Can we make peace with the tea party and/or Republicans for a second?

Look, I know you don't like them. You probably have your reasons. They are probably good. I probably agree with them.

However, typecasting the anti-Prohibition movement as a liberal movement and associating it with the Democratic Party isn't helping anyone. It alienates people who identify with the Republicans for whatever reason, and we need those people. It also makes us look like idiots when major Democrats say stupid, misinformed things about the movement (cough Obama cough). Around 40% of Republicans are against prohibition, and around 55% of Democrats are against prohibition. That is, a typical Democrat is not that much more likely to be anti-Prohibition than a typical Republican.

You know what would probably help the movement along? Handing out anti-prohibition pamphlets and holding up anti-prohibition signs at the damn tea parties. The neocons hijacked them from the libertarians, and we are perfectly free to hijack it again. I hate Glenn Beck as much as anyone, but if it takes Glenn Beck to keep my friends from going to jail, then I'm with Glenn Beck and fuck Obama.

One thing about the "sanity" rally that I think was important is that it wasn't really a message of hate directed at the crazies. In the wake of the biggest thing we've done to stop the teaparty, it might sound dumb to work with them -- but that's what the rally was all about, resolving differences. I have Republican friends who believe in crazy things (e.g. God), but that doesn't make their vote count less, and we could always use it.

I think it'd be cool if someone with some decent artistic talent who could write coherently (i.e. not me) would make a pamphlet about why Republicans should oppose prohibition. I mean, it can't hurt.

The other thing I'd like to say is that this is certainly not me saying "if you can't beat them, join them". I don't support the Republican Party or most of their ideas. I'm just not dumb enough to let my dislike for them make me blame them for things and ignore what they have to say. I think convincing Republicans might, in this political climate, where Libertarian is apparently the new black, work as well as convincing Democrats.

u.u