Tired of silly political games and the sound-byte ignorance Faux news has spawned across the nation? Sick of feeling lost at sea in the south, where a greater percentage of this ignorance and gullibility seems to be centered? Looking for a group of local people interested in honest political discourse minus paranoid conspiracy theories?
As the conservative grassroots Tea Party gains influence, a new movement called the Coffee Party recently emerged as an alternative for frustrated left-leaning voters — with citizens across the country interested in starting or joining a local chapter. Here, an instant guide to the Coffee party's origins, its message, and its possible impact on the U.S. political scene:
How did the Coffee Party start?
The self-described "100-percent grassroots" organization was born of a single Facebook status update. Washington, DC-area documentary filmmaker Annabel Park, 41, wrote on Jan. 26: "Let's start a coffee party...let's get together and drink cappuccino and have real political dialogue with substance and compassion." The impromptu notion quickly grew into a "Join the Coffee Party Movement" fan page and a website, Coffee Party USA.
What is the movement's message?
The Coffee Party is committed to promoting civility and "solutions-oriented" discussion in our nation's political discourse — in contrast to the "blame oriented" politics the Tea Party practices. Movement leaders also hope to reduce the influence "corporate interests" have on our voting process, and to promote a progressive legislative agenda.
Is it part of the Democratic Party?
Park has said that her movement is not "aligned" with any party and has dismissed the two-party system as out of date. That said, the Coffee Party's message seems to be overtly pro-Democrat. and Annabel Park and other Coffee Party organizers volunteered with the 2008 Obama presidential campaign.
Is it a direct reaction to the Tea Party movement? Park has told CNN that her initiative is a "response to how [Tea party leaders] are trying to change our government," adding that the two groups want some of the same things, but she finds the Tea Party's methodology "alienating."
How big is the Coffee Party?
The Coffee Party's Facebook fan page had 40,000 members on March 1. Three days later, the number was 70,000 and growing. Local chapters have popped up in 30 states. "I’m in shock, just the level of energy here," said Park in an interview with The New York Times. "We have 300 requests to start a chapter that I have not been able to respond to."
MISSION: The Coffee Party Movement gives voice to Americans who want to see cooperation in government. We recognize that the federal government is not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges that we face as Americans. As voters and grassroots volunteers, we will support leaders who work toward positive solutions, and hold accountable those who obstruct them.
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We’re not the opposite of the Tea Party,” Ms. Park, 41, said. “We’re a different model of civic participation, but in the end we may want some of the same things.” ....
Ms. Park and chapter organizers said they would invite Tea Party members to join their Coffee counterparts in discussions. “We need to roll up our sleeves, put our heads together and work it out,” she said. “That’s, to me, an American way of doing this.”
SkygreenLeopard
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Go to www.Coffeepartyusa.com and click on the Sphere link on the left hand side to see how you compare on issues such as Healthcare-Education-Economics-and more!
SkygreenLeopard
bump!
flyupsidedown
Yeah well, it's a good idea for political activism sake and political competition but I don't see it going anywhere. The passion just isn't there. The one man says he hasn't seen any activism since Obama was elected. What, is he brain dead? There have been hundreds of thousands of TEA partiers protesting the width and breadth of the land, organizing rallies, and now, giving endorsements and electing or denying access to those wanting political influence. They have changed the whole tenor of the political landscape in less than a year. Politicians jumping ship left and right against the prospect of their predictable loss soon to come. I don't see the latte set as quite the political machine they would need to be. Maybe, I could be wrong.
They left it up to their 'messiah' to get it all done, when starting from day one they should have kept the pressure on until they got what they wanted. That period is now long past and the momentum has shifted and continues to shift toward empowering conservatives. They may never have such an opportunity come their way ever again where the 'stars line up' the same way. What a missed opportunity for the socialists, communists and progressives. Now against the tide of overwhelming public rejection of their healthcare plan they want to resort to underhanded tactics that weren't designed to establish new laws and programs. They are pitiful. Obama thinks the longer and harder he scolds grownups, like we're children in his classroom, we'll change our mind. Get a life, better yet get a new job.
SkygreenLeopard
flyupsidedown wrote:
Yeah well, it's a good idea for political activism sake and political competition but I don't see it going anywhere. The passion just isn't there. The one man says he hasn't seen any activism since Obama was elected. What, is he brain dead? There have been hundreds of thousands of TEA partiers protesting the width and breadth of the land, organizing rallies, and now, giving endorsements and electing or denying access to those wanting political influence.
That's not political activism. That's an angry mob of fringers.
