Posted on 08/19/2011 8:56:32 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
As faithful readers of this blog know, I was reporting on the Tea Party movement long before it was even called the Tea Party movement — and long before a legion of Johnny-come-latelys in Washington had grabbed their fiscal conservative costumes and joined the parade. I can remember not being able to get mainstream media coverage on the day of one of the first taxpayer protests in Denver in February 2009. We’ve come a long way, baby. From day one, I emphasized that the grass-roots activists leading the Tea Party charge have been as opposed to Big Government Republicans as they have to Big Government Democrats. They and I have not forgotten that bailout-mania began under the Bush administration, which pre-socialized the economy and handed it on a silver platter to Barack Obama.
Which brings me to GOP Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch.
The other day, he had the unfathomable audacity to proclaim himself a “Tea Party person.”
“Look, I think the tea party people deserve a lot of credit,” he said in response to a question about Democrats and Vice President Joe Biden reportedly calling freshman GOP members of Congress terrorists.
“We wouldn’t be where we are without them. The fact of the matter is I’ve been a tea party person I think since before the tea party came into existence."
Are you freaking kidding me?
Orrin Hatch is the antithesis of the Tea Party spirit. He is a mascot for big-spending Beltway entrenched incumbency who has consistently joined hands with destructive Democrats.
He slobbered over corruptocrat Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd.
He co-sponsored the $6 billion national service boondoggle and dedicated it to his good friend Teddy Kennedy, with whom he also joined hands to create the ever-expanding SCHIP entitlement.
He supported tax cheat Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner from day one, lavished praise on Joe Biden’s balls, and embraced and defended Attorney General Eric Holder’s nomination because, he said, “I like Barack Obama and I want to help him if I can.”
He was an original sponsor of the open-borders DREAM Act illegal alien student bailout and voted for the massive TARP bailout.
How do real Tea Party people feel about Tea Party pretender Orrin Hatch?
The same way they feel about his former big-spending entrenched incumbent in Utah — former Sen. Bob Bennett — who got the boot in May.
As I noted back in April 2009:
If only the condescending cable TV anchors at CNN and MSNBC had paused from wallowing in gutter puns about tea bags, they might have reported an even more significant phenomenon: Tea Party protesters were as vocal in their criticism of Republicans as they were of Democrats. In Salt Lake City, Utah, a crowd of 2,000 repeatedly booed GOP Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett, who both supported the $700 billion TARP bailout, and protested GOP Gov. Jon Huntsman’s decision to accept $1.6 billion in porky stimulus funds.
Refresh your memories of how Utah Tea Party activists booed Hatch, Bennett, and McCain 2.0 presidential candidate and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman (at 1:24 in the video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgeDk4jyZ5A&feature=player_embedded
Now, the six-term Hatch — first elected in 1976 on an anti-entrenched incumbent platform (Hatch’s campaign line then against his opponent Frank Moss: “What do you call a Senator who’s served in office for 18 years? You call him home”) — wants to stay in Washington yet another term after FOUR DECADES in government. He has been lining up some big conservative names. And now there is some sort of pro-Hatch, anti-Freedomworks website using my words to support Hatch.
I don’t know what the beef is between Dick Armey and Orrin Hatch. But I will tell you this: While Armey’s pro-amnesty stance bothers me, bailout Swamp Creature Orrin Hatch’s desperate bid to cling to power by morphing himself into a Tea Party cheerleader aggravates me far more.
I will do whatever I can to support Hatch’s challenger — likely the staunch conservative GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who is a fiscal warrior, tough on illegal immigration, and has a terrific record taking down the GOP establishment.
Forty-two Thirty-six continuous years and untold trillions of dollars in expanded government is enough — 42 is too much.
It’s time for Orrin Hatch to go.
Jesse Helms was the only U.S. Senator in my lifetime who got better with age.
“It’s time for Orrin Hatch to go.”
Long past time.
Mark Levin endorsed him and made a solid case for this guy one night. It made sense to me at the time. If you are into ACU scores, he is a perfect 100. Why can’t the right have a cantankerous old man on our side like the left did in the last dead Kennedy? At least Hatch is still alive.
When I knew him 40 years ago he was a solid conservative but he’s morphed into a liberal socialist!
Orrin “Booby” Hatch a Tea-Partier??? Not in a blue-skied universe.
Booby Hatch is as liberal as Juan McAmnesty. Retire!
I don’t like what he has become politically. But this time around with the senate at stake I would vote for him. Why ? Because if he is good enough for Sarah Palin he is good enough for me.
As a rule, I only hate RINOS. Democrats on the other hand . . .
Vote them all out of office. Republicans, and Democrats. The problem in Washington is the people in Washington.
“It’s time for Orrin Hatch to go.”
“Long past time.”
OK. Go find another Mike Lee to run. Because Jason Chaffetz ain’t it.
Wipe the F-ing Kool aid off your mouth....
Hatch is no Bob Bennett and Chaffetz is no Mike Lee.
Hatch will be endorsed by all the Presidential Candidates. They need him on the judiciary committee if they win.
Hatch may be a loose cannon, but on the judiciary committee he is a solid rock. Thomas, Roberts & Alito were all ushered into the Supreme Court by Hatch. They wouldn’t be there if not for Hatch.
...and Chaffetz is no Mike Lee.
That what I said.
Don’t worry about it Michelle, he won’t even place 2nd in his own primary. Just ask Bob Bennett.
I'm sure there is another Mike Lee out there for Utah - Utah has a lot of solid, liberty-loving patriots.
Hatch will get re-elected. He’s not perfect, but he has a perfect conservative voting record. 100% from the American Conservative Union. That’s probably better than the senator from your state.
Chaffetz got a 69%.
Hatch’s voting record is a lot more conservative than his challenger.
People like Hatch are masters at the kind of manipulations of legislation that allow him to simultaneously improve his ACU score while betraying conservatives. They are several steps ahead in this game, skills gained after decades in office.
As a general rule, if someone's been in political office longer than a dozen years, they are extremely likely to be part of the problem, not the solution.
I agree. Time for Hatch to enjoy his retirement.
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