Tea party reeling (piece worth reading)

politico.com ^ | 1/19/15 | Katie Glueck

[cotton1706]

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The past year has not been kind to the tea party: Its most prized candidates were crushed in primary elections to establishment-backed foes, then it watched in dismay earlier this month as conservatives in Congress failed to block John Boehner from another term as House speaker.

Five years into its existence, the tea party is a movement adrift, interviews with conservative activists at this weekend’s South Carolina Tea Party Coalition Convention show. Its members are at odds over what went wrong in the 2014 election and on how to move forward in 2016; there’s even disagreement over how to define success. Is it enough to nudge the Republican Party to the right, as it has indisputably done, even if its candidates lose to people backed by the party establishment?

Perhaps, suggested Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.)., the tea party’s recent struggles are just the nature of a sprawling, loosely defined grass-roots effort.

“The tea party gets [factionalized] in primaries a lot because the tea party is just really a large group of average Americans who believe in limited government, free markets and are frustrated with Big Government,” said Duncan, a member of the House Tea Party Caucus who was first elected during the 2010 tea party wave election.

[cotton1706]

Some good tidbits:

"Is it enough to nudge the Republican Party to the right, as it has indisputably done, even if its candidates lose to people backed by the party establishment?"

"Primary challenges have been the movement’s biggest weapon, pushing already conservative members further right and forcing incumbents and more moderate members to run fierce and expensive campaigns, even on seemingly uncompetitive turf."

"Or maybe the movement did just fine, ousting House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and helping Republicans win general election campaigns after forcing the candidates to the right, goes another line of argument."

[CMailBag]

I believe that the Republican Party is the party that is adrift.

[Personal Responsibility]

It’s a fine thing to force candidates to the right during election season but that’s ultimately irrelevant. What matters is forcing the debates / laws to the right.

[fwdude]

The TEA party needs to become staunchly conservative, not just libertarian fiscal-only crap. Only then will it gain a viable life of its own that increasingly wins elections.

[Dr. Sivana]

A anti-Common Core booth — featuring an image of a rotten apple — was particularly popular.

A anti-Common Core booth?! Did the author already complete the Common Core curricula? To quote Ed Norton, "Can it [Common] Core a apple?"

[Zuben Elgenubi]

This author does not understand that the TEA Party is not going away. We will still vote for conservative candidates and will drive the primaries, regardless of what that bonehead Jeb Bush states.

[Savage Beast]

Donald Trump should be nominated.

1. He attended the Tea Party Rally.

2. He is puissant.

3. He is one of the few nationally known people and the only potential Presidential candidate who is willing to face and speak the truth about Obama. If he can and will do this, he can and will face and speak the truth about anything.

More than anything else right now, the USA and the world need Truth and Truth Seekers.

[Soul of the South]

“The TEA party needs to become staunchly conservative, not just libertarian fiscal-only crap.”

Its fiscal conservatism is a failure. Its elected candidates consistently vote with the RINO’s to rubber stamp Obama’s spending plans and gargantuan deficits.

Electing candidates who profess to be conservative during campaigns, then immediately vote with the big government establishment when they arrive in Washington, is not a victory for conservatism. Looking at the voting records of the most Tea Party elected officials it is easy to perceive the Tea Party has been neutered.

[Da Bilge Troll]

The bi-annual “The Tea Party is Dead” article. This was 3 minutes out of my life that I’ll never get back.

[GOPJ]

You're right on this cotton. Our effectiveness extends waaaay beyond getting 3 or 4 people elected. That's small potatoes compared to moving the ideological line.

I'm sure Katie Glueck would understand it if she thought about all the money George Soros dumps into fake ‘protest’ groups ... he's attempting to move the line... not elect 3 people

Katie Glueck’s a useful idiot.

[GOPJ]

You're right on this cotton. Our effectiveness extends waaaay beyond getting 3 or 4 people elected. That's small potatoes compared to moving the ideological line.

I'm sure Katie Glueck would understand it if she thought about all the money George Soros dumps into fake ‘protest’ groups ... he's attempting to move the line... not elect 3 people

Katie Glueck’s a useful idiot and not a very smart one...

[Liz]

I suppose none of these midterm voters were Tea Partiers (/snort).

FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA---the spectrum of Democrat losses---as of midnight 11/5/14.
La, Alaska Senate races went Repub. Arizona House recount elected a Repub.

>

Midterm Map courtesy of http://www.nationaljournal.com

<><> Republican sweep left 1-2 slivers of coastal territory and splotches of interior to Dems,

<><> Democrats' new coalition includes Hollyweirdos, the one percenters, govt dependents, sex addicts, Viagra and condom users, abortion worshippers,

<><> Democrats control votes in the inner city, payday loan mills, fast food joints, gangland strongholds, sleazy Hollywood motels, Indian reservations, pineapple plantations, Boston beaneries, coastal clam shacks and surf shops.

