Observers Discount Impact Of Tea Party On Texas Primary Outcomes
March 16, 2010 by Personal Liberty News Desk
After the recent round of primary elections in Texas some commentators have suggested that victories of fiscal conservatives are an indication of the growing strength of the Tea Party movement. However, others have cautioned that the claims may be overblown.
They point out that although Governor Rick Perry resoundingly won the Republican gubernatorial primary by advocating small government, opposing the federal deficit as well as tax increases, there was also a Tea Party candidate in that race who finished a distant third.
In fact, despite Tea Party challengers, all 11 of the incumbent House Republicans facing challengers in the state won their primary battle in the end, according to CNN.
"[These] candidates complicated things at the lower level of the tickets, but they didn’t quite overwhelm the better-established dynamics in a lot of these districts," said James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas, quoted by the news provider.
As far as the Tea Party impact, he added, "there was a lot more flash than bang."
The grassroots movement was launched last year in response to the massive stimulus package passed by Congress and signed by President Obama. Its website specifies that Tea Party Nation is a group of people who want to preserve God-given individual freedoms introduced by the Founding Fathers and who believe in limited government, free speech, the Second Amendment, the military and secure borders.
Being “practical” and voting fo the “lesser of two evils” instead of the clearly good candidate who “doesn’t have any chance of winning” is a time-tested strategy that has failled its test repeatedly. If that strategy had worked, we wouldn’t be in the predicament that we find ourselves in. “Conservatives” need to give up on that failing strategy and resolve to vote for the BEST candidate, regardless of what the perceived chances of winning are.
If coaching in the Superbowl, most people would play their best players. The real issue is that we have no control over the winning politician during his term.
People need to vote for the best or expect more of the same. The Tea Party candidate Debra Medina got 1 out of 5 votes for the Texas governorship.
Knuckleballer, I agree, but our problem is that most democrats and republicans vote for their political party, regardless of who is on the ticket. They refuse to face the facts of their party’s indiscretions. For example President George W. Bush involved us in two mideast wars and plunged us further in debt than any previous predecessor, yet most republicans refuse to denounce that. He stated publicly that he felt honored to have played a part in Armegeddon, and when no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq, he still set about to reform the Iraqi government, instead of apologizing for the mistake and bringing our boys home.
The beter option is to find more people to run for office in one of the two major parties (Democrat or Republican). If we vote for a third party candidate all we accomplish is fragmenting the conservative vote and end up with a Liberal or Progressive winning. Please don’t split up the conservative votes. There are primaries before anyone is put on the ballot. Find out what each of them stand for and make a selection. Having a third party is exactly what Progressive (mostly Democrats)want. How do you know if the third party person is only running to split up the conservative vote. He could be lying and following a script that sounds like he is perfect. There are a lot of opportunist out there. A democrat lawyer in Florida started a third party (Tea Party) with the intention of doing exactly that, splitting the conservative vote. He has since withdrawn his petition under extreme pressure by the conservatives in this state. This should by done in every state. Investigate who is setting up the third party and 9 out of 10 times you will be surprised at who is actually behind it. Heck some states now have 5 to 6 parties. Beware and research carefully, this can happen in your state…
Bonnie,
I do like the idea but we should take it a little farther and run a fake on the dems, they would love it as it takes a page out of their play book!! We run a fake liberal in the dem house and get him elected only to have him or her revert to their conservative ways!!!
Does anybody remember the weathermen out of Chicago in the 60′s that Charles Manson took off on in California? These were two white guys out to start a black revolution in America to have the back population rule the world! I understand that these two guys are now working in Africa to continue this 60′s agenda! Remember, 70% of the countries that make up the UN are black countries without veto power! Doesn’t America have veto power? Think about it!
