I wonder if Tea Party and other truly conservative GOP House Members could break ranks from the “establishment” and form their own sub-caucus?
They already do...It is nothing as formal as a gavel type function, needing a “call to order”...
The faction IS there though...
The idea that a “formal”, recognizable political party apparatus, in the conventional sense would be nice...I have always wondered if that could be created as a viable alternative with serious implications to the stalemate which is the two “existing” political parties we have now...
I used to not believe that a third party was something to desire, because the lines were better defined back in the day, maybe about 20 years ago...But since then, a lot of discussion here and in other functions I attend, a lot of people are really warming up to the idea, and not just wishing it...
The need is to establish a formal process to organize, bring ALL the willing Tea Party groups together (nationally) and really lay stakes into a functioning political apparatus, one that can get people to run for elected office, all the filing, charter, elected leadership counsel, terms of office, fundraising, etc etc etc...
When that is all established then a vetting process by extending invitations to existing politicians that exhibit the principles, and have a voting record to support their words to that effect...
You may very well see a whole gaggle of these types jump ship from the republican party, and even a few from the democrat party as well...Couple that with local and state representatives and those organizations at that level, and you might see a real change in the political wind...
The outcome would be that what is left of the republican party will probably become the “moderate/swing” party officials and voters, will have to caucus with us in this new political party...
To get anywhere...
There would be a lot more to it, and not a lot of people are really onboard with what it would really take to make this work...These are the types that will whine and cry about how weak, at a time where we need everyone onboard with the establishment to save this country...
Well, I’ve heard that whining for years, and how’s all that “stay the course” with the republican party leadership worked out so far in the last 20 years???
I’ve seen us continue to lose a lot of high profile elections, when we could have trounced the opposition both times, if we had not had an establishment candidate forced upon us, through an antiquated primary system...And that sentiment is trickling down to local and state races as well, in some areas...
Sure, we hold the House in D.C., and we have some solid majorities in other states as well...But I do not believe it is sustainable I this toxic environment, we do not have the right people in place, and never will for very long because of how polarized the atmosphere is...
And I believe the lesson at the end of the film “Patton” is indicative of exactly where we are in our countries history right now...
“A slave, would ride with a conquering hero, into Rome, holding a laurel over that hero’s head, and in the midst of the adoring crowd gathered to welcome him home, the slave is whispering, “Victory is Fleeting.””
Some elected officials and the leadership in the republican party need to learn a very hard lesson...
And it is not going to be pretty...
You might be amazed at how many politicians would jump ship from both parties to form up a strong, very right-wing, conservative party apparatus...
You just have to have something they can change their “tagline” to at the end of their name...
R’s, D’s and I’s will have to deal with these dirn “T’s” or “C’s”...(depends on the organizations consensus for those appearances...
But what is really a tagline??? an identifier, or a real substantive force to be reckoned with...
I prefer the latter...I want substance over semantics...
Some of us have been working to try and change the tone of moderation and political capitulation in the republican party for years...Not that we’ve been beating people over the heads about it...But the rejection of the leadership in that party to “real” conservative direction is what drives most of us on the inside to start looking for an alternative mechanism, and more that just a local or even a state group to affiliate with, and separate from the establishment in both (existing) parties...
Just my overall take on this issue...