Bad News for the Tea Party

JDH

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/us/politics/top-gop-donors-seek-greater-say-in-senate-races.html?_r=0

Top Republican donors have had enough of the far right nutters, and it looks like the Tea Party is in for a rocky road. Please God, let it be so. IMO, this is the best news the Republican party could have at this time. If it does not moderate itself, it will become disfunctional and that is not good for the country as a whole.

xmacro

Let me preface this by saying I like the Tea Party; they shook up the establishment and really woke up the fiscally conservative wing of the party. I'd like to see them continue shaking things up

That said, they blow at picking Senate candidates. Repubs lost at least 4 seats, potentially 5-6 seats in the past two Senate races because their candidates were bat **** nuts. Akin, O'Donnel, etc.

To add insult to injury, they've no idea how to play the Washington game. Boehner was playing chess with Obama over the debt ceiling, his proposed bill to raise taxes on only millionaires was genius and would've put Obama in a bind, since he couldn't very well veto a bill for the millionaires he explicitly campaigned against, but it was killed by the tea party House members who only know how to play checkers.

Tea Party need to regroup and start thinking strategy; the anger needs to go away and give way to cool headed thinking. The new House plan to extend the debt ceiling in exchange for something Harry Reid and the Dems couldn't possibly refuse, a budget for the first time in over 1,000 days/4 years, was brilliant, a chess move that will force the Dems to take a vote and a stand on where they think taxes oughtta be vs the current empty rhetoric spewing out

Bottom line, TP needs to learn how to play the game to become dangerous, otherwise they're gonna get rolled again and again

IMO, this is the best news the Republican party could have at this time. If it does not moderate itself, it will become disfunctional and that is not good for the country as a whole.

If you're being honest, you can't tell me that Obama and his Senate dems are moderates by any stretch of the imagination. Nancy Pelosi forced the Blue Dog Dems to walk the plank with their Obamacare votes, and they paid for it in the 2010 elections, which wiped out all the Dem moderates and only left those from safe, deeply liberal, districts in power

Clintons Third Way political ideas have fallen from favor in the Dem party, giving way to the Schumer and Pelosi types who, like Obama, only want to "win", without being open to any kind of compromise. For more evidence, witness their demagoguery over the debt ceiling - the Treasury takes in enough money daily to pay for 60% of Government, which includes debt payments (Treas. takes in 6x more daily then they need to make debt payments, actually), SS, medicare/aid, and troop salaries. The only thing a debt ceiling showdown would've resulted in is maybe a few national parks closing - any delay in the SS checks would've been because Obama ordered the Treasury to delay them

The simple fact is, neither party has a moderate wing anymore. The Dems purged their moderates over the course of the past 4-6 years, the Repubs purged theirs over the past 2-3 years

JDH

xmacro:

Let me preface this by saying I like the Tea Party; they shook up the establishment and really woke up the fiscally conservative wing of the party. I'd like to see them continue shaking things up

That said, they blow at picking Senate candidates. Repubs lost at least 4 seats, potentially 5-6 seats in the past two Senate races because their candidates were bat **** nuts. Akin, O'Donnel, etc.

To add insult to injury, they've no idea how to play the Washington game. Boehner was playing chess with Obama over the debt ceiling, his proposed bill to raise taxes on only millionaires was genius and would've put Obama in a bind, since he couldn't very well veto a bill for the millionaires he explicitly campaigned against, but it was killed by the tea party House members who only know how to play checkers.

