Tea Party Agenda Lost in the Debate
This election cycle’s endless series of Republican presidential candidate debates has proven three things about the Republican establishment: First, they remain the Party of Stupid. Democrats would never hand the initiative of choosing and asking the questions in a presidential debate to conservative journalists, such as Michael Barone or Fred Barnes.
Second, the Republican establishment cares not a whit for the issues that brought together the 2010 coalition that handed them control of the House of Representatives, and could hand a Republican the Presidency in 2012.
Third, they are more than happy to have the liberal media destroy the Republican candidates one at a time, as long as the establishment choice is the last man standing -- thus ensuring that, whether or not Obama is defeated, they retain the reins of Party power.
Last night’s CNN-sponsored debate in Jacksonville, Florida was tour de force proof of those three contentions, as liberal commentator Wolf Blitzer deftly steered the questions to ensure that the candidates would spend much of the time on non-substantive disagreements about who had the nastiest campaign ads -- and it went downhill from there.
Lost in the “I haven’t seen the ad” denials -- particularly from former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney -- was any real discussion of Tea Party priorities, such as cutting spending. And when the conversation strayed into the substantive area of balancing the budget, Blitzer deftly steered the discussion to “name some Hispanics you would put in your Cabinet.”
The simple fact is the establishment -- and establishment Republicans like Mitt Romney -- don’t want a discussion of Tea Party priorities in this election, because that subject is by definition proof positive of their failures.
Tea Party and grassroots conservative voters could provide Republicans with the votes necessary to win the presidency, if they can be convinced the Republican candidate will advance the Tea Party and conservative agenda. However, based on how last night’s debate was conducted, there is little evidence the establishment Republican Party actually wants our votes. If that were true, they would be engaged on our issues, and not in a scorched-earth campaign against Newt Gingrich and a campaign of silence against Rick Santorum and Ron Paul.
The Tea Party are just good
The Tea Party are just good old Americans that have "Woke Up", and they see that we are losing our country to the Lib's.
We are no more crazy than you are. Get over it, we are here to stay. And the reason is, we Love our country and want it to stand for our children, grand children and our future Great grand children. The men that started our beloved country knew what they were doing. No matter what they call us we are here to stay! Charlotte Party Bus
Maybe we should just go ahead
Maybe we should just go ahead and vote for Ron Paul.. I am regardless who gets the nomination.. I know that neither Romney nor Gingrich will do the right thing if they get elected. It will just be more of the same.. The only person preaching real change is Ron Paul. He's been right about everything that's happened to this economy and has a proven track record of staying within the confines of the Constitution. In other words, he's been doing his job like he was elected to do. He didn't go to Washington to enrich himself and screw the people like the others.
not a bad idea
In truth it does make some sense, but remember '92.
Romney will continue to be an ultra moderate and advance us gradually towards the left.
Gingrich is worried that he will make a mistake.
Ron Paul is another story. He and I have exchanged words and I had to chase his campaign staff all over a huge Phoenix event late last February. Paul was warned not to do what he did and he went ahead and treated it like the old GOP conventions of the past. Then Paul claims he has not control over what his staff does. Can you imagine that in a President? He was warned because we did not want the impression that we were endorsing a candidate, but he went ahead and did it anyway. Then during the last four debates, he understood he was bringing up the rear and needed to push his way back into the debate, he continues to lay back and giggle at what is happening and continues his slide backwards. Santorum has done pretty much the same thing except for the last Florida debate.
The left hopes that there is a repeat of '92
That must never ever happen again.
it is disgusting that the candidate field is left with these four. The obama camp must be laughing their asses off.
What is the Holy Cow of Politics? What is wrong with the Primari
Too many of the Voters' decisions are not based on wisdom but on simplemindedness and folly.
Voters are the holy cow in democracies.
I have not heard anybody among the elite criticize them. The media focuses on their ratings, business on their profits and politicians on their votes. I have not heard anyone say that the voters are responsible for the policies in Washington. Only the governments or the liberal or conservative policies have failed.
But who elected them? Politicians who want to get the majority of votes are forced to pay attention to the will of informed, simple minded and foolish voters.
Who dares to speak the truth. The mess in the USA is caused primarily by voters.
Stand up for the truth and make the voters an issue. As long as they do not change, policies in Washington will not change either.
Watch: German preacher's thoughts on 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLYq525SpM
Revealing who understands what is Tea Party and who/what is not?
How can anyone claim that Ron Paul is the Tea Party candidate? None of the founders of the TP movement feel that way. None, so whoever is making those claims has revealed that they are about as far away from understanding the TP movement as the media still is.