The media, pelosi, obama still continue to down play the American people..It past time for all of them to go!
they,re not downplaying them,they just don,t care.obama and the rest of the dems.are,nt going to let the american people stand in they,re way of socialism and gov,t takeover.all dems think all they have to do is lie to you about what you want to hear and do as they please.free money and spending hundreds of billions of your dollars on all these other countries,most of it getting lost supposedly,yet none to give you back.plenty for the blacks on welfare and the illegals tho.they,re pulling off the second biggest scam in hystory.the first was the stymulus deal,now the extortion of every american.what did you expect putting a muslim,socialist,racist dictator in office of the greatest countrie on earth.he won,t even show his birth certificate.proven by the 2 million he,s spent so far hideing it.impeach him and all the dems now.
Your comment is fine, EXCEPT about 60% on welfare are white, and half that are black. It isn’t about color. Don’t feed the feral liberal.
Before I retired last year, I spent all of my time on my job and my family.
Don’t these tea party fools have a life? Who pays their bills?
Norm…
I’m sure there are a lot of these people out of work thanks to obama.
Furthermore… All of the people need to make a stand against tyranny.
Raggs, President Obama had nothing to do with our unemployment problem, that was brought about by, at least, three previous administrations. Unemployment was precipitated by too many people being too far into debt. America was living on borrowed money, all it took was for the housing market to collapse, then the house of cards came tumbling down.
People that fit civil affairs into their lives are fools?
And it’s people like you (and me) who failed in their duty as one of the People of our Republic. We allowed our Nation to reach this sorry state by our selfish, irresponsible behavior and our failure to engage in the political process in order to maintain that legacy which our Founders had at their own risk of life and fortune gave to us. It is not the Tea Party people who are the fools … look in a mirror and think what burden your (our) failure to act has placed upon your children, their children, and our future generations. Get off your … and get out there with the Tea Pary!
Well said Biglron
Right on! Finally, some inspiration to get Americans active in political policy again. Go tea baggers!
Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are encouraging the Tea party folks to throw their hat into the ring knowing full well it will steal votes from the Conservative party and increase their chances of getting elected, after all they have most of the illegal votes, (thanks to Acorn) the cemetery vote, the homeless votes, illegal aliens and of course all the people who hate America that live and work here, the double and triple votes etc. A vote for a Democrat now is a vote for total Government control.
Hey “Fool”! “Bent” over while “Teabagging” lately? I cannot help but notice that those who use the term ‘Teabaggers” as a vulgar pejorative, in reference to those who voluntarily attended “Tea Party” rallies, unwittingly expose what it is they use for dental floss. “If you lay down with …, you’ll get up with … .”
That must have been a reply to Dani.
I thought the same… He/She must be an obamabagger.
Cut her some slack guys, she probably didn’t realize how that can be taken.
Big Iron,
Kudos! Kudos! Kudos! Perfect! Thank you!
Fed Up Gal
Were you part of “The Silent Majority”? I was. However, I am now a part of the “Un-Silent Majority”.
Myron,
If a person knows how to write or use the phone then even in the past they had no excuse to being silent!!!!I have written to my reps even when in the service!!! I have never been able to keep my voice silent, even when I should. But then I feel I have the right to voice my opine and always will.
As for the libbies here that think government health care is so great, I wish a lady that Stephaan and I used to post to named English Rose was on this site. She lives in London and she would tell you in a heart beat what that is like!!! She could tell you horror stories about it!!! took two months to get her daughters nose set when it was broke and deviated her septum. I did the same thing a few years ago with a tool box on a top shelf and it was set fixed and done in two weeks!!!
Norm,
The Tea partiers are well informed people who know the Constitution,believe me they are not fools. That’s why all you Libs are afraid of them. They are just normal everyday people who love their country.
The Tea partiers were out in force at the Capital today!!!___I wish I lived closer__Lets keep it going___God Blessem
AMEN,MAY THE LORD KEEP EM COMING!!!!!!
Angel,
I agree……God willing….Washington will soon realize they have awoken an apparent sleeping GIANT again, but they will likely be surprised since this time they are the target for real change…as in vote dang near all of them OUT!
Fed Up Gal
I’m grateful to all those who take time away from family and career to stand up to communist tyranny in the homeland.
Me too!!!!!
Hi, I read all your blogs, keep them coming.