Tea Party vs. the GOP Establishment

[Landlord]

 

“I don’t know where we go now as a party. I’m very concerned that we may go all the way to the right, following Ted Cruz and the shutdown congressmen, and marginalizing us as a responsible governing party,” Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.)

 

Surprisingly candid. We're at an interesting place.

I have many Republican friends who feel very similar. They hold many conservative views, but hate that the party has drifted so far to the right. One of my good friends really hates some of the anti-science tones in particular.

 

 

 

Here's what I don't get - then why the hell are they republicans?

 

Why does anyone join a political party? Just does not make sense to me.

[Junior]

 

 

“I don’t know where we go now as a party. I’m very concerned that we may go all the way to the right, following Ted Cruz and the shutdown congressmen, and marginalizing us as a responsible governing party,” Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.)

 

Surprisingly candid. We're at an interesting place.

 

I have many Republican friends who feel very similar. They hold many conservative views, but hate that the party has drifted so far to the right. One of my good friends really hates some of the anti-science tones in particular.

 

Here's what I don't get - then why the hell are they republicans?

 

Why does anyone join a political party? Just does not make sense to me.

Well most people don't really join a party... They register as Republican or Democrats in order to vote in the primary.

[Abdullah the Butcher]

 

 

 

“I don’t know where we go now as a party. I’m very concerned that we may go all the way to the right, following Ted Cruz and the shutdown congressmen, and marginalizing us as a responsible governing party,” Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.)

 

Surprisingly candid. We're at an interesting place.

I have many Republican friends who feel very similar. They hold many conservative views, but hate that the party has drifted so far to the right. One of my good friends really hates some of the anti-science tones in particular.

 

Here's what I don't get - then why the hell are they republicans?

 

Why does anyone join a political party? Just does not make sense to me.

Well most people don't really join a party... They register as Republican or Democrats in order to vote in the primary.

The U.S.tries to cram everyone into two parties instead of multiple more focused parties like Europe and make it hard for third party candidates to get any notice. Like South Park said you might as well get used to voting for a douche or a turd.

[Whistlebritches]

 

 

“I don’t know where we go now as a party. I’m very concerned that we may go all the way to the right, following Ted Cruz and the shutdown congressmen, and marginalizing us as a responsible governing party,” Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.)

 

Surprisingly candid. We're at an interesting place.

I have many Republican friends who feel very similar. They hold many conservative views, but hate that the party has drifted so far to the right. One of my good friends really hates some of the anti-science tones in particular.

 

 

 

Here's what I don't get - then why the hell are they republicans?

 

Why does anyone join a political party? Just does not make sense to me.

 

 

Abortion and/or guns. Everyone that I know that votes republican is for one or both of those issues. Nothing else matters.

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

 

“I don’t know where we go now as a party. I’m very concerned that we may go all the way to the right, following Ted Cruz and the shutdown congressmen, and marginalizing us as a responsible governing party,” Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.)

 

Surprisingly candid. We're at an interesting place.

I have many Republican friends who feel very similar. They hold many conservative views, but hate that the party has drifted so far to the right. One of my good friends really hates some of the anti-science tones in particular.

 

Here's what I don't get - then why the hell are they republicans?

 

Why does anyone join a political party? Just does not make sense to me.

Well most people don't really join a party... They register as Republican or Democrats in order to vote in the primary.

 

I can agree with that to an extent. Since I left the Republican party and am now partyless, a primary means absolutely nothing to me and I might as well not even waste my time going.

 

I was always a Republican because I was conservative fiscally but more liberal socially. I had to leave when I honestly couldn't stomach anything the party was doing.

 

You join a party if that party represents many of your views. You can then support certain candidates in that party that represent even more of your views through the primary process. I fully understand the thought behind the system. However, it falls apart when both parties are so whacked out you don't want to be associated with either one.

[VectorVictor]

BOTH sides.

 

True...though the Democrats do a better job of sitting the crazies as the political 'kids table' and not allowing them the limelight when they can help it. The GOP and their echo chambers, unfortunately, have to take money from the 'Bagger ilk to survive at this point, and has no choice but to allow them to sit with the grownups.

 

Of course, as soon as they get to sit at the GOP grownups table, the 'baggers bogart all the gravy, double-dip their chips, complain about the menu, criticize the meal in front of whomever made it, and constantly act like a pre-pubescent attention whore.

 

Hopefully at some point, the GOP will say 'enough of this s**t' and will decide to eat out...and conveniently forget to invite the 'baggers.

