Republican Congressman Faces Tea Party Wrath for Flying Air Force One

[Eugene]

Source: National Journal

Republican Congressman Faces Tea Party Wrath for Flying Air Force One

By Beth Reinhard
February 27, 2013 | 6:00 a.m.

In just over two years in Congress, Republican Scott Rigell of Virginia has piqued conservatives by voting to raise the debt ceiling, disavowing an anti-tax pledge, and partnering with Democrats on gun control legislation. He was one of only two Republicans last year to oppose holding Attorney General Eric Holder in criminal contempt.

But the proverbial straw broke the tea party’s back on Wednesday, when Rigell joined President Obama at a major shipbuilder near his southeastern Virginia district that would be hurt by sweeping military cuts if Congress doesn’t reach a budget deal. President Obama, who called for reducing the deficit in part by raising taxes, thanked Rigell and Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott, whose district includes Newport News Shipbuilding, as “two outstanding congressmen who care about this facility, care about Virginia and care about this country.”

Rigell did not appear on stage with the president, but to some conservative activists, his attendance amounted to a betrayal.

“There’s going to be a lot of discussion about Congressman Rigell and I think it’s much more likely he will face a primary challenge next year,” said Karen Miner Hurd, founder of the Hampton Roads Tea Party. “He, like many Republicans, are turning their backs on what got them elected in the first place.”

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Read more: http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/republican-congressman-faces-tea-party-wrath-for-flying-air-force-one-20130227

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. Tea Party still too stupid to understand that what gets people elected

is the capacity to bring jobs to their district. They really don't get that the United States is a mixed economy, with government spending accounting for a large percentage of jobs, either directly or indirectly. They'd rather see the Newport News shipbuilding operations shut down than deal with that basic reality. These are the most dangerous sorts of people, because they are fanatics: they hold to their beliefs regardless of obvious empirical evidence to the contrary.

[LiberalFighter]

2. The Teabagger Party is speaking for the Republican Party?

I'm wondering if they have much pull in his district?

[Andy823]

4. Good question.

I think the tea party doesn't understand much at all. They are simply a bunch of nuts who used to be part of the so called "christian right" who have become the "tea party" creation of the likes of the Koch brothers. They have no idea what would actually help this country, they simply are angry people who are gullible enough believe the crap spread by fox news, Rush, and Beck. They "think" they have more power than they really do, and do not seem to realize that the public no longer wants them around. All they have are themselves and dwindling number of followers who simply can't face reality.

Last year in my area there was on republican commissioner who wrote a letter to the governor in support of an appointee to a state board. The appointee was not a republican so the tea party nuts went crazy. They demanded the commissioner to resign his position. All but one of the other commissioners went along with the nuts. The one who did not go along said that there was no reason to have this man step down, he simply did what he though was right, even though the rest of the commissioners did not agree. Both of them were attacked by the crazies, and they did lose in the election, but not by very much. The area is very very red, but many republicans were upset and actually backed the democrat candidate, which really surprised me. One of the most prominent republicans in the county was running things for the democrat in her district instead of backing the crazy tea party candidate.

I think the more the tea party rants and raves the more people, republicans included, are going to see just how crazy these people really are, and how bad they are for this country.

[lunatica]

3. If Obama wants to destroy Republicans all he has to do is give them a compliment

and step aside as the zombie teabaggeratti dining on them.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Anyone even remotely rational will not be tolerated in that party.

They are being bred out of the Republican gene pool. There will be nothing left but mean, crazy, and dumb.

[TeamPooka]

6. I think teabaggers would shoot themselves in the head just to keep me from having the bullet