Tea party loses steam

[Mursilis]

As did most media outlets with Bush 41 in the spring of 91, I'm sure. I think anyone would be insane to bet on an election that is still 18+ months away.

This. Too many variables still in play. I remember Clinton's first few years, when he waas considered extremely vulnerable. In the end, he beat Dole pretty handily (49% to 41%).

 

[kage69]

False and misleading title.


The Tea Party was never powered by steam, but rather ignorance and bullshit. It's a testament to the idiocy of Americans, and the sooner it dries up and goes away the better for conservatives and Americans in general.

 

[sunzt]

i think the tea party will lose steam once budget and tax reform legislation gets passed, which is why the GOP will try to avoid a deal with Obama.

 

[wuliheron]

False and misleading title.


The Tea Party was never powered by steam, but rather ignorance and bullshit. It's a testament to the idiocy of Americans, and the sooner it dries up and goes away the better for conservatives and Americans in general.

It certainly isn't sun tea. I'd say its made with hot air.

 

[QuantumPion]

... Now that Repubs have the HOR, the Tea Party is a liability ...

This, unfortunately, seems to be the case. The leadership in the GOP are, just like the liberals, only interested in their own power and doing whatever it takes to hold on to it (by being moderate, cow-towing to the media, etc).

 

[Scotteq]

< shrug >


While I strongly disagree with the asserions of the left that the T/P are nothing but a mass of ignorant racists bent on destroying our nation, I have to agree/state that the Tea Party never really amounted to much more than a gigantic straw man (for both sides) anyhow. Their lack of a standard message and (especially!) strong centralized leadership allowed others - (both their enemies and their "friends") to define them in whatever terms were convenient.

Further - Until such time (if ever) that the T/P formulate the requisite leadership and focuss'd message, it is doomed to be used/abused by the sitting Parties and their supporters.

 

[QuantumPion]

< shrug >


While I strongly disagree with the asserions of the left that the T/P are nothing but a mass of ignorant racists bent on destroying our nation, I have to agree/state that the Tea Party never really amounted to much more than a gigantic straw man (for both sides) anyhow. Their lack of a standard message and (especially!) strong centralized leadership allowed others - (both their enemies and their "friends") to define them in whatever terms were convenient.

Further - Until such time (if ever) that the T/P formulate the requisite leadership and focuss'd message, it is doomed to be used/abused by the sitting Parties and their supporters.

Disagree. One, the tea party's message has been crystal clear and unified: government must reduce spending. Second, by having no central leader figure, the tea party has no single person that the left can declare war on with their Saul Alinsky tactics.

 

[shangshang]

fleabag party loses steam = win for America
rejoice

 

[soundforbjt]

Disagree. One, the tea party's message has been crystal clear and unified: government must reduce spending. Second, by having no central leader figure, the tea party has no single person that the left can declare war on with their Saul Alinsky tactics.

Gee, I thought TEA stands for Taxed Enough Already. Guess the name should've been the gmrs party.

 

[Scotteq]

Disagree. One, the tea party's message has been crystal clear and unified: government must reduce spending. Second, by having no central leader figure, the tea party has no single person that the left can declare war on with their Saul Alinsky tactics.

Counterpoint: Their "message" is muddled: "We Must Reduce Spending.... except in my back yard". etc. There is no real plan. Just an (on point, really) chant that the Government Spends Too Much, and that the TP feel that the American People are "Taxed Enough Already".


But there is no plan. Just "Taxed Enough Already"


There is no real organisation. Just some field events, rallies, and a bunch of signatures from passers by.


Further (and more to the point): The lack of strong leadership gives the TP no real means to fend off those same tactics you are referring to.




You are correct that since there is no centeral person (for the left) to declare war on, it's difficult to pin down and stamp out the TP. But without that central person, there can be little progress, either. Without that central person, they're just a bunch of citizens.


