If the Tea Party can focus and get its independence back from the hard-right Republican Party – it might very well be able to make a positive difference in Washington. And that's coming from someone who disagrees with just about everything the Tea Party representatives say they believe in, so that means a lot.
First: I am in no way affiliated with a Tea Party, so other than what I see online and on the news I don't know too much about what I perceive as being the rather chaotic and vacillating nature of the tea party (parties). Buy my question is: why can't they make up their minds? Has there every been a time like this where a large, if rather undefined other than by name, constituent group was always on the lookout for the next nominee, always seeking someone "better" who fits what they want to accomplish?
May I be so bold in saying that it's somewhat sad that the hard Republican right tried to "take over" the tea party movement (or as some claim and I'm not prone to completely disagree, certain aspects of the Republican party helped it along by creating its own factions within what started as an organic movement).
In doing so (Republicans annexing the Tea Party) it locked both sides into a bad situation; binding them to certain sides of an argument without giving leeway for independent thought or opinion. I wish that the original Tea Partiers would have fought vigorously against that take-over by the Carl Rove groups and any right-wing group wanting to exploit what their message really was. Had that take over not had happened, the possibility of an actual debate on the issues would have been more possible. The hard right Republican partiers who tried to ride the wave of the tea party forced a shift away from its original intend and (as sadly is the usual) pushed it to align with anger, pointing fingers, and religiously motivated social issues.
If I remember correctly, the tea party had absolutely nothing to do with social issues. Oh well. As usual anything remotely close to hard right gets sucked into that black hole of politics.
My hope: that the tea party can make its way back to its roots. Break away from any party, and start a positive dialog. In the very beginning there was chatter that tea party issues could very well fall on either side of the isle, but the Republican party and their bull horns on Fox made sure that they would exclusively be aligned (if only in perception which is all that is required) w/ the Republican anti-everything, must-beat-Obama agenda.
Now, the team party is lost in the anger and the distrust that motivates most conservatives in this country. That's why the grass is always greener. That's why the Republican primary is nothing short of a circus right now.
Tea Party: go back to your roots. Focus your positions. Don't lest any established party annex your voice.
You might find (as we all hoped) that some issues align with one party, and other issues with another. That was where the greatest potential was for the tea party: a group that truly could, based solely on issues, work with both parties.
Tea Party, you could have made Washington a better place – but you allowed the Republican machine to annex the movement. Take it back. Be your own. Focus your efforts. Be real and honest. Don't be moved by fear or distrust or what you see on TV. Be positive. Don't hate. Be open for discussion and ideas. You get your independence back and you can make a positive difference.
