Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hugh Hewitt: Will the Tea Party Patriots help reverse the vote?
The Washington Examiner ^ | December 21, 2009 | Hugh Hewitt

Posted on 12/22/2009 8:08:00 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Sen. Ben Nelson's, D-Neb., abandonment of his alleged "pro-life" commitment brought Harry Reid within reach of a Christmas Eve vote to approve a Senate version of Obamacare. When that happens, the political battles over the future of American medicine and especially the care of seniors will shift to the conference committee and then to the House.

Though many conservatives are demoralized, they should instead be gearing up to peel off enough votes from among the 220 who voted for Obamacare when it passed the lower chamber. If the 215 who voted "no" on the first round stay firm, only three Democrats need to be turned.

Those three are most likely going to be found among the 24 Democrats identified by the National Republican Congressional Committee's Reverse the Vote campaign. (See reversethevote.org/dems.html) These are the two dozen Democrats judged most vulnerable on Nov. 2, 2010, because the beliefs of the voters in their districts do not square with their representatives' support for the federal government's takeover of health care. Thousands of small contributions have already flowed into a special fund to be divided among the eventual GOP nominees against these 24 constituent-ignoring liberals.

Even more money is needed of course, but much more than money as well, and that is where the Tea Party movement comes in.

First, though, what do we mean by "Tea Party movement?" The media don't seem to recognize the fact that there are many groups that wear the Tea Party mantle. Some are completely legitimate grass-roots organizations, like Tea Party Patriots (teapartypatriots.org). Others are also completely legit. Still others are consultant-driven not-for-profits in name and tax status only, and they are actually just using the populist anger in the country to line their pockets.

What matters now is that the genuine grass-roots activists join in the effort to peel off at least three House Democrats from their original support for Obamacare. The Tea Party turnout has considerable overlap with the GOP, but they are very distinct efforts in many respects. Almost every member of both opposes the takeover of health care by the feds, and most are also opposed to the massive cuts in store for Medicare.

While the GOP busies itself raising money for the fall races, the Tea Party activists could be focusing on organizing efforts on a district-by-district basis. Imagine the impact over the next few weeks if the cash continued to flow into Reverse the Vote even as committees of Tea Party veterans presented themselves and their grievances in the local offices of these 24 Democrats.

Tea Party participants from districts with congressmen who have been opposing Obamacare and massive spending could become virtual members of one of the 24 efforts to turn a Democrat from a "yes" to a "no." The surge in opposition, if focused, could be very effective.

The GOP and the Tea Parties are not the same thing. But they want many of the same things, especially the defeat of Obamacare.

The time is now for the latter to target the same out-of-touch-with-their-district Democrats as the former. Such an alliance, even if only for a while, could save American medicine.

Some of the Tea Party participants will want to grouse about what the Republicans did -- or didn't do -- when they were in the majority before 2007. Some will worry about being co-opted or about losing their influence or position within the media spotlight as 2010 begins to shift to the elections, which inevitably highlight the two parties. Still others will be dreaming "third party" dreams and won't want anything to do with the Party of Lincoln.

A test of the movement is directly ahead. To defeat Obamacare, it is going to have to team up with the GOP. The next few weeks will tell us a lot about the motives, and staying power, of the new activists of 2009.

********

Examiner Columnist Hugh Hewitt is a law professor at Chapman University Law School and a nationally syndicated radio talk show host who blogs daily at HughHewitt.com.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: bennelson; bhohealthcare; congress; democrats; marchondc; obamacare; socializedmedicine; teaparties; teapartyexpress; teapartyrebellion
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-69 last
To: TheLurkerX
First off, screw you.

Merry Christmas.

Maybe I should say your lack of sense means you’re a troll from DU.

LOL! Leading off by reducing your OWN position to reductio ad absurdum in one step is not a good move.

I’m just telling you the truth.

No, you're speaking for the Washington establishment, and seeking to infiltrate the grass roots in an ineffectual attempt to spread FUD about Sarah and the Tea Parties.

Seriously, the meme that Sarah Palin is "inexperienced" and "stupid" is similar to what they have tried on EVERY Republican except Bush '41: being head of the CIA and eviscerating Ferraro "and I've been a SCHOOLTEACHER" was enough even to shut up what corresponded to KOSKiddies back then.

Speaking the Daily KOS, evidently the reference to DailyKOS hit a nerve with you.

Saying that "[u]nless the Republicans wake up, move to the right and court Tea Party conservatives and float a candidate that actually embodies those values, they'll lose in 2012" is fine: which is exactly *WHY* they need Palin.

