Monday, July 6, 2009

Frankenstein's Tea Party

TPM's Eric Kleefield posits that like Frankenstein's monster turning upon its creator, the GOP has lost control of the Teabaggers, at least in the Lone Star State.
Thousands of right-wing activists across this country rang in the Independence Day holiday with yet another round of tea-party protests against President Obama, inadvertently highlighting an interesting divide in the Republican Party. On the one hand are the hard-line activists who attend these things, versus the more mainstream politicians who want to win elections and are looking for their votes -- and are running into all manner of conflicts as a result, or finding themselves taking on some rather interesting policy stances along the way.

Most notably, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who is chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, was booed at the event in Austin -- on the grounds that he's part of the problem in Washington, having voted for the Wall St. bailout last fall. "I'm not part of Washington," Cornyn said in his own defense. "I happen to work there, but on behalf of Texas, and I can vote 'no' on these reckless spending bills, on the refusal to cut taxes."

Gov. Rick Perry -- who famously seemed to raise the specter of Texas seceding from the union during the April Tax Day protests -- was also booed at the same Austin event as Cornyn. Attendees saw him as yet another tax-hiking tyrant, because he supports toll roads in order to relieve traffic congestion.

Quelle surprise! You fuel a movement that's dedicated to exposing the evils of the excesses of state and federal governments, and they start booing the Senator and Governor.

I've got news for the GOP. When you preach the the government is the enemy for 30 years, don't be surprised if people think your national political party is part of the problem. Just because the Teabaggers hate Obama doesn't mean they like you. You've convinced them that government is the problem...but you're part of that government and want to lead it?

They don't trust you either. Nor should they.

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