Is the Tea Party a uniquely American phenomenon

[Zelenius]

Are there right-wing activist groups in other developed countries that closely resemble the American Tea Party both in terms of anger, as well as advocating limited government/low taxes, preventing government-subsidized universal health care, and well as having leaders like Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck?

While I realize the right-wing in many European countries have made significant gains over the past few years, whenever I hear about mass protests in France, Greece, the UK or Spain, these almost always involve the left or non-partisan anti-war activists. I seldom hear about right-wing protests; if they do take place they are rather small and usually don't make big news. I am unaware of any anti-universal health care activists in Europe or Canada. The conservatives in these countries don't have a problem with it, generally speaking(to my knowledge).

I bring this up since some European and Canadian friends of mine are terrified by the Tea Party crowd. They can't understand why people would take to the streets to protest against subsidized health care. They see them as Bush-supporters, and believe they are racist and this is why they are so upset over Obama. They also don't understand how people who want to lower taxes for the rich can call their opponents "elitists" without being laughed out of town.

While some of my European friends will say there are "tea-party-like" people in their country, they are poorly organized, not as angry and don't have Sarah Palin-types as their leaders. The Tea Party is relatively mainstream in the U.S.

While I realize the Christian right in the U.S in uniquely American, the Tea Party is more concerned with economic than religious issues. Also, what is it about the U.S and our politics that gave rise to the Tea Party? Is it more a grass-roots phenomenon or has corporate backing been instrumental in its rise?

 

[Unabogie]

The Tea Party will spring up wherever and whenever its astroturf billionaire funders spend gobs of money to pretend to have organically formed.

Put it this way, anywhere you have business interests threatened by regulation and a population segment open to xenophobia and religious intolerance, all you have to do is pretend to be part of the latter when your actual agenda is to *crush the former.

*See Neutrality, Net and the Tea Party.

 

[rustypouch]

From my experience, which is mostly in France, the answer is a definitive no.

There do exist fringe right-wing groups, but their hot points are racism and xenophobia, focusing on Muslim immigrants.

France is a country where income taxes are mostly higher than in the states, but social programs are ingrained in the culture. There were general strikes and mass protests when the minimum retirement age was raised to 62. I could not see the average French person endorsing tea party style policies. They now that they might gain in the short term, but the long term effects for them and the country are not worth the slight benefit.

 

[AlBell]

The Tea Party will spring up wherever and whenever its astroturf billionaire funders spend gobs of money to pretend to have organically formed.

Tell that lie often enough even you'll probably begin to believe it.

 

[Ryokan]

The Norwegian Progress Party has some similarities, and have actually compared themselves to the Tea Party movement. The party leader, Siv Jensen, was a speaker at the Glenn Beck rally in Washington. She has also said Palin is one of her role models.

If you read their history on Wikipedia, their origin is quite similar. It started as a protest movement against taxes and government spending.

But their methods are very different. No rallies, no angry protests, etc.

ETA: Though, they support strengthening the universal health care system, but saying otherwise would lose them all votes in Norway - it's a popular program that the vast majority of Norwegians feel strongly about.

 

[johnny karate]

Self-entitlement and ignorance? Yeah, sounds pretty American to me.

 

[Unabogie]

Tell that lie often enough even you'll probably begin to believe it.

Uh, who funds Freedom Works?

Linky goodness.

– Armey’s FreedomWorks is actively organizing against health care reform. Indeed, Armey’s lobbying firm represents pharmaceutical companies, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, that oppose comparative effectiveness research in the health reform plan because such a program may cut into revenue for branded drugs.
– Armey’s lobbying firm represents the trade group for the life insurance industry. Indeed, FreedomWorks mobilizes its members for deregulated life insurance reform.
– Currently, FreedomWorks is focusing their energy activism on supporting the status quo reliance on fossil fuels. In addition to working for various domestic oil companies with a vested interest in opposing change, Armey’s lobbying firm represents Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE, on energy related issues such as maintaining the U.S.-UAE relationship where “U.S companies have played major roles in the development of UAE energy resources, which represent about 10 percent of global oil reserves.”
– In 2006, Armey’s lobbying firm represented the Senado de Republica (Mexican Senate) on “enhancing U.S.-Mexico relations,” and specifically on immigration policy. Curiously, during the same period, Armey’s Freedom Works stood out as one of the few right wing organizations to boldly support comprehensive immigration reform.
​

 

[Foolmewunz]

I think it's a somewhat American phenom. Not insofar as a splinter group is moving one of the two major parties off its recent traditional base - that's been happening all over the world for many years, but insofar as what is clearlly a wing of one party is being sold to the public as a grassroots politically independent movement, and the public and media are lapping it up.

