I'm still searching for anyone who agrees with the goals and methodology of the Tea Party and is willing to have a real debate of the issues. All I ever seem to get are slogan-like one-liners like "We must have freedom" or "We must take back our country" or "We have to stop the financial madness", and there the conversation stops.

Can anyone help me, please? What does freedom mean to a Tea Party sympathizer? How has our country been taken away from us? How is messing with our credit rating and starting a depression not financial madness? The problem is that I can't seem to get even these first questions answered, much less the next 10 or so that will naturally arise.

Governing is more than holding to ideals -- it is learning everything there is to know about what happens next and then making rational decisions based on what is best for the country. I don't see the Tea Party doing that.

Risking a world-wide depression and the savings of everyone in the country is economic terrorism. Denying civil rights to minorities is political terrorism. Inserting religious ideals into our laws is an attempt to overthrow the Constitution and is religious terrorism. Showing up at town hall meetings with guns and angry words is physical terrorism. I'd love to hear someone refute those statements with honest opinions and some form of logic. Then I'd like to have a real discussion on the subject. That requires thoughtful responses and a willingness to discuss the nuances of the issues. Anyone game?