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Is the Tea Party just a pressure release valve?
Nolan Chart ^ | December 15, 2013 | Mark Vogl

Posted on 12/15/2013 4:06:03 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

"Who’s on first?" "I don't know!" "Third base." It was a great Abbot and Costello skit, maybe their signature moment that younger generations may never have heard of. It was a skit about the players on a baseball team, and their unusual names. It was really funny. (America needs an Abbot and Costello now, a duo who can bring some humor from day to day life to a nation filled with disappointment.)

Well I ran into the same kind of skit when I tried to find out if there was a Tea Party organization in my local area. When I first inquired, I was directed to someone, and for a while communications occurred. But then they just kinda faded...like a spirit. So I contacted a friend who operated in political circles around the State of Texas and asked her if she knew anyone in the Tea Party. She pointed me back to a guy I had originally contacted in East Texas, who had pointed me to the ghost. And when I inquired if there was a state Tea Party organization I was informed no.

So, like Abbot and Costello, there is a team, but no one knows "who" is playing. I know ... first base.

Still the amorphous Tea Party is somewhere, and has some influence. A recent story indicates the U. S. Chamber of Commerce will challenge identified Tea Party candidates for Congress in Republican primaries. I would suggest that is the best example of neo - conservatives and "economy only" Republicans, possibly working in conjunction with the Democrats to divide the GOP. The Republican "big tent" is no longer big enough... the conservative base of the GOP is being assaulted every day by Washington insiders, and this most recent move by the Chamber of Commerce illustrates the rejection of regular Americans.

Where the Tea Party is failing America is that it exists as it does. It is not a political party, so it does not have a formal agenda, or platform, and does not have an organization and democratically elected leadership. It is impossible to know who’s in it, who’s behind it, or what its true purpose is.

America needs a new second party. The Republican Party is nothing but disappointment and has been since President Reagan, with the brief exception of Newt Gingrich's and his Contract with America. The Republican Party plays off the patriotism of people, but it is hardly patriotic. Its agenda is the New World Order...which by definition intends to surrender the sovereignty of the United States to a One World government. It manipulates and uses the Religious Right, but is atheist in its idolatry for capitalism. And in recent years the schism within the party is so pronounced as to clearly remove any hint of a unified opposition to socialism and globalism.

Because I do believe in the concept of a "ruling elite," I do believe that this elite is more savvy than Rush Limbaugh and other conservative thinkers seem to believe. I believe that the ruling elite is about ruling. And to do that, when you study history, you come to realize that the masses, though inconsistent, lazy in its vigilance of self-protection, and normally docile, can become agitated to the point of wild and energetic mood swings that can result in uncontrollable changes...like the American Revolution, and the Southern secession. In order to prevent historical incidentals like those, the ruling elite have learned to provide pressure release valves.

Rush Limbaugh and the conservative talk shows are some of those valves. They allow a sense of frustration, disappointment, anger to be harmlessly aired, vented. They appear to have some influence, such as when attempts at Immigration Reform failed, but really are non-consequential in terms of important issues like Obama Care, foreign policy, financial policy, and public education.

And I believe the Tea Party is also a release valve, albeit closer to the center of power that can provide an illusion of the people's reaction to adverse events or policies. It may even be that for short periods, the "Tea Party" is in minimal control and can alter reality.

When I listen to Rush, who I admire, trust in his sincerity, and believe he is attempting to do God's work, I often wish we could communicate. I believe his view of American politics is strategically flawed because he does not seem to see or understand the ruling elite. He sees our problems in Washington, with the elected officials. I believe the elected officials, like McConnell, Boehner, Pelosi, Obama are mere pawns of faceless controllers, the ruling elite. And it is these ruling elite that need to be identified and defined. They are the ones who motivate the changes we are enduring, it is their vision and their needs which are met by the actions of the powers - that - be in Washington.

Think of Washington as a stage, as a theatre. The players there are not the leaders. Most of them are not Sarah Palin or Ted Cruz types, they don’t have that kind of courage, character or faith in God. They are just puppets, just manikins. The dances they do, the speeches they give, the words they say are as a result of directions – guidance – objectives provided by some higher power, (not God, but someone or group here on earth with tons of money.) And Rush that’s the problem with capitalism, endless wealth, means endless power, endless ability to scheme and connive to alter good, to change the very foundation of the greatest nation that ever existed.

The extraordinarily wealthy of the world, (don’t make the mistake of thinking the ruling elite of America are all American – or have even visited here.) can and do manipulate events. For a period of modern history that wasn’t possible, because of the United States. Here, the American people had a role in governance. Here, God was omnipresent and a guide to our way of life and policy.