Tea Party need to regroup and start thinking strategy; the anger needs to go away and give way to cool headed thinking. The new House plan to extend the debt ceiling in exchange for something Harry Reid and the Dems couldn't possibly refuse, a budget for the first time in over 1,000 days/4 years, was brilliant, a chess move that will force the Dems to take a vote and a stand on where they think taxes oughtta be vs the current empty rhetoric spewing out

Bottom line, TP needs to learn how to play the game to become dangerous, otherwise they're gonna get rolled again and again

IMO, the Tea Party is not interested in governing, they are interested in destroying the government, and behaving like right wing talk show hosts. They are an exercise in nhilistic behavior, not in deliberative governing. Our form of government requires compromise, and the Tea Party is not interested in that.

xmacro

^ I added a few more things into my original post which address this

JDH:

IMO, the Tea Party is not interested in governing, they are interested in destroying the government, and behaving like right wing talk show hosts. They are an exercise in nhilistic behavior, not in deliberative governing. Our form of government requires compromise, and the Tea Party is not interested in that.

But to address this a bit more, the Dems aren't interested in governing either; they're only interested in preserving the entitlement State, knowing full well it can't possibly be supported for more than another 20 years or so. SS, Medicare/aid - they can't survive as they are, there isn't enough money in existence to pay for the promises made, but you'd never know it listening to their press releases

JDH

IMO, the loss of moderates inboth parties is not onlydangerous, but has broken the political structure of Congress. Compromise is not a dirty word, our Republic will not function without it.

xmacro

Agree with this. Both parties purged their moderates for ideological purity, and now they're left with people who aren't willing to work with the other side, partly out of ideology, and partly because they aren't old enough to haven seen the Senate and House work together. The current crop grew up in the raucousness of the 60's and 70's, never seeing or experiencing how the old timers worked together and got things done.

To be honest, this is mostly the bases fault - they pushed put moderates and only wanted 100% agreement on everything. People themselves have moved to the extremes, and the political parties have responded to their constituents

JDH

xmacro:

Agree with this. Both parties purged their moderates for ideological purity, and now they're left with people who aren't willing to work with the other side, partly out of ideology, and partly because they aren't old enough to haven seen the Senate and House work together. The current crop grew up in the raucousness of the 60's and 70's, never seeing or experiencing how the old timers worked together and got things done.

To be honest, this is mostly the bases fault - they pushed put moderates and only wanted 100% agreement on everything. People themselves have moved to the extremes, and the political parties have responded to their constituents

We see the world very differently, and therefore we have drawn different conclusions regarding the problems in/with Congress.

xmacro

Everyone has their own mental map, their own prism that they view reality through. Lots of things we'll never agree on, and that History will have to judge who's right and who's wrong

ctschirgi

This is a great discussion between folks with different view points but a lot of common sense. And you carried it out without threating to leave the forum. (This still baffles me that you can leave some place when you aren't physically there.) Anyway, thanks for this discussion. Sure would be nice if our elected representatives could function like this.

xmacro

ctschirgi:

This is a great discussion between folks with different view points but a lot of common sense. And you carried it out without threating to leave the forum. (This still baffles me that you can leave some place when you aren't physically there.) Anyway, thanks for this discussion. Sure would be nice if our elected representatives could function like this.

Eh? When did I threaten to leave? Or did I miss a reference?

Dynaguy

The "Tea Party" has all but destroyed my Republican Party. I am all for political diversity, but the GOP should never tolerated the Tea Party. Far better that they be an independent party then we could really see how popular their views are (no so much I'd bet).

raisindot

ctschirgi:

This is a great discussion between folks with different view points but a lot of common sense. And you carried it out without threating to leave the forum. (This still baffles me that you can leave some place when you aren't physically there.) Anyway, thanks for this discussion. Sure would be nice if our elected representatives could function like this.

Agree 100% with you there. Around here people mostly 'agree to disagree' and try to keep the usual ad hominem and baiting you see too often on other such forums out of it (or at least to not respond to it when it occurs).

Unlike, say, another 'politically neutral-hobby related forum' whose moderators rescinded my posting privileges to their general discussion area because they didn't agree with my political statements (yet had no problem letting those who agreed with theirs post whatever they liked, including some of the worst racist, anti-semitic and scarily sexist stuff I've even seen online).


Best sign of the civility of this place is that people will trade cigars with people with whom they share absolutely nothing else!

beatnic

This is from their website. Exactly what part of it scares you?


