Former Senate candidate says the Tea Party sits at the GOP’s ‘kids table’
Two years ago the Tea Party was ubiquitous with watercooler and talk radio political banter. After both political conventions evacuated their hosting cities in the southeast, the Tea Party remains enigmatic.
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From a ‘cabal of moderately talented members of a comedy act‘ to ‘Tea Baggers’ (credit Bill Maher) to a ‘Glenn Beck and Fox News political outreach program,‘ the Tea Party battled insults and branding that could have led to its demise.
Throughout 2012 the question has been raised: Where is the Tea Party?
A former Florida Senate candidate, turned talk show host and political activist, attacks this question.
Alex Snitker, co-host of the Liberty Underground radio show in Tampa, posted a new article on Wednesday titled Tea Party leaders have a seat at the table, the kids table.
Snitker’s self-described ‘epiphany’ states that “One of the biggest problems in this movement is a lack of clear definition.”
“They have great “calls to action” in which they protest at a politician’s office or event. They make calls, organize, and grow their collective numbers — still dealing only with the politicians that the establishment gives us. They hold meetings and talk about the problems, and gather numbers who are equally disaffected by the politicians who have destroyed our way of life.”
He cites a long list of GOP leaders who have appeared at Tea Party rallies, resulting in event organizers proudly patting themselves on the back proclaiming that they are “changing the conversation” – which Snitker admits could be the case.
But to what ends.
“…since the onslaught of the Tea Party, we have not only gotten legislation like the NDAA and debt ceiling increases; but also CISPA, bank bailouts, the reauthorization of the Patriot Act, and more out of control spending,” Snitker rants. “They are still spending your grandchildren’s money, but at least you have a new group to which you belong. You now have a never ending selection of meetings, where a “big name” will come and talk to the “little people.”
He is not the lone voice seeking the Tea Party presence like a Carmen San Diego cartoon, asking “Where is it?”
An NPR staff article in February chronicled that “In 2009, Tea Party rallies raged in cities across the country. The movement put its stamp on the 2010 midterm elections when the Republicans retook the House of Representatives” and concluded that many who would rally two years ago, now have buyer’s remorse.
Is Mitt Romney riding his way to the White House keeping the Tea Party around as a “lap dog”? photo donkeyhotey donkeyhotey.wordpress.com
Ted Cruz may have been the only speaker at the RNC to even toss a nod in the direction of the Tea Party movement (noted by The Reaction blog) which somehow has bred contentment according to Snitker.
“They (GOP) know that you are more than content to sit at the kids table, because deep down you don’t think you can get a better seat than that.”
He continues using Marco Rubio’s victory in the 2010 Florida Senate race as an example.
“You really have no political power. You only have the illusion of power. You constantly change the definition of victory. You will claim victory with candidates whom you did not really get victories for. Candidates like Marco Rubio did not win because of Tea Party support. He won because the establishment changed the candidate that they backed. This was no change. Rubio was a politician who had worked up the political ranks. He was a part of the system, and had his place at the big table. They just moved his chair to a different spot at the table and you bought it as change.”
The passionate voice builds momentum to conclude with a ‘call to arms’.
“We are done playing the game of moving politician’s chairs around the table. We are flipping the table over on them, and it is high time someone did. No longer will the greed and corruption have a place in our governance, because the people will truly be in control again. The time has come for action, and you will either join the solution or sit on the sidelines.”
Check out The Liberty Underground Show for yourself, check out podcasts of previous shows or contact Alex Snitker for yourself: http://1787network.com
