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Posted on 01/03/2010 11:17:41 PM PST by bogusname
A recent article predicted that the tea party movement will fail and fade away because it does not have an official leader promoting a single agenda. I disagree.
After attending a Florida tea party, Rhonda Lochiatto, an elementary school teacher, decided to run for school board. In her own words, "I am tired of the mismanagement of funds that goes on in the school district and of the current policies and procedures that are taking place when it comes to grading, etc."
Rhonda epitomizes what the tea party movement is all about: concerned citizens and true patriots stepping up to the plate and following their passions and gifts to help rescue America from the leftists trying to change her forever. In my travels across America on Tea Party Express tours one and two, I met many patriots young and old who were running for office for the first time. Seeds planted by the tea parties have harvested a cornucopia of new organizations. Their common goal: Take back America.
No, we do not have a single person as our grand pooh-bah. We draw inspiration and information from many conservative voices in and out of politics. Any attempt to rein in all tea party patriots under one leader and strategy would be a mistake, not to mention impossible. Unquestionably, the power and force of the tea party phenomenon grows daily as more and more Americans awaken from their Obama trance (he sure is pretty, black, and well-spoken). They rub their eyes, see the craziness of his agenda, and shudder -- "Oh my gosh, what have we done?"
The tea party movement is bigger than any one person. Patriots driven by their individual passion and talent are needed on all fronts, local and national. Individual initiative, a part of the American national character, powers this movement.
The only thing I would advise against is the formation of a national third party. It would split the conservative/libertarian vote, thus ensuring a Democrat victory. Remember the phrase "Not your dad's Chevrolet"? Obama, Reid, Pelosi, and company have an agenda far different from our parent's perception of the Democratic Party, which has become a haven for far-left radicals, socialists, secular progressives, and plain old America-haters.
While I admit that the Republicans are guilty of embracing a "liberal lite" agenda to win votes (which did not work -- John McCain, case in point), they lean closer to our values. Not one Republican voted for Harry Reid's health care horror. Frustrated, many of you yell, "There is no freaking difference between either party!" That simply is not true. Thus, our efforts are best served getting the Republican party back on track rather than forming a third party.
I realize that the idea of "We the People" starting a third party is romantic, seductive, and empowering. But it is living on Fantasy Island rather than in the real world. Running third-party candidate Ross Perot against George Bush, Sr. is how Bill Clinton, the long shot, won the election. Perot took votes from Bush more than from Clinton. Attempting to form a third party again would be like a movie sequel: "Ross Perot II: This Time, It's Devastating."
Now, while I am against forming a national third party, running third-party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York was a good thing. The Republicans betrayed us by selecting and heavily funding ($900,000) a leftist candidate, Dede Scozzafava, for New York's 23rd congressional district. We tea party patriots around the country just said, "No!" We rallied around Hoffman, sending national support and funds for the local race. Despite both parties ganging up on Hoffman (outrageously, Scozzafava, the Republican, dropped out and endorsed the Democrat), our Conservative third-party candidate nearly won. Hoffman's near-victory sent a powerful message to both parties. They now realize that we are a force to be reckoned with. There's a new sheriff in town whose name is the tea party movement.
I would be extremely leery of any self-appointed leader of the tea party movement. If we are to have a leader, his or her emergence will happen spontaneously via the people.
With great optimism and anticipation, I enter 2010. This is the year in which politicians who have ignored our voices and betrayed their duty to uphold the Constitution will experience the shock and awe of our wrath at the polls in November.
As to the theory that the Tea Party Movement needs a leader -- like the line in the Mel Brooks movie Blazing Saddles that goes, "Badges? We don't need no stinking badges," I say, "Leader? We don't need no stinking leader!" We the people are doing just fine.
-Lloyd Marcus, (black) Unhyphenated American, singer/songwriter, entertainer, author, artist, and tea party patriot.
Also coming on Twitter....
GOP Financial Struggles Jeopardize 2010 House Election Bids
FOXNews.com
The National Republican Congressional Committee, the financial arm for GOP House campaigns, has raised less than a third as much money as its Democratic counterpart and ended 2009 with barely enough money to fully finance a single House race, Politico reported Sunday.
In the spirit of:
Heh...Love it!
Hmmm. Could that be Sarah?
On Jan. 16 in our home town their will be a tea party again the speaker this time will be Marco Rubio looking forward to attending and hearing the guest speakers.
“While I admit that the Republicans are guilty of embracing a “liberal lite” agenda to win votes (which did not work — John McCain, case in point)...”
I was reading here on FR yesterday that McCain has been accepting money from Soros and Co., so none of this “John McCain liberal lite” crap.
P.S.
Go here for the article that states McCain is accepting money from Soros:
“Rid the GOP of RINOs: Starting with McCain”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2418934/posts
Re
Leaderless Resistance....
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2007/08/12/leaderless-resistance-by-louis-beam/
Beware o.t. Red Dot....
perhaps, but it gained its notoriety from its reprise in Blazing Saddles
“decentralized system works best over a centralized system.”
Acorn wasn’t really centralized.
Looks like LR is the last resort anyway!
The available pool of “leaders” is a p!sspoor choice.
