Tea Party’s purity push steers GOP to the right
April 9th, 2010 . by TexasFredTea Party’s purity push steers GOP to the right
WASHINGTON - The tea party’s demands for ideological purity have caught some GOP presidential hopefuls off guard, forcing them to awkwardly defend past decisions as they watch hard-right rivals gain ground.
It’s painfully ironic for some of the Republicans most often mentioned as possible challengers to President Barack Obama in 2012. Stances that gave them national attention and credibility are now being used as cudgels to attack them as wobbly centrists.
Minnesota’s Tim Pawlenty, for instance, gained a reputation as a pragmatic governor of a Democratic-leaning state. But now conservatives are berating him for accepting federal stimulus funds that helped him close a budget gap.
South Dakota Sen. John Thune, who also draws talk as a possible 2012 contender, said a federal bailout of banks was needed when he voted for the plan in 2008. Now, with tea party activists railing against the bailout, Thune is pushing efforts to end it.
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Tea Party’s purity push steers GOP to the right
It’s called holding their feet to the fire!
There are some Patriots in America that are fed up with the status quo, business as usual and the Good Ol’ Boys club. We’re fed up with Casper Milquetoast, RINO leadership that tries to pass itself off as Conservative, and when election time rolls around, as VERY Conservative.
Think John McCain.
And Mitt Romney, the closest thing to an early front-runner — and, perhaps, the establishment candidate — is struggling to explain why he expanded health care as Massachusetts governor, even as he attacks Obama’s similar plan for the nation.
I won’t call Romney a flip-flopper, but there does seem to be a bit of duplicity in his thoughts. I am personally convinced that we can’t have that in a President. Romney made a mess of health care in Massachusetts, would he not do likewise if he were POTUS? Possibly even complicate the ObamaCare debacle even more?
Meanwhile, there’s increasing buzz about some hardline conservative Republicans who, until recently, rarely drew mention in presidential conversations. Chief among them is Texas Gov. Rick Perry. He handily defeated Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in last month’s Republican gubernatorial primary after positioning himself to her right on nearly every issue.
I support Rick Perry in his run for the Texas Governorship. I believe that Perry would make an excellent Texas Senator once his time as Governor is done. He’d make a great replacement for John Cornyn when that election comes around.
And since Kay Bailey Hutchison was mentioned — She LIED to the people of Texas — She told us that she was going to resign from the Senate and run for Governorship of Texas. Well, she ran. She lost. She lied.
She is still our senior U.S. Senator and it looks like she will remain so for another two years. That’s when we need to fully retire the Ol’ Girl and bring in new blood.
And libertarian-Republican Ron Paul bested Romney and everyone else in a straw poll of presidential favorites at February’s gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Perry and Paul are among the numerous potential candidates scheduled to speak this weekend to about 3,000 activists in New Orleans at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference.
If the GOP is so stupid, so desperate and so out of touch that they would consider Ron Paul to be a viable candidate for the office of President, then it’s time for the GOP and the RNC to be shown the door as a TEA Party emerges and gets active in the REAL world of politics and not just as a grass roots organization!
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the GOP’s vice presidential nominee in 2008, draws big, enthusiastic crowds wherever she goes, even if party insiders question her ability to be elected president. She’ll be in New Orleans, too.
It would have sure helped Palin’s credibility if she had actually finished a term at something. I didn’t support McCain/Palin in 2008 and I make no excuses now as I make this declaration, I will NOT support Palin in 2012, as a VP or Presidential candidate. I still believe she has a lot of QUIT in her when, not IF, but WHEN the going gets tough.
Perry is not well known outside Texas, and his chances of being president in three years might seem slim. But the same could be said of almost any of the two dozen or so Republican potential challengers at this early stage.
Other than the Dems, some Chicago gangsters and a whole host of anti-American cretins, who had heard of Barack Hussein Obama before he ran for POTUS?
It’s all in the packaging and the desires of the party. And if the GOP doesn’t develop a backbone, and get some FIGHT in that dog, we’re going to have another weak offering from them and 4 more years of Obama.
