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Will the Tea Party help or hurt the Republican Party in November?

  • 13-07-2010 05:25PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,271 ✭✭✭


    Even though the Tea Party has attracted a lot of attention recently, I'm not sure if they will help or hurt the GOP when it comes to election time. Sure, they may help solidify GOP support in some places, but in toss-up states like Nevada I think they may do more harm than good.


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 412 ✭✭MCMLXXXIII


    It'll be a toss-up, and probably depend on the state. In really conservative places like Oaklahoma or Utah it may help by either electing the Tea-Partier themselves, or making Republicans seem more level-headed, which will get them elected. But in more even states, it will probably hurt if the Republican agrees with anything the Tea Party has to say.

    I guess we will see in about 4 months...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,271 ✭✭✭kev9100


    MCMLXXXIII wrote: »
    It'll be a toss-up, and probably depend on the state. In really conservative places like Oaklahoma or Utah it may help by either electing the Tea-Partier themselves, or making Republicans seem more level-headed, which will get them elected. But in more even states, it will probably hurt if the Republican agrees with anything the Tea Party has to say.

    I guess we will see in about 4 months...


    I don't think it really matters if the Tea Party helps in places like Utah. The GOP is always going to dominate there. But if the GOP want to take back the House or even the Senate, they need to win a lot of toss-up races and the Tea Party won't help them with that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,445 ✭✭✭BluePlanet


    the Tea Party IS the GOP.
    What i mean is the usual GOP is really Tea Party Lite.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Some sects of the party are the white black panthers, tbh. granted, without the marxism. voter intimidation though? yessir. The tea party is a livid beast in places.



    I have little doubt there will be more intimidation at the polls, and it will not be from the left.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,485 ✭✭✭Denerick


    Its hard to know. But there is a considerable enthusiasm gap between the parties. If the Democrats can energise their base they may maintain their congressional majority. Either way they are destined to lose some seats.

    What the tea party has done has been to move the party further to the right. In Nevada, they had a great chance to unseat Harry Reid, but instead they put up an absolute crank who is destined to lose.

    The Tea Parties also tend to look ridiculous and embarass the Republicans in many ways. Rand Paul might win in Kentucky, but a Republican was always likely to win Kentucky anyway.

    Either way, Democrats will play down the tea party influence after November and Republicans will hype up the tea party influence after November. Of that I'm sure of...


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭Amerika


    Sometimes it will help candidates, other times it will hurt.

    I’m confident Democrats and their confidants in the mainstream media are collaborating on ways to discredit and derail the Tea Parties in advance of the November election.

    I am a member of the Tea Party Nation, but was notified in late May that the TPN withdrew their membership from the National Tea Party Federation. I will have to look at the ramifications of this before deciding if I want to continue with the TPN. Regardless of any formal “Tea Party”, many people are much more concerned about fiscal responsibility (taxes, spending, regulation and government mandates) and stopping a liberal agenda, than any official affiliation. The momentum for those points will not fade, and will have an impact on the next election in certain elections.

    My wife (who is far more right wing than me) is trying to get me to take the family to Washington, DC on 8/28 for the “Restoring Honor Rally.” Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin, amongst others, will be there. I’ve already seen both in person and met Beck, so it’s no big deal to me. Sounds kinda interesting, but I usually just don’t care standing in a crowd of hundreds-of-thousands of people, unless the WHO was playing. But I would like to see the Smithsonian, the National Mall and some of the memorials again. Not much interested in seeing the Karl Marx headquarters at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue this time around.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Amerika wrote: »
    Regardless of any formal “Tea Party”, many people are much more concerned about fiscal responsibility (taxes, spending, regulation and government mandates) and stopping a liberal agenda, than any official affiliation. The momentum for those points will not fade, and will have an impact on the next election in certain elections.
    So again I should ask, why the Tea Party did not form during the Bush Years? Minus the non-liberal agenda, he did nothing in the name of Fiscal Responsibility.

    But I guess the TPM was more interested in their low tax bracket and could care less about the National Deficit that was accruing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,271 ✭✭✭kev9100


    Overheal wrote: »
    So again I should ask, why the Tea Party did not form during the Bush Years? Minus the non-liberal agenda, he did nothing in the name of Fiscal Responsibility.

    That is the main reason I have zero respect for the Tea Party. If they had been formed during the Bush years, I still wouldn't support them, but at least I would know their intentions were genuine.

    By the way, has the Tea Party had any success in primaries, special elections or the like? I can't think of any off the top of my head.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭Amerika


    Overheal wrote: »
    So again I should ask, why the Tea Party did not form during the Bush Years? Minus the non-liberal agenda, he did nothing in the name of Fiscal Responsibility.

