Tea Parties Hijacked by Conservative Opportunists

If I am correct in understanding this, those at the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Parties are taking a stand against bailouts and tax increases. And If I am correct in my understanding of current and past events, they are idiots.

The Tea Parties have been an on-going event for several years. It started as a Libertarian event to showcase a belief in minimal taxes and regulations. Unlike this year's Tea Party, these actually had a single coherent message: in principle taxes are a necessary evil and ought to be kept to absolute low levels while keeping the government out of private affairs of all sorts.

This year's Tea Party was hijacked by Conservatives and Republican think-tanks however. The relationship between Libertarians and Conservatives has also been a very uncomfortable one of forced marriage forged by fiscal issues. The difference is that Libertarians are consistent in their message and are very critical of any tax or regulation. Conservatives are when they see it as politically feasible.

The Stimulus Plan passed by the federal government actually reduced taxes. About $400 billion of the $1 trillion Stimulus Plan was in tax breaks to the middle class. So what are they protesting, a reduction in taxes? Maybe its because the rich didn't get as a great as tax break? Oh right, the tax on the top tax bracket is 10% less than under Mr. Neo-Con Ronald Regan. So why weren't Conservatives protesting back in the 1980s when they saw their wealth was being taken from them at a higher rate?

The truth is they really didn't care. Whereas Libertarians have always protested taxes, Conservatives see this year as a political opportunity time to jump on the anti-tax bandwagon and join the populist movement. The rise of Ron Paul has not gone unnoticed by Republicans and Conservatives. They want to tap into the Libertarian movement to build up votes for 2010 mid-term elections. This has become apparent in recent days as Gov. Rick Perry (R) of Texas has threatened secession from the Union. It is no doubt a empty threat to appeal to Constitutionists and Libertarians.

This wouldn't be the first time Conservatives joined forces with a sub-section of society to garner votes. In the 1980s they reached out to Evangelicals to win votes in the South and MidWest. And now everyone can start to see that their relationship is souring. Gay marriage is becoming more socially acceptable and the abortion debate is dying. The Christian Right are becoming irrelvent after years of success. And I do not doubt that Libertarians will dropped years from now when another opportunity arises to get votes.

Libertarians have a fundamental difference with Conservatives. It is that Libertarians believe the government has no right to interfere with any private, whether economic or social, matters while Conservatives believe the government should interfere with social matters like drug use and gay marriage. Neo-Cons especially are in conflict of Libertarians. Neo-Cons want to concentrate federal powers while Libertarians want more state rights.

Do Conservatives really love freedom? Yes, as long as what you are doing is deemed okay by them? Do Conservatives really want the government out of your paycheck? Yes, as long as it damages the Liberal's reputation. Libertarians would be wise not align with Conservatives and become entrenched in partisan politics. Hold your own and keep your values true because Conservatives will dump you as soon as they see another opportunity on the horizon.