Let's not forget to toss in "National Debt Ceiling" and "defund Obamacare" into the mix - Granite Grok

Let’s not forget to toss in “National Debt Ceiling” and “defund Obamacare” into the mix

Tea Party Republican Disapproval for GOP 9-11-2013-11“The Tea Party has had it with Republican leaders, abandoning the GOP in stunning numbers at a time when mainstream leaders are arguing for immigration reform and support for an attack on Syria.

A new Pew Research Center poll provided to Secrets on Wednesday found that just 27 percent of Republicans who agree with the Tea Party approve of Republican leaders in Congress. A whopping 71 percent disapprove.

…The job rating of GOP leaders among Tea Party Republicans has fallen 15 points since February, from 42% to 27%. Disapproval has risen from 54% to 71% over this period. There has been no similar decline among Republicans who do not agree with the Tea Party.

This internal dissent contributes to the lower job ratings Republican leaders receive from the public. The survey, conducted Sept. 4-8 among 1,506 adults, finds that just 24% of the public approves of Republican leaders’ job performance, while 33% approve of the job of Democratic congressional leaders. “

It is clear that there is a feeling amongst TEA Party folks that Obama / the IRS / DOJ / Democrats took advantage of the fact that TEA Party groups tried to “do the right things / follow the rules” in the process of obtaining tax-exempt status for donations (which would have led to more political speech and activism).  There has been little done in reign in those in the IRS responsible for bringing political bias to bear in the most feared department in the Federal Government. Now knowing the targeting done to them by those in the Federal Government who hold Progressive / Big Government political views, their dander is now up.

And God help the GOP DCers for the perception that they are piling on with these folks by telling the TEA Party folks that worked hard and voted for them back in 2010 to put their butts in those seats – and have proceeded to dither that support away with grand sounding rhetoric, fire and brimstone – and actions that belie those words.

I’ve been writing for a while that Consistency is a necessary prerequsite for Trust, and that Trust is a prerequisite to receive a Vote from the activists that know the issues – and then go and influence others to be like minded.  Yet, incredibly, GOP Leadership seemingly just brushing this workaholic, fired up wing of the party simple because we want Principles before Party.

It was never the case that TEA Partiers were enamored with the Republicans in the first place – it was just that their platform fit better with the TEA Party Principles:

  • Free Markets
  • Constitutional boundaries to be followed by Government
  • Fiscal Frugality

The more that the rejuvenated TEA Party movement sees GOP Leadership only give lip service to those ideals, the less they are willing to add their “percentage” to voting GOP.  In fact, in talking with some folks (and some of those being formerly stalwart Rs themselves), they are seeing, once again, the Republicans being almost equal to the Democrats in political peversity (a la Codevilla: America’s Ruling Class, Orphan Voters).  Unlike the Establishment Republicans, winning elections is only a pre-requisite to wielding power – the TEA Party is interested (just as the New Left / Progressive Socialists has shown with the Democrats) in what elected Republicans will do once that Power is gained.

And right now, as the mid-term election campaigns are starting up, the questions that the Republicans in DC must be thinking are:

  • If I am in a purple district, can I afford to alienate the bloc that can elect me?  Or put me into Obama’s unemployment line?
  • If I am already in DC, does my record on the “Biggies” going to rate me having a primary?

Frankly, I think that the DC Republicans are at yet another nexus point with both increased spending (the Debt Ceiling) and government finishing its takeover of the healthcare and private insurance marketplaces (Obamacare).  Sure, Syria is also on the docket and Immigration.  Fiscal Frugality, Limited Government, Constitutional Bounds, Free Markets; major decisions for those Republicans and what they decide will have a major impact on the minds of not just TEA Partiers but conservative to some moderate Republicans:  will it hurt, will it help, or will it cause them to finally say:

These folks DON’T represent my views any longer – why should I support them in any way?

And that crappy argument of “vote for us, we’re not Democrats” will have evaporated, but voting to increase the Debt, not taking the stand to defund Obamacare, not worrying about the Constitutional separation of powers concerning a war declaration against Syria, and effectively debasing the value of American Citizenship via “comprehensive voter reform” and amnesty will prove that other old saw:

Not a dime’s worth of difference between them”

(H/T: Washington Examiner)

 

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