Posted on 12/27/2010 9:27:17 AM PST by Zakeet
Time magazine's failure to choose the Tea Party as its Person or Persons of the Year surely reflects a desire that they will cease to be significant any day now. David Von Drehle's "runner-up" article in its Person of the Year issue concluded the Tea Party has already peaked and is well on its way to collapse: "The Tea Party is a hot brand, but there's no one in power to enforce the trademark. Now that the bailouts are history and Democratic hegemony is broken, what does it stand for? It's a sign of the incredible velocity of politics these days that the colossus of 2010, a movement not even two years old, is already facing an identity crisis."
Von Drehle tried to compare the Tea Party to Beatlemania -- which is a goofy analogy, considering they were rock's hottest band for six years. But he was wishing and hoping for a breakup:
In a sense, identifying with the Tea Party movement was like catching Beatlemania in the 1960s. People were drawn in for different reasons the beat, the haircuts, the lyrics and great gulfs of taste divided the John fans from the Paul fans, the George fans from the Ringo fans.Smashing success broke the Beatles apart. As 2010 closes, there is no bigger question in U.S. politics than whether the Tea Party will go the same way. The pressures on this already divided movement will be enormous. As long as the far-flung elements of the Tea Party were shoulder to shoulder against Obama, it was easy to keep them together. But now, the party that argued so effectively for smaller government is headed to Washington, where so many other waves have broken and receded. Having remade Congress and with a GOP presidential nomination up for grabs, the Tea Party is about to learn that rallying against its enemies is easier than choosing among its allies.
The most bizarre paragraph was this one:
Congress will have to decide whether to raise the federal debt ceiling. Increasing it would gall a lot of Tea Party voters, but the alternative would likely involve a government shutdown like the one that proved disastrous for Republicans in 1995. Will GOP leaders find a way to keep government going without alienating Tea Party factions? Can Tea Party deficit hawks avoid a collision with Tea Party tax cutters? Can the rock-ribbed Republicans who have joined the Tea Party movement keep peace with the pox-on-both-parties purists? Or will the most orthodox elements move in anger toward a third-party candidate? (How many times can Michael Bloomberg say no?)
How out of touch can Time magazine be? To think that the leader of New York City's nanny state could ever be a Tea Party darling?
The other very questionable concept is that a government shutdown in 1995 "proved disastrous for Republicans." Let's review the overall congressional election results in 1996: the Republicans lost eight seats in the House and picked up two seats in the Senate. How was that, then, "disastrous"? Yes, Bill Clinton was reelected in 1996, but would anyone want to place bets that Bob Dole was going to beat Clinton in 1996, if only Republicans had been more liberal?
Exactly my first thought too!
"Yoko's Fault!!"
I think shutting down the government today will be looked upon more positively than it was in 1995. With that said, I don’t think the gop elite believe that.
What mormonism is it that he spews?
Surely you must have some specifics unlike the left.
>>Now that the bailouts are history and Democratic hegemony is broken, what does it stand for?
He’s right. How many conservatives celebrated the November victory? How many foolishly believe that the old Congress won’t get to the new Congress and explain “how lawmaking really works”? The Tea Party needs to be protesting the first day of the new Congress to remind them that we are still there, and are madder than ever after the December sell-outs.
“...what does it stand for?...”
What does the Tea Party Movement stand for? Constitutional, limited government. Is that so hard to understand, Time?
This is just plain stupid. The Beatles formed in 1960 and broke up in 1970. Let’s revisit this question, in say...2020?
Yeah, I heard Dick Armey and Yoko Ono were dating.
They need to be reminded that primaries are in less than 2 years.
“Congratulations. Now it’s time to dance with who ‘brung ya’, and rememeber, primaries are in less than 2 years.”
“I think we should be concentrating heavily on state legislatures.”
If we don’t start at the local level kicking out the socialists the ones at the top will never go away.
“Im surprised they didnt have Sarah on the cover, photoshopped to look like Yoko Ono”
LOL. I was thinking similiar ideas, but this is a riot.
btw, Yoko still denies that one;)
While we got some big wins in Michigan this time (everything really) its not the governor’s mansion or the house that are ipressive.
Our biggest wins were the two US house seats, and secretary of state that are the ones I’m happiest about. We’re still overrun with RINOs in the state legislature and calling our new governor a RINO would be a compliment.
Bwahahahahahahaha!! I hope they don’t place good money on that bet!! About all Time magazine is good for nowadays is the cat’s litter box, and even then the cat won’t use it because she’s got more moral fiber in her kitty self than the entire O regime and their MSM flunkies combined!! :-)
Well, seeing as though the Beatles were together for more than a decade, changed WORLD music forever, and by all accounts were the most important band of the 20th century, I’d take that comparison.
Nor does that river in Egypt...."Denial."
NOTHING TO BREAK UP.
The Tea Party is not a PARTY.
It is Americans that are sick and tired of the Government being the biggest enemy to America. The people involved can change on a regular basis based on what politician is doing what.
Yes the Times and the rest really do not get it..........
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