Guest Blogger: Citizen "Q"

In an attempt to broaden the conversation, I have invited the famous Citizen "Q" - Stephen Quist to write a post so it can appear in the Worcester Tea Party Newsletter.  I encourage all to read what he has to say and to post rebuttals in the comments section. 

Matt,

Thank you for the opportunity to send in some differing thoughts/views and opinions from the left.

Teaparty.......I have a huge disagreement with the teaparty lecturing everyone else in our country on your interpretation of what you 'think' the US Constitution means and anyone disagreeing with you is considered un-American and un-patriotic.....which is why even today your numbers of membership nationally are stagnant.....your message resonates only amongst yourselves all the while, teapartiers and moderate republicans are in a  battle  for the heart and soul of the republican party.

40+/- teaparty members in the house along with a few Senate Repubs are holding our entire country hostage and that is untenable and un-American

Government shutdown.......There is no way possible nor is it an American way to shutdown our government and refuse to increase the debt limit (govt shutdowns occurred previously but never involving the debt limit)

without it affecting our national security and our standing in the world.

The US Senate accepted the House proposal Ryan plan of a budget number of $988billion......the Dems conceded their number of $1.27T.......republicans won the budget battle....you got the numbers you wanted and yet repubs/teapartiers insist on snatching defeat from the jaws of victory...it's now not good enough so lets move the goal posts again......

Obama........I have lived through Presidents from JFK (just born) through today and I have never witnessed such a concerted meanspirited effort to discredit, demean and outright despise President Obama. From questioning his citizenship, falsely accusing him of being a Kenyan to being a Muslim......GW Bush never had the level of hate/critisism foisted on him like is being done to this President....I think it's very interesting that W refuses to criticize/insult or demean Obama

Boehner.....Is the most ineffective House Leader there has ever been....in fact it's Senator Cruz calling the shots in the House undermining the Speaker and that is dangerous for the independence of our 3 branches of government no matter where we all stand on the political spectrum

McConnell....notice how silent he has been throughout the financial crisis......he's in a heated battle to retain his senate minority leaders seat and does not stand by the convictions of his beliefs to step up like a man and weigh in on this debate......he's concerned about re-election rather than running our government

Cruz......teapartier extroidinaire fake filibustering and equating those supporting the ACA as appeasers to hitler and nazi's......and those on the right were silent....silence equates to acquiessence.......Sen Joe McCarthy and Father Coughlin come immediately to mind and that is abhorrent and I am not sure that anyone would want to walk alongside either one

Food Stamps......all across the country, even here at home in MA,  teapartiers/republicans were rejoicing that the most vulnerable and needy amongst us had food snatched from their kitchen table to the tune of $40,000,000b over 10 years and yet in the same breath the cheers were heard for the largess bestowed on Mega-Agricultural Corporations in the form of $170,000,000b in subsidies

Matt I touched briefly on some topics amongst many.....and I apologize in being brief re: my remarks, but this is my point of view and I represent no one but myself, I hold no allegiance to any political party....I vote the candidate not the party.....

In complete disclosure and as I have done in radio/ blogging/posting on various sites I am known as and identify with my nickname Q......I do not hide behind aliases nor cower in anonymity I believe in my stances and convictions and have no problem placing my name to that which I espouse.......can any of your fellow teapartiers ( not geared at you Matt - you stand up to be counted each and every time) truthfully say the same?

In closing I consider Matt a friend even though we disagree, some times vehemently, on a variety of issues, and yet we can toast a beer together and talk about these issues in a civil respectful manner.......why is it Matt is the exception and not the norm in the teapartier group dealings with the public at large?

Respectfully,

Stephen P Quist

P.S.  I do not consider myself to be out side of the norm of the membership of the Tea Party Movement.  It is because of the greatness of spirit of our membership that we have accomplished so much.