Another 'Death of the Tea Party' Claim by Mainstream Media is just wishful thinking...
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2012/12/31/Death-of-the-Tea-Party-Claim-by-Mainstream-Media-Premature-Again
According to CNN exit poll numbers (which underestimate levels of tea party support) 21% of the 128 million Americans who voted in 2012 and support the tea party still comprise a very large segment of the population --more than 26 million activists. This large group is highly motivated and absolutely dedicated to restoring our nation to its constitutional traditions of limited government. The good news is that tea party activists around the country are currently engaged in this quiet but important mission of building an electorally competitive infrastructure.
Don't miss Jamie Radke's new article, "GOP: The Party that Stands for Nothing"
http://www.conservativehq.com/article/11432-gop-party-stands-nothing
Jamie Radtke ran for the Virginia Republican nomination for the U.S.
Senate in 2012.
I ran for the United States Senate this past year in a
Republican primary. As I knocked on doors, attended events and spoke to
thousands of people, my opening statement was the same each time: “I think both
parties have made a real mess of things. We need new politicians who will stand
on principle once again.” Invariably the response was the same: “I couldn’t
agree with you more!”
You have to look no further than the recent tea party movement to see the extreme dissatisfaction individuals have with their Republican representation. The genesis of this grass-roots movement came under President George W. Bush. The 2008 election losses by Republicans were substantial, not because Democrats voted against Republicans, but because many independents and Republicans opposed Republicans. Similarly, the opposition to Republican leadership continued to reveal itself in the 2010 and 2012 Republican primary challenges. Why? Because the current Republican Party stands for nothing.
The challenge that the Republican Party faces is both moral and philosophical. Can a political party flourish by standing for nothing?
The Republican Party has a rich heritage of standing unwaveringly on principle and insisting on the observance of a moral code. The party was initially founded to thwart the insatiable appetite Democrats had for spreading slavery to new states in the 1800s. In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan stood against communism and rightly called for the end of an evil empire that imprisoned its own people. Reagan also championed lower taxes for working families and small businesses, arguing that money rightfully deserves to stay with those who earned it. And for 40 years, Republicans have been tireless defenders of innocent life. As a result, a majority of Americans now disfavor abortion. These moral issues have defined us as a party.
As a Republican Party, we have built upon these foundational principles and extrapolated congruent policies on fiscal matters, free enterprise and rule of law. We have long argued that we should live within our means. Continually spending more money than we have and amassing trillions in debt is wickedly selfish and sentences our children to a future of economic hardship.
Republicans have steadfastly defended the right of laborers to keep the money they earn for their time, talent and effort. No government or individual has a moral right to your property — even children can plainly see this.
Republicans have also consistently stood for the rule of law. We strongly believe in people being treated fairly. If the law is arbitrary and capricious, then justice is not possible. However, the government posture has been to treat people unfairly and inequitably, punishing immigrants who spend significant time, money and years to go through the legal process toward citizenship, and rewarding illegal immigrants by allowing them to remain here virtually unchecked.
The Republican Party has undergone a negative shift in principles, message and goals. We became a party that modeled deficit spending for Democrats and paved the way for entitlement expansions with Republicans’ Medicare Part D initiative. We transitioned from being a party of “read my lips, no new taxes” to tax increases under the elder Bush and concessions on tax hikes and debt ceilings under Boehner and Cantor. We have established a pattern of conceding on tax increases while forsaking spending restraints. Now Republicans want to abandon the rule of law, waffle on marriage, and soften on abortion. Where does that leave us? As the party that stands for nothing.
The Republican Party is now driven by political expediency. As a result, it has engaged in corporate cronyism to fund and expedite its effort of winning elections and achieving power, with little desire to accomplish anything of substance except for the perpetuation of incumbent power. You cannot be a party that stands for nothing and expect to survive. It doesn’t inspire followers and it won’t grow the party.
Republicans need to embrace their heritage. We should be the party that leads in shaping our culture. Americans are looking for politicians who live by their convictions, defend the innocent, advance economic liberty and guard civil liberty.
We have been the party of big ideas, bold action and unwavering principles. Being the party of nothing achieves nothing, as we have seen these past few years. We need to stand for what is right by returning to time-tested principles that brought economic prosperity and expanded our economic liberty.
As I tell my three children, “There is no excuse for not doing what you know is right, no matter what others may think of you. In the end, doing what is right will pay off.” If Republicans heeded this parental advice, not only would the party be better off, Americans would be better off.
I ran for the United States Senate this past year in a
Republican primary. As I knocked on doors, attended events and spoke to
thousands of people, my opening statement was the same each time: “I think both
parties have made a real mess of things. We need new politicians who will stand
on principle once again.” Invariably the response was the same: “I couldn’t
agree with you more!”You have to look no further than the recent tea party movement to see the extreme dissatisfaction individuals have with their Republican representation. The genesis of this grass-roots movement came under President George W. Bush. The 2008 election losses by Republicans were substantial, not because Democrats voted against Republicans, but because many independents and Republicans opposed Republicans. Similarly, the opposition to Republican leadership continued to reveal itself in the 2010 and 2012 Republican primary challenges. Why? Because the current Republican Party stands for nothing.
The challenge that the Republican Party faces is both moral and philosophical. Can a political party flourish by standing for nothing?