The Chesty Pullers, Pattons, MacArthurs, Carlsons, etc. are long gone; military leaders w/potential have been systematically weeded out/purged so that all that’s left by the time of high rank are the “perfumed princes.” as Col Hackworth referred to them.
The available civilian types are, by now, nothing more than the useless, untalented offspring of the hippy, doper, gimmee-gimmee, etc. generations! Other than that, good people are fewand far between.
RL may be the only way.
Semper....
Dick G
*****
Good for Rhonda, but local school boards have almost zero control over local schools. Government Schools are pure democratic socialism. They are unreformable, since they are founded on flawed, anti-human principles, like all other kinds of socialism and socialist institutions.
PLEASE ping me when this gets posted!
The Tea Party Movement needs to produce candidates to *be* leaders at the local, state and national levels.
Lloyd makes a lot of sense because he knows his subject well. He’s an active, thoughtful Tea Partier.
Myself, I believe the New World Order owns both the Republican and the Democrat (no -ic) parties. Evidence of this is the smooth seamless flow of policy from one administration to the next one of a different party. Presidents of both parties leave our socialist institutions (SS, IRS, Federal Reserve and Medicare) undisturbed and fully participate in growing the federal government bigger during their terms. That includes even Reagan.
That means, were I to try to counteract this NWO/Marxist takeover of our government I would identify the specific members of the NWO - Soros, CFR, Bilderbergers, Masons, TLC, bankers - and attack them.
How to do that, I don’t know.
The movement probably doesn’t need a “leader” per se but I’d sure like to see somebody who can crystallize the message so we’re all on the same page.
I agree and disagree. I believe a third party can have a place in the Tea Party Revolution. It served us well in New York 23. A Third Party can focus on ignored issues and highlight what needs to be disgusted. Imagine Sarah Palin as a 3rd Party Presidential candidate in the debates? BUT you are also right that a Ross Perot style White House bid would not be helpful. Still, Ross gave us Clinton and Balanced budgets and welfare reform as well as a whole bunch of entertaining TV at the impeachment. Would Bush have Balanced the budget? I think not.
A 3rd Party must be used as a tool, club if you will, to keep the RINOs in line and help the Conservatives in power.
IF, and I only mean if, the Republicans refuse to reform. If the GOP forces another McCain/Dole down our throats then we will have no choice but to go third party or session and Civil War. A Republican RINO, a token old dude to stand against the Obama Machine, would mean 4 more years of the Worker’s paradise. That can’t happen. We are so passed the Ross Perot time. He talked about what awful things might have been—now we are living in that world. Don’t close the door to a 3rd Party but—know well its limitations and how it can be used to dismantle to corruption. Lets hope its not needed. BUT, if Sarah Palin is ignored by the GOP and IF she elects to go 3rd Party, I will go with her and so will many other Americans.
Plus, look how well these guys did:
1. America's Independent Party (2008)
2. Socialist Equality Party (2008)
3. Independence Party of America (2007)
4. Modern Whig Party (2007)
5. Jefferson Republican Party (2006)
6. Moderate Party (2006)
7. Boston Tea Party (2006)
8. New American Independent Party (2004)
9. Party for Socialism and Liberation (2004)
10. Unity Party of America (2004)
11. American Patriot Party (2003)
12. Veterans Party (2003)
13. Populist Party of America (2002)
14. America First Party (2002)
15. Marijuana Party (2002)
16. American Heritage Party (2000)
17. Independent American Party (1998)
18. Working Families Party (1998)
19. American Reform Party (1997)
20. Libertarian National Socialist Green Party (1997)
21. Reform Party of the United States of America (1995) - currently divided - two factions both named "Reform Party"
22. Labor Party (1995)
23. American 3rd Party (1990's)
24. Freedom Road Socialist Organization (1986)
25. Socialist Alternative (1986)
26. Socialist Action (1983)
27. Expansionist Party of the United States (1977)
28. Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (1975)
29. National Socialist Movement (1974)
30. New Union Party (1974)
31. Socialist Party of the United States of America (1973)
32. American Party (1969)
33. Youth International Party (commonly known as the Yippies) (1967)
34. Freedom Socialist Party (1966)
36. Workers World Party (1959)
37. Workers Party, USA (1940)
38. Socialist Workers Party (1938)
39. Communist Party USA (1919)
40. World Socialist Party of the United States (1916)
41. Socialist Labor Party (1876)
42. Prohibition Party (1867)
In the history of the United States, not a single third party has come close to winning the presidency,
only 7 third parties have even won a single state’s electoral votes and
only 5 third parties have won even 10% of the vote.”
There has been NO ACTUAL success of third parties. Those who argue that the Republican party itself was a successful third party movement, had best read the history of US political parties.
“The Whigs and Free-Soilers joined to form the Republican Party, which strongly supported the abolition of slavery.”
The Whig party, emerged out of the National Republican Party, and elected two presidents, William Henry Harrison (1840) and Zachary Taylor in (1848). Out of this base, the Free Soilers and the Know-Nothings, the new Republican Party was formed in 1854, and elected Lincoln (of course) in 1860.
http://www.edgate.com/elections/inactive/the_parties/
Thanks for the help SeattleBruce!
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