No one except, well, you take any of them seriously. They're a punchline.
jhofficial
SkygreenLeopard wrote:
flyupsidedown wrote:
Yeah well, it's a good idea for political activism sake and political competition but I don't see it going anywhere. The passion just isn't there. The one man says he hasn't seen any activism since Obama was elected. What, is he brain dead? There have been hundreds of thousands of TEA partiers protesting the width and breadth of the land, organizing rallies, and now, giving endorsements and electing or denying access to those wanting political influence.
That's not political activism. That's an angry mob of fringers.
No one except, well, you take any of them seriously. They're a punchline.
So what makes this group any different? Because those hold the same foolish beliefs and dreams (fairy tales) you do?
SkygreenLeopard
jhofficial wrote:
SkygreenLeopard wrote:
flyupsidedown wrote:
Yeah well, it's a good idea for political activism sake and political competition but I don't see it going anywhere. The passion just isn't there. The one man says he hasn't seen any activism since Obama was elected. What, is he brain dead? There have been hundreds of thousands of TEA partiers protesting the width and breadth of the land, organizing rallies, and now, giving endorsements and electing or denying access to those wanting political influence.
That's not political activism. That's an angry mob of fringers.
No one except, well, you take any of them seriously. They're a punchline.
So what makes this group any different? Because those hold the same foolish beliefs and dreams (fairy tales) you do?
The views aren't important. It's the intelligent discourse. Not anger-fueled mobs of confused, uninformed people yelling at each other.
flyupsidedown
sky:
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That's not political activism. That's an angry mob of fringers.
No one except, well, you take any of them seriously. They're a punchline.
It is exactly political activism but it manifests itself in positive and legal political action, movement and organization, electing candidates of their choice. The left on the other hand always resort to destroying public and/or private property. Your assessment is the same elitist propaganda that the dems tried to use to stamp it out, and it is the same activism that is voting them out one at a time. Watch and learn.
jhofficial
SkygreenLeopard wrote:
jhofficial wrote:
SkygreenLeopard wrote:
flyupsidedown wrote:
Yeah well, it's a good idea for political activism sake and political competition but I don't see it going anywhere. The passion just isn't there. The one man says he hasn't seen any activism since Obama was elected. What, is he brain dead? There have been hundreds of thousands of TEA partiers protesting the width and breadth of the land, organizing rallies, and now, giving endorsements and electing or denying access to those wanting political influence.
That's not political activism. That's an angry mob of fringers.
No one except, well, you take any of them seriously. They're a punchline.
So what makes this group any different? Because those hold the same foolish beliefs and dreams (fairy tales) you do?
The views aren't important. It's the intelligent discourse. Not anger-fueled mobs of confused, uninformed people yelling at each other.
Fortunately for the rest of us you people had your chance at political activism and won (OBUMA) and thanks to that win starting this NOV an beyond (2012) we won't have to worry with your kind again for a long long time.
THE CURE
jhofficial wrote:
SkygreenLeopard wrote:
jhofficial wrote:
SkygreenLeopard wrote:
flyupsidedown wrote:
Yeah well, it's a good idea for political activism sake and political competition but I don't see it going anywhere. The passion just isn't there. The one man says he hasn't seen any activism since Obama was elected. What, is he brain dead? There have been hundreds of thousands of TEA partiers protesting the width and breadth of the land, organizing rallies, and now, giving endorsements and electing or denying access to those wanting political influence.
That's not political activism. That's an angry mob of fringers.
No one except, well, you take any of them seriously. They're a punchline.
So what makes this group any different? Because those hold the same foolish beliefs and dreams (fairy tales) you do?
The views aren't important. It's the intelligent discourse. Not anger-fueled mobs of confused, uninformed people yelling at each other.
Fortunately for the rest of us you people had your chance at political activism and won (OBUMA) and thanks to that win starting this NOV an beyond (2012) we won't have to worry with your kind again for a long long time.
Make sure you tap those ruby slippers together before you make that wish jh cause it ain't gonna happen. If anything some of the Blue Dogs won't make it back.
flyupsidedown
cure:
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Make sure you tap those ruby slippers together before you make that wish jh cause it ain't gonna happen. If anything some of the Blue Dogs won't make it back.
Wow, talk about head in the clouds, rose colored glasses, wishful thinking . . . you haven't been paying attention. You remind me of that hilarious Iraqi general that went on TV bodly declaring they would destroy America's armed forces even while bombs were dropping around him and his army was fleeing like scared rabbits. You are too, too much.
