Meet the Tea-publicans: 'Tea party' activists filter into GOP at ground level

[Emit]

I was encouraged by earlier reports that some Tea Baggers aren't buying into the GOP Tea Party merger. If they form their own third parties, it will be more advantageous for us.

See:
Harry catches a HUGE break: "Tea Party to field candidate in battle for Harry Reid’s Senate seat"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7708411

Unfortunately, looks like some Baggers are buying into it:

'Tea party' activists filter into GOP at ground level

The conservative movement is urging its members to seek positions as local Republican precinct representatives. Their goal: Remake the party - and U.S. politics - from within.

By Kathleen Hennessey

February 15, 2010

Reporting from Washington

First there was the "tea party" protester. Now, meet the Tea-publican.

Conservative activists who once protested the political establishment are now flooding the lowest level of the Republican Party apparatus hoping to take over the party they once scorned -- one precinct at a time. Across the country, tea party groups that had focused on planning rallies are now educating members on how to run for local GOP precinct representative positions. The representatives help elect county party leaders, who write the platform and, in some places, determine endorsements.

~snip~

In Arizona and Ohio, Republican Party officials report an increase in candidates running for precinct positions, which often sit open due to lack of interest. In South Carolina, a coalition of tea party groups has made a formal agreement with the state GOP to urge its members to get engaged at the precinct level. In Nevada, a group of "constitutional conservatives" working under the tea party banner has already taken control of the Republican Party in the Las Vegas area, gaining enough strength to elect six of the seven members of the county executive committee.

~snip~

In Clark County, Nevada, the number of occupied precinct slots has swelled from roughly 200 to nearly 1,000, party officials said. Party meetings that were once held in conference rooms have been moved to casino ballrooms.

~snip~

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-tea-party15-2010feb15,0,1928212.story

As the GOP becomes more outspoken about their plans to co-opt the Baggers, perhaps more Tea Parties will seek to qualify as a third party. From the same article, looks like these Baggers weren't so pleased with the GOP's announcement:

The South Carolina GOP announced at a news conference last week that it had reached an agreement to work more closely with the Upcountry Coalition of Conservative Organizations, a collection of tea party groups in the state. Under the deal, the coalition will help the party rebuild at the precinct level. The party agreed to support fiscally conservative candidates. Haddon will act as a liaison between the groups.

But some reaction to agreement shows how many in the tea party are still skittish about associating with the GOP -- or worse, being viewed as a party appendage.

After state party chairwoman Karen Floyd described the agreement on television, activists cried foul, saying she had left the impression that the party and the tea party had merged. Coalition spokesman Harry Kibler said he felt "betrayed" and "used."

Another news conference was called to clarify the terms.

"We are independent. We will remain independent. And we will vote for the most conservative candidates regardless of party," Kibler said Friday.

[AlinPA]

1. Teabaggers=republicans. They would never vote for a Democrat.

It is all bullshit when the teabaggers say they are independent from either party.

[Emit]

3. But some are forming their own 3rd parties, and that is to our advantage

The GOP wants them, and will likely get many - but there is some news of 3rd parties forming, which will siphon off votes from Repugs, no doubt.

[AlinPA]

4. I can't believe the rightwingers would break and hurt the GOP. At election time,

they march like robots to vote republican.

[Emit]

7. These Baggers fancy themselves all mavericky, lol. The GOP isn't pure enough for them at the moment

They're fielding their own candidates, supporting them, funding them, forming their own groups and on line forum and chat thingies - some of which are highly moderated. They are definitely more apt to vote for the Repug, but they want to choose which Repug.

Many of them are Libertarians, too, some of which hate the GOP - think Ron Paul supporters, many of whom claim to be the first Baggers.

Consider this letter from Chuck Baldwin, recently posted at the Tea Party Nation discussion board which is nothing more than an appendage of the GOP. It's been posted twice and deleted because it is contradictory to the GOP:

A Warning To The Tea Party Nation
By Chuck Baldwin February 12, 2010

~snip~

Anyone who thinks that Newt Gingrich is a real conservative or that he will do anything to reduce the size and scope of the federal government needs to speak with any of those Republican members of the freshman class of 1994. (Sadly, too, some of the members of that great freshman class went on to become Big Government toadies themselves. Such is the power of that Putrid Province by the Potomac.)

The Tea Parties of 2010 remind me very much of the Conservative Revolution of 1994. And if the Tea Party Nation is not very careful, they will succumb to the same fate. The signs of a silent takeover of the movement are already appearing.