The Tea Party is a grassroots movement that calls awareness to any issue which challenges the security, sovereignty, or domestic tranquility of our beloved nation, the United States of America. From our founding, the Tea Party represents the voice of the true owners of the United States: WE THE PEOPLE. Many claim to be the founders of this movement; however, it was the brave souls of the men and women in 1773, known today as the Boston Tea Party, who dared to defy the greatest military might on earth. We are the beneficiaries of their courage.

The Tea Party includes those who possess a strong belief in the foundational Judeo-Christian values embedded in our great founding documents. We believe the responsibility of our beloved nation is etched upon the hearts of true American Patriots from every race, religion, national origin, and walk of life sharing a common belief in the values which made and keep our beloved nation great. This belief led to the creation of the modern-day Tea Party.

Many Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents identify with the premises set forth by the Tea Party Movement, which is striking a chord and ringing true with the American Spirit.

We stand by the Constitution as inherently conservative. We serve as a beacon to the masses that have lost their way, a light illuminating the path to the original intentions of our Founding Fathers. We must raise a choir of voices declaring America must stand on the values which made us great. Only then will the politically blind see and deaf hear!

JDH

raisindot:

ctschirgi:

This is a great discussion between folks with different view points but a lot of common sense. And you carried it out without threating to leave the forum. (This still baffles me that you can leave some place when you aren't physically there.) Anyway, thanks for this discussion. Sure would be nice if our elected representatives could function like this.

Best sign of the civility of this place is that people will trade cigars with people with whom they share absolutely nothing else!

Yea, but a cigar is worth a lot more than a political opinion any day of the week.

ctschirgi

xmacro:

ctschirgi:

This is a great discussion between folks with different view points but a lot of common sense. And you carried it out without threating to leave the forum. (This still baffles me that you can leave some place when you aren't physically there.) Anyway, thanks for this discussion. Sure would be nice if our elected representatives could function like this.

Eh? When did I threaten to leave? Or did I miss a reference?

Just refercening past posts/discussions. Nothing personal intended.

Amos_Umwhat

beatnic:

This is from their website. Exactly what part of it scares you?


The Tea Party is a grassroots movement that calls awareness to any issue which challenges the security, sovereignty, or domestic tranquility of our beloved nation, the United States of America. From our founding, the Tea Party represents the voice of the true owners of the United States: WE THE PEOPLE. Many claim to be the founders of this movement; however, it was the brave souls of the men and women in 1773, known today as the Boston Tea Party, who dared to defy the greatest military might on earth. We are the beneficiaries of their courage.

The Tea Party includes those who possess a strong belief in the foundational Judeo-Christian values embedded in our great founding documents. We believe the responsibility of our beloved nation is etched upon the hearts of true American Patriots from every race, religion, national origin, and walk of life sharing a common belief in the values which made and keep our beloved nation great. This belief led to the creation of the modern-day Tea Party.

Many Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents identify with the premises set forth by the Tea Party Movement, which is striking a chord and ringing true with the American Spirit.

We stand by the Constitution as inherently conservative. We serve as a beacon to the masses that have lost their way, a light illuminating the path to the original intentions of our Founding Fathers. We must raise a choir of voices declaring America must stand on the values which made us great. Only then will the politically blind see and deaf hear!

Pretty good stuff. I think the Tea Party, Libertarians, Constitutional party on the Right and Green, etc. on the left may have good intentions at their core, but struggle with extremists flocking to the new wing. I read up on the Libertarians and found much I agree with long ago, but then watched their Convention and realized that there was a lot of puppeteering behind the scenes. Seems inevitable.

JDH is certainly correct about many TP members being Little Sir Echo's, self-congratulatory and intolerant of a market-place of ideas. Compromise is the only hope, don't you think?

beatnic

Amos Umwhat:

beatnic:

This is from their website. Exactly what part of it scares you?


