Conservative organizations have been battling with establishment Republicans for the past five years. In retrospect, the 2010 takeover of the House by Republicans was achieved because of conservative groups like the tea parties who were fed up with President Obama’s agenda. Since that time we have seen the establishment Republicans vilify the tea party and their candidates as if they were a virulent enemy. Some of you may have noticed that the tea party has not been as visible with their protest marches and gatherings as in prior years.
They have learned that it is easier to deal with the establishment by getting conservatives elected to office and keeping pressure on them to keep their promises. We saw the short lived removal of Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., from his chairmanship and rapid reinstatement by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, after receiving pressure from conservatives. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor thought he was unbeatable until Rep.David Brat, R- Va., a conservative tea party candidate, took his seat. It was no different with the resignation of Speaker John Boehner. Here again, conservative groups around the country exerted pressure on conservative members of the House to get rid of Boehner. Even our own Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, understood this as he heard loud and clear from his constituents how agitated they were after his vote for Boehner as House speaker.
Working with tea Parties statewide and nationally has given me a unique perspective on the changes that have taken place during the past few years. Tea Parties have expanded their ranks by working with other liberty minded groups to form large coalitions that when activated will work together to accomplish their goals. Those who refuse to work with them feel their wrath in the next election cycle as these coalitions can control large blocks of voters.
There’s a tendency to believe tea partiers are right wing radicals with misplaced values. Truth be known, most of those associated with tea parties are well educated, free enterprise minded people who understand American liberties and see us losing more of them each day. Many are retired or older who have served in the military, been successful in business, and have a strong knowledge of our Constitution and history. They are trying to bring our country back into balance and help make it great again. Those who vilify the tea party are ill informed about who they are and what their purpose is. What people don’t understand they tend to fear or ridicule.
The tea party believes in one thing “Taxed Enough Already.” They realize the road America is heading down is a debt ridden slippery slope of hope presented by our politicians as the only way to survive. They know that our current tax and spend policies along with the imposition of unending government regulations will eventually mean the demise of the middle class and bring our country into a quagmire of socialistic values.
Tea partiers are tired of the professional politicians who make promises only to break them upon getting elected and are now holding them accountable. They figured out that if a legislator is not part of the solution they are part of the problem. They will no longer tolerate crony politicians, corporate lobbyists and bureaucratic agencies with more control over what happens in their state and country than the people who elect them. It’s my opinion that conservatives are finally fed up with professional politicians whose only objective is to get reelected. We may well see a lot of change take place in the next election as the silent majority has their say at the polls.
Bob Neugebauer is a retired Wall Street executive, local business owner and publisher of the Gem State Patriot, a conservative newsletter/blog.