First of all, the Tea Parties were actually born during the Presidential campaign of Congressman Ron Paul of Texas in 2007 and 2008. For all intents and purposes, the Tea Parties and the Ron Paul Revolution were one and the same. These were (mostly) young people, who were sick and tired of the same old establishment Republican Party. They were tired of establishment Republicans selling out the principles of limited government; they were tired of the US Constitution being ignored and trampled by both Republicans and Democrats; they were tired of an incessant interventionist US foreign policy that keeps sending US forces overseas to advance a burgeoning New World Order (NWO); they were tired of perpetual war; they were tired of the bank bailouts; they were tired of the Federal Reserve; etc.

~snip~

I say again, be careful, Tea Party Nation. You are being infiltrated. You are being compromised. You are being neutered. Stick to your principles. Stick with the Constitution. Keep opposing unconstitutional, preemptive wars. Keep calling for the abolition of the Federal Reserve. Keep fighting for less taxes, reduced federal spending, and states' rights. Keep opposing the Patriot Act and the New World Order. Don't abandon Ron Paul. Be wary of people such as Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck. You don't need "big name" celebrities to give you credibility. As Samson's strength depended on keeping his hair uncut, your strength lies in keeping your principles intact. And unless you want to wind up like the Republican freshmen in 1994, avoid Newt Gingrich like the plague!

~snip~

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/chuckwagon.php

[Blue_Tires]

16. what an assclown

like the rest of them, he doesn't know which way is up...

he's also too ignornant to realize that without RW big-name celebrity pimpage, they wouldn't have the cash or coordination to run a T-shirt stand...

[Emit]

19. More power to him, though

for deviding the GOP, lol

[Ildem09]

10. Thats the major difference between our sides

They are generally automatons, and we are much less cohesive. a simple check of the Posts on here and freerepublic highlight that

[Emit]

13. You know the old adage

Democrats ~ like herding cats and all.

[Mumblefratz]

2. I think the teabaggers are good for liberals regardless

of whether they join with republicans or not. If they stay separate then they field multiple opponents competing for the same right wing votes. If they merge then they are such total nut cases that they'll hurt republicans from the inside.

It's a win-win situation for liberals no matter what. Just keep the birther's, deather's, vaxer's and whatever other kind of right wing nut case coming. People like Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann are walking advertisements for liberals.

[rgbecker]

5. Well put Mumbles, They are smart to try and take over the republicans,

the results of the attempts at third party runs show that it makes more sense to co-op an existing party rather than run as a 3rd.

And for sure this will help the democrats attract more of the moderates or, if running as a 3rd party, will tend to draw off the more radical republicans.

Go Sarah, Go!

[Emit]

6. The concern I have, Mumblefratz

is that, particularly in local elections, when co-opted by the GOP, some of these birthers, deathers etc. - these tea party folks - will get on the ballot and may very win pull out a win.

But I do see your point that it could be good for liberals, depending on how well our side can rally disappointed voters and GOTV (Get Out the Vote). Perhaps it will turn into an effective motivator for folks to vote - against the whacko wing nut, that is.

Welcome to DU :hi:

[tabbycat31]

8. this is exactly what progressives need to do with the Democratic Party

[Emit]

9. Infiltrate it?

I agree.

Since Obama won the election, OFA infiltrated Democratic Parties all over the country - county and state parties. Now, progressives need to get in there, too, and fast.

[tabbycat31]

15. I already do at the local level

I go to the county meetings, work on local campaigns, etc. I wish everyone on DU would do the same and support progressive candidates at the local level. My small town's mayor is fiercly progressive, and she's to the point where she scares the conservatives in town

[Initech]

11. The GOP has morphed into something truly terrifying.

[MUAD_DIB]

12. Very true. Not only have the embraced the crazies to get their votes, but it

now appears that the GOP will be overrun by their own nutty creations.

[cliffordu]

14. The Tea-liban???

[Blue_Tires]

17. oh, so they weren't libertarians after all -- they are big-party honks just like

the people they claim to despise...

[GoCubsGo]

18. You mean there's a difference in South Carolina?

At least in my part of the state, the repugs already compete to be the "most conservative" candidate in the race. All the national-level elected officials, with the exception of Lindsay Graham, are teabaggers, whether they call themselves that or not. The fact that Miss Lindsay is considered "too liberal" by these people says it all.