The Tea Party is a grassroots movement that calls awareness to any issue which challenges the security, sovereignty, or domestic tranquility of our beloved nation, the United States of America. From our founding, the Tea Party represents the voice of the true owners of the United States: WE THE PEOPLE. Many claim to be the founders of this movement; however, it was the brave souls of the men and women in 1773, known today as the Boston Tea Party, who dared to defy the greatest military might on earth. We are the beneficiaries of their courage.

The Tea Party includes those who possess a strong belief in the foundational Judeo-Christian values embedded in our great founding documents. We believe the responsibility of our beloved nation is etched upon the hearts of true American Patriots from every race, religion, national origin, and walk of life sharing a common belief in the values which made and keep our beloved nation great. This belief led to the creation of the modern-day Tea Party.

Many Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents identify with the premises set forth by the Tea Party Movement, which is striking a chord and ringing true with the American Spirit.

We stand by the Constitution as inherently conservative. We serve as a beacon to the masses that have lost their way, a light illuminating the path to the original intentions of our Founding Fathers. We must raise a choir of voices declaring America must stand on the values which made us great. Only then will the politically blind see and deaf hear!

Pretty good stuff. I think the Tea Party, Libertarians, Constitutional party on the Right and Green, etc. on the left may have good intentions at their core, but struggle with extremists flocking to the new wing. I read up on the Libertarians and found much I agree with long ago, but then watched their Convention and realized that there was a lot of puppeteering behind the scenes. Seems inevitable.

JDH is certainly correct about many TP members being Little Sir Echo's, self-congratulatory and intolerant of a market-place of ideas. Compromise is the only hope, don't you think?

How do you compromise with your core principles? They are the basis of all of your beliefs. Its' like giving yourself away a little at a time.
And all this talk of compromise directed at the right wing? Hello? I have yet to meet a liberal that wanted to compromise on anything. They get what they want by screaming louder and not compromising. Just my opinion. No disrespect to anyone.

ctschirgi

Compromise isn't a four letter word and it doesn't meen giving up your core beliefs. We all do it every day. When I get home from work what I want to do is sit down, smoke a cigar and watch the sunset. Instead I help with the meal, play with the kids, clean up, do bed time routine and talk to the wife. Eventually I sit outside after all is quite and smoke my cigar. Not exactly what I would have done if I did only what I wanted, but a good compromise that makes me a better dad and husband while still alowing me to have that cigar. Simple example, but it holds true on the much larger scale of federal governance.

Amos_Umwhat

ctschirgi:

Compromise isn't a four letter word and it doesn't meen giving up your core beliefs. We all do it every day. When I get home from work what I want to do is sit down, smoke a cigar and watch the sunset. Instead I help with the meal, play with the kids, clean up, do bed time routine and talk to the wife. Eventually I sit outside after all is quite and smoke my cigar. Not exactly what I would have done if I did only what I wanted, but a good compromise that makes me a better dad and husband while still alowing me to have that cigar. Simple example, but it holds true on the much larger scale of federal governance.

Precisely. It was the compromises between the Liberals, Madison & Jefferson et al, and the conservatives, Hamilton comes to mind, that created The Great Experiment. Not bad ground to stand on, if you ask me.

JDH

Amos Umwhat:

ctschirgi:

Compromise isn't a four letter word and it doesn't meen giving up your core beliefs. We all do it every day. When I get home from work what I want to do is sit down, smoke a cigar and watch the sunset. Instead I help with the meal, play with the kids, clean up, do bed time routine and talk to the wife. Eventually I sit outside after all is quite and smoke my cigar. Not exactly what I would have done if I did only what I wanted, but a good compromise that makes me a better dad and husband while still alowing me to have that cigar. Simple example, but it holds true on the much larger scale of federal governance.

Precisely. It was the compromises between the Liberals, Madison & Jefferson et al, and the conservatives, Hamilton comes to mind, that created The Great Experiment. Not bad ground to stand on, if you ask me.

