2016 Postmortem

TexasTowelie

(112,217 posts) Sun Jan 5, 2014, 07:07 AM Jan 2014

Texas business groups ally to counter tea party influence in GOP primaries

AUSTIN — Some of Texas’ biggest business trade groups are moving to counter tea party and anti-government forces that have dominated recent Republican primaries.

The Texas Future Business Alliance — a mix of 10 major business groups, including the chemical industry, bankers, builders and contractors — is sending out mailers and providing other support on behalf of GOP candidates who have supported water infrastructure development, highway construction and education spending.

Many of the incumbents have been pilloried as big government spenders and liberals by fiscal hawk groups.

The movement mirrors the schism happening nationally between hard right and establishment Republicans. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently pledged $50 million to back pro-business Republicans in U.S. Senate primaries and fight tea party insurgents. Republican leaders, such as House Speaker John Boehner, have castigated hard right groups, accusing them of wanting contributions more than solutions.

More at http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20140104-texas-business-groups-ally-to-counter-tea-party-influence-in-gop-primaries.ece .

Cross-posted in the Texas Group.

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Texas business groups ally to counter tea party influence in GOP primaries (Original Post) TexasTowelie Jan 2014 OP

Well, I gotta say. Laelth Jan 2014 #1

Okay ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2014 #2

Yes, we do. Laelth Jan 2014 #3

Agreed ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2014 #4

Agreed. That has always been the case. Laelth Jan 2014 #5

Okay ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2014 #6

No biggie. Laelth Jan 2014 #7

All too often ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2014 #8

I'll take the business guys over the crazy wacko birds as an opponent anyday. nt TeamPooka Jan 2014 #10

IMO, the teabaggers will win in the end. Ignorance and bigotry rules in the GOP now. AlinPA Jan 2014 #9

Yes, they have awakened the sleeping idiot, used him for their agenda and now he broke loose. NT TeamPooka Jan 2014 #11

Laelth

(32,017 posts)

1. Well, I gotta say.

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Sun Jan 5, 2014, 07:26 AM

Jan 2014

The Tea Party guy got this right:

Michael Quinn Sullivan, president of the fiscal-hawk group Empower Texans, said the Texas Future Business Alliance is nothing but a group of big-money interests wanting taxpayer dollars to flow into their pockets.

He described the consortium as a “fake group” of large trade associations masquerading as a grass-roots organization and sending out leaflets that give incumbents “A Rated” report cards.

“This is what we’ve come to expect coming out of the Washington, anti-Ted Cruz movement,” Sullivan said. “They want people who will vote for cronyism and corporate welfare.”

That's quite true from what I can tell.

-Laelth

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)

2. Okay ...

Reply to Laelth (Reply #1)

Sun Jan 5, 2014, 09:54 AM

Jan 2014

given that quote (and laugh at the teaparty guy's "fake group" irony) ... Don't we want elected officials to invest in infrastructure and education ... even if it means that the money will flow (at first, and with the obvious exception of education) to the pockets of those groups represented by the business groups.

Laelth

(32,017 posts)

3. Yes, we do.

Reply to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #2)

Sun Jan 5, 2014, 10:00 AM

Jan 2014

I'm on the side of the establishment Republicans on this one, but for a different reason. As the Tea Party dude rightly notes, establishment Republicans want to keep the government money-spigot open so that they can enrich themselves and their friends. I want to keep the government money-spigot open because 1) our economy needs the stimulus from increased government spending, and 2) better infrastructure enriches us all.

I agree with the Tea Party dude only to the extent that he nailed the motives of establishment Republicans.

-Laelth

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)

4. Agreed ...

Reply to Laelth (Reply #3)

Sun Jan 5, 2014, 10:08 AM

Jan 2014

but in this case, we can't have one without the other.

Laelth

(32,017 posts)

5. Agreed. That has always been the case.

Reply to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #4)

Sun Jan 5, 2014, 10:15 AM

Jan 2014

I might like a little more oversight and the elimination of no-bid contracts, plus some tightening of cost-plus contracts (allowing for less profit), but, ultimately, I agree that because the state lacks the resources to build infrastructure for itself (because these functions have been privatized), some enrichment of various already-wealthy people will be necessary in order for us to get the infrastructure improvements that we all need.

-Laelth

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)

6. Okay ...

Reply to Laelth (Reply #5)

Sun Jan 5, 2014, 10:21 AM

Jan 2014

we're on the same page. I guess I just needed to verify your "as it is versus as I wish it" analysis ... sorry!

Laelth

(32,017 posts)

7. No biggie.

Reply to 1StrongBlackMan (Reply #6)

Sun Jan 5, 2014, 10:24 AM

Jan 2014

You gave me the opportunity to clarify, and I appreciate that.

-Laelth

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)

8. All too often ...

Reply to Laelth (Reply #7)

Sun Jan 5, 2014, 10:44 AM

Jan 2014

I say facile, and unreal, arguments that claim to want investment; but neglect the reality that such investments will go to those positioned to receive that investment (i.e., those already rich, business owners).

After much thought, I have come to believe that we need to re-visit, and re-define, the problem of "trickle-down" to indicate the problem is not that the money goes to the top and flows downward ... which is economic fact ... to indicate the problem as the money going to the unproductive investor class, where the money stays.