“Only Republicans who can pass a Tea Party litmus test are the guarantee that amnesty and open borders won’t happen. “
Who will impose the litmus test and name the criteria? Are you aware that some of the biggest Tea Party proponents, i.e, Dick Armey and FreedomWorks, as well as favored front runners, i.e., Palin, are FOR the same “path to citizenship” amnesty as McCain and Bush?
I am well aware of Armey and a few others who have claimed for themselves leadership positions in the Tea Party movement. They are not. They are just trying to exploit the movement for their own gain. Nobody but the MSM is looking to them for guidance and leadership.
True Tea Party members do not recognize any "leaders".You may need an occasional volunteer to do things like arrange the meeting or the bus charter, but the wisdom of the Tea Party movement is that it is a consensus of the average citizens that drives them, not the siren call of political hacks like Armey who are part of inside the Beltway kleptocrats who have gotten us to this position.
By the way, Palin has made no definitive statement of support for amnesty. She was reticent and equivocating when asked about it in the campaign, in deference to the fact that she was running on McCain's ticket and had to toe the line. Her comments before and since show no support for amnesty and open borders. Don't include her with the Armey types.
You will be glad to hear that many, many Tea Party folks are working, as we type, on politely, but clearly unhitching both Armey’s, and Freedomwork’s wagons from their Tea Party plans, for the very reasons you have stated.
There are more than a few savvy folks out here in Tea Party Land, who are supremely aware of just how many people want to subvert the Tea Party power, for any number of reasons. Thank Heaven, since most of us, (present company included here ;), have been fooled at least once, we have indeed learned make sure to dig, dig, dig, on everyone.
Tatt