It’s Time to Dispel These Myths
Chuck Raasch’s op-ed in today’s USA Today contains a myth that the Agenda Media frequently peddle. It’s time to dispel that myth once and for all. Here’s the myth I’m referring to:
The anti-tax, anti-big government Tea Party movement is the most active and most dynamic force in politics now, and both political parties risk a backlash if they do not take it seriously. Where the Tea Party movement ends up in 2010, inside the Republican Party or in a more independent or detached mode by November, is the biggest and most important unknown right now.
Mr. Raasch shouldn’t assume that he knows what they’re about when it comes to the TEA Party movement. While it’s true that the TEA Party movement started as a ‘Throw-The-Bums-Out’ movement that Obama’s bailoutmania agenda ignited, that isn’t where it’s at today.
Glenn Beck often goes into his ‘there-isn’t-a-dime’s-worth-of-difference’ mode. He couldn’t be more wrong. Regardless, people living in the heartland have noticed that elections have consequences. Right now, I can’t afford to take Mr. Beck’s long view approach because the Democrats have control of the levers of power. The vast majority of my TEA Party activist allies feel the same way.
The only logical place for them is within the GOP. The third party option isn’t an option. As currently configured, the Democratic Party isn’t an option, either. PERIOD. END OF DISCUSSION.
Here in Minnesota, people who worry about the Democrats’ fiscal insanity identify with Republicans, especially Michele Bachmann. (That isn’t a slight on John Kline or Erik Paulsen. It’s just recognition that Michele is the one most identified with the TEA Party movement.)
In Michigan, TEA Party activists identify with Thad McCotter. I found out during my interview with Rep. McCotter that he’s a huge fan of the TEA Party movement. In Indiana, TEA Party activists identify with Mike Pence. In Ohio, TEA Party activists identify with John Kasich.
In short, the GOP is quickly becoming identified as the TEA Party Party.
Here’s another myth that’s related to the TEA Party:
The Republican brand is in even worse shape than the Democrats’, 28% positive and 43% negative in December. In 1994, when the Republicans took control of Congress for the first time in 40 years, the GOP was a blank slate. Today, Americans are more familiar with Republicans in power, and some are wary of their return.
The Democrats are doing the heavy lifting for the GOP. Their strategists appear to think that telling the people that Republicans didn’t support the Democrats’ reckless spending plans is helping the Democrats. Thanks to the Democrats’ gift of publicizing the fact that Republicans are exercising fiscal restraint, Republicans are rebuilding quicker than expected.
During the 2008 campaign, the candidates I stayed in touch with told me that their door-knocking revealed that Republicans weren’t well liked but conservatives got better ratings. If the TEA Party activists have the impact that I think they will, they’ll help recruit more fiscally responsible Republican candidates. That’s half the battle by itself.
In turn, if the GOP returns to their fiscally responsible roots, the Republicans’ negative rating will mirror the TEA Party’s positive ratings by the end of November, 2010.
You can take that to the bank.
Technorati Tags: Activism, TEA Parties, Fiscal Restraint, Conservatism, Michele Bachmann, John Kline, Erik Paulsen, Mike Pence, Thad McCotter, John Kasich, Republicans, Election 2010
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog
January 12th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
I dont doubt that Michelle Bachmann will earn the tea party vote. I dont doubt that many conservative Republicans will also.
Nor do I doubt that a lot of moderate, democrat lite Republicans may get there asses handed to them on a sliver plate.
YOu may be correct, Gary that the tea party’s best chance is with the republicans, however, the republicans should not take the tea party for granted. I will vote, as many tea partiers will, for the best conservative candidate, be they Rep., Dem., Constitutional or Bullmoose. No more half a loaf, lesser of two evils crap! We are sick and tired of the moderate limp wristed Republicanism, that refuses to stand and fight!
January 13th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
The problem, as far as the Republican Party “leadership” goes, is that they view the tea party activists with the same smug disdain jackass leadership views all the various minority factions of their party, and believe that, come hell or high water, tea partiers will vote Republican no matter what.
They’re too stupid to figure out what went wrong in 2006.
They’re too stupid to figure out what went wrong even more so in 2008.
And I have no doubt these intellectual amoebae (who have no more in common with the average citizen than do the jackasses) won’t be able to figure out 2010, either.
Don’t get your hopes up too far, Gary - Steele and gang still have 10 months to not only shoot themselves in both feet, but blast a whole leg off, too.
And if that’s the case, 2012 is already lost. Ergo, as soon as the election’s over in 2010, and if the elephants are drubbed again, it’s time to start a new party with a view toward 2016, not 2012, because the bastard now known as the Republican Party will be totally irrelevant, as far as I’m concerned, and I know a lot more people who feel the same way.