The plain and simple fact of the matter is the Tea Party are NOT in control of their political destiny. They are being used - by both the Liberal/Progressives (as a strawman), and Conservatives (as pander~fodder for votes). And until such time as the Tea Party can stand on their own as a Legitimate Political Party, instead of 'A Bunch Of Disgruntled Citizens Who Named Themselves', their current status will continue: They'll have the numbers in some cases to influence individual races, sure. But without a strong, independent, and centralised leadership, they'll not be able to make -or even greatly influence - actual Policy in DC.

 

[QuantumPion]

Counterpoint: Their "message" is muddled: "We Must Reduce Spending.... except in my back yard". etc.

See post #55.

 

[Atreus21]

Looking at sources, laughing out loud.

See you in 2012.

Manimal - this is a bet. 500 bucks says Obama does not win in 2012 presidential elections.

Bet or not bet? Money where your mouth is.

teabagtag2012

I'll take that bet. Much as I wish it were true, the Republicans haven't got a single candidate I'd be proud to vote for. Romney is a putz.

 

[Scotteq]

See post #55.

Post #55:

This, unfortunately, seems to be the case. The leadership in the GOP are, just like the liberals, only interested in their own power and doing whatever it takes to hold on to it (by being moderate, cow-towing to the media, etc).

So you do agree that the Conservatives and Liberals are using the Tea Party for their own purposes. That the Tea Party lacks the necessary leadership and a plan to drive an actual agenda. And that until such time as they have that leadership, they are not in control of their political destiny.


...but we're having this discussion.. because you don't actually want to "say" it??

 

[soundforbjt]

If the Tea Baggers were serious about being fed up with the way government is run and really dissatisfied with the status quo of the two party system, they'd have a leader and their own real candidates and not ride on the republican coat-tails. They are just an arm of the republican party as it stands right now and alot of people are realizing this.

The tea party's favorability is at an all time low. Want respect? Run a candidate and rail against both parties, otherwise you just look like faux repubs.

 

[Mursilis]

Counterpoint: Their "message" is muddled: "We Must Reduce Spending.... except in my back yard". etc. There is no real plan. Just an (on point, really) chant that the Government Spends Too Much, and that the TP feel that the American People are "Taxed Enough Already".


But there is no plan. Just "Taxed Enough Already"


There is no real organisation. Just some field events, rallies, and a bunch of signatures from passers by.


Further (and more to the point): The lack of strong leadership gives the TP no real means to fend off those same tactics you are referring to.

Furthermore, and even more to the point, almost no one is serious about reducing spending, even Tea Partiers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...h-debt-problem/2011/04/19/AFoiAH9D_story.html

The title of the article says it all: Poll shows Americans oppose entitlement cuts to deal with debt problem

We're all like dieters who want to lose weight but don't want to give up having double-fudge brownie sundaes with every meal either.

 

[Scotteq]

/agreed - Hence "We Must Reduce Spending... except in my back yard".

 

[wuliheron]

If the Tea Baggers were serious about being fed up with the way government is run and really dissatisfied with the status quo of the two party system, they'd have a leader and their own real candidates and not ride on the republican coat-tails. They are just an arm of the republican party as it stands right now and alot of people are realizing this.

The tea party's favorability is at an all time low. Want respect? Run a candidate and rail against both parties, otherwise you just look like faux repubs.

What? You expect Tea Baggers to actually put up or shut up? To actually stand on their own two feet and duke it out like they keep demanding everyone else do? Fat chance. They'll be begging for scraps from the republican party and then bitching about the taste with their dying breath. Just ignore it, its only 30 years of denial coming to a head. Archie Bunker complaining about how the whole world crazy, while he stuffs his fat face, drinks beer, abuses everyone around him, and complains that he should get more respect.

 

[Steeplerot]

Never trust a snake, ones who slither in astroturf doubly so.

 

[jonks]

If the Tea Baggers were serious about being fed up with the way government is run and really dissatisfied with the status quo of the two party system, they'd have a leader and their own real candidates and not ride on the republican coat-tails. They are just an arm of the republican party as it stands right now and alot of people are realizing this.

The tea party's favorability is at an all time low. Want respect? Run a candidate and rail against both parties, otherwise you just look like faux repubs.

