Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I swear, each month of 2025 will have its own history degree.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

We’re watching the self-immolation of the leading world power on a level unprecedented in human history.

Beware of advice from anyone for whom Democrats are “they” and not “we.”

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

They punch you in the face and then start crying because their fist hurts.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

Let the trolls come, and then ignore them. that’s the worst thing you can do to a troll.

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it is not glory.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Republicans do not pay their debts.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

There are times when telling just part of the truth is effectively a lie.

Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls 2 years from now.

You are here: Home / Crowd Size, Then And Now

Crowd Size, Then And Now

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I was going to do a big post comparing the rhetoric downplaying the size of protests in the 2003 era and the current tea party, but what it boils down to is I am just too lazy to do the research. Instead, I will just use pictures.

A few bitter cranks in San Francisco protesting the war in 2003:

Citizen uprising in Georgia:

And for documentation purposes only, the new “Moran” picture:

If you get a chance, check out the caption under the Ron Paul protesters here. That made me snort.

Reader Interactions

50Comments

  2. 2.

    Conservatively Liberal

    I bet ol’ "Moran Man" is breathing a sigh of relief right now. Tea bagging Democrats FTW!

    Where do I sign up? Oh, and I don’t shave ’em. It gives them some texture. ;)

  3. 3.

    Comrade Stuck

    Wingnut’s just don’t know how to properly protest. I mean, a sign that says "Let the Failures Fail" is way to vague and could easily be misunderinterpreted. And you don’t bring umbrellas to a protest, even if it’s raining. Call it the pussy factor, because everyone knows republicans don’t get wet or cold. There supposed to be tough Hombres chewing on shell casings and stuff. And they need some blood, lot’s of blood for the Christ martyr image thingy (a few thorn hats would be good), not to mention they’re utter fearlessness going against Teh Libtard Man. Fail all around.

  4. 4.

    StickIt

    I wonder if that kid holding up the sign even knows what teabagging means and if he does why the hell would he want people to associate him with that? It’s funny the images people wish to assocaite themselves with.

    I mean, that’s exactly what colleges and prospective employers are looking for – people skills like "teabagging." This shit just writes itself.

  10. 10.

    Michael

    Again, I’ll point out that there are more Klukkers than there were Teabaggers, which shows you the true strength of the committed…

  11. 11.

    smiley

    @StickIt:

    I wonder if that kid holding up the sign even knows what teabagging means

    Of course not. Apparently neither do his parents or the other people there.

    Edited

  12. 12.

    Svensker

    I love that the Repubs are upset about being "forced to pay for someone else’s mortgage".

    They didn’t seem to mind forcing me to pay for someone else’s war.

  13. 13.

    JL

    A state employee complained about government spending..wtf!!!
    From the AJC

    The idea has taken a life of its own, and Friday, about 200 protesters showed up in Atlanta, some with tea bags, to protest the stimulus bill and other bailouts.
    “My concern is that this country is going down a dangerous path toward socialism and that’s not what my forefathers, or my ancestors, fought and died for,” said protester Allen LaBerteaux, 41, of Lilburn. He had two tea bags in his pocket.The state employee went to the Capitol in the cold rain to register his opposition to the stimulus bill, which he sees as irresponsible spending by the federal government.

  14. 14.

    JL

    @JL: Any ideas why I ended up in the dreaded awaiting moderation zone? It would be nice to know what triggers moderation.

  16. 16.

    cleek

    “My concern is that this country is going down a dangerous path toward socialism and that’s not what my forefathers, or my ancestors, fought and died for,”

    Obama should get on TV and read the dictionary definition of "socialism", then ask the obvious question: "Have I even suggested that the government take over the means of production? No? Then SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU IGNORANT DOUCHEBAGS. God Bless America."

  17. 17.

    Tsulagi

    I wonder if that kid holding up the sign even knows what teabagging means

    Clicking on the photo to enlarge it, actually it kinda looks like a grinning, semi-masculine looking midget chick holding up that teabagger sign. Also says “freerepublic.com” at the bottom of the sign.

    Given their wetsuit/dildo combination level of imagination, don’t even want to think where they go with happy midgets, teabagging, and Freeper Jesus.

  19. 19.

    Michael

    The future of the conservative movement presented himself on Friday, and he was 13.

    The conservative movement may not gain traction again until the lad hits middle age.

    I’m sure his speech was full of lots of conservative certitude. I can hear it now – liberals suck, government is the problem, tax cuts, spending cuts.

    All without a single explanation of "why", or how Big "C" conservatism benefits all who are not at the pinnacle of the status quo.

    I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – the problem is not so much the GOP, it is with the Big "C" Conservatives and the extent to which their rancid ideology drives the rest of the party.

    America is entitled to a contemplative, competent and efficient opposition party.

  21. 21.

    Comrade Stuck

    @JL:

    Any ideas why I ended up in the dreaded awaiting moderation zone? It would be nice to know what triggers moderation.

    Some days, it seems typing the letter A triggers it.

  23. 23.

    Michael

    Antoher thing – lets look at the quality of Conservatism’s current standardbearers. A fat college dropout sex tourist with an opiate addiction. A bombastic, gin-soaked hag with no record of genuine accomplishment. A Filipino anchor baby who hates immigrants. A 13 year old who parrots mommy and daddy. An obnoxious, conflict fomenting recess appointee who the Senate refused to confirm.

    When you lose the ability to say why your preferred policies will make a difference, these are the sorts of spokemen you’ll have left.

  24. 24.

    Leo

    @JL: Someone suggested that "soci alism" and related words trigger the filter because they contain "cia lis." Seems plausible to me.

