Tea Partiers confront the RNC Fuddy-Duddiness Factor

We've come a long way, baby. Above, our first Boston Tea Party on the Common April 15, 2009. Join us — and Sarah Palin — for the biggest and best Boston Tea Party ever a week from today at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common Wednesday, April 14, from 10 am to 1 pm "as we celebrate the success story that is the United States of America. Come and honor our veterans," says Christen Varley. Click here for a memo on all things Greater Boston Tea Party, and contribute a few dollars if you're so inclined. We just did.

"Political parties exist to win votes for people. The Tea Party should exist to win votes for principles," Christen Varley of the Greater Boston Tea Party told Time Magazine's Alex Altman for his excellent article briefly surveying the past, present and future of our grassroots movement. After a year of carrying water for those among the powers-that-were and their thugs-for-hire who would smear us, the legacy media are starting to listen to the women and men from all walks of life who make up this liberty-loving grassroots movement alarmed at "the expand-government policies of the Obama administration and Democratic congressional leaders," as Michael Barone wrote last week. We caught the quotation of the day this morning from a Pat Dollard tweet:

Black CNN Tea Party Express Embed [Shannon Travis]: Holy Shit, These Tea Party People Are Real Americans, Really.

Altman's language in Time was less colorful but equally gratifying:

"You're going to see a lot of these Tea Partyers [sic] mobilizing in the fall," predicts Ned Ryun, president of American Majority, a group that trains Tea Party organizations in tactics ranging from fundraising and campaign planning to social networking and voter registration. "They're fired up. They're going to do the grunt work and be the get-out-the-vote people" …

For Varley, that means learning how to lobby, recruiting candidates and distributing questionnaires that clarify candidates' positions. "Political parties exist to win votes for people," she says. "The Tea Party should exist to win votes for principles" …

The goal of educating the public, Varley says, is not merely to help usher electable conservatives into office. "If it was to pick candidates to win, then we'd just be the RNC all over again."

Speaking of the RNC Fuddy-Duddiness Factor, Instapundit as usual says it best in the fewest words:

Fortunately, the RNC is much less relevant than it used to be. My advice to GOP donors: Ignore ‘em, and send your money directly to candidates you like. The Internet can disintermediate unsatisfactory middlemen, and that seems like the right thing here.

As we have been doing since late October of last year, when we advised our readers to "Give to strategic small-government candidates, not parties."

Update: "The GOP Loves Power, Do Tea Partiers Love Their Country More?" asks Dan Riehl with a link:

They might, they just might.

Or maybe not.

Crossposted by invitation at Melissa Clouthier's new blog/news site, Liberty Pundits.

Comments

[brooklyn]

It is a great post, and I welcome the wonderful 'Tea Party' expression, which I have been involved in.

I find it rather tiresome however, as stated before, to see this fashionable anti-GOP mantra.

I am reminded of 'bell bottom' pants, when I think of it. Maybe if the conjecture had more substance, or was not so stereotypical in it's anti-Republican manner.

Sorry to disagree with sentiments of Mr. Reynolds, the RNC is not irrelevant. It had a very positive impact in the races in MA, VA, NJ, etc. The upcoming special elections for Congressional Members will be won or lost, with the RNC's involvement. Who hasn't offered support for specific Candidates they feel are better than others, and were wise to ignore Organizations they didn't find productive anyhow?

I just am beginning to believe many are not seeing things with a truly healthy objective view. I see the same self destructive emotive concepts which empowered Pelosi, Obama, Clinton, Reid, etc., which grew in a reactionary manner after 2004.

I am a huge Instapundit fan, and even a reader of years of Mr. Riehl, yet I could not disagree more. The suggestion those in the GOP do not love their Country is pure sophistry. It reminds me of some of the ugly demagoguery we see from the left. Including some of the 'class warfare' often provided which demeans the imagined "establishment".

GW Bush, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, John Boehner, Paul Ryan, Michelle Bachmann, (even John McCain), love their Country. It is truly absurd to suggest otherwise, and a lowball - classless game to play. As if Republicans love power more than they love their Country?

Perhaps I could remind many, that a vast number of those who are involved in Tea Party protests (I know personally), are actually Republicans - and many have been strong supporters of the GOP - even participants in the Republican Party. Quite a few are heavily involved in the GOP as well - even on a Leadership level.

There is a fashion which has grown so reactionary, it can overwhelm the positive display of protest. I see the self destructive concepts included, which often take over the best efforts to empower better representation and sound policy.

Gov. Christie is a prime example of the problems with fashion. He was not the 'ideal' Tea Party mindset Candidate at the time. Many wanted the more 'conservative' in perception, the fine Steve Lonegan. At the time, quite a few even embraced such a mindless anti-GOP fashion, they were thinking of voting for the fake Independent (clearly designed to save the Democrat). Thankfully, wiser heads prevailed, and NJ has a slim chance for saving.

In fact, the anti-GOP fashion in the East Coast, has enabled the Democratic Party Monopoly for decades. The so called super duper 'conservative' mantra, has so weakened support for some fine Republican Candidates, it has only empowered the Democrats for years.

Sorry, I am far from perfect. I know if some of these pundits were to try to run for Office, run a political Party, etc., they would be defending some sincere embarrassments and make many mistakes.

The GOP has been a great tool, empowering sound Conservative policy to help this fine Nation. It was never perfect. If we could have viewed the various "party" expenses back in the day - glaring mistakes and moral lapses, even during the Reagan Revolution, we might just be as disappointed. But it isn't the priority of the day.

The GOP, the Republican Party, has a great tradition of empowering more limited Government, and is legendary in it's admirable embrace for the fight for Freedom.

The more folks knock this Party, the more this long timed 'independent' wants to defend it. For I know well, if the GOP were still in charge in Washington, with GW Bush, there would be no real motivation for a robust Tea Party protest.

I would welcome the GOP gaining power. Maybe this is healthy motivation for them, to seek it. I guess I live in the real world, not a fantasy land of perfection.

The Democratic Party is the problem, and sends all towards this disastrous leftist denial.

Bring back the GOP. Go Republican this 2010 before it is too late.

[brooklyn]

* Sorry for the long commentary, but here is video of Mrs. Palin wisely supporting Mr. Steele, and showing me some leadership - being more brave in the face of fashion:

Mrs. Palin, "I think he's doing a great job".

Palin: I think Steele’s doing a great job

Allahpundit cannot understand why Mrs. Palin would say this, but I think he just has lost a bit of objectivity in the face of fashion. Allahpundit is a good poster, and I am a fan actually of the anonymous work.

Mr. Steele is the subject of a fashionable anti-GOP concept which has been unfair for many years. Any mistake is blown way out of proportion, with the "see I told you so", Conservative Punditry class.

They even seem eager to blame him for things he isn't responsible for, and stereotyped him in a manner which says "RINO".

There is room for criticism, but the 'hyperbole' is all just over the top, often provided by many who have never run anything.

I commend Mrs. Palin for providing some sanity in this moment. A good leadership sign, for a fine Team Member. Nothing is perfect, no one is perfect, it never will be.

Long ago, I can remember some of the finest, screaming for the head of Mr. Gonzales the AG, for providing very poor testimony. It was simply a mindless, counter productive display of emotive angst, which did nothing but over inflate a mistake, and enable the opposite.

Some just are so lost on passion, they are not thinking clearly.