Commentary Magazine: Jonathan S. Tobin: Report of Tea Party Demise Premature

Source:The FreeState

Commentary Magazine: Opinion: Reports of Tea Party Demise Premature  

Two years ago when I started blogging about the Tea Party, I upfront blogged and predicted that the Tea Party was the Christian Right of the 1990s, with an economic libertarian message. But they still wanted to tell Americans how to live their lives and outlaw activities that are currently legal. Which is what we saw with Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign. Where once Newt Gingrich lost any hope of being a serious Republican Candidate. 

A lot of Newt's support went to the Santorum Campaign, that already had Religious and Neoconservatives with them. Two years later I’m back to believing what I originally believed. As some of the Tea Party leaders, like Sarah Palin and Representative Michelle Bachmann who are both Religious Conservatives, which has basically become the same movement. When I saw people like Rand Paul of Kentucky, guess who is father is. Senator Rom Johnson of Wisconsin and Mike Lee of Utah, all people with Conservative Libertarian leanings on Social Issues. 

These are not big government Republicans, getting elected to the Senate. Then I was thinking they have problems with things like the Patriot Act, indefinite detention. And the Federal Government regulating marriage, I thought damn I was wrong about the Tea Party. And glad I was, good news for the Republican Party and even though I’m a Liberal Democrat. I believe in having two strong parties, because I don’t want to see America become a one-party state. Thats not good for liberal democracy.

Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann and Rick Santorum, even though Palin and Bachmann have lost influenced in the GOP, are 21st Century Religious-Right leaders. If Mitt Romney doesn’t get elected President in 2012, Rick Santorum will be the Frontrunner going into 2016. If he plays that right, which is all the evidence that you need to know that at least a big portion of the Tea Party has merged with Religious and Neoconservatives. And have become big government Republicans. 

There are still Conservative Libertarian elements in the Tea Party. Senator Paul and Senator Lee are perfect examples of that, but when the Republican alternative to be President is Rick Santorum, thats all you need to know that big government republicanism is alive and well in the GOP and not going anywhere The Tea Party when they first started had an opportunity to move the GOP back to Reagan conservatism. 

And not only give Republicans but also Independents people to get behind. And move the party past Bush Neoconservatism but with all the big government positions. They’ve now come out in favor of like outlawing pornography and same-sex marriage from the Federal level. They are now just the Christian Right of the 1990s. But with a conservative economic message.