Example: in S Carolina, if Graham were up for election (and he is not) ... where would the tea party focus? On Romney/Gingrich/Bachmann or on shutting down Graham? In this example, passion for the national election would pale to the fire and determination in the local election. I'm sure there are similar examples in many of the active local contests.
As the election draws near and the top slots are placed "for" us ... we will turn to what we can truly control ... the local elections. I predict the power of the Tea Party will be felt in this election at the local level where real power resides and where individuals still are more powerful than the media.
In Iowa, suppose that some special interest wanted something done state wide. It would make no sense for them to travel to each of the 99 county board of commissioners and try to get a majority vote. That would take forever, cost too much and would provide spotty success around the state.
The same problem would exist if they wanted national implementation the same thing nationally. It simply isn't cost effective and would not produce uniform implementation which would drive up admisitration expense.
So we end up with Sacramento and Washington DC as two of the world's most powerful cities. If you don't believe it, check out the 8,000+ Lobbyists headquartered in Sacramento and the over 17,000 Lobbyists inside the beltway in DC. The concentration of money and power have converted our country from a "bottom up" power train, to a tyranical "top down" power train that provides a "gravy train" for CONgressional leaders and Presidents.
So this is why we've lost control of our big government and are only able to cause locals to do our bidding if only someone would actually pay attention to politics locally. They don't because local electeds are nearly as powerless as the people in their jurisdiction. What ever power they have is routinely ursuped by either state or national government, or both!!!
I know this is true because I've been there and done that in local governmentl and it is truly depressing. It is truly a thankless job and it shouldn't be. Oh well... Please don't let this discourage you or your Tea Party members from the challenge this presents, but don't just get some of them elected, then breathe a big sigh of relief thinking that you've got the job done. Stay with your candidate and attend the board meetings and then judge all that you have been expressing here. Support who you elect and lobby them to stand by their oath of office and things might start working up the line someday.
“But all of us in the Tea Party need to shift focus to the Senate and House contests. If we can control those houses, we can control any president.
...
I predict the power of the Tea Party will be felt in this election at the local level where real power resides and where individuals still are more powerful than the media.”
All well and good and in fact necessary. However, the Tea Party House and Senate buckets will still have holes in the bottom if Boehner and McConnell remain in place to negotiate surrenders. They will do their utmost to preserve the 2006 - 2008 status quo, IMO.