I Wasn't Invited To Your Tea Party!

(Taken From Here)

If you have been alive over the last two years, you know what the Tea Party is. Unfortunately, it isn't quite as cool as the above scene from Toy Story, but its pretty close. And maybe the coolest thing about the Tea Party is that it's anything BUT one political organization. It is more a frame of mind, an approach to politics in 21st century America. Now, if you have attended a rally or watched coverage of the Tea Party rallies (those usually held by Glen Beck or Sarah Palin), you know that about 50% of the attendees resort to silly costumes, stupid signs, racist slogans, and general all around idiocracy. The other half are generally concerned that our countries fiscal policy isn't sustainable, and is leading us down a path from which we cannot return.

The problem is that the half of the Tea Party that is stupid is also the loudest. They are the loud guy in the meeting, who just has to have his say, and wont listen to any rational arguments. These are the half that are the devout followers of people like Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Sarah Palin, she who must not be named (congresswoman), and who tend to repeat verbatim the talking point these people spit out every day. Obama is a socialist, democrats are Marxists, Obama is a muslim, lao-tribesman, Hitler-esque leader who wants to take your money and your guns and make you poor. And literally, that is not an exaggeration, these things are said by nationally heard media figures, daily.

And this is ultimately why people wont, and don't, take the Tea Party seriously. Although half are smart and have the ability to make sound arguments, they don't get heard, because the talking heads are too busy going off (or should I say getting off? Hard to see the difference sometimes).

So of course, it was shocking this week when Tea Party candidate Christine O'Donnell beat established conservative and Delaware favorite (former Governor) Mike Cassell, who had been heavily favored in the polls before the primary. And this was very much a Tea Party victory, with the deciding factor being O'Donnell's ability to get her voters out to the polls. But, alas, not everything is heaven in conservative world.

O'Donnell has opened up as a double digit underdog to democratic candidate Chris Coons, some polls putting it at as much as a 16 point lead, which is absurd. The problem is, Republicans thought they had Delaware in hand, which is huge. Delaware is a liberal state, and the only real chance at senate victory was to elect the already popular Cassell, which is now effectively dead.

And now the shit storm begins. Republican strategists such as Karl Rove, David Frum, Alex Castellanos have come out condemning O'Donnell, noting that her primary win dooms the Republicans from winning the Senate. And its true, they wont have the seats to do it anymore. Others like the Beck, Plain, Hannity, Limbaugh crowd have backed O'Donnell, saying they must be behind all their primary winners.

But this is a failed strategy. If you support someone with a shady past, who has no history of governance, you look like a buffoon when they actually have to govern, and they inevitably screw-the-pooch. A rift, that already existed in the party, is now very much public. And its not going away. And its a fight for survival.

The countries demographics are changing, more minorities are entering, the middle class is struggling, and political parties are under the gun. So the Democrats in the early 2000's saw this, and said hey, we will be the party of the future, the party of the progressive thinker. The Republicans went the other way, supporting traditions, the wealthy, and white people. Now, they have lost what they need to get elected. Votes, money, and a future. So some Republican leaders like Michael Steele and David Frum have tried to reintroduce a big tent to the party, welcoming in the newly majority demographics of the country. But its just not happening, and the Republican party continues to shrink.

So now, its the battle for hearts and minds. One party is for choice, marriage equality, and stem cell research, and health care coverage for all citizens. One stands behind wall street, fortune 500 companies, and gun rights. Which one do you think has a future, in the next 10 years and the next 50? Its pretty clear. And its sad, because the last death grasp from a generation of thought that is now dead is starting to die off (see national polling in last month), and the country is showing its ready to move forward on issues like the environment, infrastructure, and naturalization of immigrants. You can either ride the wave into town, or you get wiped out along the way. November may be a Republican victory, but the stage is set for future dominance for the Dems, and the elephants have nobody but themselves to blame.