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Does Anyone Have a Grip on the G.O.P.? (Establishment loves Government,Cronyism and hates Tea Party)
NYT ^ | Thursday October 13, 2011 | Matt Bai

Posted on 10/13/2011 10:53:53 AM PDT by Bigtigermike

Establishment Republicans may prefer Romney to Perry, but their assumption is that either man can be counted on to steer the party back toward the broad center next fall, effectively disarming the Tea Party mutiny.

If that’s the case, then it now seems like only a matter of time before the Republican empire, overwhelmed by insurrection for much of the last two years, strikes back at last. “I think it’s waning now,” Scott Reed, a veteran strategist and lobbyist, told me when we talked about the Tea Party’s influence last month

Party leaders have managed to bleed some of the anti-establishment intensity out of the movement, Reed said, by slyly embracing Tea Party sympathizers in Congress, rather than treating them as “those people.”

Did he mean to say that the party was slowly co-opting the Tea Partiers?

“Trying to,” Reed said. “And that’s the secret to politics: trying to control a segment of people without those people recognizing that you’re trying to control them.”

[....]

Longtime Republicans have been satisfied enough to have their candidates run down activist government as a campaign tactic, even as they themselves retained a more nuanced view of the federal government’s role (which is why a Republican Congress, working with a Republican president, managed to pass a Medicare prescription-drug bill in 2003). But when you talk to them now, these same Republicans seem positively baffled that anyone could have actually internalized, so literally, all the scorching resentment for government that has come to define the modern conservative campaign.

[...]

but it also puts the caucus in direct conflict with establishment Republicans like Vin Weber, who are inclined to protect some of those discretionary programs — because they actually believe the programs have merit or because some company is paying them to preserve the status quo.

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


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: establishment; republican; rino; vinweber; weber
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A lot of the stridently ideological Republicans who came to town in the Reagan and Gingrich years quickly flamed out and were never heard from again, but Washington has more than its share of Vin Webers and Grover Norquists and Karl Roves — Republican politicians and activists who arrived crusading against the city’s corrupt culture and subsequently became fixtures in its boardrooms and restaurants. “They’ll become the establishment,” Charlie Black, the longtime Republican strategist and lobbyist, confidently predicted when we talked about the more radical members of the freshmen class.
1 posted on 10/13/2011 10:53:58 AM PDT by Bigtigermike
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To: Bigtigermike
"Does Anyone Have a Grip on the G.O.P.?"

Yes, they are split between the socialists and the conservatives. With the socialist being the establishment with most of the money. Then there are the conservatives that vote party line and are just fools(including me).

2 posted on 10/13/2011 11:02:03 AM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric Cartman voice* 'I love you, guys')
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To: Bigtigermike

Time to put Palin in as Chairman of the GOP.....


3 posted on 10/13/2011 11:03:43 AM PDT by jakerobins
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To: Bigtigermike
I'm a conservative Independent.

I did not register as a Rep. because I did not want my name associated w/ people like Arlen Spector, etc.

However, it may be time for all of us conservative independents to hold our collective noses and register in the GOP so that we are not, once again, stuck w/ a loser like McCain (and here I'm obviously talking about Romney).

We have work to do vinnowing out the conservatives in the filed and the establishment is hoping that spreading Tea Party votes between 2 or 3 candidates will open the door for Gorgeous Hair.

4 posted on 10/13/2011 11:03:46 AM PDT by Pietro
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To: Bigtigermike

Controlling us Tea Partiers without us knowing they’re controlling us, eh? . . . and BRAGGING about it to boot?

These guys are blowhards who underestimate the “hobbits” in the Tea Party. - When’s the first Tea Party rally?


5 posted on 10/13/2011 11:05:58 AM PDT by Twinkie (John 3:16)
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To: jakerobins

That will never happen and if it did happen...Palin will be caged on doing anything....they’ll just tell her to fundraise for her


6 posted on 10/13/2011 11:06:21 AM PDT by Bigtigermike
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To: Bigtigermike

This is ecactly why they FEAR Herman Cain!

Herman Cain who truly was until recently a virtual unknown had faith enough in himself to decide to run for President of the United States on his own. There was no Media hype/pressure/build-up about a possible run, there was no urging by members of the Party, no words spoken into his ear by party players, elites, beltway boys or pundits, not even a word of encouragement from the Republican Party of his home state only faith in himself. Now after months of being treated as being a inconsequential candidate the curious sideshow of a conservative black Republican, he is now in the top tier along with people of great party pull, of men with experienced political machines and the dollars to power them. He did that on his own with no help from anyone accept by his own. Now think what a man with faith in himself like that could accomplish if given the chance.

Now many are saying Cain hasn’t a chance with his little formal organization and even less money.

Well let me remind all of you of what a recent movement did with no formal organization and even less money, The Tea Party.

The Tea Party manage with both those weakness to go on and seriously change the political landscape and in doing so caused the Leftist members of govenment, ellitist of both political parties and media types to quake in fear of them and their rath and all done with only a minimum of formal organization and on a ‘shoe string’ budget.

That’s what sucessful AMERICANS do, what they have always done! It’s what makes us WINNERS! They start out with what they have and they MAKE IT WORK! They make it work because what they don’t have in manpower or money they make-up with brains, sweat, blood and last but most important faith.


7 posted on 10/13/2011 11:06:37 AM PDT by Kartographer (".. we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.")
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To: Bigtigermike

scott reed = a bob dole man from way back.


8 posted on 10/13/2011 11:09:43 AM PDT by campaignPete R-CT (I might go back to New Hampshire to campaign.)
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To: Bigtigermike
Why do you think the party establishment worked so hard to destroy Sarah Palin.

