Peggy Noonan makes a compelling case in the Wall Street Journal that the Tea Party has rescued the GOP by allowing Republicans to escape the statist legacy of George W. Bush and forcing them to re-focus on the need to restrain big government. I’m not sure that she’s right. After all, the establishment wing of the GOP will try to co-opt and corrupt the new Representatives and Senators elected November 2. But there’s no doubt that the GOP is enjoying a revival (reprieve?) thanks to this spontaneous and organic grassroots movement.
…the tea party is not a “threat” to the Republican Party, the tea party saved the Republican Party. In a broad sense, the tea party rescued it from being the fat, unhappy, querulous creature it had become, a party that didn’t remember anymore why it existed, or what its historical purpose was. The tea party, with its energy and earnestness, restored the GOP to itself. …The tea party did something the Republican establishment was incapable of doing: It got the party out from under George W. Bush. The tea party rejected his administration’s spending, overreach and immigration proposals, among other items, and has become only too willing to say so. In doing this, the tea party allowed the Republican establishment itself to get out from under Mr. Bush… the tea party stiffened the GOP’s spine by forcing it to recognize what it had not actually noticed, that we are a nation in crisis. The tea party famously has no party chiefs and no conventions but it does have a theme—stop the spending, stop the sloth, incompetence and unneeded regulation—and has lent it to the GOP.
[…] shared a couple of columns (here and here) back before the 2010 elections about the potential impact of the Tea Party, but it […]
[…] shared a couple of columns (here and here) back before the 2010 elections about the potential impact of the Tea Party, but it […]
[…] agree with much of the column, particularly the credit to the Tea Party and the indirect reference (“restraining governments that were growing far more rapidly than […]
[…] probably should have also credited the Tea Party, but I’ll try to make up for that omission in the […]
[…] probably should have also credited the Tea Party, but I’ll try to make up for that omission in the […]
[…] and spending are two of the most obvious burdens imposed by government, and I’m glad that many people are fighting against a political class that seems to have a limitless appetite for a bigger public […]
When I look at today’s tea partiers it’s hard to see another Ron Paul among them (even Rand). I suspect that once they get a taste of power there’ll be a few token cuts here & there before the Republicans turn back to the issues that interest them most; like fighting abortion, immigrants, drugs and homosexuality.
Furthermore, as a radical libertarian who preaches much of Rothbards teachings I am often hated by most who associate within the tea party groups. Even the so-called libertarians I run into seem to stand up for government and attack more radical libertarianism.
The tea party has done nothing but help the Neo-Cons grow. Despite what many libertarians want to claim, I have seen too little of a libertarian presence or influence present in the tea party.
The tea party is nice, but it’s not a movement until at least one large (and many small) government departments are shut down forever.
Until then, I’ll just assume they’ve been co-opted.