Mao Tse-Tsung once said, when asked about the results of the French Revolution, "too soon to tell".
We are not very good at the long game.
The "Tea Party" phenomenon rejects the status quo, because it dissolves the Constitution over the long run, and requires state socialism to rescue the government from its malpractice of the last 100 years. The 2010 election terrified the Republicans more than it did the Democrats.
We should not be surprised at the reaction. Elections will always favor preventing chaos.
The forces in power now will win, and win again, by promising an escape from the very chaos they are themselves creating. There is no going back, only forward.
Our job is to be ready to pick up the pieces, because it does not matter how many Obamacares and automatic debt increases the Democrat-GOP coalition passes, the result will be the same.
Alia iacta est. Vis pacem, para bellum.
Yesterday I picked up my first pistol and my first “big” rifle (Mossberg 30-06 with “plastic” stock and a nice scope).
It is about picking up the pieces and surviving to that point.