Didn't the TP primary GOP incumbents all over the country? They didn't want/need a new party b/c all they wanted was the existing party that purported to stand for limited govt to actually vote the way they said they would when running for office. Creating a new party with the exact same principles as a current party with the only differentiation being "but we'll actually follow through" is stupid. They had a pretty big impact in getting folks elected but once those folks went to DC they found it's not so simple to just vote your conscience, as legislation is a long process and if you don't compromise you get absolutely nowhere. "Uncompromising men are easy to admire," but they don't get very much done.

Locally I think we've seen a greater impact, vis a vis the anti union efforts across the country. That's your tea party at work too.

 

[Red Dawn]

Disagree. One, the tea party's message has been crystal clear and unified: government must reduce spending. Second, by having no central leader figure, the tea party has no single person that the left can declare war on with their Saul Alinsky tactics.

Somebody watches too much Blen beck

 

[soundforbjt]

Didn't the TP primary GOP incumbents all over the country? They didn't want/need a new party b/c all they wanted was the existing party that purported to stand for limited govt to actually vote the way they said they would when running for office. Creating a new party with the exact same principles as a current party with the only differentiation being "but we'll actually follow through" is stupid. They had a pretty big impact in getting folks elected but once those folks went to DC they found it's not so simple to just vote your conscience, as legislation is a long process and if you don't compromise you get absolutely nowhere. "Uncompromising men are easy to admire," but they don't get very much done.

Locally I think we've seen a greater impact, vis a vis the anti union efforts across the country. That's your tea party at work too.

But the Tea Party allowed itself to be "run" by republicans. Republicans don't truly want smaller government. They've made no changes to reduce government in the last 40 years.

For every reduction in one area they grow it in another. The Tea party had their chance and blew it. Unless they stand up to both parties, they are just tools of republicans.

 

[matt0611]

Didn't the TP primary GOP incumbents all over the country? They didn't want/need a new party b/c all they wanted was the existing party that purported to stand for limited govt to actually vote the way they said they would when running for office. Creating a new party with the exact same principles as a current party with the only differentiation being "but we'll actually follow through" is stupid. They had a pretty big impact in getting folks elected but once those folks went to DC they found it's not so simple to just vote your conscience, as legislation is a long process and if you don't compromise you get absolutely nowhere. "Uncompromising men are easy to admire," but they don't get very much done.

Locally I think we've seen a greater impact, vis a vis the anti union efforts across the country. That's your tea party at work too.

To be fair, third parties are a waste of time, the system is pretty much rigged to only get democrats and republicans elected.

I would recommend people, weather you are left or right, if you want to make change you have to do it within the shitty 2 party system we have.

Now weather republicans have co-opted the tea party and can actually change anything or the other way around is another issue. Mixing in with the republican party has its own issues.
Its hard to change the system IMO.

 

[Jhhnn]

This, unfortunately, seems to be the case. The leadership in the GOP are, just like the liberals, only interested in their own power and doing whatever it takes to hold on to it (by being moderate, cow-towing to the media, etc).

GOP kowtowing to the Media? Get real. They run the media, beat it like a rented mule. They pushed the Tea Party to the forefront, financed it and publicized it, and now they'll discard it like a used condom.

The Tea Party never had a message other than discontent with big gubmint, and even that was delusional.

"Keep your socialist hands off my Medicare!" pretty much sums it up... sprinkled with the usual ravings of the GOP base wrt God, guns, gays, race, entitlement, taxes and gender.

They got theirs, and they're afraid somebody will take it away from them. It doesn't matter who else gets screwed in the process of keeping it, either.

 

[Zstream]

i think the tea party will lose steam once budget and tax reform legislation gets passed, which is why the GOP will try to avoid a deal with Obama.

This

 

[JSt0rm]

I'll take that bet. Much as I wish it were true, the Republicans haven't got a single candidate I'd be proud to vote for. Romney is a putz.

Confirming bet. Paypal me and I will hold monies from both of you.