Leadership ability is crucial. True Conservatism is ALL that can be accepted. The lesser of the evils is STILL evil. A charismatic personality is a plus. Good looks never hurts. Presentation is everything.
Now, imagine this, Sarah Palin, looking great, all bouncy and filled with enthusiasm, but being her typical, folksy Palin self, in a meeting of the greatest minds this world has to offer…
C’mon, doggone it, you know ya can now can’tcha? By golly, you betcha, we’d be the laughing stock of the whole darned world now don’tcha just know we would? And remember, I hunt moose!
Yeah, that’s a real positive image of American brilliance and leadership!
Mr Romney is a progressive. We can do better then him and his progressive policy’s Much better.
I would not support Romney. I leave the door open at this time for others and will have to see how things develop. The 2012 election is too far out to come to any firm decisions now. You are right however that the Tea Party is pushing the Republicans farther to the right. A large grass roots movement always has some effect on the major partys and normally one of the major parties will adopt the platform of the movement and that ends its life. If that happens then the Tea Party will have served its purpose. I must say however, that if the Tea Party puts out a slate of candidates in the general elections and splits the conservative vote allowing many of these liberal freaks to stay in office that will be a sad thing to watch. I hope that doesn’t happen!
Why are so many people SO afraid of a REAL 3rd Party??
The 2 we have now are Dem and Dem Lite… It’s time to either move the GOP back to the RIGHT side of the aisle or we need another REAL and VIABLE option…
The Libertarian Party is NOT it, they are a toothless tiger…
A REAL TEA Party, a heavy hitting 3rd Party can make it, we’re American PATRIOTS, don’t DARE tell me it can’t be done..
Americans can do ANYTHING they set their minds to, the problem is, getting the majority OFF of their dead asses..
3rd party? Ross Perot comes to mind. But I think we’ve all grown up a lot since then.
Given the time and the backbone, I do believe a 3rd party could very well become the 2nd party if the GOP doesn’t get it’s head out of Obama’s ass. 
To be honest, no one is winding my watch right now. My biggest concern is giving the commies in Congress the mega boot come November. Wouldn’t that be an excellent b-day present for us?
Then, I’ll start doing some serious looking at the possibilities. Of all those named up there, only Perry peaks my interest. He’s a good guy!
Granted, Palin does bring in the crowds, but as a serious candidate? Like you said, she quit, and even though I understand the reasoning, it does make her even less POTUS material. One thing I do like about her though…she irritates the bejabbers outta D’Bama and his libtard minions. Heh. And that’s always fun.
Yeah… Irritating the *other side* is always a PLUS in a President…
Right now there are Conservative retired military folks who have stepped up to the plate to run for offices in this coming election that can’t get support from the RNC!!! Too busy planning tactics at high end titty bars I guess??? It is going to require ordinary citizens like us to step up to the plate and promote viable candidates in 2010… an maybe, just maybe we will discover a great candidate to push the commie regime out of the White House!
I have no confidence in the RNC to rise to the challenge. I look at what they have to offer and feel like crying. So I’ll do what I can for the really awesome conservatives that have been inspired… not by the RNC, but by ordinary Tea Party people, to run. JMHO.
Pfft! Not as POTUS. Strictly as entertainment value now.
No more lessor of evils. If that means the destruction of the Republican Party then so be it.
I would vote for Rick Perry for any office.
He has shown me he will stand and deliver as best as he can with the tools allowed to be used.
No other names come to mind, except Jeb Hensarling.
I know he will cross over the line drawn in the sand.
Who is on the National agenda??
Obama NEEDS to be defeated at the next election, unless something else comes up that causes him to not be on the Democratic ticket.
Palin, well….. she has shown her McCain feathers to me.
Some of us would welcome a third party at the local level. You saw my choices, and I’m sure there are others out there with similar choices.
These are the areas where a third party is viable. IF a third party candidate from a district makes a ripple on the national stage, then if can become a national party. BUT BOTH of the status quo parties will pull out all the stops to shut a third party out.
