Shutdown brings new Tea Party scrutiny from GOP business interests

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | October 17, 2013 6:12PM | NATASHA KORECKI Political Reporter

[Cincinatus' Wife]

As government doors reopened Thursday following a painful, 16-day economic odyssey, some of the nation’s top business groups were taking a hard look at their political strategy.

Specifically: how to counter Tea Party members who brought the country to the brink of default.

The political arm of the National Retail Federation said it was reviewing 25 different primaries and would likely invest in challengers in a small group of them.

“This was a man-made disaster. This didn’t have to happen,” David French, the National Retail Federation’s top lobbyist, told the Sun-Times on Thursday.

“There is an underlying concern with a small number of folks who align with the Tea Party where the end goal is a political consolidation of a nascent movement of activists. That’s not our goal.”

Still, French noted that pouring money into an opponent’s race wasn’t going to be enough to avoid recurring crises.

“Politics is a contact sport,” French said. “There’s a robust movement by the Tea Party. If we’re going to counter it, it’s not going to be done effectively by using a couple of thousands of dollars.”

French said his group is developing a “local, organic” strategy that would mean sending reps to local town hall meetings to advocate from the business standpoint........

[Cincinatus' Wife]

About National Retail Federation "As the world’s largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF represents retailers of all types and sizes, including chain restaurants and industry partners, from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad. Retailers operate more than 3.6 million U.S. establishments that support one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.5 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. NRF’s This is Retail campaign highlights the industry’s opportunities for life-long careers, how retailers strengthen communities, and the critical role that retail plays in driving innovation."

Board of Directors

[demshateGod]

Tories! All of them.

[deadrock]

Has everyone gone stupid?

[Paine in the Neck]

Aren’t they big on pushing for internet sales tax collection?

[Tenacious 1]

French’s name says all we need to know about him.

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[headstamp 2]

“Specifically: how to counter Tea Party members who brought the country to the brink of default. “

Let’s keep the lie going there pressholes.

The corporatists can have their POS party.

[don-o]

The fear! The horror!

You can smell it.

[Texas Eagle]

What a bunch of rectums. They were absolved of their role in SoeotoroCare and then they sat on the sidelines while we, their customers, got screwed.

We need a National Little Guy Federation.

[Sir Napsalot]

FU at the authors and the garbage media publishing this.

.... Tea Party members who brought the country to the brink of default. REALLY? Tea party members are responsible for nation's 'default'???!!!?!!! Doubly FU.

[elpadre]

Democrats, media and RINOs are really afraid of the Tea Party and other conservatives. FR needs to go on a full court press to strengthen the conservative side and completely take over the GOP.

[tbpiper]

The political arm of the National Retail Federation said it was reviewing 25 different primaries and would likely invest in challengers in a small group of them.

How would a "TEA Party" boycott sit with them?

[Resolute Conservative]

Outside of certain grocery items and fuel I have enough “stuff” to last me the rest of my life. My buying has almost ceased to exist, they can choke on it as far as I am concerned.

[Sir Napsalot]

These ‘top business groups’, their hired ‘strategists’, and their Vichy Republican representatives had been (have been) counter tea party effort ever since the beginning of tea party.

Opposition research on every emerging ‘tea party favorite’ was handed to the enemy (free of charge) from these turds on our side.

NOW they declare open warfare, thinking their $$$ contribution will crush the tea party "bugs" from the get-go. Well, good luck attracting votes then.

[Timber Rattler]

They actually believe that TEA Party folks are going to vote for their crony candidates?

[Dead Corpse]

Yes.

I tried to tell everyone this before Zero was elected the FIRST time.

[freedomfiter2]

Conservatives need to understand that the GOP has always been their enemy. There is a reason that the GOP elites prefer to side with the Democrats rather than advance the Conservative cause.

[Timber Rattler]

NOW they declare open warfare, thinking their $$$ contribution will crush the tea party "bugs" from the get-go. Well, good luck attracting votes then.

Precisely.

That's something I've been asking on other threads---how do all of these backstabbing attacks, smears of the TEA Party movement, and hysterical rantings by congressional RINOS translate into votes for the GOP-E and their forthcoming crony candidates?

[The_Victor]

NRF represents retailers of all types and sizes, including chain restaurants and industry partners, from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad

GOP business interest my @$$. In bed with socialists around the world.

[Seattle Conservative]

Except for an occassional purchase at Macy’s (primarily Christmas gifts), I don’t think I purchase anything (or rarely so) from the Board of Directors’ associated companies - which is just fine by me.