The Tea Party’s country on a T-shirt

One of the slogans that has dominated the year in politics comes from the Tea Parties and has crossed over to the GOP. “Take back our country!” The us-versus-them euphemistic phrase is a regular feature of the stump speeches given by Colorado GOP Senate candidates Jane Norton and Ken Buck and by all of the GOP candidates looking to unseat Betsy Markey in the Fourth Congressional district, Cory Gardner, Tom Lucero and Dean Madere. “Elect me and I’ll work to take back your country.”

What does it mean? A new T-Shirt pushed by right-wing group Human Events and on offer online at the Patriot Depot (“Supplies for the Conservative Revolution”) says as much as any thousand words could say.

“Once we had Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope & Johnny Cash. Now we have Obama, No Hope and No Cash!” (Only $25 plus shipping and handling.)

Members of the Tea Party say the pet phrase (“Take back your country!”) has to do with “being ignored” by lawmakers and watching Obama and the majority-party Democrats attempt to reverse decades of anti-tax and pro-corporate policies.

New York Times columnist Frank Rich had a different opinion about the meaning of the phrase. His feels like a better match with the message of the T-shirt.

Is it worth pointing out that Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash are all dead and gone and not coming back?

Got a tip? Freelance story pitch? Send us an e-mail. Follow The Colorado Independent on Twitter.

Comments are closed.