The Republican Party has a rich heritage of standing unwaveringly on principle and insisting on the observance of a moral code. The party was initially founded to thwart the insatiable appetite Democrats had for spreading slavery to new states in the 1800s. In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan stood against communism and rightly called for the end of an evil empire that imprisoned its own people. Reagan also championed lower taxes for working families and small businesses, arguing that money rightfully deserves to stay with those who earned it. And for 40 years, Republicans have been tireless defenders of innocent life. As a result, a majority of Americans now disfavor abortion. These moral issues have defined us as a party.
As a Republican Party, we have built upon these foundational principles and extrapolated congruent policies on fiscal matters, free enterprise and rule of law. We have long argued that we should live within our means. Continually spending more money than we have and amassing trillions in debt is wickedly selfish and sentences our children to a future of economic hardship.
Republicans have steadfastly defended the right of laborers to keep the money they earn for their time, talent and effort. No government or individual has a moral right to your property — even children can plainly see this.
Republicans have also consistently stood for the rule of law. We strongly believe in people being treated fairly. If the law is arbitrary and capricious, then justice is not possible. However, the government posture has been to treat people unfairly and inequitably, punishing immigrants who spend significant time, money and years to go through the legal process toward citizenship, and rewarding illegal immigrants by allowing them to remain here virtually unchecked.
The Republican Party has undergone a negative shift in principles, message and goals. We became a party that modeled deficit spending for Democrats and paved the way for entitlement expansions with Republicans’ Medicare Part D initiative. We transitioned from being a party of “read my lips, no new taxes” to tax increases under the elder Bush and concessions on tax hikes and debt ceilings under Boehner and Cantor. We have established a pattern of conceding on tax increases while forsaking spending restraints. Now Republicans want to abandon the rule of law, waffle on marriage, and soften on abortion. Where does that leave us? As the party that stands for nothing.
The Republican Party is now driven by political expediency. As a result, it has engaged in corporate cronyism to fund and expedite its effort of winning elections and achieving power, with little desire to accomplish anything of substance except for the perpetuation of incumbent power. You cannot be a party that stands for nothing and expect to survive. It doesn’t inspire followers and it won’t grow the party.
Republicans need to embrace their heritage. We should be the party that leads in shaping our culture. Americans are looking for politicians who live by their convictions, defend the innocent, advance economic liberty and guard civil liberty.
We have been the party of big ideas, bold action and unwavering principles. Being the party of nothing achieves nothing, as we have seen these past few years. We need to stand for what is right by returning to time-tested principles that brought economic prosperity and expanded our economic liberty.
As I tell my three children, “There is no excuse for not doing what you know is right, no matter what others may think of you. In the end, doing what is right will pay off.” If Republicans heeded this parental advice, not only would the party be better off, Americans would be better off.
Comment from PK: Although fiscal conservatives have wanted a third party for a long time, campaigns against Republicans seem to end up electing the most extreme and fiscally irresponsible left-wingers, as the moderate and the conservative candidates spoil the election for each other. The result is a kind of reverse triangulation where we end up democratically electing, by a plurality, just what the majority of voters did not want.
I'd like to hope that, although it may be necessary to bash some Republican "leaders" right out of the party, Tea Partiers will have enough sense to stay in and take over the Republican Party.
Not only that, but--although this seems much harder to do, right now--Tea Partiers affiliated with the Democratic Party will be able to reclaim their party too. We've had some decent Democrats in office, elected by some deeply decent voters. The current administration may seem past redemption; that doesn't mean the Democratic Party will always be that way.
Currently, it seems to me that fiscal conservatives who don't have very strong ties to the Democratic Party are better off trying to work with Republicans. With them, not against them.
I like Ken Cuccinelli. I'd like to see him as governor, and after that, the sky's the limit. I'd like to see him not run "against" the current lieutenant-governor; I'd like to see them work things out, follow the natural line of succession, and keep the fiscal lunatics out of Richmond for four years instead of two.
I like Terry Kilgore. I like Jerry Kilgore (for those who weren't sure, yes, they're identical twins). I like Morgan Griffith, although I wish he'd put more mental effort into a positive triangulation between the Crooked Road and the frackers. I'm in no hurry to "draft" either Kilgore to run against Congressman Griffith. Here in their own town they were the ones who introduced and sponsored him, so how lame would their running against him look? Don't we have that lying mutant Kaine to run against? Can't the three of them be allowed to focus on ousting the one who really needs ousting?
"What happened to a bipartisan site that respects all elected officials?" The office of a U.S. Senator is always honorable, but when an individual man claims that he reduced crime, unless he can prove that he was a serial criminal and has now reformed, you know he's lying. And when his supporters' best argument in favor of his candidacy for governor, back in 2005, was that in the Great Dismal Swamp air of Richmond Tim Kaine didn't sweat, you know he's a mutant. In Richmond all humans sweat. Therefore, although he probably does have some good qualities, and this web site will publish anything good we may learn about him, we already know that Tim Kaine is a lying mutant. And I'm not at all sure that he won a legitimate election, either.
I know of nothing discreditable to Jamie Radtke, although this is the first I've heard of her. I like George Allen. I like Rob Bell. Once again, why did these people oppose one another? Why didn't they unite against Kaine?
The Tea Party movement is most definitely not dead. It's quiet, because most of us have lives, but in cyberspace it's actually growing. But if it's going to rock the vote, the different Tea Parties need to consolidate. Some qualified people who have less experience and recognition may need to mark time in "lower" positions in order to get more fiscal conservatives into our government as a whole.
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