A Glimpse Into the Future Tea Party America

This disturbing video gives a glimpse into the future if Republican Tea Party candidates win in November and take over the US Congress. In the video, an Alaska reporter tries to ask Senate candidate Joe Miller (R-AK) a question after a forum at a public school. Miller did want to answer that particular question. Instead of saying he had "no comment" or referring the reporter to his press secretary (or being a decent person and answering the question), Miller had his hired goons physically confront the reporter and detain him in handcuffs. He was detained, illegally, for 25 minutes until the Police came and forced them to let him go.

Miller's security goons were private security guards hired by Miller to avoid reporters and other "inconvenient" folks like voters. Hello!? This is what fascism looks like! A politician who uses physical force and intimidation to avoid being accountable to the people. Miller lied when he said he was "required" to have the private security. 

What did the "dangerous" reporter want to ask? He wanted to know if Miller had been disciplined last year for politicking while working for the state. Miller, who was a County Attorney, was engaging in political business during work time, which is expressly forbidden. Two days later, Miller acknowledged to CNN that he had been disciplined. See, Joe, that wasn't so hard, was it? Miller now says he will not answer any more questions about his "past." Joe, the issue in question was in 2009. That is barely the past, dude.

Miller's violent reaction is part of a dangerous trend happening with the tea party. Anyone perceived to be on the "other side" (even a reporter who was on no side), is a candidate for harassment and possible violence. There have been incidents in Washington, Texas, California, and now Alaska. Financial Times (reg. req'd) has an article up now about the increasingly hostile attitude the tea party has toward anyone not working for Fox News.

You and I cannot get access to members of Congress, or the state legislature, or the city council. At least, not very easily, and not without making a large campaign donation (Congress likes those). We, as citizens, need the media to cover the campaigns, interview the candidates, fact check their statements, and through all of that, give the people a more clear picture of what the issues really are and where the various candidates actually stand. No more talk of the "lamestream media" ok? Sarah Palin has issues with the media because she is barely literate and didn't know what the Bush doctrine was. Candidates running for office have an obligation to talk to the press, as that is the only way there is any communication to the voters that is not merely a website or press release. Interaction is required.

If this is how Joe Miller acts as a candidate, imagine what he would be like as a US Senator. Do you actually believe that he would give a shit what his constituents think? He will have his staff goons shove you right out of his way and not think twice about it.

There has been a lot of talk about fascism in the last two years. This is an actual example of someone displaying fascist tendencies.