Tea party plans to abandon GOP stars

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Tea party plans to abandon GOP stars

AP foreign, Sunday August 4 2013

MICHAEL J. MISHAK

Associated Press= MIAMI (AP) - This wasn't the revolution the tea party had in mind.

Four years ago, the movement and its potent mix of anger and populism persuaded thousands of costumed and sign-waving conservatives to protest the ballooning deficit and President Obama's health care law. It swept a crop of no-compromise lawmakers into Congress and governor's offices and transformed political up-and-comers, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, into household names.

But as many tea party stars seek re-election next year and Rubio considers a 2016 presidential run, conservative activists are finding themselves at a crossroads. Many of their standard-bearers have embraced more moderate positions on bedrock issues such as immigration and health care, broadening their appeal in swing states but dampening grass-roots passion.

"They keep sticking their finger in the eyes of the guys who got them elected," said Ralph King, a co-founder of the Cleveland Tea Party Patriots. "A lot of people are feeling betrayed."

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/10915488

[JustAnotherGen]

1. The Guardian's writer has something wrong

Freedom Works is not "loosely knit":

The tea party is a loosely knit web of activists, and some are hoping to rekindle the fire with 2014 primary challenges to wayward Republicans. But many more say they plan to sit out high-profile races in some important swing states next year, a move that GOP leaders fear could imperil the re-election prospects of former tea party luminaries, including the governors of Florida and Ohio.

"It changes the playing field for us," said Tom Gaitens, former Florida director of FreedomWorks, a political action committee that has spent millions of dollars to help tea party candidates. "The most powerful thing we have as a movement is our feet and our vote."

In the summer of 2009, tea party supporters stormed congressional town hall meetings, shouting down lawmakers who had voted for the bank bailout and the stimulus package. The movement's voice grew louder after Democrats passed the health care overhaul, and voters took their outrage to the polls in 2010. The tea party wave stunned Democrats and many moderate Republicans, sweeping the GOP into control of the House and changing the balance of power in many statehouses.

How the hell did the Koch brother's get their press release posted on The Gaurdian?

What's their angle (the Koch's). Are they trying to get us to take our eye off the ball?

[sigmasix]

2. Koche brothers are paymasters

The Gaurdian and Greenwald have been referring to teabagers as "the new breed of small government conservatives" for a while now. This dishonest and dangerously inacurate discription of teabaggers is indicative of support for their antiAmerican aims. Greenwald absolutely LOVES teabaggers. Right wing Libertarian extremists have been the cornerstone for the building of the teabagger faction. The Gaurdian includes many "journalists" that hate America, and the liberties and freedom we have all worked together as Americans to acheive. Libertarian teabaggers lie, cheat, steal and murder in thier attempts to destroy America. A deep, abiding hatred for your fellow man seems to be the reward offered by this antiAmerican ideology. This is the reason so many libertarians disguise themselves as concerned progressives and post lies, more lies and conspiracy theories about the present President of the United States of America all over DU.

Teabaggers aren't even human, let alone patriotic Americans. Why do teabaggers hate truth and liberties for everyone other than themselves?

[Sunlei]

3. Tea party is GOP, as is koch, his funded JBS, tea party and those political charities.

let tea party try to survive without the billionaires tossing money at them. None of their 'Leadership' work for free like real volunteers do.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. Tough sh!t, teabaggers.