Politics is the pursuit of power by those who rarely deserve it....
Don’t pretend it isn’t true
The unique populism of the Tea Party movement
The biggest problem I’ve had with the Tea Party thing is that I can’t but think that I’ve seen this many times before already. Specifically, a bunch of well-meaning citizens who come together in common cause against government corruption and the like, only to see their collective energy peter out and their efforts assimilated by a bigger political machine.
But having read Larrey Anderson’s essay at American Thinker about the Tea Party movement, I’m now compelled to reconsider my position. Or at least, I now feel more confident about giving the Tea Party more of a fair chance to prove itself. The difference between it and previous efforts, as Anderson notes, is that in defiance of the many flavors of opinion held by those active within the Tea Party movement, there is a very common regard for the Constitution that is uniting them…
...The Tea Party is a unique
Republicans trying to hijack the “Tea Party” movement
Politico.com is reporting that GOP governors Mark Sanford of South Carolina and Rick Perry of Texas are attempting to pull off what is being called “Tea Party 2.0”.
But a lot of people are seeing this as an effort by the Republican Party’s leadership and elected officials to “hitch their wagons” to the grassroots “Tea Party” movement that has taken place over the past couple of months in protest of Washington’s runaway taxing and spending.
And I’m inclined to more than slightly agree with that sentiment.
Look at what is happening to the Republicans of late: as a party they aren’t even pretending anymore that their purpose is about anything but regaining political power. And damned few average Americans are taking them seriously as a result.
(And I write this as one who is still currently registered as a Republican, for whatever the hell worth that’s supposed to have…)
So ...