous coward.

Once again, anonymous coward, I’m still waiting for you to back up your fairy tale that we were “nearly shoulder to shoulder once.”

You really need some new lies.

Dan said...

I won't even dignify that radical leftist Chris Matthews with a response.

The only thing more pathetic than the race card is when white people like you play it.

The Gasden Flag racist? That's one of the biggest crocks of absolute bullshit I've even seen. "Don't Tread on Me." with the rattlesnake. It's a real simple meaning to the government. Back the hell off, or we'll bite. That's exactly what is happening in 2010 when a shitload of incumbents get fired. Six of them already have. More will in November.

Motor City Liberal Returns said...

@Republican Michigander

This "movement" is all about hating the black guy with the funny name in the White House. Where was this outrage at government during Bush's two terms?

During the Bush years you saw government grew, government spending going out of control and threats to personal civil liberties with things like the "Patriot Act" yet I'm willingly to bet a vast majority of tea baggers would give George W.Bush a third term in office if you let them.

The Republicans are banking on the white angry male vote to usher them back into power while alienating other segments of the population to pander to this group.

Not Anonymous said...

The "black guy with the funny name in the White House" as only you describe him, is irrelevent. The latest CNN poll shows that 61.7% think this country is on the wrong path. That's not just the "movement". He's lost independents and even the Republicans that he gained last time.

There was outrage during Bush's two terms. His second term anyway. The Republicans were kicked out in 2006 because of the increased spending. The people stood up and killed the amnesty bill that Bush proposed.

You really have no complaint with the Patriot Act because the irrelevent Socialist Democrat now living in the White House has renewed it almost identical to how it was under Bush.

Yes, now that we've seen what we get with this socialist in the White House, I think you're right that we would prefer Bush for a third term.

It's not the angry white male that's going to boot out the socialist Democrats in November. It's the American people that are pissed off that this clown in the White House has ignored the American people during the past two years. The American people didn't want the health care takeover. But he pushed it. Now they can't even follow their own timetable. They didn't want Cap and Tax, but he's using the oil leak to push it. He now wants amnesty and refuses to secure the borders unless he gets amnesty. Again, against the wishes of the American people.

November is going to be a record setter with Republicans in name only losing along with the Socialist Democrats.

This is what happens when you put someone with no experience in charge. The people boot his people out and then two years from now, he'll be gone.

Motor City Liberal Returns said...

Bush has a positive numbers among the tea party crowd and Republicans Not, the real reason you guys lost in 2006 is listed here

1.Corruption.
2.Pandering to the far right wing ass hats like yourself.
3.They lost the indie voters or people finally pay attention to what was going on in their government.

As for the upcoming elections the Republicans are going to get seats but the idea you guys are going to relive 1994 is beyond nuts.. You have nothing to run on, Republican ID(people who willingly to admit they're Republicans) is all time low, poll numbers show voters displeasure at both parties and the only people seemed excited by the upcoming election are the white supremacist that call themselves tea party folks.

As time goes by tea baggers like Sharron Angle will be a GOP liability how many people who's screaming about the government should take their hands of their medicare will vote for a person who wants to get rid of medicare and let Wall Street handle their social security? Maybe you because Rush told you, you don't need them.

And if I worked at the DNC you know what ads you will be seeing from late August, the entire months of September and October soundbites of Republicans defending BP, Republicans like Jim Bunny telling the senate why a college basketball game was more important than extending unemployment benefits, the lame ass reason they're blocking extending unemployment benefits right now, Republicans pandering to racists(Steve King and Michele Bachmann)and highlight what the Republicans philosophy of governance
1.Deregulation: Corporations like BP can do whatever they want and you the taxpayer have to pay when they fuck up.

2.Tax cuts: for those who make 250,000 and more a year.. That leaves out 99.9999999 of the tea bagger crowd.

3.Regulation of human behavior: We trust corporations more than you.

4.Phasing out social programs: Again if you really need them you can reach in your pockets and pay for it. No medicare and some Wall Street douche will handle your social security.

Communications guru said...

