Bruce Bartlett on The Oregon tax vote and Tea Party Membership
I can easily see many tea party goers becoming rabid tax-the-rich folks if the alternative is higher taxes on them. Let us not forget that just about a year ago many of the House of Representatives’ most conservative members voted to impose a 90 percent tax rate on bank bonuses. As I noted at the time, those supporting this confiscatory tax measure included Eric Canter, Peter Hoekstra and Paul Ryan.
I think Bruce is making the mistake of thinking that Tea Party = politicians. My understanding is that guys doing the Tea Parties are fed up with everybody we’ve elected whose solution to fiscal shortcomings in the capitol is not to trim the budget but to levy more taxes. In this regard conservatives in the House are just as guilty as liberals.
I do not know any Tea Party members in person. But hey, our own Sgt. Mom has been a busy bee down in the Tea Party down in San Antone – what say you, Julia?