Yet in St. Louis the movement has remained on the fence in the Congressional race between Ann Wagner and Ed Martin....Actually, many in the St. Louis Tea Party leadership (John Burns, Ben Evans, Michelle Moore,and I believe Bill Hennessy and Darin Morley) have put their support behind Martin. However, others, including Dana Loesch and Jim Hoft, see more opportunity for personal gain in supporting Roy Blunt campaign chair and GOP insider Ann Wagner. But Tuohey's basic point is a good one: why did certain people go wild fighting "the GOP establishment" in New York yet roll over for the GOP establishment in their home town?
So why haven't they taken up his cause? If the Tea Party movement doesn't rally around candidates like Martin, what has been the point of the last three years? If the St. Louis activists staked a claim in party politics in New York's 23rd, why not in Missouri's 2nd?
Monday, December 5, 2011
Missouri Record Asks Why St. Louis Tea Party Isn't Supporting Ed Martin
Over at the Missouri Record blog, in a post titled Weak Tea In St. Louis?, Patrick Tuohey asked why the St. Louis Tea Party isn't supporting Ed Martin:
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My Take on the “New” Tea Party
ReplyDeleteThere is a new Tea Party in town, The Gateway Grassroots Initiative. They claim they are a “harder, better, faster and stronger conservative grassroots movement.” What does that mean? Sounds like an ego problem.
The Tea Party represents Patriotic Americans who are concerned about their country. Tea Party people want their leaders to follow the Constitution; they want limited Government; less taxes and for Government to be fiscally responsible. Therefore, anyone or any Candidate who possess those attributes can call themselves a Tea Party Patriot.
“Gateway Grassroots Initiative is built around action items (T.I.P.s) with the purpose of promoting conservatism. Their mission is to attract, educate, organize, and mobilize fellow Gateway area citizens to secure a culture consistent with our three core values of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets.” Wasn’t that what the Tea Party stands for?
“Gateway Grassroots Initiative is formed around the ideal that every American citizen has the personal privilege and responsibility of becoming a “minuteman” for their country in various ways. Many are well on their way to doing this, through their blogs, to running for office, becoming a precinct captain, running for their local school board, organizing petitions, fighting for voter integrity. However, Gateway Grassroots Initiative is uninterested in endorsing or singularly promoting candidates, instead choosing to focus on ideas.” GGI calls for “minutemen” to run for public office, yet the GGI will not promote or help them get elected. So, how is that helping the Conservative movement?
“Gateway Grassroots Initiative wants to court the liberal arts, entertainment, and Hollywood crowd. We intend to use pop culture as an ally in this fight.” How does courting the liberal arts, entertainment, and Hollywood crowd going to help the Conservative movement? If anything, the education needs to start with the children before they enter public schools, aka. indoctrination centers. There is no need to court anyone. It is better to stand on principles and have the people come to you.
The GGI's first two initiatives are 1, starting a book club and 2, a blanket drive to keep people warm. OK? How does starting a book club or conducting a blanket drive help Constitutional, limited government, fiscally responsible candidates get elected to office or the Conservative movement? Wouldn’t it be better to have the right people in office so people have jobs and enough money to buy their own blankets?
The goal of the Tea Party should be to support and help elect Conservative candidates who want limited government and who will follow the Constitution. Otherwise, what’s the point? In order to change the direction this country is headed we need to elect Conservative candidates.