However, the GOP establishment and its ruling elite certainly do understand. It looks more and more like they are beginning to understand well enough to put together a game plan that is fooling all. They are playing both sides. Promoting Romney on one end and Newt from a different angle. During Greta Van Susterns television interview with Rush Limbaugh just after Christmas, He did a good job of explaining who the GOP ruling elite and establishment are, and where their influence is at. They are basically concentrated within the beltway of course. However across the nation, the majority of the Republican party is completely different. Greta asked if the majority in the Republican Party are actually Tea Party Republicans, and Rush answered "Yes."
One are of the Tea Party that should probably NOT be emphasized is 'social conservatism'. Why? Because social issues divide from within. Always divide from within. All the true Tea Party organizations should stay away from taking positions on social issues. It really is something to see when you throw a social into the mix. Religion, homosexuality, abortion, etc.
Another aspect of the Tea Party is knowning who is a True Tea Party organization. I am so frustrated by those who believe that Americans For Prosperity and FreedomWorks are Tea Party organizations. They are not! In fact it is entirely possible that AFP and FW are actually coordinating with, and are Pro- GOP establishment.
If Ron Paul was Tea Party, then why is the Occupy Wall Street playing Ron Paul as their conservative candidate? We know that OWS is pro Obama and pro socialist/communist. So where does that lay with Ron Paul then?
I couldn't agree more with the article about the debates hosts. Everytime there is a question from the audience, the host always reframes the question till it is almost nothing like the original. I could have screamed when Fox allowed liberal journalists on the panels. Why can't Fox make a drastic turn away from their slide towards liberalism.
While I agree that
While I agree that emphasizing social conservatism is divisive (and I am a social conservative!) I am shocked that you don't know that Ron Paul is the Father of the Tea Party, which was later co- opted by Neocons and such. The Tea Party began on December 16, 2007. All over the country people were dressing in Colonial attire and tossing "tea" into various bodies of water in conjunction with a fundraiser for Ron Paul. His son Rand even spoke at Faneuil Hall in Boston that day. Where were YOU?
It absolutely infuriates me, not only the way Ron Paul is misunderstood, maligned, demeaned and minimized, but how counterfit conservatives steal his ideas at every turn and claim them as their own.
Getting the Tea Party movement right...
Look Ron Paul attended a December 16th 2007 event to commerate the original Tea Party. That was all it was. Paul has some who consider him the intellectual father, but that is inaccurate. He leads no organization or has never founded or worked within the movement itself. Paul liked to use the legitimate Tea Party organizations to further his political career. The MOVEMENT began after Rick Santelli's rant on television. The movement is where the power of the Tea Party is and what you see on television and on the internet. Juan Williams tried to advance that Ron Paul was the father of the Tea Party movement, but that is so far from the truth and has shown our frustration with the media misunderstanding what the Tea Party was. Some even claim the Koch Brothers started and promoted the Tea Party and its movement, but that too is wrong. The legitimate Tea Parties are enemies to the Koch Brothers who in truth are supporting the GOP establishment and the GOP ruling elite, which look at the Tea Party as a threat to their rule of the Republican Party.
Ron Paul only makes claims. Where are the Tea Party organizations claims that Ron Paul is the father of the Tea Party? There is the proof. They ignore it in fact, because it is only Ron Pauls supporters that make that claim. It is practically a non issue for the legitimate Tea Parties We have better things to do. You cannot find anywhere where Ron Paul has ever worked within the Tea Party movement. Ron Paul is working for Ron Paul and has never had any part inside the movement. Ever. Do not mistake a rally celebrating the original Tea Party as the beginning of the Tea Party movement. It is a lot more complicated and detailed than many understand and it has been a struggle to correct the mistakes that many are making.
Tea Party
What drives me crazy is that the actual FATHER of the Tea Party is running, but some so-called Tea Party people are supporting people with no chance of winning like Newt and Santorum.
People need to wake up and support the only true conservative in the race, Rom Paul.
The Coming GOP Reformation
"Second, the Republican establishment cares not a whit for the issues that brought together the 2010 coalition that handed them control of the House of Representatives, and could hand a Republican the Presidency in 2012." RV
Gingrich has picked up the Tea Party mantle, blending it with his own message of modernizing both government and the strategic agenda of the nation (e.g. space exploration as an economic driver). This is a real contribution to the dialogue of how to build a post-Obama America. The Tea Party issues of accountable constitutional government and an end to crony corporatism clearly are not the issues of Romney the Wall Street banker. They are the issues of the Gingrich supporters.
Romney's nomination (if the anti-Newt smear plan works) will only accelerate a true rebellion inside the GOP. He and his proxies have gone too far and he is ensuring that the GOP will not be able to unite in the general election based on their 'buy the nomination' and 'slaughter the opposition' model.