From a purely partisian point of view, I think if the Tea Party continues to be uncompromising, obstructionist, and as Bobby Jindal described; "The Stupid Party", they will uncompromise, obstruct and stupid themselves right out of office, while dragging the Republican Party down the drain with them. As much as I'd like to see more influence from the Left, I also recognize that the majority of the American population is neither far right or far left, but rather mostly centrist. Just as the Democrats have moved to the right in recent years, I hope that the Republicans move back to the center, and reject the antics and sophomoric anger of the Tea Party. Personally, I would welcome a Chris Christie/ Colon Powell Republican ticket in 2016 that would promise to govern more like the Republican Party of Eisenhower

webmost

In human affairs, diametrically opposite principles are often equally true in the same time and place. This certainly applies to compromise. Compromise is, after all, one of the classic logical fallacies.

Let's put wicked at 0 and ethical at 10. Compromise is at 5, it's already as bad as it is good. For example, put tyranny at 0 and liberty at 10. Compromise, and you have half a tyranny. Worse yet, as soon as 5 becomes the norm, the forces of tyranny demand another compromise. Now you're three quarters enslaved. Somewhere round the fourth or fifth compromise, you can't even see liberty from there.

Apply this with real examples. To stretch prisoners on the rack would be wicked. To treat them decently would be ethical. Compromise and you are waterboarding Achmed in Gitmo, excusing it because he's just a raghead who hates us. Compromise again and you are sending Joe the Plumber there. Demanding the consent of the governed before going to war is a decent idea. A monarch who treats war as his private hobby is an indecent idea. Compromise to give the leader a little slack so he can respond promptly in emergency. Before you know it you have consecutive endless undeclared war on flimsy pretexts from Viet Nam to Asscrackistan.

Whereas if you had stuck to principles, we would not disgrace ourselves as torturers and the nation would only experience some minor inconvenience responding to emergencies while waiting for the designated public fora to declare war.

Then there's what you compromise on. Too often, compromise has nothing to do with principle. It only consists of "I'll vote for your bill if you include an amendment funding my bridge to nowhere." Look at this Sandy relief bill: 17 billion for delayed relief, 34 billion for windmills, Head Start, and the like.

Once power is granted, it corrupts. Good intentions are the first thing corrupted. Compromise empowers.

Then there are deals which you ought to know by now there's no way the Left won't welsh on. Like when across the board cuts become a "fiscal cliff" bogeyman, repeating what happened to Bush senior. When you cut deals with the devil, you don't get paid.

While it's true that compromise is expedient when you want to get things done, there is no virtue in expediency. Quite the opposite.

JDH

The Congress of our Republic was designed by intention to be a deliberative body that would employ compromise in the construction of law. Without compromise our democratic Republic does not function as intended. That is why I am convinced the Tea Party does not believe in our form of government. Because they are uncompromising, if they can't get 100% of everything they demand, then nothing will get done, and since much of the Tea Party is driven by a fundamental hatred of Mr. Obama, they have chosen to block anything he wants to do, regardless of repercussions. The Tea Party just doesn't know how to govern. They are very good at behaving like right wing raido jocks, but that's not govering. They offer an exercise in destructive nhilism, not representative democracy.

Approval ratings for Congress have never, ever been lower, and I place the blame for that squarely at the feet of the Tea Party. Only time will tell if they will wake up and face reality, or just be swept out of Congress, because the American People aren't going to tolerate this dysfunction very much longer.

beatnic

JDH:

The Congress of our Republic was designed by intention to be a deliberative body that would employ compromise in the construction of law. Without compromise our democratic Republic does not function as intended. That is why I am convinced the Tea Party does not believe in our form of government. Because they are uncompromising, if they can't get 100% of everything they demand, then nothing will get done, and since much of the Tea Party is driven by a fundamental hatred of Mr. Obama, they have chosen to block anything he wants to do, regardless of repercussions. The Tea Party just doesn't know how to govern. They are very good at behaving like right wing raido jocks, but that's not govering. They offer an exercise in destructive nhilism, not representative democracy.

