In recent times there are two contrasting political movements in the U.S., The Tea Party on the right and the Occupy Wall street Movement on the left. They are both born from the same frustrations that many Americans have with our political and economic systems and their concern for the future. Many politicians and political analysts have said that these two movements are very similar in nature. Some even suggest that the Tea Party Members should join forces with the OWS movement. This is an absurd and impossible suggestion because these two movements are polar opposites at their cores.
Both groups’ beliefs center on their opposition to crony capitalism which led to bank bailouts, high unemployment, increased medical costs, increased tuition costs and the collapse of the housing market. This is where the similarity begins and ends. The Tea Party seeks to “restore” the constitutional principles of a less powerful, less intrusive central government through our political system. Tea party members are active in politics. They attend the town hall meetings of their congressional representatives. They choose political candidates from within their ranks, campaign for them and have successfully put many Tea Party candidates into political office. Tea Party conservatives work within the system to effect change.
On the other hand, the OWS movement has contempt for big business and wealthy capitalists. They have no unified message. They are a coalition of all progressive causes including environmentalism, government health-care, the plight of the Palestinians, gay rights, police brutality, racism, socialism, abortion rights, legalization of marijuana, atheism, gun control, world peace, etc. They blame the “rich” and the “greedy” for all of today’s problems. They seek to cause chaos and wreak havoc in our economic system so as to cause hardship on the wealthy 1 percent of Americans. They provoke the police, they vandalize property, they do not secure permits for their rallies, they block traffic and they camp out in public places in violation of local laws. They seem to want thrills and revenge more than they want to improve the system.
The dichotomy between the Tea Party and OWS clearly proves that social values are inseparable from politics. What I find fascinating is the polar difference in the philosophies and lifestyles of these two groups. Their philosophies are so different that I can usually spot a Tea Party sympathizer Vs. a OWS sympathizer based on their appearance, dress, language and attitude.
Many have criticized the Tea Party because of their conservative social agenda. Many say that they agree with the Tea Party on economic issues but are opposed to their social agenda. Is it possible to be a fiscal conservative and not be a social conservative? I have always thought that it is impossible to separate the two because of the immutable realities of human nature. The dichotomy between the Tea Party and the OWS movement proves my point. The OWS movement seeks to deny reality while the Tea Party conservatives seek to acknowledge the cold hard truths of human nature. Let’s compare and contrast the social and moral values of the two groups.
A main theme of OWS is “equality”. Their biggest gripe is “income inequality”. Many of their slogans include the word equal. Some examples are: income equality, sexual equality, gender equality, racial equality, economic equality, social equality, etc.
Rarely do you hear the theme of equality in the Tea Party. This is because of the immutable reality that people are not equal. We are all unique. Men are certainly not equal to women, the differences are obvious. This is why you don’t see any women in the NFL and no men giving birth to children. The differences are not only physical, they are emotional as well.
We are also unique in our passions and desires, our likes and our dislikes, our ambitions, our strengths and our weaknesses, our energy or lethargy, our intelligence, our tastes, our abilities and disabilities, our state of health, our lifespan, our priorities our physical beauty and our perception of beauty in others. Each of our individual differences presents unique challenges and obstacles for each of us. Overcoming or succumbing to these obstacles is the essence of the human struggle. The progressives of OWS deny these immutable differences and demand equal outcomes without obstacles, struggle or failure. These demands are contrary to the very essence of human nature, therefore they are impractical and impossible.
Another main gripe of OWS is “corporate greed”.
Tea Party conservatives do not condemn greed. Greed or self-interest is another immutable reality. Every man, woman and child, since the beginning of time, has constantly strove to fulfill his own insatiable desires. The capitalist system acknowledges human greed and pits one man’s self-interest against another’s in a competitive system. Instead of denying or condemning greed, Tea Party conservatives seek to channel self-interest in the most productive way possible. Under the capitalist system, man’s competitive nature is free to out-produce, out innovate and out-do each other when properly motivated. When properly channeled, individual greed and/or self-interest benefits everyone because people become more productive and thrifty causing goods to become cheaper and more plentiful.
Another main theme of the OWS progressives is their call for world peace.
Tea Party conservatives understand that there has never been world peace throughout the history of man. Once again the OWS progressives are denying an immutable truth. War is part of human nature. While OWS seeks to eliminate war, Tea Party conservatives seek to reduce the impact of war on their country. It is human nature that people do not pick a fight with someone (or some country) bigger and stronger than themselves. The best way to reduce the impact of war on ourselves is to strive to become the biggest and strongest power on Earth. Tea party conservatives seek to build a strong military defense. OWS progressives seek to dismantle our military.
In conclusion, the OWS progressives are seeking impractical and impossible outcomes that ignore universal spiritual principles, social values and human nature. OWS progressives seek thrills and revenge while the Tea Party conservatives are seeking to restore our republic, within the law and according to the Christian principles that it was founded upon. Within the Tea Party movement, more value is given to the universal spiritual principles of patience, self-discipline, gratitude and faith in God. Within OWS, more value is given to thrill seeking and revenge. As a rule, Tea Party conservatives are socially, spiritually and morally responsible while OWS progressives are not. Social values cannot be separated from fiscal responsibility. The dichotomy between the Tea party and the OWS movement make this clear.