Tea Party Movement Could Backfire - Repost Per Request
Friday, February 5, 2010 at 12:45PM In light of the National Tea Party Convention being held this week, one of our regular visitors suggested that the following article (originally posted on 12/20/09) be reposted. I think we all need to be concerned about the possibility of the Tea Party movement splitting the conservative vote in 2010 and 2012.
(FLP Opinion - 12/20/09) - Conservatives are flying high right now. Things are coalescing in a way they haven't sense the Reagan era, and there is rapt anticipation of the 2010 elections.
But there is a potential fly in the ointment that many have not yet identified. For all the good the Tea Party movement has done - and it has done much - it now faces a stark choice. Stay the course or become a legitimate 3rd party.
The former would be welcome, but the latter would spell abosolute disaster for Republicans and Conservatives alike. Why? Because it would it split the conservative vote in the 2010 Congressional elections and lead to Democrats actually gaining, not losing seats.
Want proof? In a three-way generic poll released earlier this month by Rasmussen Reports, Democrats attracted 36% of the vote. The Tea Party candidate picked up 23%, and Republicans finished third at 18%. Another 22% were undecided. Remove the Tea Party candidate from the ballot and Republican support would have likely been two or three points higher than the Democrat.
While I have had my issues with the Republican Party, it is the only hope Conservatives have of taking back the House and Senate in 2010. A Tea Party candidate eliminates those chances altogether and worse, actually creates a scenario where Democrats pick seats up.
These groups have too much in common, too many shared goals to work against one another and inadvertently assist the enemy within.
I'd suggest that the Republican Party field the candidates and the Tea Party keep the movement informed and energized.
The alternative truly spells disaster.
Reader Comments (10)
I'm still concerned about it. You're right about the ego thing too. If the wrong person gets their panties in a wad, it could all blow up on us.
The possibility still exits. The next six to eight weeks will be critical.
Hadn't read this before. Gives me real cause for concern.
I think there is a valid cause for concern, but I can't see the 'third party handing the WH back to Obummer' scenario playing out. The only reason this could happen is if the country club wing of the Republican party gets the upper hand, and distances itself from the 'tea party extremists'.However even the RINOs, must see that the Bush era of Democrat-lite and all the 'reaching across the isle in the spirit of bipartisanship' nonsense is not a winning formula. So only entrenched liberal republicans can screw this up. The dems have nothing, and despite the lapdog media propaganda, people are realizing that the democrats will lie cheat and steal to get into office. Obama the 'centrist' put this lie on full display, since there is nothing centrist about recycled marxism - his guiding philosophy, such as it is. Which tea party ideas would democrats endorse? Across the board tax cuts? A strong defense? Voting against the wishes of the unions? Tort reform? No, No, and No. Only RINOs can blow this
Chris, I agree with your position, but only to a point. You're assuming the Republicans hold all of the cards - if they play nice with conservatives, the Tea Party will come home to them. I agree that that could be an outcome, however, the other outcome is that the Tea Party organizers ego's get in the way and they begin to field legitimate candidates during the 2010 mid-terms - regardless of what the GOP has done. The Tea Party candidate would only need to take 5 - 15% of the vote to tip the election in favor of the Democrat in most districts. I believe this is a scenario that could absolutely play out if the thirst for power overtakes the core principles of the Tea Party movement.
You are correct FL Pundit. (And again I love your site). I may be overoptimistic about the integrity of the tea party folks. But one thing is for sure, IMHO, if the Democrats try to co-opt the tea party movement, it will only be through subterfuge, i.e., with the goal of handing chairman zero another four years. The Democratic party, even in its most moderate wing, does not embrace any of the stated goals of the tea party coalition in any way other than as throwaway empty campaign rhetoric. Since BO has played that hand to death,(along with the race card, class warfare card, GOP obstructionist card, etc.) people are hopefully more aware now of the standard duplicitous machinations of the donkey party. But you are correct, if the tea party overreaches and goes the third party route, we will be in for another four years of very smelly B.O.
Let us hope and pray conservatives in both the tea party movement and in the GOP can work in concert to stop the socialist trainwreck well underway.
Thanks for the compliment Chris - glad you enjoy the site. I think we're in total agreement. We just have to hope that the leadership of the Tea Party does the right thing. I'm optimistic that they will.
I guess there are several ways this could play out. I don't know what I would do until the time comes ,but I think I would rather see the party split than to see it unite behind another McCain.
It's hard to wrap your mind around that thought. Don't know how much longer the country could survive with Dems in control. What does anybody else think?
I agree with that HB. The Dems tear people apart and between them and the media doing the same, it could spell disaster - policies aside. We have to hope that the GOP moves far enough right to appease the Tea Party group and that there is no 3rd Party movement. That is the dream of the Democrats.
I hope the Tea party cleans up the Republican Party and they kick the Rinos in the ass, start with Lindsey Graham