Posted on 06/10/2014 9:24:02 PM PDT by nathanbedford
Will The Tea Party gain renewed credibility which it does not deserve?
Professor Brat's stunning upset ousting the Majority Leader in the Republican primary, the first time ever at American history, is being credited to The Tea Party and we are being told that the tea party now has a new lease on life.
Did the The Tea Party actually significantly contribute either money or shoe leather to David Brat's win? Evidently not. Brat has spent only about $100,000 and has virtually no money with which to campaign in the general election. Clearly The Tea Party has not contributed significant money.
More, it appears that the candidate himself does not claim the mantle of The Tea Party but instead describes himself as a "free market" candidate. With the evidence we have before us now it appears that this victory cannot be claimed as the property of The Tea Party. That is not to say that Brat does not represent a true grass roots conservative rebellion against the Rino establishment, he does and he is fully worthy of our support. The question is, where was The Tea Party?
A few weeks ago an article which appeared In Politico was covered here on FreeRepublic which cataloging a devastating list of tea party groups who have recorded unconscionably high administrative costs and pathetically small contributions to grassroots candidates. I have yet to see a rebuttal of these data and as far as I know we are looking at a group of leaders of many tea party movements who are lining their pockets at the expense of ingenuous conservatives who have parted with their money as well is their prayers.
With Brat's victory prominent in the news it is time to ask, what about it, where is the money going?
I heard Laura Ingraham, who campaigned for winning Tea Party Candidate Dave Brat, say on Fox tonight that the head of the Tea Party Patriots organization, Jenny Beth Martin, would NOT help Brat, in fact she would NOT even take Brat’s phone calls.
This woman pays herself– using Tea Party donations– 9 times more than she spent on behalf of Tea Party Candidate Matt Bevin who lost to RINO Mitch McConnell.
She draws a salary as president of the Tea Party Patriots’ nonprofit arm — getting more than $272,000 in the 2012 fiscal year, according to the group’s most recent tax filing.
She also gets money for “strategic planning” ($120,000.00 between 7/2013 and 5/2014).
Don’t donate to the Tea Party Patriots. They are a scam organization. Give to your LOCAL Tea Party/Liberty group.
And here: http://www.mofopolitics.com/2014/05/02/lets-face-it-tea-party-patriots-jenny-beth-martin-is-a-fraud/
Mark Levin’s relevant remarks on the Brat victory:
http://therightscoop.com/mark-levin-on-hannity-the-republican-party-leadership-better-wake-up/
he sure got a bunch of my money, and i’m a tea partier.
“Tea Party President Jenny Beth Martin, who runs the super PAC (Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund) has been receiving $15,000 monthly consulting fees.” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/04/28/tea-party-patriots-defends-its-spending/)
there are reports that Martin has possibly spent a considerable sum of money on cars and homes.
if accurate this should be a great concern to a number of people.
People who identify with the tea party have been called every name in the book. Nazis, racist, nuts, etc. In addition their businesses and personal finances have been targeted by the federal government through the IRS and numerous other agencies.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all that many of these people are simply laying low and are really pissed off. That when they get a chance to vote they will. And they know who is responsible for what’s been done to them as do their friends and associates.
“The Tea Party is not an organization. It is a mindset. That mindset won.”
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BINGO -— And that is exactly what Brat said. He’s smart to avoid applying labels to himself since day-to-day folks may have preconceived notions of what those labels mean. HE PRESENTED HIS IDEAS (which just happen to be Tea Party, constitutional conservative ideas) to the voters in his district and helped them understand those ideas. And that is what drove his victory.
What you said. Bingo.
Anyone ever heard of teaparty.net?
I got a solicitation email from them tonight.
Had never heard of them before, they have a drop box(?) at 1701 PA Ave WashDC, ...
letter signed by Todd Cefaratti. Freedom Organizer.
Tea is spelled that way T e a throughout the letter and in the letter head.
I responded to the email with a ‘questionnaire of my own
Who are you
Why have I never heard of you before
Are you a Registered Solicitor
etc etc
E Mail address must be good as it didn’t ‘bounce’ though I haven’t gotten an answer and really expected my ‘note’ to ‘bounce’.
I only contribute to individual campaigns, not to organized networks. The Tea Party is an idea, not something to be co-opted by nationally led groups. I’ve belonged to several local groups in my area...each focuses on issues important in their districts and are not exactly the same. If they (a national group)support a candidate that I’m on board with, ok. But that is not always the case.
and I’m very wary of those that claim a Tea Party mantle...look no further than the gubernatorial election in Va. to see what can happen. People in his district are wide awake. Campaign $$ didn’t buy them. I hope it turns out that way in much of the country. Time will tell.
Went to a Tea Party Express rallye once, and frankly it felt kinda hokey. We are better off in small groups. Yes give ( and participate !) at the local level, and the smart ones never became a 501c3 and are passing the hat so to speak to survive.
Which only goes to prove the original message of the tea party, I guess. (lower case by design)
A new way to elect public officials. I hate Parties anyway. Someday the USA will have an electoral college again. No R or D and people will forget the once donkey and elephant.
And in the paltry $200K Brat had, there didn't seem to be ANY national TPA-whatever money. No national support, advertisement, what have you.
This wasn't a win of the National Tea Party acronyms - far from it. It was a win by people in a district over a man who let his second-tier power lord over the rest of the country with an outright hatred it seemed at times, especially for conservatives of the Tea Party sentiment/persuasion who were bolstered by the likes of Laura Ingram and other talk radio hosts.
These national groups have gotten away with it so far judging by the dirth of reporting on their finances and where/on whom the funds are spent. I hope this Cantor loss brings some of this to the light of day.
If these groups really are legitimate, they had damned well better step up their game. This means SIGNIFICANT support in the general election campaign for Brat. If they do not and Brat loses and what conservatives have fought so hard for is deeply tarnished by defeat, these groups will have sealed themselves in that bag of dirty laundry I'd label corrupt money grubbers, IMO.
I wholly agree. Not $ accumulating organizations with no seeming accountability, but to real, conservative candidates.
Bump
not
Tea Party
The difference IS the difference.
Don’t be a joiner. Give directly to the candidate.
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