Approval ratings for Congress have never, ever been lower, and I place the blame for that squarely at the feet of the Tea Party. Only time will tell if they will wake up and face reality, or just be swept out of Congress, because the American People aren't going to tolerate this dysfunction very much longer.

JDH. Why do they scare you? Why don't you just compromise with the members of the Tea Party? You'll like them. Just give them half of what they want. You'll see. Then they'll like you.

Amos_Umwhat

JDH:

Amos Umwhat:

ctschirgi:

Compromise isn't a four letter word and it doesn't meen giving up your core beliefs. We all do it every day. When I get home from work what I want to do is sit down, smoke a cigar and watch the sunset. Instead I help with the meal, play with the kids, clean up, do bed time routine and talk to the wife. Eventually I sit outside after all is quite and smoke my cigar. Not exactly what I would have done if I did only what I wanted, but a good compromise that makes me a better dad and husband while still alowing me to have that cigar. Simple example, but it holds true on the much larger scale of federal governance.

Precisely. It was the compromises between the Liberals, Madison & Jefferson et al, and the conservatives, Hamilton comes to mind, that created The Great Experiment. Not bad ground to stand on, if you ask me.

From a purely partisian point of view, I think if the Tea Party continues to be uncompromising, obstructionist, and as Bobby Jindal described; "The Stupid Party", they will uncompromise, obstruct and stupid themselves right out of office, while dragging the Republican Party down the drain with them. As much as I'd like to see more influence from the Left, I also recognize that the majority of the American population is neither far right or far left, but rather mostly centrist. Just as the Democrats have moved to the right in recent years, I hope that the Republicans move back to the center, and reject the antics and sophomoric anger of the Tea Party. Personally, I would welcome a Chris Christie/ Colon Powell Republican ticket in 2016 that would promise to govern more like the Republican Party of Eisenhower

Sounds good to me

Amos_Umwhat

JDH:

The Congress of our Republic was designed by intention to be a deliberative body that would employ compromise in the construction of law. Without compromise our democratic Republic does not function as intended. That is why I am convinced the Tea Party does not believe in our form of government. Because they are uncompromising, if they can't get 100% of everything they demand, then nothing will get done, and since much of the Tea Party is driven by a fundamental hatred of Mr. Obama, they have chosen to block anything he wants to do, regardless of repercussions. The Tea Party just doesn't know how to govern. They are very good at behaving like right wing raido jocks, but that's not govering. They offer an exercise in destructive nhilism, not representative democracy.

Approval ratings for Congress have never, ever been lower, and I place the blame for that squarely at the feet of the Tea Party. Only time will tell if they will wake up and face reality, or just be swept out of Congress, because the American People aren't going to tolerate this dysfunction very much longer.

Mmm...I think Congress was pretty dysfunctional prior to the Tea Party. The platform Beatnic outlined above was intended to correct the dysfunction, but the party includes too many dysfunctionals.

Webmost makes some great logical points, if only human beings (or MORE human beings) were driven, guided, at least influenced by logic. Sadly, it is not so. Personal experience and prejudice tells me one must first have a Y chromosome, and that's only a 10- 20 % indicator.

Amos_Umwhat

beatnic:

And all this talk of compromise directed at the right wing? Hello? I have yet to meet a liberal that wanted to compromise on anything. They get what they want by screaming louder and not compromising. Just my opinion. No disrespect to anyone.

You do realize you just described Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Adolf Hitler, and an assortment of other Right wing speakers, don't you?

Amos_Umwhat

Amos Umwhat:

beatnic:

And all this talk of compromise directed at the right wing? Hello? I have yet to meet a liberal that wanted to compromise on anything. They get what they want by screaming louder and not compromising. Just my opinion. No disrespect to anyone.

You do realize you just described Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Adolf Hitler, and an assortment of other Right wing speakers, don't you?

