David Axelrod Attacks Tea Parties as "Unhealthy"

David Axelrod, a senior advisor to President Barack Obama, suggested today that the Tax Day Tea Party demonstrations are an "unhealthy" reaction the economic downturn. Allahpundit has the video, but check out Stephen Hayes responding to Axelrod on CNN:

Also, Jim Boren, the Fresno Bee's political editor, has a great commentary about the role of demonstrations in the democracy, "Democracy in Action Still Thrives." This passage is especially good:

Last week we saw civics lessons in action. Critics say these protests were manipulated by Republicans and conservative radio commentators in the case of the Tea Parties and corporate agriculture in the case of the March for Water. That's hardly the point. What mattered is a lot of people showed up, and their anger is real.

Over at the Save Mart Center parking lot on the Fresno State campus, we were told that more than 7,000 people rallied against taxes and government spending. That's an impressive turnout, and they have a point that can't be denied: Taxes are way too high, and government doesn't always spend our money very efficiently. We all can tell personal stories of government waste.

Now if the Tea Party participants keep their organizations alive and turn them into a movement that has impact at the ballot box, the protest was a success. If you don't like the cause, organize a counter-protest.

The issues are never simple in government, and there's always another side to the tax-and-spend quandary. The question that must follow is what programs should be cut if government is going to get less money. The predicament is that every program has a constituency, and it's up to our elected officials to make the final determination of our priorities after assessing public sentiment.

Is Social Security going to be off limits at the federal level? Do we only protect public safety services and cut spending for parks at the local level? Is there too much money spent on roads and not enough on public transportation? Or is it the other way around?

But the Tea Party participants got the attention of politicians on Tax Day, and that's good. The last thing elected officials want is another Proposition 13, the 1978 California property tax reform that started a national taxpayer revolt.

Hmm ... a national taxpayer revolt? Just what the secular progressive statists fear most.

See also a new blog friend, Obi's Sister, "Atlanta Tea Party Pictures II."