How Spain Can
Build its Own 'Tea Party': Copy Sarah Palin
"What
is the Tea Party? It's a movement to reinstate citizens as actors in public affairs
and instill morality in political action, since, let’s not fool ourselves, the
only existing values are Christian values. … How can we do it? By imitating
Palin: with the Internet, TV and buses traveling across Spain. … Believe me,
those who don't believe in the Tea Party deep down don't believe in democracy
or the people."
The face that launched a thousand busses?: While it's still not the norm, Sarah Palin is proving an inspiration to people in other countries tired of liberalism, particularly, it seems, in Spain.
The strongest evidence that
the "Tea Party" is a good idea is that PRISA and Mediapro-La Sexta
(both media companies) are extremely concerned about “ultra-conservative” Americans
like Sarah Palin and company.
Our friend [Former Prime
Minister] Aznar
says he wouldn't advise anyone in Spain to create a "Tea Party." But that's
because his People’s Party (PP) would be the big loser if there was one, since the
PP has become a party of “non-values.” That is, rotating values. And this isn't
because its leaders are corrupt - although there may be some - but because the only
thing they value is economic efficiency. And even this he cannot guarantee, because
followers of his party are governed by a leadership that believes in nothing
and whose sole objective is “political action,” or in other words, cornering power.
After all, what
is the Tea Party? It's a movement to reinstate citizens as actors in public affairs
and instill morality in political action, since, let’s not fool ourselves, the
only existing values are Christian values.
Sarah Palin proselytizes these
two sound principles through the Internet and TV -the media of the 21st century
- and by traveling across the United States by bus. This is the issue.
The Principles of a Tea Party in Spain:
-The abolition of abortion
and the establishment of maternity income. Either we have children or Western
civilization will disappear.
-Limiting the term of the presidency
to eight years.
-Reducing of the salaries of deputies
and senators to the average wage in Spain $2,350 per month (1,700 euros),
although they may have other occupations.
-The elimination of public
subsidies to parties and labor unions.
-Open lists in Congress (anyone
can run for office) and the elimination of barriers to accessing the system.
-School check [scholastic
financial assistance] as a way of guaranteeing the freedom of parents to
educate their children as they see best.
-Reduction of the role of the
state (central government, communities and municipalities).
-Protection of the small
private property, not for being private, but for being small.
-Popular election of judges
and district attorneys, at least at the bottom of the pyramid.
-Religious freedom, which
means protecting the only religion being persecuted today, which is the Christian
essence of the free West.
-Conscientious objection,
which is the key to reintroducing coherence in politics.
And who should defend these
principles? The small number of parties that defend the non-negotiable values of
Pope Benedict XVI
(life, family, freedom to educate and the common good) and those politicians that
believe in them, from both the PP and the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers
Party). In other words, non-progressive and non-liberal politicians, which are
not and don't wish to be professional politicians.
The defense of human life
from conception to natural death should be the yardstick for identifying Tea
Party leaders. And you need not abandon your political party to participate in
the movement, provided you are faithful to these non-negotiable principles. There
are members of the PP, the PSOE, the sensible nationalist parties (the CIU - a
political party in Catalonia, the PNV - a Basque Political Party, and other regionalist
groups), and also the United Left. Belief on these non-negotiable principles cut
across all groups, although it's true that relativism has infected all political
parties with its virus, the PP no less than the others.
In addition to these
politicians, let us not forget, social leaders are needed for the Tea Party. Your
participation is critical.
What parties now exist
that could collaborate to create a Spanish Tea Party? Those defending
non-negotiable principles are marginal ones: The Spanish Alternative Party, Family
and Life, CTC (Traditionalist
Carlist Communion), the leftist SAIN (Internationalist Self-Management and
Solidarity Party), among others. We should also add pro-life, family and
teaching organizations, labor unions, businessmen, publishers and churches that
believe in non-negotiable principles.
How can we do it? By
imitating Palin: with the Internet, TV and buses traveling across Spain.
Hey, and what if the Tea
Party doesn't win power? If they don’t, they don’t. The purpose of such a
movement can be to reach the prime ministership (why not?). But its principal goal
is to regenerate public life. Sarah Palin is still a member of the Republican
Party and her goal is the White House. But whether she reaches it or not, she
will have regenerated American public life, which has been perverted, not only
by Obama’s Democrats, but by Washington's Republican machine - by professional
politicians.
Believe me, those who don't
believe in the Tea Party deep down don't believe in democracy or the people.
