Posted on 09/19/2010 8:23:52 AM PDT by wgflyer
Of Tea and Party
For quite some time now I have been clamoring for a third party which could replace the GOP with real conservative thinking, and conservative policy. I looked at the Libertarians, and the the Constitution party, both of which have their pros and cons, but could not find a good solid replacement along the lines I sought.
Meanwhile, the GOP ceded more and more of its moral integrity to the Left, stuffing itself with pork and growing ever more self important, completely forgetting the people it purported to represent. Of late, Republican constituents have even become annoying to Republican incumbents. The annoyance is very obvious. They want to keep their cushy jobs, and continue to live large on the taxpayers’ dole.
So up came the tea parties, all around the nation. Their prominence in politics of late has scared the hell out of both Democrats and Republicans, threatening to upset the wagon and turn them out into the street, where there may be some tar and feathers waiting.
And the tea parties were mocked, insulted, whined about all over the established political landscape, but they rise anyway because the damage now is just too great. Some house cleaning is in order. Finally, Americans are moving, and I love them for it.
But I see, also, the GOP trying to gather the various tea party groups into their sphere of influence. Like the nobody who tries to stand for a clandestine photo beside a famous actor, these fools sidle in and try to blend. Huckabee, Romney, Juliani, Gingrich, Santorum...the list is endless. Old hat Republicans who see the wave and want to ride it back into prominence. To whatever degree that the tea party movement accepts these people as spokesmen I fear for them. The tea party movement must remain aloof from incumbents, ex incumbents, and old hat pundits and instead replace those incumbents and individuals in the GOP hierarchy with grass roots conservatives willing to dismantle the Federal Government back to its rightful size and duties as laid out by the Constitution.
But the one thing I fear more than anything is that the tea parties will actually become the Tea Party. Once they become a bona fide political party they will begin the slide back to the current state of the Democrats and Republicans. They will begin to fill their ranks with candidates with stars in their eyes, “leaders” with careers on their minds and political ambitions that preclude actual representation of the people who elect them.
No. The tea parties must never become the Tea Party. They must remain a loose collection of very passionate regional grass roots conservatives led by their own local firebrands and churches, and generating a constant stream of new conservative candidates to cycle through both Federal and State GOP positions for short durations and return to their private sector existence. The tea parties should occupy and police the GOP, but should not BE the GOP.
With the tea party movement we have clarity. Conservatism is defined for all to see, finally, and people like it. The two party aparats are likewise clearly exposed for what they are, and can not defend themselves with any logic or consistency of thought. The only defense, in both parties, is vitriol and bile. (Witness Karl Rove’s nastiness towards the winning tea party backed candidate in Delaware).
If the tea parties ever become the Tea Party, they will lose everything they are now gaining, and more.
The tradition Democrats will see it our way. But this must be a reform party to really change things—not just give lip service. Kick out the lobbyists and special interests! Toss them in prison as they bridests they are.
“Let the RINOs form their own “moderate” third party, or go join the Democrats where they belong.”
The RINOS are like the loyalists, playing both sides of the fence while licking the boots of King George.
They are loyal only to their masters.
No there were not. They took over the Whig party. They were never a third party.
Did you learn nothing from 1992 and 1996?
Nice emotion base slogans. Slogans are not facts. Try living in the world of facts, not emotion.
So you too learned nothing from the 1992 and 1996 elections.
You are the best allies 0 could hope for.
I knew you did. I was just restating it in another manner for emphasis, the way we were taught in expository writing class.
: ^ ]
F u
You’re slipping, MNJohnnie. It ain’t the “team” we’re cheering, it’s the Constitution. To the extent that the “team” supports it, we support the “team.” To the extent that they do not, neither do we. This applies to both Republicans and Democrats, as well as to any successful successor to either one, should any arise. Enough is enough.
I'm glad you got over that little brain-bump.
The GOP establishment really love for conservatives to leave the party and go start yet another "third" party. There are already over fifty "third" parties, and none of them have accomplished diddley-squat, or ever will.
When people resign the Republican Party, they eliminate themselves from primary voting in many states. They eliminate themselves from party decisions at the precinct, county, state, and national levels.
Then they are stuck with a choice of
1) a RINO chosen by the party RINOs, who are mostly former Democrats,
2) the Democrat candidate, selected by the communist wing of the Democrat party,
3) or one of the "third" party candidates, none of whom can consistently get more than 2% of the vote anywhere.
There is the rub.
We have to stay grass roots, but that hinders organization.
The tea party has been tremendously successful in all its rabble and tenacity.
I have been critical of Sarah Palin in the past but I love this woman’s spirit, and she has struck a chord with the American people with her “I WILL NOT BACK DOWN ATTITUDE”
Wise words. Well said.
Lemme see...
Nope, I don’t have an ice cream so i must not be obama LoL.
I’m not sure being separate grass roots entities hinders organization so much these days. The internet and talk radio are links enough to bind the various local entities to a clear and common purpose. They don’t need a national hierarchy so long as they passionately believe as they do. And if they lose that passion, organization won’t help.
the “I WILL NOT BACK DOWN ATTITUDE” is all they need. Bless them.
That was the point I was addressing. I am not asking you to "cheer for the team" but to not commit political suicide the way too many reform movements have in US history. The way forward is to avoid factionzalise the movement into it's own "team".
Thanks.
“expository writing class”
Cool.
There is a lot more in that article than simply the thoughts of a third party, although that seems to be the only detail you managed to absorb.
Fact is, the THREAT of a third party is a necessary tool to help bring the GOP "moderates" and RINO's in line. Like you, I don't personally believe it can be done but the GOP will change or they'll never again have a majority after this round. Like hundreds of thousands of other Americans, I will never again vote for the lesser of two evils and I will never vote for a man like John McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee or dozens of other "compromisers" who've been so prevalent in the GOP of late.
So the fact is, the GOP can either adopt the principles of sound government or be relegated to continual second class (third party?). I can foresee a time with the Republican Party actually IS the third party of they don't get on board. And yes, I learned a lot from 1992 and 1994 (and 1980, 1988, 1990, and 2008)
Don't run another RINO unless you want to see your voters bolt. That's the fact of the matter.
And don't assume you're the only one on here with half a brain. It's rather unbecoming.
Factionaling the movement into just another one of the "teams" to cheer for would be utterly suicidal politically. That is the lesson of third party movements in US history. It does nothing but split the reform movement into competing factions and ensure the dominance of their political foes. Those who fail to learn the lessons of history and doomed to repeat them to paraphrase Santana.
I’m sorry that line got you so fired up, but if you read down further you might find that I was supporting a tea party commandeering of the GOP, not a 3rd party, which was the wider thought of the article. I think most in this thread agree with you that 3rd parties aren’t really the answer.
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