The writer has a master’s degree in conflict-resolution from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California and blogs at http://coffeeshopdiplomat.wordpress.com
After it was passed by both Houses in the US Congress, the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) was signed into law by President Barack Obama and deemed constitutional by the US Supreme Court. Despite the fact that Obama won the election and campaigned on improving the healthcare system, the minority Tea Party has taken it upon themselves to defund the bill and deny affordable health care to millions of uninsured Americans. Their determination to kill the health care law before it goes into full effect led to the recent shutdown.
Extremist groups in Pakistan are funded by other Muslim nations, whereas mega corporations are the funding source of this radical group in the US. The Tea Party is sold off as a grassroots movement, but it was actually created by tycoons. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the industrialist Koch brothers continue to bankroll the group. These owners of multinational corporations want to remove all government regulations in order to maximise profits, without concern for the general populace or the environment. Their aims include shutting government agencies such as the education department and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The new health care law, which forces them to provide health care to all full-time employees, just might cut into the Koch brothers’ billion-dollar profits.
Members of the Tea Party are mostly fundamentalist conservatives, who harbour a belief that the US was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. They have extreme positions on issues which are widely agreed upon by the majority of Americans. Some actually believe vaccinations cause mental retardation. Hence, they have convinced themselves that they are doing God’s work by obstructing the new health plan.
The Tea Party Republicans have now damaged investors’ trust in the US government in their effort to deny affordable coverage to citizens. By ignoring the principle of majority rule, this group has shown an ability to disrupt routine procedures and erode confidence. If this keeps up, the Tea Party may notice their corporate funding sources beginning to dwindle. One prominent business lobbyist, Dirk Van Dongen, has already been quoted as saying: “I don’t know of anybody in the business community who takes the side of the Taliban minority.” President Obama has come out on top of this fight by refusing to negotiate with domestic terrorists, which raises a question: why does his administration continue to pursue negotiations with terrorist groups which are active within Pakistan and Afghanistan? He would be wise to learn from this recent political victory and apply those lessons to foreign policy decisions.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2013.
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COMMENTS (26)
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I threw out a hypothetical in response to the liberal whine about "obstructionism" and ObamaCare being the law of the land. See if you can handle it...
@gp65: I did reply in some detail ( at least for me ) but it got washed away. I normally agree and appreciate your point of view but on this one, my views are different. Its a shame that my comment has gone astray, although my other comments elsewhere have appeared, because I did respond point wise disagreeing with you and suggested that the best person to answer your question would be the author herself, though I did give my view point as well. Hope this one makes it because I would not like you to get the impression that I was deliberately indifferent.
The author writes in a superb english, which unfortunately the bloggers did not understand. the use of the terms 'Talibans' and 'terrorists' for the Tea party repblicans. I assume that she wrote this article for the Amerians and not for the Asians?.
Rex Minor
The author Miss Khan should be careful when she goes on Jehad against the most powerful Tea party republicans! Mr Obama is an imposter, who took over the program of the Clintonians (Bill and Hillary) to rescue the majority of the people landing in Psychiatric clinics because they were unable to receive a medical treatment for standard illnesses over a long period.
The theatrical play that Miss Khan is talking about was properly staged by the administration but had no substance in as much being nable to meet its payments . The country is now insolvement, has debts which it cannot pay back but the show goes on as long as the DOLLAR is recognised by many countries as a Reserve currency. While India has conerted its reserves from dollars to Gold, but China and the saudis are stuck!!!
Rex Minor
ETBLOFS1987
ET Mods- please allow response to someone who has written to me.
@Parvez: "I simply agreed with the authors last sentence about America’s double standards regarding its foreign policy."
The double standards that the author refers to are based on the assumption that Tea Party members are indeed terrorists. They are not. I say this even as I disagree with them politically. Hence since you liked the last 2 ines, I assumed that was an implicit agreement with the primary hypothesis i.e. Tea Party and Taliban are similar terrorists. Absent that equivalence -what inconsistency is the author referring to?
So what does this author mean to imply..... that the so-called "Tea Party" is a CONSPIRACY funded by the CIA + RAW + RAAM + Mossad + MI6 + ??? ... etc etc .... that is out to get the "civilized world" led by the law-abiding citizens of the "Land of the Pure" (Pakistan) ... ???
