My Problem with The Tea Party

First of all, I haven’t written forever.  It isn’t that I don’t WANT to write, it’s just I’m being pulled in fifty different directions.  Sadly (for me), I have 12 unfinished articles that I’ve started since my last brilliantly written article, which will never see the light of day.  This one was the closest I had to being finished.  I wanted to post something.  So here goes.

For fun I’m going to include three misnomers: 1- “Affordable Care Act”…It isn’t. 2- “Obamacare”…He doesn’t.  And 3- “My Problem with The Tea Party”…I don’t.

“But Danny,” you whine “why the title?”  Apparently I have some ‘splainin to do. The state in which I reside has a dominate religion.  IT DRIVES ME CRAZY, absolutely bat nuts, when I hear someone complain about “the church” when in reality they are complaining about an individual/individuals within the church.  To me it is just fundamentally wrong to lump a whole group of people into a category that should be reserved for a few.  Does that make sense?  So, with our mutual understanding and 100% realization of my rank hypocrisy, I’ll plow forward.

Don't Look Back

As you may or may not be aware there is a midterm election coming up in about 8 weeks.  There is a lot up for grabs this election.  Congress’ approval is at an all time low, but shockingly, incumbents traditionally win.  We “The People” hate the group, but like the individuals within the group.

Currently, Mitch McConnell is fighting to keep his seat as a Republican Senator for Kentucky.  Now, I’m not advocating for or against him.  I just know many Tea Party-esque people have accused him of being a “RINO” (Republican In Name Only.)  Again, I don’t follow his voting record that closely.  I know he isn’t a screaming liberal but apparently he isn’t a staunch conservative either.  What I do know about McConnell is that as the Senate Minority Leader, under what had to be intense political pressure, he was able to keep his party in line and not have one affirmative vote from the Republican Party for Obamacare.  Under his leadership the Democratic Party owns the Affordable Care Act – again, it isn’t “Affordable,” it isn’t “Care,” it’s just an act.

If the voters in Kentucky, decide it is time for McConnell to retire, I don’t have a problem with that.  My problem is with the “I would rather stay home and let the democrats win than vote for someone who only agrees with me 80% of the time” people.  Those people kill me, and are idiots.

Even I, your humble narrator, have been accused of not being a “true conservative” because I failed the litmus test of not seeing the wisdom in the legalization of marijuana (spoiler alert: there is no wisdom in the legalization of drugs).

Demonizing your ideological opponents is a lot of fun, if you’re brave enough to do it, and has been the modus operandi since the beginning of time.  Pointing out the dumbassery of the Democratic Party is something I’ve been accused of doing (I’m talking about the Party here – not individuals – so my “butt hurt” liberal friends, please take it down an octave.)   Every Presidential election the Democrats start with around 246 out of the 270 electoral votes needed to win.  The Democrats barely have to show up and BOOM 246 electoral votes.  The Republicans have to work for everything else. To me it is almost funny the Democrats demonize Republicans at all.  I understand why they do…but still.  The sad truth is that the Republican Party needs new members, it needs converts.  The Democratic Party doesn’t.

Freedom

That’s why when, a month or so ago, Sarah Palin, whom I normally kinda dig, was banging the “Impeachment drum” I rolled my eyes.  America is NEVER going to impeach Obama.  Yes, he is grossly incompetent, arguably the Worst President EVER.   That isn’t an impeachable offense.  He may be guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors.   Even if, America still isn’t going to do it.  All banging that drum, or drums like it, does is give Democrats ammunition to fire toward the Low Information/Yahoo News reading voters.

I think the sainted Ronald Regan nailed it when, in March of 1975, he said:

“A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers…

“I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying, “We must broaden the base of our party” – when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents.

“Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people?

“Let our banner proclaim our belief in a free market as the greatest provider for the people.

“Let us explore ways to ward off socialism, not by increasing government’s coercive power, but by increasing participation by the people in the ownership of our industrial machine.

“It is time to reassert our principles and raise them to full view.”

The problem is the Republicans don’t have the balls to do it. Well…that’s not entirely fair.  They talk about limited central government, but they lack either the confidence or the ability to explain its benefits.  They have bought into the Democrats’ core, condescending belief, that the world is just too darn complicated for you and me, the ordinary folks, to make our way through without bureaucratic instruction and hand holding.

Capitalism

Because the concepts and benefits of a limited government don’t fit on a bumper sticker we are left with a system that is going to implode.  It’s not a question of “if,” it will implode, it’s a question of “when.”  Everyone with half a brain stem knows it.  But still, Republicans are too scared, or maybe too content, to advocate the dramatic change that could save us.  Instead we are too busy cannibalizing ourselves.  I’m not advocating the status quo.  I want change.  I think we, as a party, should have a robust debate, but then the primaries are over, be involved.  VOTE.  Even if you have to plug your nose to do it.   Then we need to hold our elected leaders feet to the fire to ensure they do the right thing.

“Divide and conquer” maybe an effective strategy in war, but doesn’t work in a representative democracy.

