There’s Trouble In River City
As depressing as Tuesday’s election was, there is a silver lining. The Republicans will now have to deal with their newly elected Tea Partiers. It looks like they’re off to a bad start.
But GOP Rep. John Kline of Minnesota, the soon-to-be-ranking member of the House’s education and labor committee, dismissed talk that the new Congress will make it a priority to dismantle the Education Department.
“In some ways, that’s sort of a talking point,” Kline told Anderson. “There will be those who campaigned on that language. I’m not sure they always know what it means.”
Sort of a talking point? Kline is living in La La Land. I may disagree with everything the Tea Party stands for, but I have no doubt they believe every promise they made. Can’t wait until Kline tries to explain that campaign promises are merely talking points.
Here’s the thing. Either Kline, and others, do exactly what the Tea Party group wants or they get purged. Unless… I’m missing the part where Tea Partiers are open to compromise? I just cracked my self up!
Personally, I expect a lot of drama, over-the-top speeches, and quite a few people being thrown under the purity bus. Hey, Dr. Frankenstein! Your monster is at your door. Actually, it’s in your House!
Tags: National Republicans, Tea Party
I think we’re going to see this issue come to a head big time when the Congress has to raise the debt ceiling. Teabaggers aren’t go to like it but it’s necessary to protect our economy as well as the rest of the world.
We may also see Republicans hold back on trying to cut spending right away. We just got a new jobs number for October +151K (all private sector) and Republicans won’t want to do things to threaten the recovery since they’ll want to take credit for it.
The Tea Party isn’t about governing or making tough decisions. Most of them will muck up the works simply to prove their TP cred. They’re also not very good at discriminating between enemies. Anyone who disagrees with them (R or D) is the enemy.
This is about to get very interesting.
I think the debt ceiling vote will be heavily managed, with whips on both sides doling out permission to vote No. It will of course be theatrically delayed and demagogued, but it will pass by a handful of votes.
Will Democratic Senators pass Republican cuts in
spendingservices? Good question. 23 of 33 Senators up for re-election in 2012 are Democrats.This is when the cynic in me wishes the tea party had actually done better in the elections. They really didn’t win enough to really have an impact in Congress. So none of their kooky ideas will ever see the light of day.
So the few that won will get great sound bites about how they are trying but need more help. If anything it will empower the tea party, well 9/12 groups. That is if they actually hold it together until the next election.
Either Kline, and others, do exactly what the Tea Party group wants or they get [primaried] purged.
Umm, it seems to me that, given the current Senate rules, the Teaparty folks could cause a lot of havock. Look at Senator DeMint with his “secret hold” strategy. Maybe I’m missing something here but the asylum we call the US Senate just got some very serious new inmates. I don’t envy Chris.