As well as Rachel Maddow, Keith Olberman, and Chris Matthews, of course. Compromise might land us somewhere in the middle of all these lunatics.

JDH

beatnic:

JDH:

The Congress of our Republic was designed by intention to be a deliberative body that would employ compromise in the construction of law. Without compromise our democratic Republic does not function as intended. That is why I am convinced the Tea Party does not believe in our form of government. Because they are uncompromising, if they can't get 100% of everything they demand, then nothing will get done, and since much of the Tea Party is driven by a fundamental hatred of Mr. Obama, they have chosen to block anything he wants to do, regardless of repercussions. The Tea Party just doesn't know how to govern. They are very good at behaving like right wing raido jocks, but that's not govering. They offer an exercise in destructive nhilism, not representative democracy.

Approval ratings for Congress have never, ever been lower, and I place the blame for that squarely at the feet of the Tea Party. Only time will tell if they will wake up and face reality, or just be swept out of Congress, because the American People aren't going to tolerate this dysfunction very much longer.

JDH. Why do they scare you? Why don't you just compromise with the members of the Tea Party? You'll like them. Just give them half of what they want. You'll see. Then they'll like you.

The Tea Party does not scare me. It doesn't matter if I compromise with them because I'm not in Congress. I'm a private citizen, and I don't care if they like me or not. I want my government to work, and I believe they are there to insure that it does not work. If they continue to behave as they have, they won't be in Congress much longer, which will suit me just fine.

beatnic

JDH:

beatnic:

JDH:

The Congress of our Republic was designed by intention to be a deliberative body that would employ compromise in the construction of law. Without compromise our democratic Republic does not function as intended. That is why I am convinced the Tea Party does not believe in our form of government. Because they are uncompromising, if they can't get 100% of everything they demand, then nothing will get done, and since much of the Tea Party is driven by a fundamental hatred of Mr. Obama, they have chosen to block anything he wants to do, regardless of repercussions. The Tea Party just doesn't know how to govern. They are very good at behaving like right wing raido jocks, but that's not govering. They offer an exercise in destructive nhilism, not representative democracy.

Approval ratings for Congress have never, ever been lower, and I place the blame for that squarely at the feet of the Tea Party. Only time will tell if they will wake up and face reality, or just be swept out of Congress, because the American People aren't going to tolerate this dysfunction very much longer.

JDH. Why do they scare you? Why don't you just compromise with the members of the Tea Party? You'll like them. Just give them half of what they want. You'll see. Then they'll like you.

The Tea Party does not scare me. It doesn't matter if I compromise with them because I'm not in Congress. I'm a private citizen, and I don't care if they like me or not. I want my government to work, and I believe they are there to insure that it does not work. If they continue to behave as they have, they won't be in Congress much longer, which will suit me just fine.

I've provided you with their mission statement. It doesn't mention anything about not wanting government to work. Where did you get that from? Perhaps your sources aren't representing them correctly. By the way, our progressive President was supposed to deliver his budget to the Congress the other day and he did not. The Senate haven't provided a budget in 5 years. Now, exactly who is obstructing the government from working?

JDH

beatnic:

JDH:

beatnic:

JDH:

The Congress of our Republic was designed by intention to be a deliberative body that would employ compromise in the construction of law. Without compromise our democratic Republic does not function as intended. That is why I am convinced the Tea Party does not believe in our form of government. Because they are uncompromising, if they can't get 100% of everything they demand, then nothing will get done, and since much of the Tea Party is driven by a fundamental hatred of Mr. Obama, they have chosen to block anything he wants to do, regardless of repercussions. The Tea Party just doesn't know how to govern. They are very good at behaving like right wing raido jocks, but that's not govering. They offer an exercise in destructive nhilism, not representative democracy.

Approval ratings for Congress have never, ever been lower, and I place the blame for that squarely at the feet of the Tea Party. Only time will tell if they will wake up and face reality, or just be swept out of Congress, because the American People aren't going to tolerate this dysfunction very much longer.