People like Grover Norquist, Karl Rove and George Will are far more in tune with Beltway liberals that grass roots Republicans.

George Will isn't a Tea Party Republican. He's a cocktail party Republican.

9 posted on 10/13/2011 11:19:58 AM PDT by bwc2221
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To: Bigtigermike

“Does Anyone Have a Grip on the G.O.P.?”


Probably not.

But it seems they play on some peoples minds a lot....


10 posted on 10/13/2011 11:23:45 AM PDT by deport
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To: Bigtigermike

Yeah, the Establishment has a grip on the GOP alright! They’ve orchestrated Roimney with the strong world outbreak of Islam!
No wonder Romney is so arrogant. Take a look at this:

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=354721


11 posted on 10/13/2011 11:28:09 AM PDT by Paperdoll (I like Herman Cain!)
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To: Bigtigermike

They, the RINO’s, have always hated Reagan.

And the whole “Campaign Finance Reform” was ALL about making sure there would be NO future Reagan’s.

And it will hurt the Tea Party’s ability to raise sufficent funds to run a real conservative.

Can’t have a real conservative for Pres, not now!


12 posted on 10/13/2011 11:30:07 AM PDT by TruthConquers (Delendae sunt publicae scholae)
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To: Bigtigermike

The Tea Party is not a branch of the Republican Party. We reject politics as usual.

Washington D.C. is corrupt. The Establishment — both Republicans and Democrats — are corrupt.

Special interests and campaign finance money are heavily influencing everything that happens in our political system, which heavily influences our government, which heavily influences our economy, which is headed towards collapse. They are entrenched with The Media on both sides acting as Establishment guard dogs and lap dogs, instead of watch dogs for The People.

The Tea Party must reject politics as usual and business as usual. We must reject Establishment politicians like Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. This has to be a true grass roots movement that is “of the people.”

2012 is the year that we will change everything. We have to. This might be our last chance. Our economy, government and political system are seriously broken. We are on the brink of becoming Greece, except our fall will be orders of magnitude more disastrous.

This is serious, people. Please get involved! We need you! Now is the time. Grab your pitch forks and your credit cards. We need to take back and fix our government in 2012.

.


13 posted on 10/13/2011 11:30:45 AM PDT by bobk333
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To: Kartographer

Everyone please pray for the safety of Herman Cain. He is a gladiator! He has set himself against the giant of Evil which has been calling the shoots for far too long! Pray that God puts His angels all around him, gives him endurance and clears his path to victory. Amen


14 posted on 10/13/2011 11:35:07 AM PDT by Paperdoll (I like Herman Cain!)
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To: bobk333

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution make the PEOPLE the sovereigns, NOT the politicians.

For those who are interested:

Here is a link to the Hillsdale College short six week videos on the Constitution.

Part IV speaks to this issue of who really is the sovereigns of this nation.

http://constitution.hillsdale.edu/page.aspx?pid=753


15 posted on 10/13/2011 11:45:15 AM PDT by TruthConquers (Delendae sunt publicae scholae)
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To: Bigtigermike
When they ran Dole against Clinton, I knew the GOP wasn't a serious political party any longer and I've been a registered Independent ever since.

They're even less worthy now than they were then. The TEA Partiers were their only hope.

Nothing lasts forever, even the Republican party.

I think the Establishment knows it, too. That's why they adopted the "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." strategy with the demonrats.

16 posted on 10/13/2011 11:46:06 AM PDT by GBA (The Constitution and conservatism must win in 2012!)
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To: Bigtigermike
A lot of the stridently ideological Republicans who came to town in the Reagan and Gingrich years quickly flamed out and were never heard from again, but Washington has more than its share of Vin Webers and Grover Norquists and Karl Roves — Republican politicians and activists who arrived crusading against the city’s corrupt culture and subsequently became fixtures in its boardrooms and restaurants.

True, but how do you separate selling out from becoming practical -- recognizing that major changes won't come under ordinary circumstances and that a majority of voters probably don't want them.

While the caricature is right in cases like Norquist's, I have to wonder if it's 100% spot on in every case -- if some of the hardliners are also as much a part of Washington's highlife and as close to lobbyists as the opportunistic sell-outs are, and if some of those who've moved away from earlier positions might not be so corrupted.

17 posted on 10/13/2011 11:50:55 AM PDT by x
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To: Bigtigermike
These articles are crap and being used to prompt the Tea party to go third party. All of the people named in the article are legitimate conservatives and strategists who just see the path to the presidency differently.

If you take 100 members of FR and ask their suggestions on ANYTHING no one would agree.

These attacks on other Republicans are going to be the end of us since we come in all shades of red/white/blue.

If conservatives pick up Rush's use of this piece to incinerate the GOP "establishment", it will seal our doom.

18 posted on 10/13/2011 11:53:36 AM PDT by Deb (Beat him, strip him and bring him to my tent!)
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To: Abathar; Abcdefg; Abram; Abundy; albertp; Alexander Rubin; Allosaurs_r_us; amchugh; ...
Longtime Republicans have been satisfied enough to have their candidates run down activist government as a campaign tactic, even as they themselves retained a more nuanced view of the federal government’s role (which is why a Republican Congress, working with a Republican president, managed to pass a Medicare prescription-drug bill in 2003).

I think we've had it backwards all along...




Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!

19 posted on 10/13/2011 1:27:28 PM PDT by bamahead (Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master. -- Sallust)
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To: Bigtigermike

I think this is why Palin didn’t run. She must have figured she wouldn’t be able to change enough to make the trouble worth it in the end.


20 posted on 10/13/2011 1:36:44 PM PDT by MetaThought
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