But that has changed. Vigilence by the people of their right to rule is fleeting, inconsisten, and evaporating, it is the weakest aspect of our democratic republic. Both the people and God have been ejected by the ruling elite. Despite super majorities of Americans in opposition, policies have been forced on us, usually by the black robes of the Supreme Court. Whether it’s Roe v. Wade, or Obama Care, it is the black robes, just five or six people who literally dictate America course. But again, the robes are NOT the ruling elite, just their players controlling the political game.

The Court could be the greatest threat to the idea of America on this planet. They have escaped their restraints, they now rule as monarchs, without any hesitancy to impose their will…regardless of previous Court decisions, regardless of the will of the people, regardless of the moral compass provided by God.

And the people see all of this. The people, busy as they are with their own lives, struggling as they do with just making ends meet, see it. Most turn away, not having the character or strength to ingest reality and watch the ship of state sink slowly like the Titanic.

But there are some who do have the character, some who know there is right, that the ship can be righted, that if God enters the game there is no power which can stand to His. And the ruling elite know that too. So … the Tea Party; a place where the people who know the right can go…but where little if anything happens. The Tea Party is not allowed to coalesce into America’s new Second party to replace the Republican.

And so, after all these words, I submit, the Tea Party is just a pressure release valve.


TOPICS: Issues; Parties; State and Local
KEYWORDS: elites; gop; republicans; teaparty
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To: Ray76

I so not neccessarily disagree, but a party is a pre-made vehicle as well as a collection of politicians and adherents. As a vehicle it should not be left un-attended.

One of the points the article alludes to is that the Tea Party is not a “party” with registered voters a d full slate of candidates and the like. Until it becomes such it is not a party that has the access to the ballot box needed to take victories.


21 posted on 12/15/2013 5:11:42 PM PST by KC Burke (Officially since Memorial Day they are the Gimmie-crat Party.ha)
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To: ifinnegan

So you don’t believe that a certain class of people are at the top of the pyramid and control most cultures?


22 posted on 12/15/2013 5:20:46 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (A courageous man finds a way, an ordinary man finds an excuse.)
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To: freedumb2003

T(taxed) E(enough) A (already)

This is the original rally cry for the tea party.


23 posted on 12/15/2013 5:23:03 PM PST by servantboy777
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

A group of elites is central to progressivism going back to at least Wilson. George Creel outright said the world needs to be run by a group of elites but the people must feel like they’re in charge.


24 posted on 12/15/2013 5:25:58 PM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
My mistake. It wasn't George Creel but his contemporary and co propagandist Walter Lippman.

Early on Lippmann said the "bewildered herd," his way of referring to the masses, must be governed by “a specialized class whose interests reach beyond the locality." This class is composed of experts, specialists and bureaucrats. The experts, who often are referred to as "elites," were to be a machinery of knowledge that circumvents the primary defect of democracy, the impossible ideal of the "omnicompetent citizen".
25 posted on 12/15/2013 5:33:46 PM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“So you don’t believe that a certain class of people are at the top of the pyramid and control most cultures?”

Not really.

That’s rather vague as well. I certainly think there are people or groups with too much influence.


26 posted on 12/15/2013 5:37:09 PM PST by ifinnegan
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“So you don’t believe that a certain class of people are at the top of the pyramid and control most cultures?”

Not really.

That’s rather vague as well. I certainly think there are people or groups with too much influence.


27 posted on 12/15/2013 5:37:12 PM PST by ifinnegan
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To: cripplecreek

>>. They elected a fair number of congressmen but were most effective in attracting disaffected Whigs and Democrats into a new party (Republicans).<<

Maybe we should bring the Whig party back into existence as a name for the fledgling Constitution Party.

The name has no inherent meaning or shade as Republican, Democrat or Libertarian.

Maybe we can co-opt it?


28 posted on 12/15/2013 5:38:03 PM PST by freedumb2003 (Fight Tapinophobia in all its forms! Do not submit to arduus privilege.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

>>So you don’t believe that a certain class of people are at the top of the pyramid and control most cultures?<<

Those of us up there really don’t like to talk about it too much...


29 posted on 12/15/2013 5:38:58 PM PST by freedumb2003 (Fight Tapinophobia in all its forms! Do not submit to arduus privilege.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Come 2014 people will see the power of the Tea Party.


30 posted on 12/15/2013 5:54:22 PM PST by plainshame
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The Tea Party’s strength is that it is *not* a hierarchical organization.

The rules of hierarchical organizations are well known, as are the techniques to destroy them, from both within (subversion) and without. But non-hierarchical organizations are “Teflon”. There is no way for a hierarchical organization to attack them, or even interface with them.

But this does not mean that the Tea Party cannot function, and function powerfully enough to kick seven bells out of hierarchical organizations.

In practical terms, the Democrats and the Republican party hierarchy are terribly frustrated by the Tea Party, since they are unable to co-opt it to their purposes, neutralize it, take out its “leaders”, destroy its donor base, anything.