(more below)

[bigbob]

Maybe so, but it has money, organization, and resources. The TP has talk, and that’sthe relevant point. Six year of the mostt socialist regime ever, and the conservative movement has yet to gain organization, money, and resources.

[Shery]

First of all, t here seems to be a lot of different tea party groups, and not all are in agreement, so one cannot fully judge the success or failure of the tea party on the outcome. Some tea party groups are not fully vetting candidates, either. How often have we seen a so-called tea party candidate claim to be the ultimate candidate, only to join Boehner on day one? When unknown “characters” show up and make claims to be the real thing, there needs to be a real vetting process. It’s no wonder that so many fade. Some people DO know the reputations of these candidates and refuse to get behind them. Or they come across as self-absorbed, looking for political power for themselves...and you can be certain that it doesn’t take long for for them to out themselves.

Personally, I liked Dave Brat, the guy who took down Cantor. A class act, stays strong in his campaign, but doing it right. You go door to door, talking to people, winning their confidence and showing you are serious. All this TV stuff begins to take a toll on the un-vetted candidates as they make serious mistakes in public view. It is easier to talk one to one and make sense. There are few entrapment or fluff questions. Nobody wants to do the hard things to win. They want to have face time on TV and make a great impression. IT rarely happens that way. IF I had the wherewithal to run for office, I’d start going door-to-door right in my own community and get everyone’s signature, then ask them to help me win by also going door-to-door for me, spreading out to area towns and/or communities. When people talk to a real person they are a LOT more likely to get behind a candidate. Tea party candidates need to be the king or queen of this kind of campaigning. Take your message to the real people, the voters. Let them know you are one of them.

[Lake Living]

Ugh, didn’t we see this headline yesterday:

Poll: 53% of Voters Oppose Obama’s Plan To Unilaterally Grant Amnesty To Millions Of Illegals…
source:weaselzippers

[Liz]

The treasure trove of "The Midterm Democrat Demolition Derby" and down-ticket state wins have yet to be fully- mined, but this we know: //

<><> REPUBLICANS WON STUNNING HISTORY-MAKING ELECTORAL VICTORIES

<><> midterms were a massive and awesome rejection of liberals;

<><> Southern Democrats control not a single governorship, US senator or legislative chamber,

<><> Democrat losses stretch from the Carolinas westward to Texas,

<><> 110 Of 140 Southern States election districts went Republican.

<><> GOP's House majorities are so huge and solid NBC's Chuck Todd says Dems can't recapture losses until 2022.

<><> Some pundits say Republicans have a 100-year majority;

<><> when the next US Senate convenes, 30 lock-stepping Democrats who voted for Obamacare are gone.

<><> Ark and Ill (Clinton hometowns) have Repub governors---important in a prez race b/c guvs control party machinery.

<><> Unprecedented MINN 6th Congressional district---every single House and Senate district went Repub

<><> GOP now controls the MINN State House.

<><> Ohio's historic GOP statehouse takeover (Gun Control is toast)

<><> Ohio's Gov, Lt. Gov, AG, Secy of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer--all R---Sup/Ct - 6 R/1 D

<><> Britt Hume: "latino vote is zilch"---"over-50" is significant 30% voting segment.

<><> Republicans unified control: gov/legislature in 23 states (Ntl Conference of State Legislatures factoid).

<><> Repub governorships: Florida, Tx, Ill, Ohio, Mich, MD, Wisconsin, NC, GA, Mass.

<><> GOP holds every congressional seat in Arkansas; first time in 141 years...

<><> Environmentalists fogged out---suffered huge losses.

<><> Gun Control Candidates blitzed.

<><> "War on Women" became a ntl joke.

<><> Clinton's labeled politically useless---most candidates they flacked lost.

<><> Montana, So/Dakota and West/VA Dems were forced to retire; no hope of getting re-elected,

<><> Arizona House recount race went Republican.

<><> AZ Republican McSally wins last open House seat (Dem Gaby Giffords seat),

<><> Repub McSally's win gives GOP 5-4 advantage in AZ congressional delegation,

<><> Repubs hold 247 House seats (Dems 188), the largest GOP advantage since the Truman admin after WWII.

<><> 73 percent of LA's white voters say told they "strongly disapproved" of the president.

<><> Republicans hold the largest House majority in 83 years.

<><> Republicans holds 68 of 98 state legislative chambers.

<><> 2015 Republican grip on state government has not been seen since the 1920s.

