The Tale of Metro, Tea Partiers and Cognitive Dissonance

From that great inspirational book in cyberspace, Wikipedia–

Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. The “ideas” or “cognitions” in question may include attitudes and beliefs, the awareness of one’s behavior, and facts. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, or by justifying or rationalizing their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.[1] Cognitive dissonance theory is one of the most influential and extensively studied theories in social psychology.

A congressman was madder than a wet hen last Saturday when Metro didn’t do to suit him and his constituents.  Congressman Kevin Brady (R-Tx) demanded to know why government run Metro didn’t prepare for the arrival of a group of protestors from the southwest who were there to protest too much government involvement in their lives. 

According to the Wall Street Journal the Texas Republican sent an angry letter to Metro compaining

that the taxpayer-funded subway system was unable to properly transport protesters to the rally to protest government spending and expansion.

His letter further stated:

“These individuals came all the way from Southeast Texas to protest the excessive spending and growing government intrusion by the 111th Congress and the new Obama administration,…These participants, whose tax dollars were used to create and maintain this public transit system, were frustrated and disappointed that our nation’s capital did not make a great effort to simply provide a basic level of transit for them.”

From the march on Saturday, a spokesman for Brady tweeted,

“METRO did not prepare for Tea Party March! More stories. People couldn’t get on, missed start of march. I will demand answers from Metro,…”

What a nerve.  Let’s see…these folks were going to protest government expansion and services and bitched about Metro?  Welcome to our world.  According to Wiki, Metro is a tri-jusristictional agency authorized by congress and funded by Washington DC government, Maryland and Virginia. 

What are they protesting again?  Government doing too much or government not doing enough…for them.  Maybe this is where the cognitive dissonance comes in to play.  For me, it is easier just to say ‘hypocrites!’

 Check out the full story on the Wall Street Journal link.