I truly believe that by the end of 2012 we'll see the end of the Tea Party

[LynneSin]

In 2010, the Tea Party seemed like this great movement that was inspired to make our government more accountable and spend within our means. Ok, at least that was the line that these tea party leaders & candidates tried to feed us. And in the 2010 election alot of voters gave those Tea Party candidates a chance and elected them into office.

I think with the actions of many of these Tea Party candidates of recent have shown us that the Tea Party candidates have absolutely no desire whatsoever to fight for the working class & poor. They are here to protect the interest of the wealthy. The Tea Party Governors elected to states like Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida are doing everything they can to dismantle unions and public education within their state. Congressional Tea Party members have already turned their backs on banning 'earmarks'.

I think by the time 2012 comes around that many of these Tea Party elected officials will see themselves booted. Many of the moderate republicans and independants that gave a chance to these party members are probably having buyers remorse right now.

[gatorboy]

1. People said similar things about the Republican party in '08

Don't underestimate their cockroach abilities (Apologies to cockroaches)....

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. I hope you're right

I'd hate to see them capture all three branches of government and/or continue to remain a viable "movement" after 2012.
:scared:

[muntrv]

3. Let's hope the overreach by the teabaggers energizes enough pushback.

[Blue Owl]

4. The Great Koch-Block of 2012

I sure hope so!

[Arugula Latte]

5. But people who are stupid enough to vote for Tea Baggers in the first place

are probably too stupid to have an epiphany.

[JuniperLea]

12. That's my fear too...

However, there will no doubt be many who actually feel used and abused.

[blm]

6. I'm not as optimistic as you about their demise, but, I hope I am the one who ends up wrong.

.

[NNN0LHI]

7. They going back to calling themselves Minutemen again?

Wouldn't surprise me.

Don

[vi5]

8. You're right, but only because...

The GOP will be fully back in power in the Senate and have increased their majority in the house, so for the most part the Tea Baggers will have done what they were put in place to do: get Republicans elected.

And for something as high profile as the presidential campaign the republicans will want to keep them well out of sight so as to not scare moderates.

So you're right they will be gone at the end of 2012, but that will largely be because they will have won.

[HereSince1628]

9. I don't think they are going away at all.

The Republican party is located at the intersection of 2 unpleasant but come human natures: Greed and Jealousy.
Both of these are aspect of self-interest, but because both rebel against the concept of sharing they link together.

At the wealthy end of things, the corporations and the rich are motivated by greed. These people control wealth that actually makes them very powerful with respect to manipulating elected officials through legal and sometimes stretching the limit barely legal sometime illegal donations.

On the poor side of things, are the working poor and especially people who are fearful/anxious about their social status declining into the working poor--or worse. These people are are motivated by jealousy. They control very little wealth but they do have votes to cast--the very thing that the rich don't have but need for control.

The contemporary poor side of things has a name--the tea-party. Their interests are in things that jealously protect their socio-economic status.

They want no taxes because that would take their money.

They have family values, which really translates to a dominant interest in taking care of their own needs and want. They expect everyone else to care for themselves so they don't have to contribute to the care of others.

They want no social programs because that would take their money, and give it to someone else (How fair is THAT?)

Indeed they are quick to spit labels of socialism and communism on anything that smacks of cooperative social engagement.

They are xenophobic because they have a generalize fear of others. The worry someone will come and out compete them for jobs, money, housing, and take away control of their culture (language, religious beliefs political influence etc.).

They are anti-environmental protection because they are told environmental regulation will cost them their jobs.

They are anti-union because unions require dues and as said before these people have few resources and they hate the idea of sharing it.

T-baggers respond to the message of the Republican party because the the rich are also self-invested. Greed and jealousy are facets of human nature, they aren't going away, and neither are the t-baggers.

[LynneSin]

10. I doubt they'll go away but I don't think they'll have any influence left

:D

[pampango]

11. Perhaps like the Know Nothings (whom they resemble) they will flare up and die out quickly.

"In spring 1854, the Know Nothings carried Boston, Salem, and other New England cities. They swept the state of Massachusetts in the fall 1854 elections, their biggest victory. The Whig candidate for mayor of Philadelphia was editor Robert T. Conrad, soon revealed as a Know Nothing; he promised to crack down on crime, close saloons on Sundays, and to appoint only native-born Americans to office."

"The party declined rapidly in the North in 1855 and 1856. ...After the Supreme Court's controversial Dred Scott ruling in 1857, most of the anti-slavery members of the American Party (as the Know Nothings called themselves) joined the Republican Party. The pro-slavery wing of the American Party remained strong on the local and state levels in a few southern states ..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Nothing

[JoePhilly]

13. The GOP will change their brand ... again.

The Tea Party is nothing but the GOP's insane base.

The GOP spent 2009 and 2010 pretending that the Tea Party was some "new" thing in the hopes that people who pay ZERO attention to politics could be fooled.

The GOP is currently trying to put a leash on the Tea Party. After 2012, if they win, the GOP will "become" the Tea party. If they lose, the funding for the Tea Party will be cut off and the GOP will create a NEW "grass roots movement".

The only good news is that the average age of Tea Party folks is something like 50. America's youth will not put up with the GOP's Christo-fascist nonsense. They reject the right wing, homophobia, the right wing xenophobia.

The GOP hears the clock ticking ... and their latest bold attacks reflect their panic.

[white_wolf]

14. How the hell did Walker get elected in the first place?

I always though WI was an extremely progressive state.

[Name removed]

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