<><> Republicans hold or share control in nearly every state (7 states' legislature and Governor are Dem-held).

<><> 12 states, including Missouri, Arizona, Arkansas, NC will push income tax cuts and fiscal reform.

<><> Illinois’ new Repub Governor’s top priority is reforming its nearly-bankrupt public pension system.

<><> Vermont Democrats allied w/ VT conservative Repubs to ward off voter backlash

<><> controversial and seemingly incompetent VT Democrat governor did not get the requisite votes to stay in office.

<><> VT poised to install Vermont's first Republican governor in over four years

<><> Republicans now control two-thirds of the state legislatures.

==================================================

SUMMING UP: Obama was politically castrated enthsiastic midterm voters.

====================================================

FREEPER ACTION ALERT: Any and all communiques w/ the new Congress should include "The List".....you should photocopy it by the gross, and pepper Congress with it ...... including GOPE's, RINOS, etc. ////

Proposed Repub reforms include:

<><> lowering taxes,

<><> financial accountability,

<><> restricting the commerce clause,

<><> restraining the judiciary,

<><> Repealing the 17th returning the election of senators to state legislatures, and,

<><> clarifying and amending Constitution to its original intent

<><> Closing constitutional loopholes created by calculated liberal attacks using case law.

======================================================

As FReeper Publius posted: The federal government follows the Constitution to the letter. Unfortunately, it's the Living Constitution, the Constitution symbolized as a Tree, the Constitution that evolves with the times even though its words never change, the Constitution of penumbras and emanations, that the federal government follows.

When the federal entity goes beyond the Constitution's words to govern by penumbras and emanations, then the states should modify the words by amendment to restrict what the federal government can and cannot do. phrases like “shall not” and “can not be infringed” are cloudy in their meanings. It’s time to take away their self designed exemptions and selective enforcement for their fellow oligarchs.

They need to live according to their own laws under Sections VII - IX. It’s called “case law”, or “precedent”. When you build an edifice of case law, you modify and change the meaning of words until they mean something that is quite different from their original intent.

[VanDeKoik]

Concentrate at the state level.

Oh yeah, we’ve been kicking ass there. So dont worry about us. We will get to DC in due time.

[FlipWilson]

It is a Politico piece so I have to take it with a ton (not just a grain) of salt. Taking the piece in order:

1) I reject that there is a “Tea Party.” There is a conservative wing of the Republican party and a country club wing as there has been since Goldwater.

2) Said two wings have always battled for control over the party with, unfortunately, the moderate wing prevailing a majority of the time.

3) When said moderate wing does not prevail and the conservative wing runs the party, the party soars to heights not thought possible as does the country. Those heights scare the hell out of the left and their allies in the media.

4) The moderate wing is still in high school and wants desperately to be liked by the cool kids. The MSM and Hollywood are the cool kids (in the establishment’s eyes, at least). The cook, I mean cool, kids tell the moderate or establishment wing to ditch the conservatives and, over time, that is just what they do. All the time, of course, they find themselves losing election after election.

5) Since the moderate wing also tends to stand for nothing but being liked, they have no core beliefs and can easily be purchased by, say, the Chamber of Crony Capitalism.

6) Ultimately, the voters and the grass roots of the party demand something more and better from the party. They want to be heard. They rise up, they protest, they get involved. The party by and large prospers. The MSM and Hollywood gets alarmed.

7) These everyday citizens are labelled as usurpers are called racist, homophobic, kooks by the MSM. The puppet establishment is told that they won’t be able to hang with the cool kids unless they get rid of them.

8) The establishment wants to be cool, the usurpers must be crushed, everywhere. The crony capitalists are happy to finance the effort.

9) But are they truly successful or is the victory a pyric one? Is the establishment able to see that there is no Tea Party in the traditional sense of a political party but, rather, only like minded voters? Are they able to see that come next election Mitt and Jeb and Chris will be without that support and without a victory?

10) No, they are too busy running to Politico and crowing about how they “crushed” the Tea Party and asking if they can be considered “cool” again.

[EternalVigilance]

The TEA party needs to become staunchly conservative, not just libertarian fiscal-only crap. Only then will it gain a viable life of its own that increasingly wins elections.

Yep. Reset to the original plumb line of godly American principle, and then you'll know how to build. Otherwise, you're just building crooked houses on shifting sand.

[Gargantua]

Cautionary tales about The TEA Party's "limited" effectiveness, and articles about The TEA Party's impending "demise," are nothing but the Liberal Status Quo and the GOPe-apologists whistling past their own graves, even as The TEA Party just keeps digging the holes into which their useless, ignorantly-spent bodies will fall en masse.

The simple douchebags. This article is NOT worth reading.