Everything you complain of comes from your knowledge of hierarchical organizations. If you just accept the idea that the Tea Party is not such an organization, you can either get frustrated that it makes no sense to you; or you can be part of it. As long as you do not try to craft it into what it is not.

Politically, the Tea Party is doing everything right. It is selectively eroding the liberal Republican leadership, to the point where conservatives will take over the party; and unencumbered by the millstone of treacherous RINOs around its neck, the battle against Democrats will be much easier.


31 posted on 12/15/2013 6:02:50 PM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy (Last Obamacare Promise: "If You Like Your Eternal Soul, You Can Keep It.")
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To: ifinnegan

I worked in both intelligence and presidential politics. You can take it from me, there is an elite. They’re not all specifically “evil” though. I liked General Haig and his wife, got a kick out of Robert Novak and knew many other fine high-level people.


32 posted on 12/15/2013 6:02:52 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (A courageous man finds a way, an ordinary man finds an excuse.)
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To: freedumb2003

The Whig Party is back. Conservative fiscally, liberal socially.


33 posted on 12/15/2013 6:14:41 PM PST by ExCTCitizen (Ben Carson/Rand Paul or Sara/Nikki in 2016)
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To: 88keys

Compromise is not an option when it comes to historically reckless spending that harms our lives and the lives of future generations by setting up our currency for massive devaluation.

Compromise is not an option when it comes to allowing marriage to be perverted, allowing homosexual perversion to be normalized and allowing murder in the womb to be continued without conscience thereby devaluing life and promoting offshoot principles in euthanasia.

Compromise is not an option when it comes to our federal government telling us what we must purchase based on nothing more than the fact that we are alive and that we exist.

Compromise is not an option when government seeks to take away our weapons making it easier for people that have attained control of government offices to impose their will upon us with impunity and without limitations.

Compromise is not an option when government teaches our children ideology that runs in direct opposition to our traditions.

Compromise is what has landed us where we are today with a government that is involved in every facet of our lives and that has debauched our currency and brought us to the edge of economic collapse.

The Tea Party is not a pressure relief valve. It is a pressure cooker that is in its formative stages as a new political movement. It is in a struggle to take the reins of the republican party and it will prevail because it is based on truth and God.


34 posted on 12/15/2013 6:16:05 PM PST by Hostage (Be Breitbart!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Just take a look at the board of the International Crisis Group and the things they’ve been involved in.

http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/about/board.aspx

Their filthy little fingers are in everything from the “urgent” need to track down Joseph Kony, to trying to get former board member Mohammad Elbaredai installed as president of Egypt.


35 posted on 12/15/2013 6:27:35 PM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: servantboy777
T(taxed) E(enough) A (already) This is the original rally cry for the tea party.

The problem with this "rally cry" is that half the country isn't taxed at all, and we down-and-dirty conservatives will need at least some of their votes if we are to gain any political standing. The non-taxed will have to be mentored to gain a belief in the desirability of engaging in worthwhile, and therefore taxable, economic activity.

36 posted on 12/15/2013 6:56:49 PM PST by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: chajin

I think the GOP should put entitlements on the back burner for a while and go after the job killing regulators. Once we start seeing real job creation we can go back to whittling away at the entitlements. Entitlements are a democrat trap made even stickier in a bad economy.

I also think tea partiers should be pointing out the chamber of commerce attack on the tea party to liberals. The chamber knows that tea partiers present a threat to crony capitalism, corporate welfare and bailouts. We should use it to show liberals that tea partiers are better on that score than either party.

Rand Paul’s economic ideas for Detroit and other economically depressed areas is good too. I’d like to see it nationwide for all but we should support it for depressed areas to prove that fiscal conservatism works.


37 posted on 12/15/2013 7:10:16 PM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I guess it’s sort of like the Constituiton,it used to carry weight and authority,but no more.
Or maybe like the Constitution,it’s more an idea,no phone number for that,just embeded in the psyche.


38 posted on 12/16/2013 3:47:06 AM PST by ballplayer
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The Tea Party is a movement, it underwrites candidate....It needs a new name, because it isn’t a party at all, it is a way of political life. It’s kind of like the opposite of Marxism.


39 posted on 12/16/2013 4:02:21 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: Darren McCarty

>>Because VOTERS do not allow third parties to be anything but spoilers. Third parties always failed, fail now, and fail in the future.

While I cannot say I have been particularly active in TEA Party undertakings, I did attend the first TEA Party National Convention in Nashville at the Opryland Hotel in February 2010. I saw Sarah Palin and Andrew Breitbart speak, among others.

In talking with others at the event, one thing we were virtually all in agreement on was that we did NOT want to form a 3rd party. Most of the folks there were old enough to have seen where that led, with Perot and others.

Instead, we saw it as obvious that the Republican Party was where we needed to focus our efforts, as they gave at least some lip service to fiscal sanity.


40 posted on 12/16/2013 4:16:41 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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