I knew there was a reason I liked it.
Posted on 03/01/2010 10:27:29 AM PST by mdittmar
For Immediate Release
Arizona Tea Party Leaders Decline to Endorse in AZ Senate Race
Coalition of four largest Tea Party organizations issue joint press release
The organizers of the four largest Arizona Tea Party organizations – including the Tucson Tea Party, Greater Phoenix Tea Party, Flagstaff Tea Party, and Mohave County Tea Party – issued a joint press release regarding their unified decision to decline endorsing a candidate in the Arizona Senate primary race between John McCain, J.D. Hayworth, and Jim Deakin.
“The Tea Party is a non-partisan, grassroots movement that stands for limited government, free markets, and fiscal responsibility. Both McCain and Hayworth’s records during their many years in Washington leave much to be desired on these issues,” said Robert Mayer, co-founder of the Tucson Tea Party. “It is their job to hold themselves up to these values and fight for our votes.”
Other tea party organizers across the state agreed that the local organizations should not endorse so early if at all.
“It is not appropriate to make an endorsement in this race at the drop of a hat, as some other groups are doing,” said Kelly Townsend, organizer of the Greater Phoenix Tea Party. “The movement must stand for ideas, and do everything possible to provide information to people so that they can make the best personal decisions.”
Roger Boone, organizer of the Flagstaff Tea Party, added, “The Tea Party should not endorse individual politicians, as their future actions may reflect poorly on our organization. We encourage our members to endorse and vote for whomever they choose, but as a group we will not endorse officially.”
“We stand for principles and ideas, not for politicians or parties,” said Patrick Beck, organizer of the Mohave County Tea Party. “Our mission is to promote constitutional government and fiscal responsibility, and to inform people so that they can make their own decisions.”
Since when are ‘tea parties’ organized this way?
I thought it was a spontaneous effort...
I smell something here
ping
Excellent - a new day dawning.
This is precisely why the TEA movement is so inspirational; it is a coming together of millions of people sharing a few vital principles, but not walking in lock-step on every issue.
Same as the Tea Party I am a member of,we don’t endorse candidates.
I agree. Do these 'tea party' organizations have memberships? How does the group feel about this? This seems to be the opposite of the whole tea party intent. I know when I go to a tea party event - there is no "leader" of the group that speaks for me.
Vacuous nonsense.
Ideas and principles don't stand in a vacum. They have to be translated into practical uses of benefit to voters. McCain has actively campiagned for, and voted against Tea Party principles, having voted against the Bush tax cuts, voted for TARP and bailouts campaigned to give Geneva concention rights to terrorist vermin, and spearheaded ammnesty for illegals. The sucker is the most anti-Tea Party principles candidate I have ever seen in the Republican Party.
And who are these “leaders” anyways? The Tea Party is a mass movement that does not take any orders from no “leaders”. Not to mention, polls have consistently shown over 70% of Tea Partiers in Arizona backing JD. What these “leaders” have to say, is irrelevant.
So they better do this in all other primaries as well.
Speaking of the Tea Party group I am a member of,the group does not endorse candidates,individual members can back who they want.
SHOUT IT OVER AND OVER...
“The Tea Party is a non-partisan, grassroots movement that stands for limited government, free markets, and fiscal responsibility.
...Don’t let the socialist give the Tea Party a bad name.
Same here.
They are talking nonsense.
The Tea Parties have no “leaders”, and these people don't speak for anybody but themselves.
How many ea Partiers did they talk to, before issuing this bland statement? I am fairly sure we are going to hear a heck of a lot more on this matter from outraged Tea Party members.
I am guessing someone took the initiative to organize a get-together - gave a few speeches - invited attendees to speak up and took a show of hands.
It seems like a natural evolution - to congregate - converse and come to a consensus. Or not;)
LOL.
It’s very smart of them.
No one to pull Saul Alinsky tactics on that way....
You know the wind comes, but from whence you know not...
EGG ZACT LEE!
“The Tea Party is a non-partisan, grassroots movement that stands for limited government, free markets, and fiscal responsibility. Both McCain and Hayworth’s records during their many years in Washington leave much to be desired on these issues”
Yeah, hard decision between Hayworth, with a lifetime ACU score of 97.56% conservative, and McQueeg’s 63% in 2008 (don’t know how McQueeg ranked in 2009).
The Arizona Senate race is a no-brainer if you’re a conservative. If the Tea Parties can’t read the tea leaves in a race like this, I don’t have much confidence in them.
I knew there was a reason I liked it.
Don’t know.
“The Tea Party is a non-partisan, grassroots movement that stands for limited government, free markets, and fiscal responsibility. Both McCain and Hayworth’s records during their many years in Washington leave much to be desired on these issues,” said Robert Mayer, co-founder of the Tucson Tea Party. “It is their job to hold themselves up to these values and fight for our votes.”
This is fine. J.D. is better then McCain but he wasn't perfect so if they want to hold to this view ok..
Not okay is the nonsense about not supporting candidates. Please. These groups have gone out of their way to work on behalf of candidates and in some cases like in Illinois their infighting led to liberals winning the primaries. All I read here are people too gutless to make a decision; more interested in maintaning their popularity then accomplishing an actual difference in a seat.
I'm not saying support J.D. I am saying make a decision. Support him. Don't support him. Take a stand. If you want to have him earn your support given his past make it clear if a candidate does so you'll work on their behalf. But don't do this free floating vote for whomever floats your boat nonsense. You've effectively taken yourself out of influence in that event.
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