    But I guess the TPM was more interested in their low tax bracket and could care less about the National Deficit that was accruing.

    The subprime meltdown and Bush’s bailout of the banks WAS the catalyst to the start of the Tea Party Movement. But that has nothing to do with the TPM effects on the upcoming November election. What... You trying to get me in trouble again? ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Im not sure I recall when I got you into trouble in the first place?

    My point being however I have never seen one placcard depicting Bush as a pinko Commie Fascist. I have however seen an untold number of Obama characatures of him as Castro, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, etc. etc. And I deeply suspect the party will dissolve once there is a White Republican President back in Karl Marx HQ.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭Amerika


    Overheal wrote: »
    And I deeply suspect the party will dissolve once there is a White Republican President back in Karl Marx HQ.
    As a member of the TPM, I know we would be estatic if Condoleezza Rice were our next President. But don't let that stop you from your delusions. ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Amerika wrote: »
    As a member of the TPM, I know we would be estatic if Condoleezza Rice were our next President. But don't let that stop you from your delusions. ;)
    Rice is a quiet girl when it comes to Fiscal issues. You would elect an unknown element?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭Amerika


    Overheal wrote: »
    Rice is a quiet girl when it comes to Fiscal issues. You would elect an unknown element?
    She is not an unknown element. And she would probably be better than what we currently got.

    On the Economy (from the website you provided)

    "Question: We watch our economy grow at just about 1% while China grows 12% and India grows 10%. The suggestion that America is less competitive or, worse, less important on the global world stage keeps coming up. Has America lost its edge versus competitors around the world?

    Answer: I can count many, many times that people have said that America had lost its competitive edge. We had lost our competitive edge vis-a-vis Japan. We were a power that was over-stretched in the ‘80s. We were going to converge with the Soviet Union, by the way, in the 1970s. So there have been many premature sentences for America losing its competitive edge. We’re going through a difficult time in the economy; adjustments to a number of circumstances, including in the housing markets and in the financial markets, that will work their way out."


    Sounds pretty good to me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    It sounds like Waffle, actually. Grant you its not Palinesque waffle, and Rice may actually understand the basic principles and history of the economy; but it does nothing to suggest what her fiscal policies would be.

    I was thinking something more declarative, oh like:



  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭jank


    Yea the classic Bush no more taxes! What does he do? Have more taxes! At least the dems say they are sheep while the gop act like wolves in sheep clothing.

    On the tea party front. Interesting article on time about this. Pretty much spot on. The revolution they expect will not be there in November. They will win some seats but cause the GOP to lose other winnable seats.

    http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,2003079,00.html


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,485 ✭✭✭Denerick


    People overlook the fact that in 2006 and 2008 Dems took over traditionally Republican seats and many of the new Democrats are conservative democrats and were elected as fiscal hawks.

    Republicans shouldn't have too many problems in winning back the seats that naturally belonged to them.

    Add in the massive enthusiasm gap, and the fact that minorities and young people won't vote in the same numbers as they did in 2008, and you have a major problem.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭Amerika


    jank wrote: »
    On the tea party front. Interesting article on time about this. Pretty much spot on. The revolution they expect will not be there in November. They will win some seats but cause the GOP to lose other winnable seats.

    http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,2003079,00.html

    Win some, Lose some... Stop The Presses!

    Remember Time Magazine’s prediction a few short 14 months ago about the demise of the Republican Party. Were they spot on then? :D
    http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1896588,00.html

    Apparently no one told White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. ;)
    http://www.slashcontrol.com/free-tv-shows/nbc-meet-the-press/2244014008-gibbs-enough-seats-in-play-for-gop-to-win-house


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,768 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    If the Tea Party finances more billboards like these, they will appear like the political nut fringe and lose many Independent voters:

    Obama+Change+Heil+Hitler.jpg

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_iowa_obama_billboard


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,485 ✭✭✭Denerick


    The Tea Party will alienate practically most urban or intelligent voters, but for every Ivy League educated, New York Times reading, Latte Sipping Liberal, there are two grass chewing, Nascar racing, God Fearing beer guzzling meatheads. If anything appealing to the basest nature of Americans will see them with a net gain.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭Amerika


    If the Tea Party finances more billboards like these, they will appear like the political nut fringe and lose many Independent voters:

    There are always small fringe elements to any movement that fall outside the generally accepted norm. That poster is no more indicative of the general Tea Party Movement then the following is of the general Progressive movement.

