Tea Baggers & Occupiers: Two sides of the same (misguided) coin

Boy, it will be a struggle, but I am going to keep this short and to the point.  Like an Andy Palumbo post, if he were to post about these kinds of things.

To the point at hand, I am absolutely, positively convinced that:

1. Tea Baggers & Occupiers are basically just two fringe sides of the same "we are unthinking dolts" coin.
2. Both groups are simply blunt force instruments of their respective establishments.

Take the Tea Baggers for a moment:  They want to cut spending.  But they just want spending that impacts someone else to be cut.  Don't cut defense.  Don't cut tax loopholes that favor the wealthy (not that Tea Baggers as a group are wealthy, because they are not; the people who bankroll the national groups are though...see reference HERE).  They are against "judicial activism", well to the extent that it favors the Left (if it favors the Right?  That's okay!).  Also, let's not forget Sarah Palin, who cries "drill baby drill (as long as it is in YOUR backyard)".  Tell me, anyone want a hydro-fracturing rig in your neighborhood?  Come on, drill baby drill!  Lastly, how about those loud cries for "less job killing regulation".  You know, regulations like those that required cars to have airbags, kept Lead out of gasoline, and keep someone from opening an smelting operation in a National Park.  Yup, job killing regulations.

The Occupiers?  This is a group that cries about "the 99%" and "evil corporate greed"...via the smartphones created by evil corporations that are bankrolled by an even eviler Wall Street.  This is a group that loves their iPhones, which are created in a Chinese factory known for, among other things, horrid working conditions and worker suicide prevention nets (see reference HERE).   Hypocrisy anyone? I recently had the privilege of pointing out (see THIS) that some of the statements made by local Occupiers are just plain moronic...and I am being generous in that description.  I work for a living, in the financial services industry to be precise.  By Occupier standards, I guess I am part of the legion of Satan, destroying families and simply pimping for the rich.  Funny, but my company was started by a man who felt strongly that working families could benefit from having life insurance...a product that, at the time, was mainly just purchased by rich folks.

All of this gets me to intent.  Why do these groups exist?  I think it's to placate the fringes in both political parties.  On the right, it gives the GOP a place to put angry & mainly working class white people.  It also provides a safe haven for racists.  Don't like my assertion that some Tea Baggers are racists?  Too bad...they are.  Not all.  Not even most.  In fact, I think it's small minority...but they are there.

On the Left, the Occupiers are a way to instill misguided liberal protesting into a new generation.

That's right, organizations that provide jobs are, as a blanket statement, "stealing" the futures of children.  Why just the other day I was in a meeting at work where we were plotting how to steal the futures of 10,000 more children (I am joking!!).

In the end, what's really wrong with America in 2012 is that we legitimize the fringe way too much.  People treat the pronouncements of a drug-addicted windbag like Rush Limbaugh as gospel on one hand, and on another we act as if there is something evil about being successful in business.  Most of us don't listen to Limbaugh and most of us are grateful (not sorry) for enjoying personal success.

We are better than this.