 

LIFEZILLA: It’s the website our forefathers would have subscribed too.  That is if our foremothers would have let them.

 

Big Gov

Offended

No Strategy Yet

6 responses to “My Problem with The Tea Party

  1. Glad to finally get my Lifezilla fix again! I was going through withdrawal. Love it when politicians take the form of true statesmen and stand by the principles on which they campaigned rather than simply doing what they perceive will get them more votes in the next election. The line about the affordable care act not being affordable, not being about care, but being only an act, is brilliant.

  2. I think the only thing we have left to do is vote for you. Run Danny, run! I’ll vote for you and bring voters to you.
    Here.

  3. It is in part people like these that gave us term Obama 2.0. It drove me bonkers. They’d rather the country implode than vote for someone they mostly agree with. I can’t even imagine such a thing as a candidate for President that the majority of a party agrees with even 90% of the time. It’s not only maddening… it’s infantile.

  4. There is no wisdom in the legalization of drugs???
    The share holders of Pfizer ($51.6 + Billion annual revenue), Johnson & Johnson ($71.3+ Billion annual revenue), Merck($40+ Billion annual revenue) are going to be really embarrassed. NOT!!!
    Spoiler alert: No good thing ever came from prohibition. What is deemed a forbidden drug consequently becomes the ultimate focus and enticement for criminal behavior.
    The dopers are gonna dope whether it’s from big pharma or Big Cartel.
    Remember, The bootlegging stopped once states could control their own liquor laws which means controlling the filthy lucre. Now, the liquor companies are beloved as the biggest sponsors of your fall/winter seasonal half-time shows. The actual wisdom is whether or not you personally want to buy into the hype and part with your money.
    I agree with you…. enjoy capitalism(in a coca-cola banner :-D). By the way, there is no wisdom in spending your hard-earned money on and consuming coca-cola in your body. But the free market doesn’t care about that.
    Also, most people agree that popcorn gets very very lonely w/o it.

  5. But, Danny…

    I happen to actual agree here with the humble narrator about one thing. I do think the Republicans need to accept the terms of the Tea Party and welcome the transition or tell them to take a hike. A third party in a bi-partisan system is problematic for many reasons. First and foremost, it almost always ensures one party an easy victory. Democrats just show up and they’ve got 246 votes just because the sun is out. He leaves out that the Republicans wake up and have 220 for the same reason. There is truth in that. His error is blaming Democrats. Blame the Electoral College. It is the system that causes one party to have an advantage.

    Next, I happen to live in the same state as the humble narrator of this blog. I understand how crazy he gets when people fault an entire organization for the actions of a few individuals. I get it. I do. As a card carrying member of the dominant faith, I have been guilty by association more times than I can count. While we can’t lump all church members into a category and label them according to the actions of one member, we must also accept a church is only as good as its members. The church is in a very literal sense a product of its members. The same goes for any political faction or party.

    Now, the one problem I really have with the Mitch McConnell story is this: “he was able to keep his party in line.” That type of thinking nauseates me. Truly. Is it not possible to be a person who subscribes to more than one ideology? I have yet to find a party that represents my every thought. I never will. I have never expected to find one. Why is it when a Republican expresses a concern over gun control, they are utterly shamed from the group, shunned like a leper. Challenging a party is political suicide. If you wish to have a future within a party, you bow to them. And if members within a party can’t challenge ideals, who can? As Voltaire says, “To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.”

    No party can ever be at its best if those within the party are afraid, and rightfully so, to disagree. It is practically for any third party candidate to even be seen. You will represent the party exactly as they want, or you won’t be seen. Well, I guess that is okay as long as the party is perfect. But wait, no party is perfect. So really, the idea doesn’t work all that well.

    Lastly, I find it hard to demonize the Republicans that came out last election and wanted to bring more people to their side. The numbers from the last election spoke volumes. To not see the writing on the wall, you would have to be blind. Now, I am not a Republican, but I know the most dangerous scenario we could have in this country the absence of a second party. It would be disastrous. We need two healthy parties to rival each other, to force competition, and keep balance. The reason it works is also the reason that frustrates. They keep each other in check. So, while you condemn those people who decided it would be best to pick certain battles, and let others go for the sake of the future of the party, I applaud them. I am glad Republicans are reaching out and trying to build bridges. We need two parties. It is essential we keep both alive and well.

    Lastly, while we are taking Capitalism, less government, and free market economy, I urge you to look at the core of the Tea Party. Utah is a strong hold for solid Tea Party candidates. They champion less government and yet, they passed 435 new laws last session. That seems like a lot of unnecessary government brought to you by those politicians who cry laissez-faire.

    Now, as much as I can stomach being labelled an infantile dumb ass, with a core, condescending belief, that the world is just too darn complicated for ordinary folks to make their through without bureaucratic instruction and hand holding Democrat, I am going to have to sign off that I may get to my low information /Yahoo news.

  6. But in follow-up interviews, Tea Party supporters said they did not want to cut Medicare or Social Security — the biggest domestic programs, suggesting instead a focus on “waste.”