Chris Matthews is a “radical leftist?” Talk about slinging bullshit. Even if that were true, you can’t deny or dispute the content, and that’s because it’s the actual words of the treasonous and racist teabaggers.

The Gasden Flag isn't racist. The problem is racist groups like the teabaggers have hijacked it. “Back the hell off, or we'll bite?” Exactly how will you bite? That’s the problem. We have a fringe element advocating the overthrow of a legally elected government just because they lost. That sounds like a Third Word country.

Communications guru said...

The Republicans were kicked out in 2006 because of the rampant corruption and because they ruined the economy and started a useless war that turned the budget surplus into a deficit.

Once again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a Socialist Democrat in this country, and that is just a false, Fascist Republican talking point.

Like the only socialist in the Senate, Bernie Sanders says, “Obama on his worst day is still far better than Bush was on his best day.” He is far too centrist, and I wish he was as liberal as you make him out to be.

Once again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a Socialist Democrat in this country, and that is just a false, Fascist Republican talking point. Like I have said numerous times, the party in the White House always loses seats in the mid-term, but Democrats and the people will retain control of the House and Senate. There is no “health care takeover,” and the American people did want health care insurance reform. If you want to re-fight that battle in the election, I say go for it. There is no such thing as “Cap and Tax, and that’s just another false GOP taking point. You should stop getting your false GOP talking points from rush, druge and faux, anonymous coward, and read something. The worst ecological disaster in U.S. history illustrates we need to break our addiction to foreign oil. “Refuses to secure the borders” bullshit is another false GOP talking point. The fact is under Obama border enforcement is up from the Bush crooks. The fact is we need immigration reform.

Once again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a Socialist Democrat in this country, and that is just a false, Fascist Republican talking point. I’m looking forward to keeping control of the House and Senate in November. All the Republicans have to run on is they ran the economy into the worst recession since the Great Depression, and they said no to every single attempt to fix the mess they created, and they apologize for making a multi-national corporation pay for the mess they created. I like our chances in November.

Once again, anonymous coward, I’m still waiting for you to back up your fairy tale that we were “nearly shoulder to shoulder once.”

Dan said...

Johnny:

Bill Clinton had the same outrage from 1992-1994 until the GOP took over. After that there was a 6 year status quo with the center keeping both sides in check.

As far as Bush, I was opposed to the Patriot Act from the start, including when Bill Clinton, Orrin Hatch, and Janet Reno supported a similar bill for the War on (some) Drugs.

In fact, I think Bush won only because of one reason in 2004. John Kerry. Between Kerry and his fellow "snob class," the populist right, fairly dissolutioned with Bush went back on board to give the chattering class a well needed dose of humble pie and defeat. It got worse for Bush and the right stayed home in 2006, and many stayed home in 2008 as well when McCain lost the election with his bailout vote.

Obama may have a "black" name, but outside of his skin color, he's indistinguished from any lakeshore snob I've ever dealt with in mannerisms, talk, and views, with the Chicago corruption to boot. I'll conceded he isn't the worst to come from Chicago. He hasn't ended up in prison yet like most of them.

The bailout was the last straw for the right. Obama could have been avoided all of this if he and Boehner did a Clinton/Gingrich and balanced the budget. Instead, he, Pelosi, and Reid outspend Bush. That's bad.

The so called "angry white male" vote was thought to be dead in 1992 and came back in 94. It'll be back this year, and then it will be up to the checks and balances to see if it is sustained, or if it all it thrown away like what happened in the 2002-2006 congress/presidency with the big spending.

Obama failed to deliver. His party will pay the price in 2010. What happens later depends on how all sides adjust to the situation. Clinton and Gingrich were masters. I don't think Obama, or Boehner are nearly smart enough to do so. We'll see.

Communications guru said...

Nice attempt at re-writing history. Obama is a “lakeshore snob,” whatever that is? Here’s a guy who worked in the poorest Chicago neighborhoods as a community organizer; some snob. A guy who worked as a civil rights attorney, instead of a blue chip law firm, some snob. As much as you have tried, there is not an ounce of corruption associated with Obama. He’s a Democrat, not a Republican.

