re: #715 Obdicut

I don’t actually think the Tea Party dudes had that specific an agenda, really. They followed, I’d say, whatever got presented to them by the right-wing media.

I think one difference is the remarkable consistency of the right-wing, the odd, nervous way it coalesces around whatever latest outrage or issue is. What I’m not clear on is whether the lack of that in the OWS stuff is due to a lower competency level among people like Adbusters in getting their message memed out, or whether those on the left are actually more resistant to such consensus and stuff. It’d be nice to think it was the latter.

I don’t think Adbusters could be accurately described as Marxist, though. They make common cause with some Marxists. But they’re more… abstract. I dunno.

Well the theme I get out of the TP is ‘no taxes, no social programs, states rights!’ which is both open-ended, but also strongly on point. It also serves a particular part of the populace VERY VERY WELL, and that group coincides with the TP backers pretty well.

I get what you’re saying tho’… maybe the issue is that conservatives are so used to being narrowcast and focusing on these issues that they didn’t need that much control/direction. I think the difference with OWS is that there’s not this long history of closely focused discipline and media presentation, the American left is notoriously unorganized.

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In another way you’re totally right on, the backers of the TP are just as much a side-issue as the clowns in hats and wigs. Its easy for me (and probably everybody) to get all worked up about astroturfing, but that’s not really the point.

The important thing is the negative things the organization promotes and does, not who is behind it.

Of course I just now came to this realization, heh.

In comparison the point (such as it is) of the Occupy movement I think is essentially positive and that’s what’s important.