Mia Love explains why she voted for John Boehner as House speaker

[aligncare]

It's unbelievable to me how this is being treated as some sort of joke or worse, ruse to get money out of constituents. Some of us actually believe the constitution is at risk of becoming irrelevant to how Washington governs. I care very much about the future of my adopted home.

[Lando Lincoln]

It's unbelievable to me how this is being treated as some sort of joke or worse, ruse to get money out of constituents. Some of us actually believe the constitution is at risk of becoming irrelevant to how Washington governs. I care very much about the future of my adopted home.

I could not agree more - the very fabric of our "Grand Experiment" is unraveling.  But we had better come to the realization that the entire right side of the political spectrum needs one another if we are to have any chance of saving it.  The most insidious threats are from the Left; from their policies to their rhetoric to their demagoguery.  We on the right are astonishingly inept and ill-coordinated in challenging the Left's demagoguery.  Instead, we bicker over how much better "my" brand political beliefs are than "your" brand.  There is not a person on this thread or on this forum who doesn't viscerally understand the threat of the Left.

Unless we figure that out, neither the "tea party American" nor the GOPe (whether it is your definition of terms or mine) will exist in a generation hence. 

[Bigun]

It's interesting to see how some alleged Republicans are in lockstep with the DNC when it comes to their view of tea party Americans.

Yes it is! VERY interesting indeed! 

[alicewonders]

It's unbelievable to me how this is being treated as some sort of joke or worse, ruse to get money out of constituents. Some of us actually believe the constitution is at risk of becoming irrelevant to how Washington governs. I care very much about the future of my adopted home.

At first, I was told (by Republicans) that the time to complain, and to try to change Washington, was during the primaries - and after that - shut the hell up and be part of the GOP team. 

Then the tea partiers started challenging incumbents - and I was told that I was being played as a fool by groups that were just taking me for my money - and that most tea party candidates were half-wit dolts that were embarrassing to most sophisticated intelligent establishment Republicans.  (Granted, there were some poor picks - I would submit no more than the establishment routinely foists upon us.)

Now, when we have some representatives that we have actually sent to DC - when they try to do what they promised to do when elected - they are hideous traitors!

It seems as though almost every person here that complains about us "rogues" - always throws in a comment about us stupidly sending our money to people that just use it to live high on the hog and to back dumb-ass candidates that can't win.  I never hear them complain about the tons of money Karl Rove raises - that's OK, I guess. 

We're a new movement, we're learning our way around, we're not "dying", we've learned that money is what greases the gears in DC, we're not going away - no matter how many times we're insulted.  We want a smaller government that doesn't revel in waste and fraud.  We don't want to suck off the government teat and we want to wean those that do.  We want to put everyone that is able - to work - in the private sector!  We want to assume our rightful role as the boss of those politicians and bureaucrats - not the other way around.  We want to be left alone and we want to be masters of our own domain.  We want to adhere to our Constitution.

And we will call you out - no matter what party you belong to!  Yes, the Left is our most pressing enemy at the moment - but we won't defeat them until we get rid of those who party together and kiss each other, slapping on the back - wink, wink - some more lip service will shut the unwashed masses up until after we get re-elected and can go back to gorging and purging at the taxpayer trough!  Nothing will change as long as we have people like that in office - even within our own party. 

Yeah, we're just stupid AND evil.   

[Fishrrman]

alice wrote above:
[[ At first, I was told...
Then the tea partiers started challenging incumbents - and I was told...
Now, when we have some representatives that we have actually sent to DC.... ]]

“First they ignore you; then they laugh at you; then they fight you; then you win.”

- Mahatma Gandhi

[Bigun]

At first, I was told (by Republicans) that the time to complain, and to try to change Washington, was during the primaries - and after that - shut the hell up and be part of the GOP team. 

Then the tea partiers started challenging incumbents - and I was told that I was being played as a fool by groups that were just taking me for my money - and that most tea party candidates were half-wit dolts that were embarrassing to most sophisticated intelligent establishment Republicans.  (Granted, there were some poor picks - I would submit no more than the establishment routinely foists upon us.)

