So what happened in Nashville, Tennessee? Has the Tea Party movement founded by Ron Paul been hijacked by Sarah Palin? Or, was the so-called National Tea Party convention, just much ado about nothing?
First off, it drew only 600 attendees.
Yes, you read that right… six h-u-n-d-r-e-d.
As opposed to the 15,000 faithful who converged in Atlanta, the 18,000 who flocked to Cincinnati, and the tens of thousands who marched on Washington D.C.
National polls reflect that between 23% and 35% of Americans now identify themselves with the Tea Party movement. That means between 50 and 75 million voters have revolted against the political charade known as “the two party system.”
And in a recent Rasmussen poll using a three-way generic ballot test, 36% of Americans supported the Democrat party, 23% the Tea Party, 18% the Republican party, and 22% were still undecided.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/december_2009/tea_party_tops_gop_on_three_way_generic_ballot
Bottom line: I wouldn’t worry too much about a convention with 600 attendees, with a potential Tea Party support base of between 50 and 75 million voters.
However, the issue of the Tea Party movement being co-opted and hijacked by the Republican Party is a very real one. As I see it, it’s going to be a battle of principles vs. party.
It’s going to be a battle between the founder of the Tea Party movement, Ron Paul, and the front runner for the 2012 Republican Party nomination, Sarah Palin.
And this battle brings up what I feel is the single most important issue for those in the Tea Party movement — “political reality.” And that reality is how our election process works.
What’s accomplished if Tea Party candidates run as independents, split the vote with Republicans, and hand elections to progressive Democrats?
What’s accomplished by independent Tea Party candidates being barred from the major political debates, and punished by campaign finance laws?
From Within
I believe the Tea Party movement needs to steal the tactics used by the Alinskyites in the progressive wing of the Democrat party, and take over the Republican party from within.
And that means replacing party driven incumbents and candidates, with principle driven candidates. And that means Tea Party supporters need to rally behind Ron Paul and stop the Tea Party movement from being hijacked by Sarah Palin.
Why not run against and beat party driven Republicans in the primaries, with principle driven Tea Party candidates in the first place?
Why should supporters of the Tea Party movement run independent candidates and end up splitting the vote with Sarah Palin in 2012, or other Republican candidates in 2010?
That’s why the godfather of the Tea Party movement - Ron Paul, now runs as a Republican instead of a Libertarian, or an Independent.
In order for the supporters of the Tea Party movement to take back their country, first they must win elections. And they’re going to have to win elections within a political framework that is unfriendly, if not unforgiving, to third party candidates.
I believe the path to victory for principle driven Tea Party supporters is behind Ron Paul and within the Republican Party. And if the first battle is to push aside Sarah Palin and take back the Tea Party movement with principle, not party driven politics, so be it.
What do you think?
Should those who support the principles behind the Tea Party movement push candidates they support to run as independents, under a new 3rd party, or as Republicans, while taking over the party from within?
SliderOnTheBlack
4 responses so far ↓
1 Nixie Ritter // Feb 11, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Great post Slider. What you said is basicly what I told the Republican party this week when they called me. They wanted to know what I thought Republicans needed to do to gain back popularity. I told him they needed to return to supporting the Constitution, vote against the Patriot Act, get out of the wars and get rid of the Federal Reserve. Of course he didn’t reply to that and said something about Czars and trying to make that the issue. I told him if the Republican party is serious they need to follow Ron Paul’s lead.
What you wrote expresses it so well. Its all about principle and I agree we need to take over the republican party. Thanks for all you do Slider. I have learned so much from you.
2 Mister EC // Feb 16, 2010 at 3:02 am
Sarah Palin definetly must not lead the Tea Party if it is to be taken seriously. The woman is an ordinary person, who lacks the basic fundamentals needed.
3 canbyte // Feb 26, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Disagree, though what you suggest is very wise and practical. But it doesn’t cure the disease, only treats the symptoms. After Ron is gone, back to same old. Your country Needs a third party, and possibly a fourth. Harder to bribe. Compromise comes more easily as the public discourse allows for shades of gray instead of the black and white harangues one hears now.
4 lonewuff // Mar 9, 2010 at 2:02 pm
The problem with the two party system is that both parties are owned by the same corporations and special interest groups. That is why all politicians seem to be liars to their constituents, almost invariably, and only the corporations and special interests get heard in Washington. The Tea Party is no party at all. What makes a party is money, and without it the “members” will be nothing more than voices in the streets being tear-gassed and beaten if they are lucky. The two “Parties” are led by crafty liars and cheaters who are selected because they excel at these qualities, and they are not going to be mauled by goof-balls marching in the streets. To prove my point, look at the shrewed moves to hijack the “Tea” movement. If you think a few unpaid tea goofs are going to take over either party you’re dreaming. It is true that America has been hoodwinked into thinking the 2-Party system is the best, or even good. It is just the easist for the corporation and special interests to manipulate. Sound familiar? You’ll notice that they give to both parties alike. Do you think that’s some mistake?
So, until Tea Partiers put their money where their mouths are they’ll just be blowing hot air. The biggest and strangest part of this whole mess is this insane loyalty to the existing parties, especially since they never really represent their constituents. How do you teach sheep to act like foxes?
Leave a Comment