@gp65: What gave you that idea ??? I simply agreed with the authors last sentence about America's double standards regarding its foreign policy.
ETBLOGS1987
Tea Party are terrorists? Seriously? Yes they do have serious political differences with the present President. In November 2010 American people supported their point of view in a big way and now the tide has turned. But whatever they are doing, it is legitimate under the constitution. Also they do not kill people they disagree with.
Now the question of why US is negotiating with Afghan Taliban - if Pakistan had not played double games and provided safe haven to Haqqanis and Quetta Shura, the situation would not have been the way it is. But that is what the Pakistani army chose to do. Also, not sure if you have kept up with the news but the Americans are the not allowing pre-conditions e.. release our prisoners or even allowing Afgan Taliban to use their own flag in the office they had set up for negotiation. Their drone cmpaign also continues unabated. As far as TTP is considered, it is an internal insurgency within Pakistan which the US does not care about. Quite different from the approach PAkistan government is taking.
@Parvez,
I am surprised that you agreed with the false equivalence the author was trying to establish between the Taliban and Tea Party.
The writer has a master’s degree in conflict-resolution from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California.
She should work for conflict-resolution between Pakistan government and TTP. Later when Taliban take over Pakistan, she can become a Minister of Taliban government.
@Author
You can't be sure that you're father is going to make Chief yet; might want to put a lid on that pretentiousness of yours!
Democrats and Republican are like World Wrestling Federation match. Throw jabs at each others but employed by the same companies.
As for investor confidence it died long time ago, now Federal Reserve is printing money QEn to prop up equities which in neo-liberal utopia is a barometer of society's well being despite 44 million Americans on food stamps.
@Californian Desi: You are right, we are stupid..........kindly enlighten us. Will await your explanation.
@Californian Desi:
Sir, a lot of of people in pakistan watch cnn and read American websites.
@Californian Desi: you are right. I would say more than two thirds of Pakistanis would not and would not care about the Tea Party. The real news is kept hidden from the readers. One or two days back an Australian Pakistani family of five was murdered in Islamabad over a land dispute. This news is not reported in Pakistani news so far yet something about Tea Party is. Why?
@F:
people like her portray anyone who dislike the current US president's character and policies , as racists or compare them with talibans, and in the process who their own ignorance...
I am not sure why you publish this here? Nobody in Pakistan who hasn't live in USA have a clue what "Tea Party" is.
This reminds me of a bumper sticker I once saw in the US. The message it carried was:
You can take my advice; I'm not using it!
Author: "why does his administration continue to pursue negotiations with terrorist groups which are active within Pakistan and Afghanistan? He would be wise to learn from this recent political victory and apply those lessons to foreign policy decisions"
US knows Taliban are a part of Pakistan government. Pakistan government created Taliban and have been playing and supporting Taliban in Afghanistan.
As soon as US leaves Pakistanis will be back in Afghanistan with full force as non-State actors. I hope Afghanistan will use their non-State actors to neutralize Pakistan's effort to destroy Afghanistan.
@Muzamil Khan: USa and how people are dying in hospitals because of government shutdown
No one has died in USA because of government shutdown in USA.
Liberals make such a big cry but look at USA it is not working. Liberals should write about USa and how people are dying in hospitals because of government shutdown
This is a prime example of fabricating parity and parallels. Taliban and Tea Party?! Tea Party being called "terrorists" and at par with the Taliban?!
Tea Party - right or wrong, believes in conservative social and mostly economic policies. They are driven by principle and a certain certitude. They are using all means available, under the established political process to fight the democrats. They ultimately had to negotiate and lost. They are not blowing up schools and physically destroying life and property. Taliban types are issuing violent and regressive fatwas against anyone that disagrees with them. Tea Party is not. Taliban types enjoy mass support for their ideology. Tea party does not. The Taliban regressives are killing minorities, school girls and anyone who even so slightly disagrees with them. Tea party is not - the author is safe in and writing from the USA!
as usual muslims blaming others for their pathetic condition.
Every nation and religion has their fanatical blowhards. Fortunately, this latest Tea Party stunt has done some serious damage to their misguided movement.
This article was worth the read because of your closing sentence ........ the rest was just a build up.
who do you think, finances the Democratic and Republican parties?and do they give money to these parties, members of congress, state governers and prospective candidates, out of charity?