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Judy Pepenella, co-director of New Yorks Tea Party Patriots, insists that she has just blown my mind. Its We the People, she repeats. Thats the Tea Partythose three silly words: We. The. People. She says its impossible to explain to an outsider, even a sympathetic one. It doesnt make any sense, but it makes all the sense in the world. In Massachusetts the people put out the call, and we helped Scott Brown. And no one can figure us out.
Pepenella may not be able to define the Tea Party appeal, but she has the ingredients right. It is loud, self-regarding, incoherent, and endowed with a bottomless confidence that it speaks for real Americans. It sounds just like Republicans did circa 1994.
The year-old movement is credited with reviving right-wing populism, annihilating President Obamas healthcare reform, and electing Brown to Ted Kennedys seat. Rasmussen and ABC opinion polls reveal that the American people have a more favorable view of the Tea Party than they do of the Republican Party. The Wall Street Journal compares it to the Whiskey Rebellion, heralding it as the fruition of Perot-style populism, a great third force in American politics.
But in reality, the Tea Party is not Pepenellas mysterious vehicle of democratic will, nor does it signal the emergence of an alternative to Republicans and Democrats. Its a leaderless coalition of conservative activists who for all their revolutionary vim look less likely to take over the GOP than to be taken over by it.
The partiers provide a wellspring of fundraising and volunteers, as they did for Scott Brown and currently are for Republican candidates in Kentucky, California, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Florida. During the healthcare debate, they supplied GOP shock troops for town-hall meetings. At its sharpest edge, the Tea Party phenomenon represents the angry conservative base, punishing incumbent Republicans for any number of infractions: bailouts, support for amnesty, softness on terrorism, or, in the case of Charlie Crist, hugging Obama. But even these most militant rebels arent upending the establishment. Theyre still playing safely within the confines of Republican orthodoxy.
At the recent Tea Party confab in Nashville, Sarah Palin suggested, The GOP would be smart to absorb the Tea Party movement. But it doesnt have to absorb anything. The two are already inseparable. RNC Chair Michael Steele, who recently used teacups as a prop during a speech, says, If I wasnt doing this job, Id be out there with the Tea Partiers. Eating rubber chicken and collecting a pretty good paycheck, no doubt.
Brendan Steinhauser, who directs Federal and State Campaigns for FreedomWorks, a libertarian-leaning D.C. operation, recalls that in the week leading up to Santellis rant, the nonprofit had been bombarded with calls from conservative activists awaiting orders. They had already jammed the phone lines on Capitol Hill, he says, so we sent out a newsletter, signed by Dick Armey, telling them to go out into the streets.
FreedomWorks had the resources to break the Tea Parties big. It began in 1984 as part of Citizens for a Sound Economy, a group financed by libertarian oil magnate David Kochalso one of the wallets behind the Cato Institute.
One of the signs I saw at the first D.C. rally read simply, Atlas Shrugged, Steinhauser recalls. But as the movement went out to the rural areas, it took on a more traditional Republican image, more hawkish on foreign policy, more conservative on social issues. Less Ron Paul, more Sarah Palin. Talk of abolishing the Fed gave way to partisan shouts about Obamas socialism. The young revolution began to sound a lot like the brash talk-radio Right.
Do I need to tatoo it on your forehead bobbie?
Anyone that claims affiliation of the movement or ownership of it is lying.
This is just more of the two party pablum that tries to prevent accountability in government.
In short, every time you post these, you are part of the problem, as you are doing big government's work for it.
That's the Dogbert for you.Do I need to tatoo it on your forehead bobbie?
Anyone that claims affiliation of the movement or ownership of it is lying.
This is just more of the two party pablum that tries to prevent accountability in government.
In short, every time you post these, you are part of the problem, as you are doing big government's work for it.
While I don't have the equipment to be a Teabagger, I do know that there are a lot of Republicans who would not get my vote even if my fingernails were pulled out one by one.Teabaggers will virtually all vote Republican.
And that is where the rubber meets the road.
Hey imbecile, don't try to tell me what I am.Do I need to tatoo it on your forehead bobbie?
Anyone that claims affiliation of the movement or ownership of it is lying.
This is just more of the two party pablum that tries to prevent accountability in government.
In short, every time you post these, you are part of the problem, as you are doing big government's work for it.
The Tea Party is firmly joined at the hip with the GOP
No denying it
Teabaggers will virtually all vote Republican.
And that is where the rubber meets the road.
Teabaggers will virtually all vote Republican.
And that is where the rubber meets the road.
criminals will virtually all vote democrat. and that is where the rubber meets the road.
That's the Dogbert for you.
That's the Dogbert for you.
Blaming me for the actions of others?
That's Modo for you. Bitter much?
