Relations between some parts of the Republican Party and the Tea Party have been, to put it mildly, not great.
The establishment does not like us.
Not only do they not like us, they want us to quietly fade away and just leave politics to them.
Jon Ward writing in the Huffington Post talked to some establishment Republicans who gave their opinions of the Tea Party movement. They don’t like us because we do not behave like good little Republicans.
From the Huffington Post:
"There is a respect for the money they can bring to bear on Republican primaries, but there is also an annoyance that they don't spend more energy trying to defeat Democrats and instead spend a lot of their time attacking Republicans," said John Feehery, a former House Republican leadership aide.
Feehery pointed out that most Tea Party groups are generally only effective in statewide races when the state itself is very conservative or in congressional races when the district leans heavily to the right.
"They can be a force in primaries, but it's not like they're an organized force. It's more like an organized mob," Feehery said. "It's viewed through the prism of 'these guys don't know what the hell they're talking about.'"
It is inevitable that party loyalists whose sole job it is to win elections would look askance at activists who challenge them during the primaries but then come and join their team in a general election.
The establishment Republicans do not want the Tea Party involved at all in Republican politics. I saw this first hand yesterday on Capitol Hill.
I was up there with another Tea Party leader. We went into the office of a good Representative who supports the Tea Party. We spent several minutes asking how we could help this Representative, who is in a tough reelection fight. The Representative’s Chief of Staff is a long time establishment Republican.
He made it very obvious that he did not want our help. His boss could lose but it would not matter as long as the Tea Party was not involved.
This is the type mentality we face. Even those of us who were Republicans long before the Tea Party’s advent in 2009 are pretty sick of this attitude. We ended up walking out of the office. If this guy wants his boss to lose, so be it.
The problem the GOP has is they do not want to accept the fact that the Tea Party is the heart and soul of the Republican Party. A decade ago, conservative activists were content to work for candidates, go home after the election and not really pay attention to what they were doing.
No more.
The establishment Republicans brought the Party down almost to its demise. The Tea Party brought the GOP back. It is time the GOP learns, if it is going to survive as a party, the Tea Party is going to be a major part of the party and the GOP is going to work with us.
If not, let’s see how long the Party lasts without us.
Tags: conflict, establishment, party, republican, tea
Permalink Reply by charley horse on OH so TRUE Judson -- as TPers we don't tolerate Constitutional deviations or TRAITORS & many RINO Repubs have become both.
charley
Permalink Reply by Lizzie on I'm a former Democrat. I don't "owe" the Republicans my money, my loyalty, or anything else. Let's face it, the GOP can stop worrying about their "brand"... the product stinks and I'd be happy to take my vote elsewhere.
Form a 3rd party after November.
I'm in.
Permalink Reply by Phil McConathy on I wish we knew who you talked to so we can make his life very tough for ignoring the Tea Party movement.
Permalink Reply by MUG on Thank you Judson! I have been hoping you would come to this position. They can't survive without us and it if they won't work with us it is time to let them die!!!!!!!!!!
Permalink Reply by Angela Casey on "it is also an annoyance that they don't spend more energy trying to defeat Democrats and instead spend a lot of their time attacking Republicans"
I guess Feehery was annoyed when Romney's PAC attacked Gingrich and Santorum earlier this year.
Permalink Reply by Jim Hunt on We need not "wait and see how long the (Republican) Party lasts without us." We've already "seen"!!! That is precisely why the TEA Party movement was created. The 2008 "Republican" Party had become strongly similar to the "1960's Democrat Party."
Our Founding Fathers understood how power corrupts good men. It was true in 1776 and is true in 2012. It is most obviously proven in the Holy Bible. Although Man's environment has "evolved" greatly, his character remains the same as it was in Moses' day: we succumb to the same temptations and desires.
Our Founding Fathers understood this well. They did not foresee the 2012 Cadillac or Lexus, but they certainly foresaw the 2012 House of Representatives, Senate, President and Supreme Court! They knew that Man's basic nature, combined with power, would still be corruptible.
The TEA Party is our country's last hope for a return to Constitutionality. The LEFT may call us "ignorant", "naive", "obnoxious", etc., but they'd better make room for us in Washington in January!!!!!
Permalink Reply by Ed Nyden on After November I believe we need to start looking at a third party. People with common sense which all know the folks in Corrupt DC and the Outhouse do not even have. We the People do not need a dictator or the elected buttheads telling the people that pay these clown what is right or wrong.
Permalink Reply by james stamulis on i have been a republican my whole life but i don't relate to establishment republicans. if they don't want us then lets start a new party after the november elections and over time we will take over the party with people who believe in our constitution and small government with no debt. a new party made of people like allen west,bachmen,demint,steve king, etc. i am tired of taking it on the chin. they will not call me a hobbit to my face.
Permalink Reply by Dennis Donner on It's a mark of distinction
They're worried about EXtinction
and they should be
Permalink Reply by Richard Eugene Thorton, Jr. on The Republican leaders on Capital Hill are right! WE DON"T MATTER! WE NEVER HAVE!
They don't listen to us because we are weak. The majority of this party will vote for Romney, then
wonder why he will not listen to them after he is elected.
I personally am not going to vote in this presidential election. This election just doesn't matter.
The system is stacked against the Tea Party and it will not come unstacked until we don't vote Republican.
I'm not suggesting we vote Democrat, JUST NOT VOTE!
Their scare tactics work! AND THEY KNOW IT!
I don't see the difference between Romney and Obama.
Permalink Reply by John A Demers on just because you have a few bad Republicans is not a reason to not vote. If you think Romney is no different than Obama ,Than you have not done your homework. Romney is nothing like Obama and I know I live in MA and when he was Governor here he put a stop to this State as a welfare state by putting limit on receiving welfare to 1 year and making people who don't need it get a job or go to school to learn something to help themself.Also giving help to those who did try to better them self child care and other things while you worked or looked for a job.He also directed the State Police to check the legal status of someone that was pulled over for something that helped stop or slow down illegals coming into are state. Do some good for the Country Vote. We Need You and every Vote we can get for Romney. He may not be everything you want but I will bet you he is better than Obama. Think about what not voting will do to help this Country,Nothing. Vote out Obama and I believe we will heal the Country and we will take the Senate too.Then the work will get done.
© 2013 Created by Judson Phillips.