    IMG_2305.JPG

    IMG_2416.JPG

    IMG_2507.JPG


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭Amerika


    Denerick wrote: »
    The Tea Party will alienate practically most urban or intelligent voters, but for every Ivy League educated, New York Times reading, Latte Sipping Liberal, there are two grass chewing, Nascar racing, God Fearing beer guzzling meatheads. If anything appealing to the basest nature of Americans will see them with a net gain.

    Hmmmm, would that be bigot with a small "b" or a big "B"?

    You know, I think there might be some intelligent voters who live in urban settings. ;)


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,485 ✭✭✭Denerick


    Amerika wrote: »
    Hmmmm, would that be bigot with a small "b" or a big "B"?

    You know, I think there might be some intelligent voters who live in urban settings. ;)

    I'm a playful bigot. I don't think conservatives are ethnically inferior. I just like bitching about them. Don't you do the same with Liberals?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,768 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    Amerika wrote: »
    There are always small fringe elements to any movement that fall outside the generally accepted norm. That poster is no more indicative of the general Tea Party Movement then the following is of the general Progressive movement.
    This is a very large billboard financed by the North Iowa Tea Party, not some makeshift poster, etc., made just before a demonstration given in your examples. Granted, they are a small group, but the message it sends does not improve the image of the Tea Party before Independents.

    Further, it appears as if the Tea Party is just as splintered as the larger Republican Party after their sweeping defeat in 2008?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Amerika wrote: »
    Remember Time Magazine’s prediction a few short 14 months ago about the demise of the Republican Party. Were they spot on then? :D
    http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1896588,00.html
    Considering the party has splintered into a semi-coherent union of tea party activists that have no clear leadership aside from FOX News punditry, yes, the party collapsed.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭Amerika


    This is a very large billboard financed by the North Iowa Tea Party, not some makeshift poster, etc., made just before a demonstration given in your examples.
    Fair enough... will this do then?

    mein-billboard.jpg

    1000058.jpg

    264933184_b84b40de64.jpg

    hell_billboard_400.jpg












    .


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Chap makes a fair point about free speech. But Blue, that Billboard was actually sponsored by the Tea Party Movement?

    Thats kind of different. It's not as though the Democratic Party funded a billboard depicting the President snorting coke.

    On a side note it never seems to get old, equating the President you didn't vote for to Hitler:

    mein-billboard.jpg

    Obama+Change+Heil+Hitler.jpg

    It really makes it impossible to take that kind of nonsense seriously. Or these whacks that think the current President is a Marxist/Fascist etc.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,768 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    Overheal wrote: »
    But Blue, that Billboard was actually sponsored by the Tea Party Movement?
    Depends upon whom you consider is the leadership for the "Tea Party Movement?" According to an April 2010 New York Times survey, they normally vote Republican and against Democrats. The North Iowa Tea Party funded the billboard.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_iowa_obama_billboard

    It appears that the North Iowa Tea Party had second thoughts about how their message was being received and now removed the billboard sign. They agreed with my original point about the political nutjob image it conveyed (or yielded to pressure from others)?

    Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/14/AR2010071402748.html


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,175 ✭✭✭Amerika


    Overheal wrote: »
    It really makes it impossible to take that kind of nonsense seriously. Or these whacks that think the current President is a Marxist/Fascist etc.

    But I remember seeing reports that Barack Obama was an acknowledged member of the Chicago "New Party".
    The "'New Party" was a political party established by the Democratic Socialists of America (the DSA) to push forth the socialist principles of the DSA by focusing on winnable elections at a local level and spreading the Socialist movement upwards.
    I guess the MSM forgot to report on it.

    Do a little internet search on the following paragraph if you don't believe me:
    "New Party members and supported candidates won 16 of 23 races, including an at-large race for the Little Rock, Ark., City Council, a seat on the county board for Little Rock and the school board for Prince George's County, Md. Chicago is sending the first New Party member to Congress, as Danny Davis, who ran as a Democrat, won an overwhelming 85% victory. New Party member Barack Obama was uncontested for a State Senate seat from Chicago. "


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Party_%28United_States%29

    Where was the connection to Nazism, a far-right ideology? Or Fascism, yet another Far-Right-wing ideology?


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  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,768 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    Amerika wrote: »
    Do a little internet search on the following paragraph if you don't believe me:
    "New Party members and supported candidates won 16 of 23 races, including an at-large race for the Little Rock, Ark., City Council, a seat on the county board for Little Rock and the school board for Prince George's County, Md. Chicago is sending the first New Party member to Congress, as Danny Davis, who ran as a Democrat, won an overwhelming 85% victory. New Party member Barack Obama was uncontested for a State Senate seat from Chicago. "
    A quote without a source? Link?


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