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applegrove

(118,685 posts) Fri Oct 18, 2013, 06:54 PM Oct 2013

"The tea party is getting more powerful. But less popular."

The tea party is getting more powerful. But less popular.

By Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/10/17/the-tea-party-is-getting-more-powerful-but-less-popular/

"SNIP...............................

This polling bears out the broader problem for the Republican Party going forward. The tea party remains a potent force within the walls of Congress — thanks in large part to the fact that most Republican politicians live in fear of crossing their activist base and losing a primary. But, apart from the hard-core GOP activists, it’s becoming less and less popular. The fact that just three in 10 independents now have favorable views of the tea party should be a warning to any 2016 Republican candidate that closely affiliating with the party’s most conservative elements could be problematic in a general election. Of course, to win the nomination in 2016, you may well need those tea party activists on your side — or at least not strongly against you. Therein lies the rock-meet-hard-place that Republicans are in at the moment.

...............................SNIP"

8 replies

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"The tea party is getting more powerful. But less popular." (Original Post) applegrove Oct 2013 OP

This is an Ayn Rand narrative: power of some kind bashes applegrove Oct 2013 #1

How do you simultaneously get more powerful in *politics* Aerows Oct 2013 #2

That's the problem. And its name is Citizen United. It makes America less democratic. Which applegrove Oct 2013 #3

There are a lot of folks that can still get ushered out the door on their behind Aerows Oct 2013 #4

same way they've been doing it.. stillcool Oct 2013 #5

+100 applegrove Oct 2013 #6

+1. And zealots like the tea partiers have a very, very solid base nt riderinthestorm Oct 2013 #7

and they get so much attention stillcool Oct 2013 #8

applegrove

(118,685 posts)

1. This is an Ayn Rand narrative: power of some kind bashes

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 06:55 PM

Oct 2013

weaker people over the head until they succumb.

Aerows

(39,961 posts)

2. How do you simultaneously get more powerful in *politics*

Reply to applegrove (Reply #1)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 06:57 PM

Oct 2013

and less popular with the public that elects you?

applegrove

(118,685 posts)

3. That's the problem. And its name is Citizen United. It makes America less democratic. Which

Reply to Aerows (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 06:58 PM

Oct 2013

is exactly what the Kochs and the 1% want.

Aerows

(39,961 posts)

4. There are a lot of folks that can still get ushered out the door on their behind

Reply to applegrove (Reply #3)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 07:01 PM

Oct 2013

Mitt Romney, for example, no matter how much money gets thrown his way. Now mind you, I'm not comfortable with the amount of money these SuperPacs are allowed to spend, but it still rather delights me to see behind the scenes folks wastes tons of money and come up empty handed.

stillcool

(32,626 posts)

5. same way they've been doing it..

Reply to Aerows (Reply #2)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 07:14 PM

Oct 2013

mess with elections any and every way imaginable, keep up with redistricting, fill up the airwaves, newspapers, and internet with any lies you think will fly or attack, attack, attackt, file lawsuits to get votes thrown out...the usual. Some states are worse than others, or I should say easier than others. It's going to take more and more people voting to off-set all the barriers set up to prevent votes from being counted.

applegrove

(118,685 posts)

6. +100

Reply to stillcool (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 07:26 PM

Oct 2013

riderinthestorm

(23,272 posts)

7. +1. And zealots like the tea partiers have a very, very solid base nt

Reply to stillcool (Reply #5)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 07:29 PM

Oct 2013

stillcool

(32,626 posts)

8. and they get so much attention

Reply to riderinthestorm (Reply #7)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 07:40 PM

Oct 2013

There was a rally/march for health care reform in Boston not too long after Teddy Kennedy died. There were a few thousand people that showed up. At the same time a few tea-partiers showed up at one of the Congressmen's offices and did their shtick. Guess who got the lead in the news?

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