The bailout was started under Bush, not Obama. He voted for it, but Obama has never been a liberal. Another attempt at re-write history; it was Clinton that balanced the budget and left Bush a surplus. There is no way Pelosi and Reid outspent Bush. Under Saint Reagan budget deficits were OK. I don’t like deficits either, but I don’t have a problem when the deficit is created by trying to get the economy out of the worst recession since the Great Depression.

What is it Obama failed to deliver? He passed historic health care insurance reform when Republicans are saying no to everything. The party in the White House always loses seats in the mid-term, and the Democrats will lose some seats. Democrats will not lose control of the House and Senate. However, Democrats will do better than expected if Republicans keep electing extremists teabaggers. I agree the boner isn’t very smart, but the same can’t be said for Obama. But after Bush, there is not a high bar for intelligence.

Not Anonymous said...

Wrong. In 2002, with Bush in the White House for two years, the midterms came up and the Republicans gained 7 seats.

This year will be a massacre.

McCain and Obama both showed up for the big "meeting" and worked on the bailout. Then voted for it. To lay blame at the feet of Bush is to be dishonest (again). This bailout and the economic problems that are here and that are coming soon are now owned by Barack Hussein Obama.

Obama's a socialist. If anything can be worse than liberal, that would be it. Obama is a socialist.

Communications guru said...

Wow, for once you are actually right about something, anonymous coward. And I always admit mistakes. Too bad I had to prove it.
http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/parties/overview02.html

From now I will say usually. Only twice since 1942 has the party in the White House gained seats; in 1998 under Bill Clinton and 2002 under Bush. So, let we say again, the party in the White House usually loses seats in the mid-term, and that will happen in November. But the people and the Democrats will retain control of the House and Senate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_midterm_election


No, McCain and Obama both showed up at a meeting to address the economic meltdown, they left the campaign trail, in fact. McCain, you will recall, did nothing but sit there like a lump on a log.

Are you serious, anonymous coward? “To lay blame at the feet of Bush is to be dishonest?” Gee, anonymous coward, who was President when the country was plunged into the worst recession since the Great Depression? I know I’ll have to answer it for you, but it was Bush. By the way, anonymous coward, I have never been dishonest, and unlike you I have never lied.

Sorry, anonymous coward, Obama is a moderate Democrat.

Speaking of another one of your many lies, anonymous coward, I’m still waiting for you to back up your fairy tale that we were “nearly shoulder to shoulder once.”

Dan said...

And at the end of the day, Obama went back to his lush Hyde Park surroundings.

He was ACORN's attorney and pushed for loose controls on voting procedures. That's hardly civil rights material, but it's great for rigging elections Daley/Boss Tweed style.

Communications guru said...

Ah, so you hate well off people; especially those who worked for what they have.

He was ACORN’s lawyer, so? They have done nothing wrong, except try and empower the poor and improver their life. I know ACORN is the boogieman, but the only thing rigged was the criminal Sean O'Keef's set up. There has been no “rigged elections,” and the only thing rigged about elections is Republican's constant battle to make it hard for people to vote and depress turnout; hence why ACORN is so hated.

They encourage the poor to vote.

Not Anonymous said...

Thanks, but I don't need a socialist Democrat answering any questions for me. The one that was President when the country was plunged into the worst recession since the Great Depression was Jimmy Carter.

Double digit unemployment. Double Digit Inflation. Double digit interest rates. Add to that his causing the gas shortage and gas wars of 1976/77, his failure in foriegn policy, the death of the rescuers in Iran, the 444 days of captivity of American Hostages in Iran, not to mention the creation of the misery index. There WAS only one good thing about Carter. He was gone after one term. There is about to be a second good thing about Carter, but mainly for his own benefit. History looks at him as the worst President in the past 100 years if not of all time. Obama is going to unseat him as the worst President in history.

It's sad when we have to go to bed at night praying for a recession because we're praying that we don't get hit with another depression. Even liberal Paul Krugman is saying we're in the early stages of a depression.

By the way, someone said Obama was corrupt. As this Blago trial continues, we hear more and more about how involved Obama was in selling that seat...or buying that seat.