  25. 25.

    maya

    What were these pro-teasters doing pro-teasting on a work day? Are they part of the new Furlough-Friday Conservative Corp? They could clean the streets while they’re about it and start a whole new Get the Grass Roots Outta the Cracks in the Sidewalk movement.(GGROCS)

  27. 27.

    smiley

    @Leo: By golly, that’s probably it. My comment @20 was stuck for a while for moderation and it contains the dreaded word.

  28. 28.

    AhabTRuler

    @Leo: This is true, and I currently have a post stuck in the filter. But I am stubborn, and I won’t let pharma and spammers take away the word anymore than I will the Republicans.

    Edit: ah, screw it.
    @cleek: This is what I would like to see (edited for filter goodness):

    Barack Obama: Please, continue, you were saying something about best intentions. What’s the matter? Oh, you were finished! Well, allow me to retort. What does the country look like?
    Joe the Plumber: Soc ialism?
    Barack Obama: What country are you from?
    Joe the Plumber: Soc ialism? Soc ialism? Soc..?
    Barack Obama: "Soc ialism" ain’t no country I’ve ever heard of. They speak English in Soc ialism?
    Joe the Plumber: Soc ialism?
    Barack Obama: English, motherfucker, do you speak it?
    Joe the Plumber: Yes! Yes!
    Barack Obama: Then you know what I’m sayin’!
    Joe the Plumber: Yes!
    Barack Obama: Describe what the country looks like!
    Joe the Plumber: Soc ialism?
    Barack Obama: Say ‘Soc ialism’ again. Say ‘Soc ialism’ again, I dare you, I double dare you motherfucker, say ‘soc ialism’ one more Goddamn time!

  29. 29.

    Joe Max

    I was at that protest in SF in 03! I’m 1037th to the left and 783rd from the top in that picture.

    I had a sign that reflected the popular gestalt of the times:

    "Frodo Failed."

  30. 30.

    Fr33d0m

    Why is it Repugnicons think to use things like Tea Bag and Libruls never do?

    Bill Bennett told CPAC it’s not socialism and actually wasn’t booed.

    Can you see the Nixon-Reagan era coming into focus?

  31. 31.

    Farley

    Forced teabagging is a form of rape. Which is why the sign makes sense, because it seems many on the far-right like their sexxxxx to be non-consensual.

  32. 32.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    Obama should get on TV and read the dictionary definition of "socialism", then ask the obvious question: "Have I even suggested that the government take over the means of production?"

    Either that, or "why is socialized health care evil, but socialized national defense super duper?"

  33. 33.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    Someone suggested that "soci alism" and related words trigger the filter because they contain "cia lis." Seems plausible to me.

    Who programmed the filter? Rush Limbaugh? Can we say "oxycontin"?

  35. 35.

    Capelza Gradenko

    cleek…you hurt me. I laughed so hard it hurts.

    Dirty Sanchez the liberal Democrats before they Hot Carl you!
    Give the liberal Democrats the Rusty Trombone!

    I’m stealing those..with due credit.

  37. 37.

    Chris Johnson

    Beef Supreme at Wonkette-

    “I’ve only got 2 minutes, so I better make this quick.” I bet a thirteen year old boy hears that a lot at CPAC.

    Just goes to show what George Carlin said- there is NOTHING that can’t be hysterically funny when handled properly :)

    I couldn’t watch much of the kid himself, though. I didn’t even make it to the part where he pounds the table like Khruschev, only holding pens instead of a shoe.

    The human race had better figure some things out pretty quick or we shall laugh ourselves to death. THIS is why there are no extraterrestrial radio transmissions. Alien civilizations develop until they can broadcast their equivalent of thirteen year old wingnuts, and then implode…

  39. 39.

    over_educated

    Wow. They really look like the crazies protesting that UFO’s are real and that martians have taken over the government. Hilarious.

  40. 40.

    Wile E. Quixote

    @Notorious P.A.T.

    Either that, or "why is socialized health care evil, but socialized national defense super duper?"

    Yeah, no kidding, I’m tired of single payer national defense. It’s stupid, bloated and incredibly inefficient.

  41. 41.

    cleek

    Forced teabagging is a form of rape.

    1. get someone on the ground
    2. squat over them
    3. slowly lower your nuts into their mouth
    4. ???
    5. successful rape!

    seems like there’s a potentially fatal flaw in this plan.

  42. 42.

    AhabTRuler

    @cleek: I thought that teabagging =/ chipmunking. WTF?

    Huh. Learn something new every day.

    1. teabagger
    multiple meanings. 1) one who carries large bags of packaged tea for shipment. 2) a man that squats on top of a womens face and lowers his genitals into her mouth during sex, known as "teabagging"

    I thought it was only

    2. Teabagger
    One who slaps another person in the face with their nad sack.

    But I was unfamiliar with this:

    3. teabagger
    Any guy who drives a Ford Explorer "Sport" (the two door model).
    This espescially applies to Explorer Sport drivers with bicycle racks mounted on top of their vehichles.

  44. 44.

    Da Bomb

    @Chris Johnson:

    Beef Supreme at Wonkette-
    “I’ve only got 2 minutes, so I better make this quick.” I bet a thirteen year old boy hears that a lot at CPAC.

    My face hurts from laughing!

  45. 45.

    Svensker

    @Farley:

    @cleek: Excuse me?
    Rape doesn’t have to be intercourse.

    Farley, I think you’re missing the "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?" part here.

  46. 46.

    Laura W Darling

    @Svensker:

    Farley, I think you’re missing the "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?" part here.

    Very elegantly put.
    Given the subject matter.

  48. 48.

    Left_Wing_Fox

    @Leo: Soci alism might give you a 4-hour priapism, but at at least you can afford to see the doctor when it happens.

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