If I were a rich man, I would secretively put money on the Tea Party movement. Although the Tea Party represents varied political interests, the movement is creating lots of noise, fear and controversy. And the Tea Party is against the government. So this movement is diverting attention away from lots of pressing issues.

Also the rich power elite want to stay out of the public limelight. The top 10 percent of Americans who own more than 70 percent of all the country’s wealth are naturally very interested in maintaining the status quo. Although everyone took a hit in the Wall Street scandal, the very rich are now relatively very well off. They can now get a great price on remodeling their mansions, and they are now snapping up lots of distressed properties and stocks.

While the Tea Party, “Mama Bear” Palin, Fox News and the Glenn Becks of the world are screaming about the government, the rich and powerful have lobbyists manipulating practically every move the government makes. in fact “of the people, by the people, for the people” should now read “of, by and for the rich.”

Much of Washington is in gridlock and Congress is divided, so legislation that threatens the rich man’s agendas is now on hold. Even when health care and financial reform recently passed, the lobbyists watered down much of the legislation, and now the lobbyists are very busy helping to write the important detailed administrative rules.

After writing the above, I picked up the Aug. 30 copy of the New Yorker. There is a detailed story of David and Charles Koch who are big fans of the Tea Party and write big checks for all kinds of very conservative anti-govenament political organizations. Kock Industries in Kansas, a company big into the oil industry, has estimated revenues of $100 billion a year, making it the second largest private company in America. If I were a rich man, I too would support the Tea Party, and all its political friends too.

MIKE BEEBE

Lyndeborough