Are we revisiting the 1960s?

Tea Party, hippies and the curse of Barry?

http://www.sddt.com/Commentary/article.cfm?Commentary_ID=169&SourceCode=20100318tza

By Ron Carrico
Thursday, March 18, 2010

Are we revisiting the 1960s? It seems like the shrill voices of the
'60s are back.
Are baby boomers, who were part of the late-'60s hippie generation,
now arch conservatives? Remember the so-called yippies who screamed
at politicians, cops and soldiers? Remember the alternative
lifestyles, the communes, the drug culture and anti-war protesters?
Remember the 1970 Democratic convention riots?
Now 40 years later the boomer generation seems to be represented by
60somethings who have amended their anti-establishment ethos to once
again loudly challenge the government. These are the so-called "Tea
Partiers " who in various guises vigorously proclaim the government
is too big and out of control -- taxes are too high! And we should
lessen restrictive regulations that stifle personal and business development!
One big difference -- these anti-government hippies (plus 40 years)
actually vote. They have money and have captured the attention of the
GOP, a political party that is largely out of power -- and also
apparently out of ideas.
To their credit, the Tea Partiers are focusing attention on fiscal
deficits and the cost of our huge government. But their remedies of
low taxes and increased freedom by deregulation was what contributed
greatly to our current national financial crisis.
Our country is at a critical point. Political division paralyzes our
nation. Each day we see Congress unable to function -- frozen by the
intransigence of both parties. Recently we hoped change was in the
air with the seven-hour televised health care summit. We were hoping
the big televised meeting would force each side to be less partisan.
We were hoping that politicians would think more for America's
welfare rather than scoring points for their team.
But now three weeks later, it is clear that efforts toward
conciliation failed as the Dems now try to push through a
watered-down health care plan. Meanwhile the GOP is pulling out the
stops to prevent passage with the usual un-proven arguments: the
people hate this plan, government takeover, socialism, too expensive
and loss of Medicare. But now they have added a new one, saying
politicians who support the plan will be voted out of office.
The Unites States is in stressful times, with too many unemployed or
underemployed and banks reluctant to lend. In times of stress many
turn to the loudest voices -- no matter how uninformed -- for
solutions. And among those loud voices are the various Tea Parties
and those who embrace their ideals.
One of the loudest Tea Party fans is Glenn Beck, the Fox TV
personality who appeared at the recent Conservative Political Action
Committee (CPAC) Conference. As featured speaker, he spoke to
political conservatives and members of the Tea Party movement, who
loudly attended the CPAC convention.
To the cheering crowd, Beck said, "Progressivism is the cancer in
America and it's eating our Constitution, and it was designed to eat
the Constitution -- to progress past the Constitution." (Whatever that means.)
This kind of inflammatory rhetoric stifles meaningful debate. But
Beck isn't the only one. The airwaves are full of GOP officials and
pundits using phrases such as: Radical left wing agenda! Government
takeover of health care! Smaller government! Lower taxes! Give
business freedom to achieve! (Big business loves this one.)
At a time when co-operation of political factions is needed to get
our country back on course, divisive politics and games are the wrong
solution. But once again, the loudest voices are getting the press
and those voices currently are the various Tea Party factions.
Meanwhile, so-called fiscally conservative GOP leaders are tying
themselves to the Tea Party proclaiming their allegiance to these activists.
Perhaps GOP leaders should take a look at lessons they learned in
1964 when Barry Goldwater ran for president. Goldwater was the
radical GOP conservative presidential candidate, contributing to one
of the biggest GOP defeats in history. His most famous quote, "I
would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice!
And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice
is no virtue!" Extreme words that scared the voters.
He also sounded very Tea Party when he said, "I have little interest
in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean
to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I
propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal
them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones
that do violence to the Constitution or that have failed their
purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden."
Goldwater's fiery and committed rhetoric made him a hero to arch
conservatives but cost an election and perhaps brought on Johnson's
Great Society. Barry would be a huge hero today for Tea Party
activists and their tag-along GOP followers. But his proclaimed
ideals led to a landslide defeat.
The left-leaning yippies of the late 1960s may be the Tea Party
conservatives and GOP of today. But they should remember that
"moderation in the pursuit of justice" might be a virtue after all.
Remember the lessons of Barry Goldwater.
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Carrico is a San Diego attorney and can be e-mailed at ron.carrico@sddt.com

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