The Tea Party Movement was born as a wholesale rejection of the tyrannical, reckless and un-Constitutional actions of an unresponsive government. It wasn't just a reaction to progressive Democrats, but also wayward Republicans who forgot that we owe our allegiance to our Creator and our Constitution, not the US Senate and certainly not an unscrupulous, hypocritical Republican Party offering a gentler form of socialism-lite. Many of these so-called "conservatives" in the GOP are now positioning themselves for 2012. And, although the 2010 CPAC conference further energized an enthusiastic movement, what did it really tell us?
It told us that true conservative credentials are hard to come by. It also told us that unless the Tea Party can quickly coalesce around a single leader, the fledgling movement is in danger of succumbing to the same sense of false optimism that guided Barack Obama to victory, yet left the electorate with lingering heartburn.
The majority of CPAC Straw Poll respondents (48%) were identified as students, a notoriously over-enthusiastic and unreliable group of quasi-voters. Although the majority of respondents (98%) expressed dissatisfaction with Barack Obama, a solid majority (62%) also expressed approval of Congressional Republicans, despite the fact that they've done nothing to earn that approval.
Most of the candidates who polled near the top at CPAC were current or former House members and governors who have at best, spotty records upholding conservative principles and at worst, lingering questions over policy decisions, ethical problems or insufficient experience.
Although
Newt Gingrich engineered the Republican Revolution of 1994 and the subsequent Contract With America, that contract called for many things; balanced budgets, restraints on excess and Congressional term limits. So, while it made people feel great, so does Barack Obama's rhetoric. How has the Contract with America changed your life?
Mr. Gingrich also has a long history of partisanship, strictly for partisanship's sake. Long after the Clinton impeachment scandal was over, Gingrich admitted to adultery. He has taken multiple wives, abandoned cancer-stricken wife number one and he is a hypocrite when it comes to Congressional ethics. Although all but one of the ethics charges against him were dismissed, Gingrich did indeed pay a large fine and admit wrongdoing. Hardly the poster boy for cleaning up Washington.
Tim Pawlenty and
Haley Barbour, governors of Minnesota and Mississippi respectively, publicly railed against Barack Obama's stimulus package and then gladly accepted stimulus money for their states, arguing that although they oppose it, it would be irresponsible not to take at least some of the money. This is precisely the type of pork-barrel chicanery that we've been trying to rid the nation of for years. And, it's being perpetuated by so-called "fiscal conservatives".
While former Massachusetts governor
Mitt Romney has a keen nose for business, it disguises his RINO horn. Romney for president makes economic sense to many, but the consistency of his statements and positions on various social issues such as abortion, gay marriage, regulation of CO2, gun rights and health care leave something to be desired and much to be explained. He simply can't be trusted to stand on rock-solid, Constitutional principles without being knocked off by the political winds.
Ditto for
Mike Huckabee. Good old Huck was held up last election as the conservative to beat; a deficit-hawk who was tough as nails on crime. But, when the truth finally came out, we found that Mike Huckabee was a foreign policy ignoramus who was not exactly a strong supporter of the rule of law when it comes to illegal immigration or state sentencing guidelines for felons. His commutation of the sentence of alleged Pierce County, WA cop-killer, Maurice Clemmons set in motion a chain of events which led to Clemmons' eventual parole. If not for Huckabee's intervention, this creep would have never been roaming the streets.
Although I was initially one of
Sarah Palin's ardent supporters, I have since reconsidered that position. She may be popular, but remains woefully unqualified to be President of the United States. As far as I'm concerned, she resigned her post as governor of Alaska and never satisfactorily explained that decision. She may be able to write a compelling life story and take Facebook pot-shots, but she has no experience - and worse, not much constitutional or political background other than what was fed to her by McCain's handlers back in 2008.
When asked by Katie Couric which books, magazines and newspapers she read, Sarah Palin answered "All of them." When pressed by Couric, Palin acted as if she was being set up. When asked by Glenn Beck, which of the Founders she was most impressed with, the answer was the same: "All of them." And when pressed by Beck, she punted. Despite being posed by ideological opposites, both were legitimate, innocuous questions, so why get defensive? Finally, Palin also remains (at least on record) as an ardent supporter of John McCain, RINO extraordinaire as well as the Republican Party in general. Sarah Palin is pretty good at throwing bombs, but completely lacks the substance or seriousness to be President of the world's lone, remaining Superpower.
This isn't just about Democrats, but the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
The popularity of Obama and his agenda are both tanking and the Tea Party Movement currently has the momentum, despite a Democrat Majority and Eunuch minority. Let's not forget this isn't just about Democrats, but the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Don't squander this golden opportunity by aligning too closely with RINOs and allowing those whose records clearly demonstrate inexperience, hypocrisy or hostility to Constitutional Conservatism to ride your coattails to victory in November.
