The "Tea Party" Illusion

  Attend a "Tea Party" rally and ask individual participants one very simple question:

  "Did you vote in the 2008 presidential election?"

  When this reporter has posed the question, virtually all of the self-described new-age patriots have responded in the affirmative.  And many of them, using the adverb "absolutely" or the phrase "of course" appear insulted that I would even ask such a question.

 I never ask the obvious follow-up question because I believe a voter's right to keep his or her choice private is sacred.

  But let's assume a tea partier's choice in 2008 was not named Barack H. Obama.

  So here's the point of this analysis.

  If the vast majority of Tea Party members voted for John McCain and Sarah Palin in 2008, aren't they actually what's always been the far right wing of the republican party?   Isn't "Tea Party" just a name for people who separated themselves from the G.O.P.?

  The "separation strategy" has worked like a charm for the republicans.

  As the loosely organized Tea Party units work themselves into a sometimes racist, homophobic, anti-immigrant lather, the GOP no longer has to take ideological ownership of its most reactionary constituency.  All that the mainstream leaders care about is whether the partiers "come home" to vote republican on November 2nd. 

  And they can't get enough of that Tea Party energy.

  A classic example of the strategy played out at what was billed as a Tea Party pre-election rally in Homer Glen last week.   Illinois Gubernatorial candidate Senator Bill Brady appeared with republican Governors Bobby Jindal (Louisiana), Haley Barbour (Mississippi) and Bob McDonnell (Virginia).

  Brady--who during the campaign against democratic Governor Pat Quinn has "moderated" his long-held conservative views on social issues--can still depend on the support of a republican right wing energized by a force "separate" from his campaign which has targeted the electorate's middle.

   Republicans would like the media to believe that since November, 2008 they have enlisted thousands of new voters poised to reject the democratic/Obama agenda.  

   In reality, the tea partiers only left G.O.P. ranks for a few months to make their special brand of political mischief.

  Now they're back in the fold.

  Whoever thought this up was brilliant. 

 

 

   

 

Comments

[Joseph]

Charles, you need to look in the mirror. Anyone who calls people racist who don't share their views is a racist themselves. I am a moderate....I am not a "tea partier", but the tea partier's are not calling you derogatory names based on your beliefs from what I have seen and read. Why do you insist on blogging negativity which only propagates the great divide? You are part of the problem. Maybe think about using your position of influence to unite people...just a thought.

It's your prerogative to support homosexuals. Is the tea party tagging you as a "gay lover" or something equally insulting?? No... So why call them homo-phobic? Each person has the right to believe what they feel is right. It's shocking that you have zero objectivity as a journalist. Many folks don't support gay rights. They have the same right you do to speak out and support their beliefs.

And ultimately, your blog above is clearly sour grapes. Get over whatever you are harboring. Obama is the President. We are all equal now. Can't we all just get along?

[Jenny]

Guess we know what side you're on Charles. Why don't you try to actually do what reporters are supposed to do....be objective and not take sides. You sound just like any other Democrat trying to pull the wool over everyone's eyes. So sick of this!

[Joseph D Jessee]

The author of the above article wrote misinformation and untruth:

Here is the Tea Party Platform:

http://www.theteapartyplatform.com/