Now, when we have some representatives that we have actually sent to DC - when they try to do what they promised to do when elected - they are hideous traitors!

It seems as though almost every person here that complains about us "rogues" - always throws in a comment about us stupidly sending our money to people that just use it to live high on the hog and to back dumb-ass candidates that can't win.  I never hear them complain about the tons of money Karl Rove raises - that's OK, I guess. 

We're a new movement, we're learning our way around, we're not "dying", we've learned that money is what greases the gears in DC, we're not going away - no matter how many times we're insulted.  We want a smaller government that doesn't revel in waste and fraud.  We don't want to suck off the government teat and we want to wean those that do.  We want to put everyone that is able - to work - in the private sector!  We want to assume our rightful role as the boss of those politicians and bureaucrats - not the other way around.  We want to be left alone and we want to be masters of our own domain.  We want to adhere to our Constitution.

And we will call you out - no matter what party you belong to!  Yes, the Left is our most pressing enemy at the moment - but we won't defeat them until we get rid of those who party together and kiss each other, slapping on the back - wink, wink - some more lip service will shut the unwashed masses up until after we get re-elected and can go back to gorging and purging at the taxpayer trough!  Nothing will change as long as we have people like that in office - even within our own party. 

Yeah, we're just stupid AND evil.   

Well said Alice!

BRAVO!!!!

 

[EdinVA]

At first, I was told (by Republicans) that the time to complain, and to try to change Washington, was during the primaries - and after that - shut the hell up and be part of the GOP team. 

Then the tea partiers started challenging incumbents - and I was told that I was being played as a fool by groups that were just taking me for my money - and that most tea party candidates were half-wit dolts that were embarrassing to most sophisticated intelligent establishment Republicans.  (Granted, there were some poor picks - I would submit no more than the establishment routinely foists upon us.)

Now, when we have some representatives that we have actually sent to DC - when they try to do what they promised to do when elected - they are hideous traitors!

It seems as though almost every person here that complains about us "rogues" - always throws in a comment about us stupidly sending our money to people that just use it to live high on the hog and to back dumb-ass candidates that can't win.  I never hear them complain about the tons of money Karl Rove raises - that's OK, I guess. 

We're a new movement, we're learning our way around, we're not "dying", we've learned that money is what greases the gears in DC, we're not going away - no matter how many times we're insulted.  We want a smaller government that doesn't revel in waste and fraud.  We don't want to suck off the government teat and we want to wean those that do.  We want to put everyone that is able - to work - in the private sector!  We want to assume our rightful role as the boss of those politicians and bureaucrats - not the other way around.  We want to be left alone and we want to be masters of our own domain.  We want to adhere to our Constitution.

And we will call you out - no matter what party you belong to!  Yes, the Left is our most pressing enemy at the moment - but we won't defeat them until we get rid of those who party together and kiss each other, slapping on the back - wink, wink - some more lip service will shut the unwashed masses up until after we get re-elected and can go back to gorging and purging at the taxpayer trough!  Nothing will change as long as we have people like that in office - even within our own party. 

Yeah, we're just stupid AND evil.   

Well said.  Keep the faith.
You know you have them on the ropes when they have nothing left but name calling.

[Relic]

Yeah, we're just stupid AND evil.   

I find it interesting to see how the moderates deal with those that don't agree with them. Exactly as the left treats anyone on the right.

Fortunately for the establishment types, we are not "average Americans". Average Americans do not care about politics, believe the media more than they admit, and will go with the flow until their ox is gored.

[aligncare]

Very fine screed, alice. Wonderfully expressed. You rock!

[olde north church]

They took out Cantor.  Next time target Boehner.  Him and the horse he rode in on.

[musiclady]

It's interesting to see how some alleged Republicans are in lockstep with the DNC when it comes to their view of tea party Americans.