 

[ARubberChickenWithAPulley]

Self-entitlement and ignorance?

Ignorant maybe, but I'm not sure I would call the Tea Partiers 'self-entitled.' If anything, they seem to promote an almost social-Darwinism brand of individualism. They seem dead set against any self-entitlement, even if it is self-entitlement that actually makes sense (like, say, some form of universal healthcare).

 

[quixotecoyote]

Ignorant maybe, but I'm not sure I would call the Tea Partiers 'self-entitled.' If anything, they seem to promote an almost social-Darwinism brand of individualism. They seem dead set against any self-entitlement, even if it is self-entitlement that actually makes sense (like, say, some form of universal healthcare).

Well, against self-entitlement for other people anyway, they don't want government anywhere near their Medicare.

 

[leftysergeant]

The infrastructure to create such a movement does not exist in most other countries because the media are not as consolidated under the ownership of so few people. A few major corporations own just about all the radio and TV here, so they can filter the message in such a way that the teatards look like a grass roots movement, despite their being mostly the work of a few lobbyist and their sponsors.

 

[AlBell]

Uh, who funds Freedom Works?

Linky goodness.

All you're missing is the link to individual Tea Parties throughout the US.

Conservative movements have organizations that are funded by wealthy individuals and foundations, as do their liberal opponents.

 

[Unabogie]

All you're missing is the link to individual Tea Parties throughout the US.

Conservative movements have organizations that are funded by wealthy individuals and foundations, as do their liberal opponents.

And all of them began with coordinated organization between AstroTurf groups and Fox.

Who paid for the buses to transport people to Fox's big rally? You know, the one they gave months of free advertising to and lent their biggest personalities to for endorsement?

 

[AlBell]

And all of them began with coordinated organization between AstroTurf groups and Fox.

Assertion without, you know, evidence.

Who paid for the buses to transport people to Fox's big rally? You know, the one they gave months of free advertising to and lent their biggest personalities to for endorsement?

You think that show represented all Tea Party groups? Evidence?

 

[Unabogie]

Assertion without, you know, evidence

We're not talking about ancient history here, this was just last year, goodness sake. We all watched Fox flog their rally for months. They ran free promos and sent their biggest "stars" to headline the things. They promote rallies with Glen Beck and Hannity. Hell, one of their producers got caught on tape instructing the "grass roots protesters" to yell more loudly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-f10HE-YGs

Grass roots? Huh?

 

[IchabodPlain]

Yes, the Tea Party is uniquely American. Most of the policies they support have parallels to what some conservative parties do in other, European countries. However, the Tea Partiers do it in greater numbers, louder voices, and have come out in different times.

Consider the current global situation: There have been protests in numerous European countries against reducing spending (austerity). Only (as far as I know) the Tea Party in America has come out (in large numbers) for cutting spending. Nevermind the idea that small/limited government is an American concept.

It's funny reading posters who claim that it's all because of corporations/media that these idiots/racists/hypocrites have any sway, but I suppose you have to tell yourself something so that people who disagree with you can be rationalized.

 

[lomiller]

The tea party are simply Republicans who have been told for 30 years that it’s possible to cut taxes and spending without cutting any of their spending. The problem is that they support and even champion most of the US governments actual spending and can’t quite understand why cutting taxes and leaving their preferred spending intact has resulted in large budget deficits.

Their rationalization for this becomes that “Republicans lost their way” rather than dealing with the reality that what they are asking for simply won’t work, ever.

 

[BenBurch]

Tell that lie often enough even you'll probably begin to believe it.

Can you demonstrate this is a lie? I want to see sources, please.

 

[AlBell]

Can you demonstrate this is a lie? I want to see sources, please.

Bet you do, but that's not how it works. You assert it, you prove it. Til then it's crap.

 

[Chaos]

Bet you do, but that's not how it works. You assert it, you prove it. Til then it's crap.

Fine. You assert it´s a lie, prove that it´s a lie.