Tea Party Takeover

by David Safier

If I were a Democratic version of Frank Luntz, I would be telling Democrats to be pairing "Tea Party" with "Takeover" every chance they get. First, it's actually true (which makes me different from Frank Luntz) and second, it's short, snappy and alliterative. Say the phrase often enough, and Wolf Blitzer is likely to begin a segment by asking, "Is the Tea Party trying to take over America?"

The Tea Party Takeover of the national Republican Party is almost complete. Poor John Boehner, a conservative whose right wing cred cannot be questioned, isn't even allowed to cut a budget deal with the Democrats where Boehner gets 90% of what he wants. No, the Tea Party insists he demand total capitulation by the Democrats, or we're shutting this thing down. "Cut it or Shut it!" they'll yelling outside the Capitol. Boehner has to pretend he hasn't been negotiating with the Democrats, even though he has. He has to adopt the all-or-nothing stance of the Tea Party, or he'll be turned into Tea Party Toast.

Here in Arizona, when Russell Pearce was elected Senate Pres, he declared himself the "Tea Party Senate President-Elect." The Republican Party is so 2008! The only thing stopping a complete Tea Party Takeover of the Arizona legislature is a few Republicans who are willing to show a tiny bit of common sense and vote against some of the most dangerous and ludicrous bills Pearce and his Tea Party cronies proposed. And now they're cowering in fear, worried about their Tea Party primary challengers in 2012. Be afraid of any independent thought, Republicans. Be very afraid.

The Tea Party Takeover began with the Republican Party. Its goal in 2012 is to take over the country.