This is citizen action in action.

Not to mention the black woman standing next to him.

nalbar

The problem with these tea parties is that they are really just expressions of unarticulated rage.

Exactly.  They're not a real protest - they're "10 Minutes of Hate".  They're an outlet for a whole mess of resentments, not a political force.  They have no message, no coherent ideology, and no real grievances beyond "we lost the election and that pisses us off."

And the folks at the top who organized these things - and make no mistake, any initial grassroots nature of these things was co-opted and destroyed by the conservative think tanks, conservative radio talkers, and FOX News early on - didn't want them to be anything but that.  The very LAST thing that the head honchos of the "conservative movement" want is a people-powered movement.  So they give them a fake outlet, let them shake their teabags in anger and give speeches about how Barry Soetoro should go back to Kenya and demand to see birth certificates.  And then they can all go back to work tomorrow, seeth in their resentments but be happy that they just struck a blow against their hated enemies.  And the guys at the top of the conservative movement breathe a bit easier for a little bit because the folks that they're using and stealing from have been fooled for one more day.

From the quote with the picture, it is clear that the fear of socialism has to do with the fear or the reality of having to be in lines (possibly with people you never imagined you would be in line with).

If you've ever had to apply for Food Stamps or go to a free clinic or even collect unemployment insurance, you can spend as much as a day waiting for your interview or whatever.  That's what underfunding social services and public clinics does.  And I bet that is what most of these folks fear about "socialism".

It lacks the excitement of standing in line to get a concert ticket or a ticket to a high-profile sports event.

And it slaps folks in the face that they are not "better than that", that it isn't just a matter of laziness.

50 states, 210 media market, 435 Congressional Districts, 3080 counties, 192,480 precincts

The problem with these tea parties is that they are really just expressions of unarticulated rage.

Damn, I wish I had written that.

An absolutely perfect summation.

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity"