The Republican Senate Leadership Committee has sent out their “Official Republican Party Survey” which repeatedly says, “Do Not Destroy” and “this survey document must be accounted for upon completion of this project” and comes complete with its own official registration number. They make it sound like the census for goodness sakes.
The survey is broken into eight parts: general questions, economic agenda, retirement security, homeland security, foreign policy, family agenda, social issues and…wait for it… future of the Republican Party. First off, it is very interesting that “future of the Republican Party” is equally weighted with the other critical issues of retirement agenda, homeland security, and economic agenda. To understand why, you only need to look at one of the questions asked in this section, “Can the Republican Party hope to regain control of Congress without the support and activism of folks like you?” This just feels like an agenda for the Republican Party to “gain control” and power. To look at how a Tea Party supporter could honestly answer this question, let’s examine the questions that precede the one just mentioned.
Q33. Do you believe that voters have turned away from the principles and ideals of the “Reagan Revolution” –lower taxes, smaller government, and a strong, proud America?
Tea Party Response: See anything interesting about how the questions is phrased? It doesn’t say “do you believe that POLITICIANS have turned away” but rather says “voters.” Nice to blame the voters rather than themselves. I would think that if the Republicans had been leading the last 8 years under the principles of lower taxes and smaller government we wouldn’t be where we are today. Geez!
Q34. Do Republicans in the U.S. Senate have a responsibility to fight against liberal special interest handouts, tax increases, and massive new government programs?
Tea Party Response: The last time anyone checked the Porky Pig was oinking on both sides of the political aisle. Spending has been atrocious by a Republican AND Democratic led Congress. Both political parties pander to their own special interests to the detriment of our country. Nice try on rewriting history.
Q35. Do you believe the Republican Leadership in Congress needs to listen more closely to grassroots Republican on issues such as spending, ethics, and immigration reform?
Tea Party Response: I hate to sound like my 7 year old but, “NO DUH!” To go into further detail on this response would only insult the Tea Party supporters who have placed over a million aggregate calls/emails to Virginia federal legislators.
It is unnerving to continue to get these survey questions, with the entire objective being to solicit contributions from you, and they refuse to own up to their actions that have contributed to the downward spiral effect on our economy and disregard for our Constitution. Will they ever learn? This only reiterates that we need Tea Party candidates running as Republicans and Democrats so we can reform these parties with the Tea Party philosophy and principles. Especially since these two parties are running our country. Of course, a good measure of Independent candidates running for political office would send a message as well! All approaches are needed to have a lasting and sustaining impact.
This is interesting. Am I to gather from the Tea Party answers that the Tea Party movement is about finding the right people and not bolstering a particular party? If the answers are any indication then I have to conclude that the Tea Party sees republicans as being as culpable for our current mess as the democrats are. Is the person who answered these questions for the Tea Party representative of the movement or just his/her self? If the answers are representative of the movement then I have to ask, “Why are only “republicans” asked to speak at RTP meetings? Can we expect any candidates who are “unaffiliated” to be invited? If not, then why? If tax-exempt status is truly at risk if the RTP is seen as “endorsing” a candidate, then why not invite any and all candidates in a particular district to attend? By so doing there is no endorsement and if one or more candidates should choose not to attend then the onus for doing so is on that candidate and not the RTP. My understanding is that certain candidates have not sought or asked for an endorsement, simply a chance to speak to the membership about their candidacy. To invite and have a candidate speak is not tantamount to an endorsement, it is simply an effort to educate the membership about who is running. Invite them all and see who deems your efforts important enough to actually show up.
You are right that the Tea Party movement sees both parties as equally culpable. We are also not in a position to currently endorse candidates running for office as a 501c4. However, it doesn’t prevent us from holding candidate forums or producing objective voter guides. The RTP is still planning on how to move forward with these ideas.
However, being involved in an election is different than the concern with some legislators (who are not in the middle of a campaign) speaking at the Lobby Rally. When the Tea Party finds legislators who are willing to lead the charge into battle on issues that are important to the Tea Party and fight those battle for us that we have all been screaming about, it is important that we acknowledge what they are doing. There are so few who are willing to stand in the gap and fight for what is important. We had a few legislators who were willing to tell Congress that they WILL NOT mandate health insurance in Virginia, and now because of their sponsorship of the bill and the pressure by Tea Party supporters, this bill is sitting in front of the Governor to sign! We should recognize what the select few are doing that is right, so they are encouraged to help with other Tea Party legislation. That includes the handful of Democrats who co-sponsored these bills.
The Tea Party is about changing the way the two party system has been doing business over the decades. Each person in the Tea Party movement has an idea of the best approach to accomplish that task, and we welcome them all. Many in the Tea Party want to take their Tea Party ideals and goals into one of the two parties and transform these local political parties with Tea Party leadership and objectives. This doesn’t just include the GOP since we have received phone calls of RTP people trying to take over the local Democratic Party as well. They want to put Tea Party leadership in these local political party units so that they ARE Tea Party. Others feel more comfortable working completely from the outside and going no where near either party. They play a critical role as well in applying pressure and causing the two-party system to change their approach with the threat of a 3rd party. What is important for the Tea Party movement is that we let individuals choose the best method of transforming the political landscape that they are most comfortable with for themselves. … See More
The ultimate goal is that the Tea Party platform of limited government, open markets, fiscal restraint, and Constitutional adherance permeates EVERY aspect of the political world…inside and outside BOTH parties. RTP believes we can achieve that with the tenacity and passion of those in the Tea Party, because we will never have a problem holding a politician accountable, regardless of their politicial affiliation. That has been part of the problem of those within the party system…they are unwilling to hold their own politicians accountable for bad legislating and leadership. We will hold no punches. But we will also acknowledge when legislators take up our cause. We look forward to seeing RTP supporters take leadership in all these capacities mentioned! Onward!
The republicans are in full-court-press to, in the words of Palin, “absorb” the Tea Party Movement. Wouldn’t they just love that?
“Can the Republican Party hope to regain control of Congress without the support and activism of folks like you?”
The siren’s call: “We want you to go back to holding your nose and voting for the lesser of two evils (us), rather than voting for what you really want.”
My answer to the republicans is simple: you abandoned me, I didn’t abandon you. You took my support for granted, then stabbed me in the back. And now you want me to support you, just because the alternative seems worse? Frankly, voting for the “lesser of two evils” got us where we are now; drowning in evil. And their attempt to paint Palin as an outsider so she can lead the co-opting of the movement is cold, calculating, and predictable.
I’d like to see Floyd Bane have a chance to speak. I’m completely disgusted with Cantor. He is unresponsive, supported the Patriot Act, and actively helped TARP pass. There are no circumstances under which I will vote for him. None.
I am only one voice here.
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I’m guessing the Republicans don’t even process the “survey” – it is simply a ruse to collect money. I answered the questions on the outside and put a note on the inside that says call me and I’ll send money.