Business groups to take stand against tea party candidates in primaries

The Washington Times ^ | 10/28/2013 | Patrice Hall

[markomalley]

The recent fiscal crisis has opened a major rift between the tea party wing of the Republican Party and business groups that traditionally have backed Republicans, with many business leaders now vowing to get involved more in GOP primaries to try to counter insurgent candidates.

Tea party leaders are defiant, saying they will not change course despite criticism from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable and other top business groups. But business leaders argue that the scorched-earth tactics used by tea party Republicans during the 16-day shutdown and debate over raising the federal government’s borrowing limit marked the fourth time since the GOP took control of the House in 2011 that tea party adherents precipitated a governmental crisis that zapped consumer and business confidence, raised uncertainty and exerted a major drag on economic growth.

Besides encouraging more business-friendly candidates in primary contests, business groups are rallying behind establishment Republicans such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican who is being targeted by tea party activists for brokering a deal to temporarily raise the debt ceiling and reopen the government, while launching a negotiation with Democrats over budget cuts and proposed tax and entitlement reforms.

Business executives agree with many tea party goals such as cutting the deficit and reforming entitlement spending, but they argue that conservative lawmakers have erred in their tactics and wounded the economy by driving the government with increasing frequency into states of crisis and dysfunction — this time for the ultimately unsuccessful cause of trying to force President Obama to cancel his health care law.

[ridesthemiles]

As a Life-Long bookkeeper, especially for small businesses and doing so as a self-employed person, I support what the Tea Party is trying to do to educate this country.

The established Republicans need to wake up.

The US Chamber of Commerce might find their membership abandoning them, along with other organizations.

I suggest that these highly paid & highly recognized ‘leaders’ READ Atlas Shrugged slowly—and don’t skip any pages.

Maybe they will get a clue.

Meanwhile, I will continue to support the small business persons who are trying to keep the doors open.

[listenhillary]

I might need to start asking them if they are a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

The goal for the 2014 elections is to fracture business from Republicans, TEA party from Republicans, TEA party from business, Conservatives from Republicans, Libertarians from the TEA party and Conservatives from the Libertarians.

It’s working pretty damned well so far.