For me the irony is that the Tea Party principles are exactly what the Republican Party claims to stand for, but no longer does (at least at the top..... individuals do, which is why I'm not giving up completely).

We have become "extremists" by supporting fiscal responsibility and smaller government.

Even by those in our own party, whose platform claims the same principles.

Ironic.   

[alicewonders]

Good comments from all - thanks!  I really believe that most of us here see that America is going the wrong, wrong direction - and we are very concerned about that.  The GOP is a big tent and it's expected that we're not going to agree on how to fix that.  We argue among ourselves because we CARE so deeply!  Some of us concentrate on the cold hard legal issues and some of us get emotional about it. 

It's scary to take on the establishment - and it's damn near impossible to be victorious!  We'll take our little victories whenever we can get them.  You sure won't get them if you don't try.  For a long time, I was guilty of letting the media define things - then I realized their narrative was extremely biased and I realized they had no credibility.  They have the tremendous power to mock and marginalize anyone that threatens their status quo. 

The 2016 campaign has begun and it's going to be a long and trying two years before that all-important election.  We will fight and cry - we'll get mad and say f**k it - and have to walk away from it until we can recharge and jump in again.  I just hope we don't take it to a point where things are said - personal insults and such - that can't be taken back.  That we can remain friends that pretty much want to achieve the same thing, we just can't always agree on how to get there.  That sounds mushy, I know.  I hate mushy.  But I hate seeing people that I care about fight all of the time.

 

[jmyrlefuller]

For me the irony is that the Tea Party principles are exactly what the Republican Party claims to stand for, but no longer does (at least at the top..... individuals do, which is why I'm not giving up completely).

We have become "extremists" by supporting fiscal responsibility and smaller government.

Even by those in our own party, whose platform claims the same principles.

Ironic.   

The difference between those of us and the "Establishment" if you will is that we're eager to see more effective measures be used, as the tools the Establishment prefer (compromise and negotiation) have not solved the problem. I think there's a real sense of fear in that camp.

The conservative says "this is a high enough priority that we need to take a bigger risk and push as hard as we can to make this happen." The establishment Republican says "this is too big of a risk that we think could hurt our election chances, so we need to de-emphasize this to appease those who might oppose it."

A classic example is the shutdown. It was the conservative wing that saw Obamacare as enough of a priority to tie it to the budget and was willing to suspend the government's unnecessary operations for a few months if that's what it took to get the Democrats to the table. It was the moderates who caved to the Democrats, paid the laid-off workers for work they didn't do, and got nothing in return. Boehner flip-flopped—and that inconsistency is part of the reason he needed to be replaced.

[alicewonders]

The difference between those of us and the "Establishment" if you will is that we're eager to see more effective measures be used, as the tools the Establishment prefer (compromise and negotiation) have not solved the problem. I think there's a real sense of fear in that camp.

The conservative says "this is a high enough priority that we need to take a bigger risk and push as hard as we can to make this happen." The establishment Republican says "this is too big of a risk that we think could hurt our election chances, so we need to de-emphasize this to appease those who might oppose it."

A classic example is the shutdown. It was the conservative wing that saw Obamacare as enough of a priority to tie it to the budget and was willing to suspend the government's unnecessary operations for a few months if that's what it took to get the Democrats to the table. It was the moderates who caved to the Democrats, paid the laid-off workers for work they didn't do, and got nothing in return. Boehner flip-flopped—and that inconsistency is part of the reason he needed to be replaced.

Agree!

We've tried compromising, negotiating, and bipartisanizing for years now and it has not worked.  The pot is boiling over now and we have no time left to try the old way again.  The time to "reach across the aisle" has passed, the left never reaches back!  We gotta call the SWAT team in now.

[musiclady]

The difference between those of us and the "Establishment" if you will is that we're eager to see more effective measures be used, as the tools the Establishment prefer (compromise and negotiation) have not solved the problem. I think there's a real sense of fear in that camp.

