Josh Kraushaar at National Journal argues that the Tea Party is dead, while at The Federalist, Ben Domenech says that what Kraushaar interprets as rigor mortis is actually evidence of the Tea Party’s success. My own opinion on the subject is nuanced. Having been immersed in the Tea Party movement from its inception, I considered it effectively “dead” the moment in early 2012 when it became apparent that Mitt Romney would be the 2012 GOP nominee. Exactly why and how that happened has been much discussed, and nobody’s paying me to explain it all over again, so I won’t bore you.
“My own opinion on the subject is nuanced”
Ha ha, that gave me a good laugh!
As a demonstrable movement, yeah, it’s past its peak. For now. But meanwhile its spirit lives on unabated, and it motivates people to vote and informs voters on their choices. That’s my nuanced take.
The idea of there being people pretending to be leaders of an organization that’s never really been, in an official sort of way?
Dead.
The ideas behind the idea of the Tea Party?
Treat it as dead, at your own risk.
The real “Tea Party” was a grassroots movement that never endorsed a single candidate and never focused on any issue beyond spending, debt, bailouts, and ObamaCare. Anything beyond that was some individuals doing their own things for their own purposes – which may have been good, bad, or neutral – wrapping themselves in the TP name to attract more attention and money.
There was never a TP election or plebiscite on any issue. The actual movement was entirely grassroots-driven. The people who do other things claiming to be “tea party” are just working their own agenda under a false flag.
Josh Kraushaar is a down-the-line leftist who came from Politico and was one of the charter members of the “Journ-o-list” propaganda ring founded by Ezra Klein. There is no point in reading anything he writes, you could write a simple program to spout it out. And if his opinion means anything to you, seek professional help before it’s too late.
The TP may have started out that way, but I’m sure they realized in order to get anything done they’d have to have politicians in DC who felt the same way. We then got guys like Lee, Paul, and Cruz who all were endorsed by the TP.
Please link to the “Tea Party” endorsing anyone. You cannot, because they NEVER did. My point is that Tea Party Patriot, TPA, TPX, etc, are NOT “the Tea Party,” they are private groups that usurped the name for their own profit.
Your definition is simply a rejection of their definition. That’s just a game, not analysis.
Tea Party groups were formed by self-identifiers. Obvious.
The fakes were one-man operations.
From Tony Lee at Breitbart Big Government:
“A Tea Party candidate became the first ever state senator in
Pennsylvania to win as a write-in candidate on Tuesday in a special election
that showed how dissatisfied voters are, even at the local level, with both
organized political parties. During the campaign, conservative Republican Scott
Wagner was blistered by establishment Republicans that he accused of
“orchestrating the special election in such a way to hand the seat, vacated by
Mike Waugh in January,” to the establishment Republican candidate Ron Miller.
According to the Patriot-News, Wagner captured 48 percent of the vote”
Here’s an obit that’s not premature: http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/20/us/westboro-church-founder-dead/
Though CNN forgets to mention it, Fred Phelps was a Democrat.
I’m beginning to wonder about the degree of vitality among supposed Tea Party activists.
For one thing, it was never a party, and as soon as actual organizing took place, the infighting began in earnest, to see who would “lead” the thing. Without an actual Presidential candidate that wins, I doubt any such thing as a new political party really means anything.
Cart driver: “Bring out your dead.”
Young man carrying an old man: “Here’s one.”
Dead man: “I’m not dead.”
Cart driver: “He said he’s not dead.”
Young man: “Yes, he is.”
Dead man: “I’m not.”
Cart driver: “He isn’t dead.”
Young man: “He will be soon; he’s very ill.”
Dead man: “I’m getting better.”
Young man: “No, you’re not; you’ll be stone dead in a
moment.”
The good news is that if the Tea Party is dead, then the Democrats can’t complain about the existence of the Tea Party as proof that the GOP can’t govern, nor can they hold the Tea Party over voters as a threat (e.g. “If you vote for GOP, the Tea Party will take away Social Security.”)
Dude, RSM, the 2012 nomination fight was over in 2011 when it became clear only one candidate with money and organization was running. You can’t beat somebody with nobody.
No one from the “Tea Party” stepped up to run.
Stacy endorsed first Herman Cain, then Santorum. He was never interested in a qualified nominee or winning the election, he wanted to “send a message.”
I think the message was, “Never put Stacy McCain on your hiring committee.”
You’ve been pretty miserable for the last couple of weeks.
Who was the “Tea Party” candidate that lost in the primary?
The alternatives were jokes, it wasn’t some battle for the soul of the Republican Party. It was a Governor like Romney that had a shot versus SoCon clowns like Santorum or washed up losers like Newt gingrich that were on a book tour.
There was no other credible candidate.