Ever notice how the third party candidate gets shut out in media unless they are so far right or left that they make for good TV?
I honestly believe we can work within the system we have for good change. Moving the R’s significantly RIGHT is the tactic we should employ now. But we should also use the third party when there is no other choice.
IF the field for the R’s in 2012 is as weak as it was in 2010 we are going to enjoy 4 more years of obama….Good GAWD, the Republicans have really got to remove their head from their anal cavity.
“South Dakota Sen. John Thune, who also draws talk as a possible 2012 contender, said a federal bailout of banks was needed when he voted for the plan in 2008. Now, with tea party activists railing against the bailout, Thune is pushing efforts to end it.”
Yeah, and the minute he gets elected(God forbid) like all of’em, he’ll be right in there doing “business as usual”. He’s just another lieing ass politician saying what the voters want to hear just before they cast their vote. Then after the ignauration it’ll be another “get over it, I won and you can’t do anything about it”. Any of them wanting to get elected (even the president)should sign an IRON CLAD contract that removes them from office(even the president) when they refuse to abide by the Constitution. It should be written in PLAIN english and NOT by some scum sucking double talking snake in the grass, lawyer.It should read 2 terms(for EVERYBODY). Jesus is exempt. Political correctness gets throwed out the door along with the ACLU, ACORN, and AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, and we again become a NATION UNDER GOD. I hope I can live to see that day.
Fred, I heard today that the SEIU is thinking of starting a 3rd party.
I forget what they was going to call it. It’s supposed to be for ALL the working people….LOL I didn’t know union people worked. I thought they just went through the motions for 8 hours, time and a half for anything over 40, and double time for Sundays. Triple time for Holidays!!!!!.15 paid holidays plus their birthday off with pay, Free dental, medical, and hospitalization, 97% of their wages while laid off,
full pay while setting in the “on call” room and watching TV till it’s time to go home for the night…………and these bastards have the unmitigated gall to go out on strike for higher wages and more benefits!!!!!!!
I have received a couple of emails today, telling me that the TEA Party is going mainstream too, but I can’t get a link to anything credible..
Since before the 2000 elections I’ve said that 2012 would be THE year for a third party IF said 3rd party got a running start at least four years in advance.
It IS possible, even if unlikely.
At this point in my life the fact that someone running has had ZERO experience in Washington or high State office is a very BIG plus.
Tell ya what, folks. If you want, The Bull will run - and win - the office of President of the United States of America. I might not please everyone, but I’ll LEAD and won’t give a rat’s behind about what the polls, Dems, RINOs, Commies, or anyone else has to say. When I ask for advice it will be from those who KNOW!
Bring me the men and women whose boots are on the ground in Iraq & Afghanistan, (not the big brass sitting in the funny five sided building). I’ll ask two questions. 1) Do you want to win? 2) What can I give you in order to do so RIGHT NOW? When they give me the list, then I give them what they ask for - immediately and no questions asked.
Boarders? Those are not a problem. Forget building a fence on the US/Mexico boarder! We need TWO fences, 100 feet apart. Every 300 yards a robot-operated mini-gun will be mounted atop the inside wall and will be programed to be motion activated. One thousand new Boarder Patrol agents will be hired to service and reload the weapons. (Any corpses stay right where they fall.) All BP agents will immediately be re-armed with an American made .45 ACP. Each pair of officers will be armed with an American made AA-12 and an American made selective-fire, gas piston, AR-15 chambered to the 6.8SPC. (Which will be our new military standard, BTW.) Every officer will have standing orders that the Sovereignty of the United States is job #1, after that it is their personal safety. They need a POTUS that means business - on these topics and more!
Perhaps I need to write out my platform in detail. Maybe someone will read it and see the Light…
Bull, out!
The GOP will turn right or be left behind.
BTW, how is that new Grandson of yours?
National Tea Party Federation
Not sure what I think about this just yet.
