Corporate-Funded Tea Party: Repeal New Deal Government Programs

Interview with Matthew Rothschild, editor of Progressive magazine, conducted by Scott Harris

The corporate-funded Tea Party movement, which came into prominence for their virulent hatred of President Obama, deficit spending and government programs, appears to have virtually taken over the Republican Party. Over recent months, the movement's sponsored candidates have won several important primary victories - the latest being Christine O'Donnell's defeat of Delaware's GOP- endorsed candidate to run for U.S. Senate. But O'Donnell, who has declared that masturbation is adultery and that women shouldn't serve in the U.S. military, now stands accused of campaign ethics violations, and is far behind in recent polls against her Democratic opponent.

Other successful Tea Party-endorsed Senate candidates, such as Sharron Angle of Nevada, Joe Miller in Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky have taken controversial stands against many government programs such as Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, and civil rights legislation - while favoring tax breaks for the nation's wealthiest citizens.

Many polls suggest that widespread anger at continuing high unemployment could cost Democrats control of the House and/or Senate in this November's midterm congressional election, but it's not clear how much voters really know about the Tea Party and Republican agenda to eviscerate the nation's social safety net. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Matthew Rothschild, editor of the Progressive magazine, who gauges the popularity of the Tea Party - and examines why voters would embrace candidates promising to end cherished New Deal programs during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

Visit the magazine's website at progressive.org

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"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: http://www.btlonline.org

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