Today, one the justice department attorneys is saying he left the justice department because of the voter intimidation in Philadelphia during the 08 election and Holder/Obama forcing them to drop the charges. THey had the case won by default because the accused didn't even show up for court and still the Obama/Holder pair wanted the charges dropped.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. This administration is a joke and an embarrasment. Good God, even the nominee for the Supreme Court wouldn't answer the question about whether the government can tell people what they must eat each day.

Motor City Liberal Returns said...

@R.M.

That's grade A horseshit, Bush used hate and fear in 2004 the fear side they claimed 9/11 types of attack would happen everyday if John Kerry gets elected and the hate side Rove got many states to adopt anti-gay marriage ballot incentives to drive up the loon vote.

As for President Obama the bailouts started under Bush and I didn't hear much anger from the right when they first went down that September. The only time I heard the right wing pundits started talking about their displeasure of the bailouts was shortly after Senator Barack Obama became President-elect Barack Obama.

Again the Republicans are counting on three things 1. White male rage 2.ignorance and 3. people forget who's really responsible for the mess we're currently in.

Not Anonymous said...

Little Johnny,

You seem to have a short memory of those days in September 2009. Perhaps this will help you remember that people, Republicans were against this bailout.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102534.html

You socialist Democrats just love to revise history at every turn.

Communications guru said...

Sorry, anonymous coward, I’m not a socialist Democrat. In fact, there is no such thing as a socialist Democrat in this country, and that is just a false, fascist Republican talking point. It was President Bush that plunged the country into the worst recession since the Great Depression.

President Carter caused the gas shortage? How? Talk about lies. His failure in foreign policy? Have you ever heard of The Camp David Accords? Bush is the worst president in U.S. history. No one said Obama was corrupt, and he isn’t.

Voter intimidation? Right. Where did you get that lie, anonymous coward; rush, drudge or faux?

I don’t care how many times you tell that lie, but the Republican strategy of if you tell a lie often enough people start to believe it is not going to work this time.

What idiot asked whether the government can tell people what they must eat each day? Jeff Sessions? Hasn’t that guy made a fool of himself enough?

Once again, anonymous coward, I’m still waiting for you to back up your fairy tale that we were “nearly shoulder to shoulder once.”

That’s just another one of your many lies.

Communications guru said...

What does September of 2009 have to do with anything, anonymous coward? Yes, Republicans were for the bailout. No Democrat is trying to rewrite history.

Once again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a “socialist” Democrat in this country, and that is just a false, Fascist Republican talking point.

Again, anonymous coward, I’m still waiting for you to back up your fairy tale that we were “nearly shoulder to shoulder once.”

Motor City Liberal Returns said...

Quick Fact: Despite her previous support, Palin bashed TARP as "crony capitalism"
http://mediamatters.org/research/201002070013


In Palin interview, Beck criticizes bank bailouts and oil company tax hikes -- but Palin supported both
http://mediamatters.org/research/201001130049

Not Anonymous said...

That should have said September of 2008, not 2009.

As for the rest of Socialist Democrat Guru's comments, I can only say one thing. Read a newspaper and get your head of out of the Socialist Democrat sites that have even admitted to putting out false polls.

Little Johnny, media matters is not credible but in spite of that, if you'd have read the link to the socialist Democrat Washington Post, you'd see that Republicans were against the bailouts in September 2008 when they were proposed, and voted on.

It's strange how you two socialist Democrats don't know the most basic of information.

You two make morons look like genius'.

Communications guru said...

Once again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a socialist Democrat in this country, and that is just another false, Fascist Republican smear.

It doesn’t make a difference whether it’s September of 2008 or 2009, the fact remains Republicans favored the bailout. I do read newspapers, anonymous coward. I don’t parrot false Republican talking points picked up from rush, drudge and faux like you do.

Once again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a socialist Democrat in this country, and that is just another false, Fascist Republican smear.

Media Matters is credible. They are simply a mirror.

Once again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a socialist Democrat in this country, and that is just another false, Fascist Republican smear.

Thanks for the compliment. Coming from an anonymous coward like you, it means a lot.

Again, anonymous coward, I’m still waiting for you to back up your fairy tale that we were “nearly shoulder to shoulder once.”