Personally I would love to see the Tea Party replace the GOP. The GOP was after all born that way. I’ve seen in my lifetime too many third parties whose only accomplishment was to give the election to the Democrats and I for one will not be a party to that. I hope the Tea Party fields some strong candidates in the primaries and they will have my support, but if their man loses there it will be time to stand against liberalism and the Obamites in the general elections.
Frankly, I will vote for who ever runs against Obama even he or she has horns and a forked tail.
Thank you Kate! I just sent that to my group, I can see the cats scatter already…
If you vote for a third party out of anger 2 things WILL happen:
1. Democrats keep their majority and increase it in 2010.
2. Obama will get 4 more years in 2012.
This is what the Democrats want us to do.
Well Kate, I do agree that we must be careful. But in some cases the only way to get the change we need will be to step outside the norm. In my case I have a 9 term republican that is a bit corrupt (Understatement) and a liberpuke anti war Demorat…This particular area is RIPE for a 3rd party candidate. IF someone with tea party values was to run they could win this area.
I think the barometer should be the current “R”s track record. IF the current R is part of the problem we need to be vigilant in replacing him/her it sends a very strong message as to our credibility and our resolve.
Incumbents are in trouble across the nation for good reason, but if we elect someone that is far left because of the current seat filler we have caused more harm than good.
I think 3rd party should be used sparingly and only where there is a legitimate chance for success.
Lets take this thing one step at a time. Worry about the 2010 election and achieving a conservative majority at least in the House. Once that is accomplished then worry about 2012. The front runners now won’t be the front runners then. As far as the GOP is concerned; get new leadership with a consevative spine. Is time to get rid of Steele. If a conservative victory is not achieved in 2010 and more of Obama’s agenda gets passed such as Cap and Tax, 2012 may not matter cause the country will be in a state of civil war.
I don’t mean this as a defense of Republicans who have strayed from the conservative line, but I wonder if to a large degree many of them have drifted left because the conservative electorate was sleeping until Obama won the nomination, letting the big spending philosophy take control of them.
Since then, conservatives and libertarians have been awakened with a vengeance, and Repubs in elected national office, who were only doing what they thought voters wanted them to do, have gotten a firm slap in the chops.
America, for better or worse, is a two-party nation, so we need to be very careful with the Tea Party movement, and make sure it energizes Republicans and supports them, rather than developing into a third party. That would most certainly mean either far fewer Democrats lose in November, or even a Democrat victory, a continued Democrat Congressional majority, and perhaps the end of America as we know it.
James, Good point. YES a lot of “Conservatives” were asleep at the wheel while GWB was in office. Very few voiced unbiased opinions on the spending and so-called “Compromising” of conservative values. Those that did were criticized for being bush-bashers or even in some cases were called liberals…
They woke the hell up didn’t they? About the time Obama got elected and turned the nation LEFT, even though MANY of us predicted this. MANY of us predicted an economic collapse in 2006 when the hag in the house took over…
The many so-called “Conservatives” still don’t realize who controls the purse strings and the same ones actually still blame Bush for the collapse.
I like what Bull said.
Combat Veterans For Congress | Electing Fiscal Conservatives
“It’s called holding their feet to the fire!”
COPY THAT!
BZ
Oooo….a “Congressional” cook out!
Works for me!
Yes we are going to hold Republicans feet to the fire, we will no accept another RINO as our candidate. Even John McCain is trying to claim that he is a conservative, he is claiming that he was never a maverick, but we remember how he embraced being a maverick when it was politically viable for him to do so.
The question is, who is out there that can best represent conservatives? I just don’t know.
Not Romney. Not ever. I will stand down and not vote for President next time if Mitt Romney is the GOP candidate.
Although I never entertained the idea of supporting Ron Paul, what is it with certain conservatives that turns them off of Mr. Paul? He seems to have a very large following and why is that? From my own limited observations, Ron Paul seems to be an honest Constitutionalist. Am I wrong?
Norm
Other than Ron Paul being a 9-11 Truther, an anti-Semite and a a person that received support from Storm Front, I suppose he’s not too bad…