Why I Like the Tea Party

Though I would like to claim to have been this insightful, I owe most of this insight to the weekly commentary of Mark Shields and David Brooks on the PBS Newshour, especially Mark Shields.

I think most observers can agree that the Tea Party (while maintaning amazingly high favorable ratings in the polls) are dangerously far right.  It is this extremism that appears to be most benefiting the Democrats from what could be a disastrous mid-term election cycle.  Already the Tea Party has influenced the nomination of extreme Republican candidates that have virtually no chance in a general election.  The most striking example being Deleware where a popular Republican shoe-in for the general election was defeated by a Tea Party backed candidate who 'could not be elected dogcatcher' in the words of the Republican Party Chairman for Deleware.

From what I have heard of the now Republican candidate for U.S. Senator and her strange views, this appears to be true.

However, as commentator David Brooks pointed out, 2010 will still be a bad year for Democrats and good one for both the Republicans and the Tea Partiers.  The enthusiasm, energy and new votes that the Tea Party is bringing to the Republican Party is going to more than make up for the losses in these few states.  No doubt, it is going to be a poor year for Democrats and it will be a battle to just hang on to the Senate.

The silver lining is 2012 and this where Mark Shields comments are especially poignant.  The Republican National Convention of 2012 is going to be an absolute nightmare of a battle.  As Mark Shields pointed out, the Tea Party is like the New Left of the 1972 election.  While they may bring great energy and enthusiasm, they also leave no room for compromise or dissent.

I have especially noticed how fickle Tea Party activists can be.  Anyone who does not readily support all Tea Party views, anyone who even hesitates on their liberterian views, anyone who shows even a little willingness to work across the aisle is readily discarded by the Tea Party and branded as the establishment.  Just as the left in 1972 could not fathom anything but the most strongly anti-war, socially progressive candidate, the far right (Tea Party) will insist on a Palin-like extreme candidate.

Unlike 2008, when without a Tea Party, conservatives had to settle for McCain, their numbers will be strong enough to force action.  The Tea Party will want someone who is not just opposite of Obama but someone who could really stir up the underlying hate and prejudice that is prevelant within the Tea Party.  They will demand a candidate who hates Mexicans, Muslims and Obama.  The candidate cannot be from Washington because that is establishment unless they go with an extremist like Tom Coburn.

If the Republicans were to manage to nominate another mainstream candidate like McCain, the Tea Partiers will bolt and either nominate another candidate to make a Perot like independent bid or they will lose their interest and become even more cynical about American government.

Either way, the Democrats though not looking good in 2010, could have a good year in 2012 particularly if the economy improves in the intervening two years.

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