I’d like to start by asking you to give our readers a brief history of how you, using Facebook, came up with the idea to form the Coffee Party.
It was actually a very simple idea, or a hypothetical idea. Right after the Massachusetts election, leading up to Tea Party convention in Nashville, it seemed like there was non-stop coverage of the Tea Party movement. There was a growing narrative that the Tea Party represented the real America or a majority of Americans. And I thought that was completely wrong. I know they don’t represent me and I found the narrative alienating. And I just felt that was a shared opinion among many people.
So I kind of just started ranting on my Facebook page on late January 26. “Oh, God, I’m just so sick of the Tea Party. We should just start our own party, call it the Coffee Party, or the Smoothie Party—anything but Tea.” Friends of mine online bonded immediately. Within about a half an hour of that rant I created this fan page, Join the Coffee Party Movement.
The whole interview is worth reading.
I don't know an awful lot about the Coffee Party or what it stands for, but it makes me very, very happy to see somebody saying all this. And it makes me happier to see that so many people apparently agree.
You know what I hate about American political discourse?
I hate the idea that politics is properly approached the way people think and talk about sporting events.
I hate people who think the way to talk about politics is to shout nonsense and see how much spittle you can get on the other person's face.
I hate the idea that if you're giving your opinion about some politician or political issue, you don't need to restrict yourself to the truth or even make sense, and if I object on those grounds then I'm being a pedantic nerd.
I like what I've read about the Coffee Party so far.
So is the Coffee Movement just some cheap anti-Tea Party idea, in which case it's pretty dumb. Coffee is nothing but a backlash to the Tea; if Tea died out or disappeared, then Coffee, which is gaining political sentiment, strong support in sects, and is at the beginning stages of creating some developed political ideas, would disappear too.
ReplyDeleteHowever, is Coffee another attempt at creating a genuine leftwing movement?
It wasn't that long ago since the Green Party, which was rich with leftwing passion, disappeared. You can point the blame at Nader or Moore, but together they stuffed up what they had.
So is Coffee the latest format for leftwing people creating a political organisation? Free from the liberal elites and free from the Democratic garbage? And to actual have a political movement that stands up for genuine policy position on the left: anti-military, pro-abortion, pro-working class; pro-same sex marriage; etc.
If this is so, then Coffee sounds pretty exciting.
An an Independent, frankly you can keep the tea party and your coffee party. I don't really have any place for either of them. Besides, I drink beer.
ReplyDelete