I look for the convention to be a food fight, as the Paul people and Gingrich people re-unite in a loose coalition to reform the party.
Palin, Perry, Gingrich, Paul............ these are the folks that can be trusted to frame the fight against Obama the right way. Mitt thinks corporations and individuals are the same thing.
I look forward to the GOP reformation. Like Luther, someone needs to hammer a document to the party headquarters front door. Game on.
Rabies
There are no Republican candodates exceprt for Ron Paul and the openess and stubbrness that he is dismissed with is an illness like Rabies that only wanna be Republicans can get. There is no choice between Romnet and Gingrich unless you want to choose more of the same. Then choose either one of them and that's what you will get. Santorum is the lesser evil choice between the 3. If you want to vote Republican in the context that you are Republican. Vote for Paul.
Ron Paul is the embodiment of the Tea Party agenda.
Was it my imagination, or did every one of the other candidates say at least once or twice "Doctor Paul is right" - surely that can't have really happened? I thought I even heard Romney at one point telling Dr. Paul not to worry because he wants us to negotiate and trade with a foreign country instead of conquering them.
Ron Paul is the embodiment of the Tea Party agenda, cut spending, cut taxes, get the government out of the minutia of peoples' lives. Why so many "tea party" people refuse to realize that is absolutely baffling.
I do agree with your assertion that letting the liberal media personalities define the debate narrative is a completely stupid thing to do.
Ron Paul is the embodiment of the Tea Party agenda
RE: "Ron Paul is the embodiment of the Tea Party agenda."
Pepper, you are absolutely correct. I am very angry at many of my fellow conservatives for not getting in line behind Dr. Paul. I keep finding people who have talked a conservative line for years who then quibble over one or two points with which they disagree with Dr. Paul and, therefore, come out against him. Then they merrily endorse someone like Mitt Hussein Romneycare with whom they theoretically have almost nothing but disagreements or Newt Gingrich who has flip-flpped all over. Or, more accurately, as rotund as Mr. Gingrich is, rolled all around the floor.
I am doubly angry in this regard at the talk radio windbags. They had the opportunity to put their conservatism, patriotism, and concern for people where there mouths are and failed to do so.
Candidate Selection
So far the only person in this race that has the least baggage and the right amount of grit has been Santorum. As a conservative, I am really getting tired of holding my nose in these national elections, I know that Rick will not become the nominee and my disappointment at the claims, records and evasive thinking by Newt and Mitt has a tendency to make me wonder if this is the best we will ever be able to put in as the head of the government. The present occupier of this WH is a absolute uncredentialed bum and yet his record is not all that much discussed, his policy failures are blatant and here again I want to hear the solutions to our issues and a indication of a future with purpose to get on a prosperous moral path and a way to defend it. I am not expecting miracles but I do get tired of politicians who have just made messes of their careers and expect us to trust their judgement......it's time to change the way we allow politicians we elect to hold ofice and bring merit and order back to the government.
Least baggage
The one with the least baggage is Ron Paul, not Santorum. If Santorum had his way, I think he would wage war on the rest of the world. I don't know about you but I'm sick and tired of our military men and women going off to fight some unlawful and unConstitional war for nothing.. Ron Paul will end that practice of "preventative war".
Bad Santa
He managed to make CREW's (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) list of "Most Corrupt Members of Congress" for both 2005 and 2006. In 2005, there were only 3 Senators that earned this dubious destinction so you might say that Rick Santorum actually was at some point really in the Top-tier.There is also the money earmarked for his district's education of which he spent 100,000$ on his own children even though they were not Pennsylvania citizens.That is a conservative father.Conservative for him,not for the rest of the folks,HA HA HA...I think Richard is right though,this is about who is conservative and who will uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States of America,otherwise we all vote for Obama in one way or another.These debates have been terrible and do the Republican party shame.I am all for a tri or quad system.Why only have two parties?The Republicans have obviously turned into something resembling communist and undistinguishable from the Democrats on most issues.We should have the conservative Republicans and kind of conservative Republicans,you know,just be honest about it.
The GOP establishment is
The GOP establishment is going to get their way no matter what they have to do. Fox News has been somewhat honest until this election and now they are fully in the tank for Romney. Shepard Smith has been repeating Romney talking points with his comment "After the investigation Newt was forced to resign in disgrace". I don't want to be defending Newt too much but that line is factually untrue. I understand that Sheppard is pretty stupid but I am sure he is not that stupid. Maybe we should start thinking about a third party. At least when the liberals are fully in charge it will be clear that they are causing the problems. After the collapse the country may be ready for a third party.