Fighting communism three times a week

by digby

I am reading way too many lugubrious recitations of the origins of the mythical populist Tea Party these days. Will Bunch sets the record straight.

One of the biggest myths about the Tea Party is that a driving force in its creation was anger over bank and Wall Street bailouts. It’s true that some rank-and-file joiners did feel that way at first, but they were quickly co-opted by the movement leaders — including radio talkers and groups funded by the Koch Brothers — into worshipping the rich instead.

Here, by way of Brian Hickey, is what the local Independence Tea Party has to say about Occupy Wall Street:

“The idea that Wall Street is the root of all evil is also an anathema to us. Like any other institution, Wall Street has its corrupt figures–and such individuals should be dealt with accordingly,” said Ms. Adams. “But to condemn Wall Street, en masse, is akin to condemning our entire free enterprise system.

“Our Association deplores corporate bailouts (GM), corporate subsidies (Solyndra), and corporate welfare. At the same time, however, we recognize the contributions and achievements of America’s chambers of commerce.

So why does the Tea Party deplore the government rescuing GM — which actually makes things and employs thousands of middle-class Americans — and yet make no reference of the massive corporate bailout of AIG, which makes nothing but profits (or risky losing bets). This is what hypocrisy looks like.

Indeed. It’s very, very, very important to remember that the Tea Party is simply the Christian Right in a tri-corner hat. They are the same people Rick Perlstein colorfully described here:

The John Birch Society meetings in suburban parlors nationwide, in which chapters no bigger than two dozen members — a cell structure ostensibly to prevent Red infiltration but that, as it happened, was also the ideal size for a cocktail party — plotted how to forestall the Communist takeover of the PTAs by taking them over first. “I just don’t have time for anything,” a Dallas housewife told Time in 1961. “I’m fighting Communism three nights a week.”

Not trying to take anything away from them. I’m sure they are very sincere. But let’s not ever get confused about their “populism.” They hate government, not corporations. They are the most unlikely allies for progressivism in American politics.