[HUSKER FREAK]

 

 

 

 

“I don’t know where we go now as a party. I’m very concerned that we may go all the way to the right, following Ted Cruz and the shutdown congressmen, and marginalizing us as a responsible governing party,” Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.)

 

Surprisingly candid. We're at an interesting place.

I have many Republican friends who feel very similar. They hold many conservative views, but hate that the party has drifted so far to the right. One of my good friends really hates some of the anti-science tones in particular.

 

Here's what I don't get - then why the hell are they republicans?

 

Why does anyone join a political party? Just does not make sense to me.

Well most people don't really join a party... They register as Republican or Democrats in order to vote in the primary.

 

I can agree with that to an extent. Since I left the Republican party and am now partyless, a primary means absolutely nothing to me and I might as well not even waste my time going.

 

I was always a Republican because I was conservative fiscally but more liberal socially. I had to leave when I honestly couldn't stomach anything the party was doing.

 

You join a party if that party represents many of your views. You can then support certain candidates in that party that represent even more of your views through the primary process. I fully understand the thought behind the system. However, it falls apart when both parties are so whacked out you don't want to be associated with either one.

 

I guess I really never looked at it this way before, but it makes sense in many peoples lives I'm sure. I see myself as a more socially conservative and financially more liberal.....I guess that's why we are broke!!

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

Hopefully at some point, the GOP will say 'enough of this s**t' and will decide to eat out...and conveniently forget to invite the 'baggers.

 

We can only dream of this at this point in time.

[carlfense]

 

Hopefully at some point, the GOP will say 'enough of this s**t' and will decide to eat out...and conveniently forget to invite the 'baggers.

We can only dream of this at this point in time.

 

I had hoped that the 2012 elections would knock some reality into the situation . . . but it looks like we're going to have to wait until 2016 at the earliest.

[Abdullah the Butcher]

There really should be four parties in this country. Commies, liberals, conservatives and fascists. The extremes could each have their own party and see how well they do on their own.

[Whistlebritches]

There really should be four parties in this country. Commies, liberals, conservatives and fascists. The extremes could each have their own party and see how well they do on their own.

 

This is something that I've been hopeful that the tea party would accomplish. Having more than two parties would be really great.

[Landlord]

Can someone provide me with credible links that shed light on the Tea Party? I don't know much about them other than the ideals it was started with which don't really seem all that bad to me.

[knapplc]

Echoing BrayWyatt's & Whistlebritches' thoughts, I'd love to see the Tea Party actually split off from the Republican party, form their own viable third party, and stop this ridiculous two-party system we've suffered through for so long. This country is far, FAR too diverse to be properly represented by two ideologies.

 

The trick these devils have pulled is, they sit atop two huge piles of issues, but put one or two at the very forefront (guns & abortion / social programs & abortion), and they blind the populace to what they're really doing.

 

You go over to Paris or Rome or any major European city and you're going to have these pickpockets swarm you at the squares or tourist sites. They shove a tray of trinkets in your face so all you see are the things you think they're trying to sell you, while with their other hand they're pilfering your pockets.

 

That is exactly what these parties are doing to America. Partially Americans are guilty for being stupid enough to fall for these tricks, but that's the environment these people have spent TONS of cash to create. It's up to us to fix that.

[Creighton Duke]

 

There really should be four parties in this country. Commies, liberals, conservatives and fascists. The extremes could each have their own party and see how well they do on their own.

 

This is something that I've been hopeful that the tea party would accomplish. Having more than two parties would be really great.

 

This. People are so up in arms at the rise of the Tea Party and other movements. Why do people want to be so pigeon-holed into two choices? Representative democracy with a number of viable candidates (not necessarily parties) opens up the discussion of many more ideas and makes existing politicians/parties have to work that much harder to convince the masses to vote for them and to continue voting for them.

 

EDIT: And Knapp JUST beat me to it, although in a bit more detailed and visually appealing manner.

[BigRedBuster]

Can someone provide me with credible links that shed light on the Tea Party? I don't know much about them other than the ideals it was started with which don't really seem all that bad to me.

When it started there was something about it that made me nervous and cringe but the basics they talked about seemed fair. They were all for smaller government, lower taxes and less intrusion into our private lives from government.

 

From there though, it has morphed into total idiocy. It is absolutely unbelievable how such a messed up group can pretty much take over a political party and throw out the power they do in elections. The absolute propaganda they spew is sickening and certain segments of the population are just eating it up. No longer are they for just sensible conservatism. They are all out lie, cheat, make up crap about the opposition to get what ever they want.

 

Some day hope history books mention them in a little blip as a fad group that only lasted a short time. The world would be a better place if the vast majority of the population would see these people for what they really are.