JDH. Why do they scare you? Why don't you just compromise with the members of the Tea Party? You'll like them. Just give them half of what they want. You'll see. Then they'll like you.

The Tea Party does not scare me. It doesn't matter if I compromise with them because I'm not in Congress. I'm a private citizen, and I don't care if they like me or not. I want my government to work, and I believe they are there to insure that it does not work. If they continue to behave as they have, they won't be in Congress much longer, which will suit me just fine.

I've provided you with their mission statement. It doesn't mention anything about not wanting government to work. Where did you get that from? Perhaps your sources aren't representing them correctly. By the way, our progressive President was supposed to deliver his budget to the Congress the other day and he did not. The Senate haven't provided a budget in 5 years. Now, exactly who is obstructing the government from working?

You are entitled to your opinions. I do not share them. I am pointing out that there is growing concern within the Republican Party about what the Tea Party is doing. I am convinced that unless the Tea Party quits being the party of uncompromising obstructionism, and continues to conduct primary campaigns that unseats people like Senator Luger, only to be defeated in the general election because the Tea Party candidate is just not electable, then they will just get swept out of office. The powers that be in many Republican circles are not just concerned, they aren't going to tolerate these antics. You'll notice the topic is "Bad News for the Tea Party", because that's what I am seeing right now. Personally, I think that bad news for the Tea Party is good news for the American People, but that's just my opinion.

beatnic

JDH:

beatnic:

JDH:

beatnic:

JDH:

The Congress of our Republic was designed by intention to be a deliberative body that would employ compromise in the construction of law. Without compromise our democratic Republic does not function as intended. That is why I am convinced the Tea Party does not believe in our form of government. Because they are uncompromising, if they can't get 100% of everything they demand, then nothing will get done, and since much of the Tea Party is driven by a fundamental hatred of Mr. Obama, they have chosen to block anything he wants to do, regardless of repercussions. The Tea Party just doesn't know how to govern. They are very good at behaving like right wing raido jocks, but that's not govering. They offer an exercise in destructive nhilism, not representative democracy.

Approval ratings for Congress have never, ever been lower, and I place the blame for that squarely at the feet of the Tea Party. Only time will tell if they will wake up and face reality, or just be swept out of Congress, because the American People aren't going to tolerate this dysfunction very much longer.

JDH. Why do they scare you? Why don't you just compromise with the members of the Tea Party? You'll like them. Just give them half of what they want. You'll see. Then they'll like you.

The Tea Party does not scare me. It doesn't matter if I compromise with them because I'm not in Congress. I'm a private citizen, and I don't care if they like me or not. I want my government to work, and I believe they are there to insure that it does not work. If they continue to behave as they have, they won't be in Congress much longer, which will suit me just fine.

I've provided you with their mission statement. It doesn't mention anything about not wanting government to work. Where did you get that from? Perhaps your sources aren't representing them correctly. By the way, our progressive President was supposed to deliver his budget to the Congress the other day and he did not. The Senate haven't provided a budget in 5 years. Now, exactly who is obstructing the government from working?

You are entitled to your opinions. I do not share them. I am pointing out that there is growing concern within the Republican Party about what the Tea Party is doing. I am convinced that unless the Tea Party quits being the party of uncompromising obstructionism, and continues to conduct primary campaigns that unseats people like Senator Luger, only to be defeated in the general election because the Tea Party candidate is just not electable, then they will just get swept out of office. The powers that be in many Republican circles are not just concerned, they aren't going to tolerate these antics. You'll notice the topic is "Bad News for the Tea Party", because that's what I am seeing right now. Personally, I think that bad news for the Tea Party is good news for the American People, but that's just my opinion.

The powers that be in the Republican Party are part of the problem. And the big money that they get is part of the problem. The Tea Party is more grass roots.
And truth be told, what you are really seeing is an article from the New York Times (far left) trying to create controversy within their opponents' ranks and using folks like you to echo their words. JMO