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Will the Tea Party Fade if Republicans Win It All?
Capitol Confidential ^ | 9/5/2010 | Jack McHugh

Posted on 09/07/2010 10:53:51 AM PDT by MichCapCon

If they get control of Congress the GOP will try and mostly succeed in enlisting the Tea Party movement in confrontations with President Obama. Among other things, they will hold noisy hearings on red-meat hot-button issues, but will be extremely cautious and selective about holding actual accountability-generating roll call votes on them. Expect no roll call votes on systemic-change issues that challenge the political class itself (like repealing McCain-Feingold's restrictions on political speech, for example, or imposing term limits).

As in 1995, the budget will generate an unavoidable confrontation between a GOP Congress and the administration. We could see a Stalingrad-magnitude conflict, or perhaps GOP members will become puppydogs (and earmark hounds) who roll over to avoid the controversy. Either way, this could administer a huge Tea Party booster shot.

Gridlock will limit new spending programs, but also means no real change to policies already in place (i.e. Obamacare), which will cause tremendous Tea Party frustration and anger. They will try, but will Republicans succeed in channeling all of that against Democrats and Obama?

Republican members and caucuses inevitably will do some foolish, cynical and faithless things that will let President Obama make them the issue in 2012, just as President Clinton did in 1996.

Among other things, this creates the potential for a Perot-type third candidate in 2012 - and an Obama second term...

(Excerpt) Read more at michigancapitolconfidential.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; Government; Politics
KEYWORDS: 2010; congress; elections; teaparty
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To: Clock King
The Tea Party started UNDER the Republicans (GWB).

Geeez....was Rick Santelli's rant that long ago? I forget the precise date of that rant, and of the first Tea Party protest (which I do remember was on an April 15th).

41 posted on 09/07/2010 11:35:36 AM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: ex-snook; All

Lets hope the Democrat (the socialists) party fades.


42 posted on 09/07/2010 11:38:02 AM PDT by Democrat_media (Why is no government creating a product we can hold in our hands like a cell phone..?)
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To: MichCapCon

It may actually get stronger. The tea party was born in large part out of frustration with the GOP. When the GOP takes it and fails to repeal Obamist legislation, the frustration level will increase that much more.

This is a fight for the soul of America, starting with the soul of the GOP.

I think a lot of people understand that our problems are bigger than what can be solved with one election or even winning the White House back. We had the White House and control of both houses of congress and watched things go from bad to worse. GOP control isn’t enough if the GOP doesn’t know what it stands for. The tea party is cleaning house, getting rid of the weak sisters in the GOP and then getting rid of the Dems. This isn’t just going to turn the GOP around, it will turn both parties around.

Even that isn’t enough, though, if the principles that work, that the country is founded upon are not taught in schools. If your enemy teaches your kids, and entertains them, and provides you with your news, any gains you make will be temporary ones. Taking back control of the White House and the Congress is a good first step but if it stops there our victory will not sustain itself.


43 posted on 09/07/2010 11:41:59 AM PDT by marron
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To: MichCapCon

Our work will have just begun.


44 posted on 09/07/2010 11:45:01 AM PDT by FrdmLvr ( VIVA la SB 1070!)
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To: Democrat_media
I see the democrats as pushing Communism/totalitarianism. The republicns want socialism and be in good standing with the new world order. I am not a socialist I am Conservative and a capatilist. I am not for big government or for taxes. The 1765 Tea Party was because of a very small tax on tea. Now there is nothing that is not taxed. I am for freedom not either party. When the Tea Party becomes a real third party it will grow like crazy. Perot was in Clinton's hip pocket and gives the third party a bad taste in the mouth.
45 posted on 09/07/2010 11:53:41 AM PDT by mountainlion (concerned conservative.)
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To: marron

I would add the Minute Men also started under Pres. Bush.

I do doubt that anyone is gonna attack at sitting GOP president. No one from the right ran against Pres. Bush in 2004 to push him to the right. And it was all down hill after that.


46 posted on 09/07/2010 12:02:52 PM PDT by Palter (If voting made any difference they wouldn't let us do it. ~ Mark Twain)
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To: MichCapCon

The TEA party is uniquely American. If the Repubs listen to them and the majority of real Americans and bring this nation back to it’s founding principles and fiscal sanity the TEA party folks can get back to our lives(like working a job, raising our kids, you know, normal stuff) but if they don’t listen, we’ll be back. We’ll be back as often as it takes to remind both of these political parties just who it is they work for.


47 posted on 09/07/2010 12:14:11 PM PDT by jmacusa (Two wrongs don't make a right. But they can make it interesting.)
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To: MichCapCon

If the government reverses it’s headlong rush into socialism, yes the tea party will fade. The tea party is a reaction to the mess we have been living through the last 2+ years.


48 posted on 09/07/2010 12:22:17 PM PDT by dangerdoc
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To: Non-Sequitur
Given that every GOP political ad I’ve seen has opposition to Obama’s healtcare as their centerpoint then it sure sounds like people are being set up for a big let-down.

I don't think anyone expects a repeal before 2013, unless the Pubbies win a veto-proof majority this year, which, to put it mildly, it highly unlikely.

Whether it gets repealed or not, then, depends on how it plays out in 2012. Thankfully, the worst parts of Obamacare don't go into effect until 2014, so we've got some time.

49 posted on 09/07/2010 1:02:37 PM PDT by curiosity
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To: Windflier

His rant was in Sept 2008 (IIRC) when Secretary Paulson wrote a 3 page memo to GWB saying he needed $700B out of the US Treasury or people would start eating each other. 3 pages... That’s a damn hold up note! “Just give me unlimited power and all your money, damn it!” And GWB was ready to just sign it over, but some of the REPUBLICANS said, “Stop!”


50 posted on 09/07/2010 1:06:25 PM PDT by Clock King (Ellisworth Toohey was right: My head's gonna explode.)
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To: Clock King
His rant was in Sept 2008 (IIRC)

Damn, how time flies. Doesn't seem like it was that long ago.

Secretary Paulson wrote a 3 page memo to GWB saying he needed $700B out of the US Treasury or people would start eating each other. 3 pages... That’s a damn hold up note!

I agree. I was on pins and needles about that, the whole time it was happening. The thing that scared me most, was the fact that Paulson was given an untouchable level of power I've never seen in this country. That really scared me.

I'll bet that in itself was a prime motivator for Rick Santelli to get on TV and call for a national Tea Party protest.

51 posted on 09/07/2010 1:38:08 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: freespirited

>>But I still dont think he will seek re-election.<<

I agree but my money is on that he will resign before that.


52 posted on 09/07/2010 1:47:25 PM PDT by CynicalBear
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To: Tzimisce

This is the GOP’s last chance to get it right. I fear they will fail to act to restore the Constitutional Republic. Then we will see a “States Revolution”.


53 posted on 09/07/2010 1:57:08 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2
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To: MichCapCon

If the GOP doesn’t get their mind right, they will be replaced too.


54 posted on 09/07/2010 2:46:00 PM PDT by Mariner (USS Tarawa, VQ3, USS Benjamin Stoddert, NAVCAMS WestPac, 7th Fleet, Navcommsta Puget Sound)
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