TEE not TEA

What's the difference between Tea and Tee?

Well aside from the obvious replacement of the letter 'a' by the 'e' and the fact that they would each cost $250 from Vanna White there are many differences.

For example you might sit down and relax and do nothing when you have tea.  Or you may have a friend over and discuss the neighbors or talk about the latest fashions while comfortably sitting in the parlor.

But you generally think of exercise when you're using a tee.

Using a TEE you are holding a golf club or playing 'tee-ball.'

Using TEA you hold a cup with your pinky out.

All golfers know they have a better chance of  making a good shot if they tee up the ball.

Every hole they play starts by placing a ball on the tee; taking a whack at it and hoping for the best.
Outside of golf the verb combo "Tee Up" means to organize or plan an event and carry it out.

So tee up is a good thing.
'Tee up' gets things done.
And after you have finished using the tee for the day you might settle down for a spot of tea or as they do in England 'high tea.' I prefer cream tea but that's just me.

However despite the silly differences mentioned above there is a very real one and it stems from the use of one of the words to denote a political movement, namely the TEA Party.

In that reference it stands for 'Taxed Enough Already' and is on the face of it both clever and appealing.
I mean who doesn't wish to pay less taxes?  Perhaps I should say pay less taxes while making more money thus keeping more money.  It also brings to mind the famous historical Boston Tea Party although under simple examination the similarities subsequently fall apart.

But the problem with a simple idea such as paying less tax is the unintentional consequences.  When faced with the reality that their movement could cause the lose of their Medicare benefits or damage their Social Security payments many 'tea party' followers suddenly channeled "Emily Litella." (Sound on please.)

As anyone who knows me will attest it has long been my fantasy of mine to owe one million dollars in Federal Income Tax.  Many current millionaires out there are probably laughing at me and calling me an idiot as they most likely pay next to nothing but I can live with that.

What I can not live with is the fact that those same people who laugh at me are manipulating the vulnerable masses who don't know which way to turn for help.  They are being fed a pack of lies and told that the government is after them!  If they don't do something quickly they will lose everything.


But who will actually gain if the Tea Party movement succeeds?  Not the individuals with the silly hats or dumb and offensive signs parading on publicly funded land or in front of the White House.  The winners will be the corporations and big banks who are paying their lobbyists to arrange and coordinate the rallies.

It has long been said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.  Judging by the interviews of many of those in the Tea Party movement I would say it is incredibly dangerous.

I propose we change the "A" to an "E" and 're-acronym' the movement as "Tax Everyone Equally."  It may take a little time and an honest effort (HONEST EFFORT!) but loopholes and iniquities in our tax code must be weeded out.

We Americans have been able to lead the World in innovation for our entire history.  I refuse to believe that despite the pandering partisan partitions in DC we cannot come up with a way to dig ourselves out of the fox hole we're in and come up with a fair and balanced way to tax everyone equally!

HEY CONGRESS - TEE UP!