The conservative says "this is a high enough priority that we need to take a bigger risk and push as hard as we can to make this happen." The establishment Republican says "this is too big of a risk that we think could hurt our election chances, so we need to de-emphasize this to appease those who might oppose it."

A classic example is the shutdown. It was the conservative wing that saw Obamacare as enough of a priority to tie it to the budget and was willing to suspend the government's unnecessary operations for a few months if that's what it took to get the Democrats to the table. It was the moderates who caved to the Democrats, paid the laid-off workers for work they didn't do, and got nothing in return. Boehner flip-flopped—and that inconsistency is part of the reason he needed to be replaced.

Absolutely right on all counts.

[Bigun]

The difference between those of us and the "Establishment" if you will is that we're eager to see more effective measures be used, as the tools the Establishment prefer (compromise and negotiation) have not solved the problem. I think there's a real sense of fear in that camp.

The conservative says "this is a high enough priority that we need to take a bigger risk and push as hard as we can to make this happen." The establishment Republican says "this is too big of a risk that we think could hurt our election chances, so we need to de-emphasize this to appease those who might oppose it."

A classic example is the shutdown. It was the conservative wing that saw Obamacare as enough of a priority to tie it to the budget and was willing to suspend the government's unnecessary operations for a few months if that's what it took to get the Democrats to the table. It was the moderates who caved to the Democrats, paid the laid-off workers for work they didn't do, and got nothing in return. Boehner flip-flopped—and that inconsistency is part of the reason he needed to be replaced.

You're on a roll today Jimmy! 

[aligncare]

Agreed. Big Jimbo fan here!

[EdinVA]

It's scary to take on the establishment - and it's damn near impossible to be victorious!  We'll take our little victories whenever we can get them.  You sure won't get them if you don't try.  For a long time, I was guilty of letting the media define things - then I realized their narrative was extremely biased and I realized they had no credibility.  They have the tremendous power to mock and marginalize anyone that threatens their status quo. 

Unfortunately, it is a waiting game, the liberal republicans are waiting for us to all die off, I am afraid little victories are not going to get it done.
No one under the age of 50 really understands what they are about to lose and when it is gone, it will be damn near impossible to get back.
There has been a tremendous amount of blood shed to establish this country, I really hate to see it disappear without a whimper.

[Lando Lincoln]

As for Mia Love?

[truth_seeker]

As for Mia Love?

As in how to go from Rebel to Rino in under 90 days?

[alicewonders]

As for Mia Love?

I think she is naive and was probably misled as to why she voted the way she did.  Brand new - I could see where the pressure would be intimidating.  I hope she comes away wiser. 

[EdinVA]

As for Mia Love?

Sell out.  Was told to toe the line or lose her job.

[Carling]

The Tea Party lost support because all of those "conservatives" that are on the federal teat realized they were going to have to give up their freebees, gentlemen farmers with their subsidies, business freebees, so we returned to the status quo, don't take my stuff....

At some point the anti-constitutionalists from both parties are going to come after your stuff, then what are you going to do?

The TEA Party lost support because it went from a big-tent fiscal conservative group to a narrowly-focused group that includes social conservatism.  Like most groups, it got corrupted and changed into something it was never supposed to be.  Heck, Boehner was able to get 99% of the Bush tax cuts permanent, but he's a "RINO" because 1% of taxpayers saw their taxes go up in exchange for 99% remaining at a low rate.

That's called compromise; that's called leadership.  I applaud Boehner for his leadership on keeping taxes low for almost all Americans.  As an original TEA Party member (before I left because I wasn't socially conservative enough), that's exactly what we wanted.

[Carling]

I find it interesting to see how the moderates deal with those that don't agree with them.

How is it any different than how the far right deals with moderates?  Look in a mirror, please.

[Carling]

As for Mia Love?

Didn't run the fools' errand that a very vocal 10% wanted her to do, so they cast her off and start smearing her with labels and insults.

No worries.  Her in Realsville, we'll take her and her votes against the Obama agenda without expecting her to vote exactly how I want her to on every vote.