Republicans/conservatives behave no better when they hold all the power. "Our way or the highway" isn't a new mantra, ya know. By 2002, the neocons had hijacked the GOP to the point veteran Republicans didn't even recognize the party anymore. Now they're trying to hijack the social agenda, which of course they COULD have done in the 8 years they were in power, because Mr. Bush was never a heavy user of his veto power, although he threatened plenty in order to advance HIS agenda. In fact, he never vetoed a spending bill. Not once.
Before neocons, and the even newer movement of pro-business/anti-middle class conservatives, managed to turn "liberalism" into a synonym for welfare abuse, it was a noble political philosophy based on the idea that citizens should be called upon to look beyond their own self-interests and work for a common interest. The American way. Imagine that.
Absolutely, the motivating factor behind the passion of the Tea Party is politicans not being held accountable, and folding up their principals once taking federal office.
And that is why I believe the Tea Party is a positive influence, they aren't going to allow someone to be two-faced and get away with it.
We will see because in 2012 at the very least I see the Republicans, with Tea Party support, retaking the Senate. A Republican majority in both houses, with Tea Party libertarian conservatives, I believe is what is needed to reign in this federal power grab.
I actually have little problem with the goals of the Tea Party movement. But I don't think the majority of them understand that the government can't simply start dismantling existing programs and literally throwing people on the streets or kick kids out of heavily subsidized schools that are the only place they can get an education, for example. To do everything the TP hails (and rails) must take a gradual approach, and in many cases (such as education), alternative policies put in place so that people don't start rapidly falling through the cracks. The results would be MORE people needing government (welfare) assistance, so there would be little to gain using drastic tactics.
Gradual is the key. The first step, however, must be a pretty dramatic one to undo what has been done in the last two years. Federal government spending has risen in each of the last two years to a point that is 10% of GDP higher than in 2008. This is insanity.
After that intial shock, a return to 2008 spending levels, then a growth rate that is 1% under the average of the last 50 years is enough to bring the budget into balance pretty quickly.
This is pretty much what Clinto did without the initial actual cuts. However, the Big 0 has been such an increcibly piss poor manager of the budget that we are in sheep dip right now.
This clown will go down in history as the First Black President and the Worst President of any color in history. Nancy and harry didn't do him any favors, but he didn't do anything to reign them in, either.