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.
If I was anything less than clear, you do know that the great Ronald Reagan granted amnesty. And that is how a conservative, even a great one, can make a decision on this issue which you and I consider wrong.
It’s hard to tell in politics; there is so much crookedness.
Chaffetz (100) has a higher lifetime rating than Hatch (89). Hatch has the same lifetime rating as Lindsey Graham.
He didnt just help Clarence Thomas. Do ou know how hard it was to stand up to a charge of sexual misconduct made by a professional black woman under oath? Orrin Hatch took that fight to the mat and did it on national tv and wild hearings that went into the night, and he won!
I agree with you.
Reagan's amnesty was also supposed to be a one-shot deal and we were supposed to get actual enforcement in exchange.
For someone to propose essentially the same deal 25 years later means they're treating you like a sucker. Those 25 years of experience with the policy make a world of difference.
A true conservative who honored Reagan's legacy would demand first and foremost that the commitment made to the American people be fulfilled.
Obviously they're just RINOs and Malkin is a true conservative.
I remember how sickening it was. Bite Me as Rush likes to refer to Biden was heavily involved in the crucification of Thomas. It was and remains one of the best examples of how truly depraved politicians and the worms who hide behind them can be. My stomach still turns at the memory of it.
Hatch was good 20 years ago... but that was 20 years ago. After the DREAM Act stunt he needs to go.
You are right. it was suppose to be a one shot deal. I had forgotten that.
However, it should not just be for Reagan; it should be for America and it’s people.
Good post. She and Ann Coulter, both I used to enjoy, get a little bit on my nerves now.
Today we had a fed. judge's decision in favor of Planned Parenthood by a Clinton appointee who was blocked by Helms for a Circuit Court appointment.
Mark Levin supports Hatch's return because of his work on judicial nominees. Does anyone here think moving conservative nominees through the Senate isn't important? No freshmen Senator is going to accomplish that.
Hatch has also been pushing a Balanced Budget Amendment for decades and is the an author of the version attached to Cut, Cap & Balance.
Good point.
If what people are saying is that the system is so messed up that it requires people like Orrin Hatch to be there for basic government functions to operate... then we're way past the point where there is any point in voting at all, that's an acknowledgement that the Constitution of the United States has already been overthrown and that some form of oligarchy has already taken its place.
If Orrin Hatch is good enough for Rick Perry, then he’s good enough for me.
The Tea Party was mighty in it’s youth until politicians glommed onto it.
That is how you take the wind out of it’s sails.
The Tea Party was started as grassroots. Average citizens from all stripes coming together to lean on politicians for their treachery, fight large expansive Government, and get back to the Constitution.
The politicians have weakened it.
She still owes 'birthers' an apology for her horrible article she wrote attacking all of us and comparing us to Truthers.
Bingo.
This has nothing to do with Hatch.
This has everything to do with conservative chicks like Malkin and Ingraham pissed off that they’re not the hottest, smartest conservative babes in class any more.
This girl Sarah just transferred in from Wasilla High, and Malkin, Ingraham and Coulter can’t take not being the center of all the boys’ attention any more.
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