Juan Williams’ warning
Juan Williams, on the pages of the Wall Street Journal, warns Democrats that “Tea Party Anger Reflects Mainstream Concerns“- something we all know.
There is danger for Democrats in recent attempts to dismiss the tea party movement as violent racists deserving of contempt. Demonizing these folks may energize the Democrats’ left-wing base. But it is a big turnoff to voters who have problems with the Democratic agenda that have nothing to do with racism.
But Democrats cannot win elections without capturing the votes of independent-minded swing voters. And that is where writing off the tea party as a bunch of racist kooks becomes self-destructive. The tea party outrage over health-care reform, deficit spending and entitlements run amok is no fringe concern. And it is insulting to all voters to suggest that criticism of President Obama, even by people who want to throw him out of office, is motivated by racism.
Greyhawk at Mudville Gazette discusses some of the examples of the Left’s attempts to marginalize the Tea Party activists.
My warning, though, is to Republicans. They’re beginning to act like their victory in November is a foregone conclusion – as if their 1994 take over ensures one this year, too. Republicans are not working for victory, they’re letting the Tea Party movement carry their water.
I’ve got news for them – if they don’t get off their collective ass, Republicans will lose in November, just like they’ve lost the last two election cycles unless they start acting like they deserve our votes.
Idiot sex scandals don’t help, neither do those Republicans who forsake their pledge to forsake earmarks.
Voters have been sending the message to Republican politicians that, unlike Democrat politicians, Republicans need to “earn” votes with deeds. Obviously, Republican politicians are unable to decipher the message.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Congress sucks
Jonn,
I agree, that the win is not automatic. I’m pissed because the reps are not going full boar for repeal. This is what will sink them and the rest of us.
Juan Williams has finally said something that makes sense. Over at Redstate there was a post vilifying the tea party peeps via a leftminded spew shop. The funny thing is that they really have no clue how destructive all of their rhetoric is.
Red Nanny is cock-sure that the people want to re-elect them but the dem base I’m seeing in my world shows that the tide is turning.
Jonn–amen. There is an incredible sense of disconnect in BOTH major parties, and their attitude is something akin to, “What are you going to do, vote for someone else?” While to my mind, voting third-party isn’t a viable option since none of them really seem to have their shit in one sock, neither is staying home. We see where that got us in 2006 and 2008. Truly reshaping the GOP isn’t going to come from the top down–it’s going to start at the local level and work its way up the chain…the sooner that we put good people on the ballots who will LISTEN and ACT on the desires of the people, then we might have a chance.
Until then, same old, same old. Which is why the TP has people from so many different backgrounds and walks of life, despite the best efforts of the MSM to claim otherwise.
Jonn,
Well said. Both parties need to understand just how deep the disgust with them runs in the American electorate. I’ve been to several of the local Tea Party functions. The membership is as diverse as the nation, but they all have one view in common: The status quo in American Government can no longer be tolerated. Those folks will no longer tolerate a “business as usual” attitude from either party and intend, quite seriously, to support those candidates who support the Tea Party ideals.
Those politicians and political operatives who dismiss the Tea Party do so at their peril.
I agree, the TEA Party folks are just fed up… with the whole lot of them and their lack of responsibility and ethics. The only thing I fear is that votes will be split into 3 instead of two and we all will end up losing in the end. They have done a good job so far so I will hold out hope that they are smart enough to already know all of this and do whatever is needed so this doesn’t happen.