http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arch...ty/249534/

Quote:[Gingrich] favored No Child Left Behind, an unprecedented federal intervention in education. He supported Medicare Part D, a brand new, budget-busting drug entitlement. He supported "comprehensive immigration reform," perhaps the most divisive-among-conservatives policy initiative of the aughts. He urged the passage of TARP. And he even spoke favorably about the infamous Harriet Miers nomination, a George W. Bush misstep that caused many of his most loyal supporters to rebel.

If Newt wins the nomination, should the Tea Party go third party (Paul?) and guarantee an Obama victory? Or should they compromise their message and fall in line with the RNC?

Most of the original TP is with Paul already.

Seriously?
The Tea Party will support any candidate that is not a freaking socialist.
If Paul throws in as a third party candidate then we get a freaking socialist for another 4 years!
C'mon, man!

(12-07-2011 12:20 PM)NewEngland-1 Wrote:  Seriously?
The Tea Party will support any candidate that is not a freaking socialist.
If Paul throws in as a third party candidate then we get a freaking socialist for another 4 years!
C'mon, man!

Then make Paul the nominee.

(12-07-2011 12:38 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 12:20 PM)NewEngland-1 Wrote:  Seriously?
The Tea Party will support any candidate that is not a freaking socialist.
If Paul throws in as a third party candidate then we get a freaking socialist for another 4 years!
C'mon, man!

Then make Paul the nominee.

No. But if I HAVE to choose between Paul and Obama...its Paul.

(12-07-2011 01:11 PM)ImMoreAwesomeThanYou Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 12:38 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 12:20 PM)NewEngland-1 Wrote:  Seriously?
The Tea Party will support any candidate that is not a freaking socialist.
If Paul throws in as a third party candidate then we get a freaking socialist for another 4 years!
C'mon, man!

Then make Paul the nominee.

No. But if I HAVE to choose between Paul and Obama...its Paul.

Is there a candidate that the TP generally embraces? Wasn't that what Bachmann was trying to set herself up as?

I thought a major rule of the TP was that they only support candidates that are true to TP values? This was to prevent being used by the RNC.

(12-07-2011 01:15 PM)AtlanticLeague Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 01:11 PM)ImMoreAwesomeThanYou Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 12:38 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 12:20 PM)NewEngland-1 Wrote:  Seriously?
The Tea Party will support any candidate that is not a freaking socialist.
If Paul throws in as a third party candidate then we get a freaking socialist for another 4 years!
C'mon, man!

Then make Paul the nominee.

No. But if I HAVE to choose between Paul and Obama...its Paul.

Is there a candidate that the TP generally embraces? Wasn't that what Bachmann was trying to set herself up as?

I thought a major rule of the TP was that they only support candidates that are true to TP values? This was to prevent being used by the RNC.

I don't think there is a nominee the TP embraces as a whole.

9,999 out of 10,000 real Tea Parties will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is John Huntsman.

And 10,000 out of 10,000 pseudo Tea Partiers (of which I am one) will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is Ron Paul with Michelle Bachmann as VP

(12-07-2011 01:37 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  9,999 out of 10,000 real Tea Parties will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is John Huntsman.

And 10,000 out of 10,000 pseudo Tea Partiers (of which I am one) will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is Ron Paul with Michelle Bachmann as VP

True. We hate the idea of another 4 years of Obama.

(12-07-2011 01:37 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  9,999 out of 10,000 real Tea Parties will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is John Huntsman.

And 10,000 out of 10,000 pseudo Tea Partiers (of which I am one) will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is Ron Paul with Michelle Bachmann as VP

So basically the tea party is meaningless, and the GOP establishment has no reason to consider their beliefs since they'll just vote for White Obama or Newt?

(12-07-2011 01:54 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 01:37 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  9,999 out of 10,000 real Tea Parties will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is John Huntsman.

And 10,000 out of 10,000 pseudo Tea Partiers (of which I am one) will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is Ron Paul with Michelle Bachmann as VP

So basically the tea party is meaningless, and the GOP establishment has no reason to consider their beliefs since they'll just vote for White Obama or Newt?

No.

(12-07-2011 01:11 PM)ImMoreAwesomeThanYou Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 12:38 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 12:20 PM)NewEngland-1 Wrote:  Seriously?
The Tea Party will support any candidate that is not a freaking socialist.
If Paul throws in as a third party candidate then we get a freaking socialist for another 4 years!
C'mon, man!

Then make Paul the nominee.

No. But if I HAVE to choose between Paul and Obama...its Paul.

What? But if Paul is elected, he will cut the defense budget to zero, everyone will be addicted to meth, Iran will nuke Israel off the map, and we will be living in total anarchy! Why do you hate America?

(12-07-2011 02:07 PM)BlazerFan11 Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 01:11 PM)ImMoreAwesomeThanYou Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 12:38 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 12:20 PM)NewEngland-1 Wrote:  Seriously?
The Tea Party will support any candidate that is not a freaking socialist.
If Paul throws in as a third party candidate then we get a freaking socialist for another 4 years!
C'mon, man!

Then make Paul the nominee.

No. But if I HAVE to choose between Paul and Obama...its Paul.

What? But if Paul is elected, he will cut the defense budget to zero, everyone will be addicted to meth, Iran will nuke Israel off the map, and we will be living in total anarchy! Why do you hate America?

Its irrelevant...he's unelectable. The nominee will be Romney and maybe Newt. I don't hate America. I hate RP's idea of America a little less than I hate Obama's idea.

(12-07-2011 01:54 PM)HuskieFan84 Wrote:  

(12-07-2011 01:37 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  9,999 out of 10,000 real Tea Parties will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is John Huntsman.

And 10,000 out of 10,000 pseudo Tea Partiers (of which I am one) will vote for the Republican candidate, even if it is Ron Paul with Michelle Bachmann as VP

So basically the tea party is meaningless, and the GOP establishment has no reason to consider their beliefs since they'll just vote for White Obama or Newt?

Maybe you are right at the national level. Actually, yes you are right. People talk the talk, but standing in the election both next November, most people will probably pull the R lever, regardless. What is important is the local elections that allow a TP'er to get to the national stage. We are a bit early in the TP revolution for that.....

But the Tea Party (or their ideas) are very influencial in some local and state elections. And to a little guy like me, that is where we see the real impact. Since I have re-involved myself in hyperlocal politics (City Council, Park Board etc,) I've almost completely distanced myself from caring much about anything above Congress, and really not Congress that much anymore either considering I live in an 80% Democrat city and have zero influence with my Rep or Senator.

My type change, and really change for all of us, is best sought at the local level. The Federal elections are certainly not meaningless, but just so damn far removed from impacting me in ways I used to think they did...

Anyway, just my long-winded opinion on why it is easier to pull a generic R in the Presidential election vs really understanding your voting principles in your local elections.