Once you start bossing people around it’s really hard to stop — just ask Janet “No Toner for You” Napolitano. Last week it was instructions the new Congress, this week the benefit of my wisdom goes to real victors: the TEA party and independents not ready for Obama’s socialism lite.
While it’s true that not everyone who voted against Democrats was a TEA party member— just like not all Democrats have their lips firmly welded to the government teat — TEA partiers were the largest identifiable block, so they get the advice.
The crucial question facing the TEA party between now and 2012 is how to maintain momentum, membership and motivation over the next two years.
Don’t be co–opted by the Republican establishment
First, and most important, don’t be co–opted by the Republican establishment. Politicians hate uncertainty. Many GOP officeholders view the TEA party as the mastiff they bumped into at the victory celebration: Fido’s tail is wagging now, but those teeth are really big.
The “realists” in GOP want to domesticate the TEA party and turn it into another political poodle that does a little yipping at town hall meetings, but won’t tinkle on their leg at the ballot box.
The conservative’s goal should be to keep politicians nervous and saying “nice doggie.” In fact, TEA–totalers should avoid congressional town hall meetings where staffers produce a confrontation–free environment by stocking the audience with stooges and boring everyone else into submission.
Instead, hold your own TEA Party town hall and require the congressman to come to your turf in a meeting operated under your rules. Remind him or her they work for you and not vice versa.
Invite the media, video the meeting and put the result on your webpage. Send a report to your mailing list. Do this at least twice a year.
Many new members will welcome the attention and recognize that conservatives deserve recognition. Others will, I expect, need reminding about who put them in office.
Take Virginia’s new 5th District Congressman Robert Hurt. He beat politically suicidal Democrat Tom Perriello; who did everything but wear Obama’s underwear on his head in an effort to aggravate conservative voters. (To give credit where credit is due, at least Perriello was forthright regarding his Democrat sins. I don’t recall him running “Independent Voice” ads like Gerry ‘The Chameleon’ Connelly in the 11th district. It would have required a polygraph to get Connolly to admit being a Democrat before November 3rd.)
Conservatives must not let Hurt take their vote for granted. Hurt was termed a “situational conservative” by his Republican primary opponent because in 2004 Hurt voted for Democrat Gov. Mark Warner’s “tax reform” resulting in the largest tax increase in Virginia history. During the primary Hurt arrogantly refused to debate the TEA party candidate, claiming his opponent was “not serious,” a judgment I always thought best left to voters.
Therefore, Hurt is on probation. He must be prevented from “growing” in office like he did during the Warner administration. When a member of the GOP “grows in office” it means they begin voting with the editorial board of the Washington Post.
“Growth” never means an officeholder becomes more effective promoting conservative values. Sen. Barry Goldwater “grew” when he supported homosexual “rights,” Sen. John McCain “grew” when he supported amnesty for illegals. Sen. Lindsay Graham “grew” when he started shining Harry Reid’s shoes.
In the eyes of the media, senators like Tom Coburn and Jim DeMint will forever remain midgets — their stature truncated by a strange compulsion to honor commitments to their supporters.
Hurt, and Republicans like him, must be held to account. If they start to “grow,” get out the pruning shears. Coalesce behind a credible conservative opponent and force a primary. Incumbents loath primaries because they interfere with foreign junkets and require spending money they would rather save for the general election.
Conservatives don’t even have to win the primary to send a message. They only have to be credible or, to use Hurt’s term, “serious.”
Internally, TEA party groups must continue to recruit new members and new donors. Revolutions don’t function well on auto–pilot. Schedule regular membership meetings where you invite TEA party candidates and leaders from other areas to speak. This serves to create interest among the public, raise your organization’s profile and keeps politicians like Hurt focused.
Publish TEA party report cards that match votes with conservative issues. Observe significant dates from the Revolution, have TEA party entries in parades and other celebrations.
Poke fun at The One. Plan contests that highlight what’s wrong with Obamacare. Rent a billboard and count down the days to Obama’s retirement.
Unlike Democrats, conservatives don't have to be grim apparatchiks prodding a reluctant humanity toward a utopia of smoke–free wilderness, industrial–strength medical waiting rooms and tofu entrees at McDonalds.
We can enjoy ourselves while encouraging liberty and personal responsibility.