Look a the sales on her book, the lines for her signings, the foaming-at-the-mouth derangement of the left.

The left *knows* she's everything Obama pretended to be.

And a call for "we need experience NOW more than ever" is leading with their chin: for it was Obama's Pink Unicorns in lieu of policy which allowed the Communis Trojan Horse to enter.

Palin doesn't need what the annointed call intelligence: she needs common sense to filter what the experts tell her. And she has the common sense and humility to LISTEN on policy, and the intelligence to get up to speed quickly.

The last thing I want to see is Palin/Whoever on the Republican ticket, a conservative Tea Party candidate on the ballot stealing what thunder she has, and another 4 years of this idiot in office because he had the most votes with less than a 50 percent majority.

Nice try, Mr. Frum.

The tea partiers will embrace her as long as she continues to be Sarah.

Cheers!

61 posted on 12/24/2009 1:16:54 PM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: SteveAustin

All the blast faxes and all the letters did very little. I believe both houses are bought and paid for, and; these clowns who represent us, with damn few exceptions, are all on the wildroot cream oil (The grease for you younger folks).

Until we refuse to vote for those who have made careers in local, state, and national office, we cannot expect to have a common man or common woman representing us who has not received favor/s from a special interest group.

We need to turn off the damn TV, limit political spending to include all advertisements to damn near peanuts.

We need to insist these clowns visit us, the people, without reading or spouting anything preplanned, and; they are to answer questions from the audience- nothing else.

No TV appearances where they get paid. In fact, no one serving in office should be allowed to make a cent from any activity while in elected office.


62 posted on 12/24/2009 5:07:59 PM PST by Lumper20
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: rbmillerjr

huh? What candidtate did I say I supported more conservative? Try reading a little more carefully, I said that sadly, she is the most conservative....


63 posted on 12/25/2009 6:46:21 PM PST by Greek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: grey_whiskers
Wow, you know, you may be eligable for free medication for your imbalance under the coming Obamacare that you and your lib friends support...you can ignore Palin’s moderate record if you choose, most libs do...but we true conservatives will continue to stand on truth. Peace out
64 posted on 12/25/2009 6:51:41 PM PST by Greek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: grey_whiskers

You give tea partiers a bad name...they are patriots not whack jobs like yourself, of course, not one substantive response to Palin’s spotty conservative record...higher taxes, homo rights, failure to advance 2 pro life measures...if that’s the “Sarah” you leftests are going to support it’s your choice, but don’t try to pass yourself off as a conservative, we are all on to you....


65 posted on 12/25/2009 6:58:28 PM PST by Greek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: grey_whiskers

Ignore grey whiskers, he’s been hitting the bottle again...let’s spend our energy on informing true conservatives, not these whack jobs who don’t have a clue about politics...

These are the same guys who stayed home on “principle” refusing to vote for the lesser of two evils, and look where that got us? They have done more damage to this country by essentially voting zero into office than those of us who held our nose and voted for McCain..


66 posted on 12/25/2009 7:04:40 PM PST by Greek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Greek
You might want to read this, note the date.

Incidentally, I spent several afternoons on the McCain/Palin phone banks over a month before the election.

What did you do to help the GOP?

Cheers!

67 posted on 12/25/2009 9:43:09 PM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Greek; darkwing104; Old Sarge
I love the smell of smoking RINO in the evening.

Darkwing, OldSarge -- please check the posting history around the time of Palin's entry into the 2008 race:

Obama 48% McCain 45% in CBS Poll (Oversampled Dems)

Mon Oct 6 19:37:50 2008 · by Greek · 30 replies · 1,787+ views
CBS News ^ | 10/06/08 | CBS News
"The race for president has returned to about where it was before the first presidential debate, with Barack Obama and Joe Biden holding a small lead over Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin...."[snip]

Not a word for Sarah then, not a word now.

And he's telling Jim Robinson that Sarah is not conservative enough. :-)

Note the lack of any substantive alternative. And an echo chamber going with TheLurkerX. Sniff?

68 posted on 12/25/2009 9:48:24 PM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Greek
I don't have to respond to your allegations of her "spotty record" as she did so herself in Going Rogue.

But if you *were* a conservative, you'd have read her book, found the responses, and STFU.

Ergo, your FAIL remains.

Better go tell Markos and Frum it ain't working.

Cheers!

69 posted on 12/25/2009 9:50:29 PM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-69 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson