Why the Tea Party Republicans Say NO
Posted: Thursday, September 30, 2010
by Tex Norman
Here is a story that I'll use to make my point later: I was born to black belt fundamentalists and drug up in the Church of Christ. This denomination claimed NOT to be a denomination, but was instead the true church. They would rarely say that only Church of Christers were going to heaven, but that is what they believed. They wouldn't just say that Muslims and Jews were lost because they didn't believe in Jesus, oh no, they thought Baptists were going to hell too.
Now I remember a Church of Christ that built a new building and rented the old business out to Church of God group (a group they also believe is doomed to eternal damnation). Here is the interesting part. The Church Elders got to a place where they needed money, and in a meeting I heard one say they wished that Church of God group would grow so they could buy the building instead of just renting it.
I was shocked. IF the Church of Christers REALLY believed that people not IN the Church of Christ were going to hell, that they were outside the saving embrace of Jesus, that being in the Church of God placed each of their members on a greased shut into a lake of fire, then how could any Church of Christer want that doomed religious body to grow? If you believe something the rest of your actions and decisions ought to reflect that belief.
Now allow me to transition into my thoughts on the Political Party of NO.
Some of us my wonder why the Republican's are saying NO to almost everything? The Republicans' bashed the President for not proposing any incentives and help for small businesses, so Obama does exactly that, and only two Republicans vote for it, and neither of them is up for re-election this year. The GOP is voting against the very thing they say they support.
Jim Demint discovered that Senate rules give him the power to block funding. What does he do? He gave everyone, even members of his own party, a deadline to run their legislation past him for HIS pre-approval. Failure to do that will mean that Demint will vote no as punishment for not having his butt kissed. Demint says he will stop funding and will, all by himself shut down the government. Why?
Republicans have blocked bills that would keep jobs from going overseas. They blocked money to help small businesses. They blocked extensions of unemployment. They blocked debate on DON'T ASK DON'T TELL. They blocked health care reform. They blocked oversight and regulation of Wall Street. The GOP is not only the Party of NO, they are NOT embarrassed by this. On the contrary, the GOP is proud that they are against everything.
Why do we hear so much that many of our elected government officials hate the government, and they will say no as often as possible to slow government business down or stop it all together. Consider my favorite famous Republican antigovernment quote:
"I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub." -- Grover Norquist
Republicans have made it clear that they are unwilling to compromise on anything, at any time, not matter what. Of course some may claim that the Democrats are also refusing to compromise. I think I can find enough examples where compromise has been proffered by the Dems, but I would agree that the more vitriolic the partisanship has become the less either side is inclined to compromise. A recent poll showed that most Tea Party and GOP supporters oppose compromise and feel more positive toward their representatives who refuse to compromise.
If Republicans take the House in November, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota says that "all we should do is issue subpoenas and have one hearing after another."
I think I understand this behavior. If you really believe something your actions ought to reflect those beliefs. Consider one of President Reagan's most famous quotes:
. . . government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. -- President Reagan
If government is the problem, if government is bad, then we ought to do everything in our power to eliminate government, or keep it as small as possible. We need to cut off as much funding to the government as possible. We need to put up block after block to bring law making to a crawl. If you are a true believer of the GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM tenet then you MUST say no to anything that is not shrinking government.
The Reagan quote in context is also helpful:
In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. From time to time we've been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden. -- President Reagan
Republicans, and Tea Partiers all seek simple answers to what I believe are complex problems. It is easy to say, the fault is government, so lets eliminate government, but in actual practices this world IS complex, and simple answers may be easy to understand, but they rarely resolve problems that actually are complex.
I do share the conservatives frustration with government. I acknowledge that complex laws and access to taxes gives people opportunities to abuse others through the cleaver misuse of law. The cleaver use of poorly written laws, AND access to the public trough will always invite sneaky people to steal money, but that doesn't make government so wrong it needs to be eliminated. We have to continually monitor and regulate government, not eliminate it.
We should not be surprised if the far right Republicans refuses to compromise with progressive Democrats. If they believe what they say they believe then to be honest people who live by their values they must say NO to everything.
We may have to experience governance under true believers. My hope and my prediction is that eventually these Tea Party Republicans will eventually return to conservative pragmatism. I miss conservative pragmatists. I miss government that seeks to solve problems rather than just conform to blind faith in their political POV.
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Top-level comments on this article: (9 total)I have to give you massive kudos for trying to understand both sides of this. Tea Party people are a shock to this country simply because up until they came along Republicans were known a sheep who would bleat and occasionally kick but were fairly benign. True activism came from the Democrats and it was known as their bailiwick. Now there is a group (right or wrong in their beliefs) that has turned up and refuse to be ignored. And it's working. Conservative pragmatism is going out the door as some see a chance to have their voices heard for once.Both Republicans and Democrats spend more energy attacking each other and holding off putting anything through lest 'the other side' get credit for actually doing something it's become sickening. They all need a good flushing and we need to bring in people that sincerely want to help this country get back on track instead of chest butters who only want to come out on top.Don't expect the Tea Party to go away any time soon.Thanks for the comment and the insight. These are interesting times. Of course the famous Chinese curse is: may you live in interesting times. Peace. tex
Jim Demint shocked me with that one. Why he had to do that is beyond me. Stop playing partisan tactics and get to work! I agree with Dixie, I don't see the Tea Party going anywhere soon either.~ Grace
The Tea party lies and is bigoted. Period.I believe it is possible to lie and not know it. Many in my family are bigots but they would NEVER admit that. They lie, but one of their lies is to themselves. Thanks for the comment and I do agree with you.
I'm going to stay out of this fight and say instead that you make a strong case for yourself.There are too many fights in the world to be involved in all of them. The old saying, "pick your battles" needn't be said, ever, because that's what we all do. That is what we all have to do. Thanks for the comment and peace be with you.
If you close your eyes, and spit into the wind, it may blow back in your face. If you keep your eyes closed, and choose to believe that it is tea, then you will have solved your problem, but you would still be wrong.
Love your work.I made up a song once that goes, in part, "I learned my lesson when I spit against the wind, it's all over my friend." ;^) Thanks for reading and thanks for our thoughts.
Very good article Tex with a good messagethanks for sharingThanks for reading, David. It is very nice to have another accomplished writer read my stuff and respond with kind words of support. Peace be with you. tex
Loved your quote from Grover ""I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub." -- Grover Norquist"I'm sure the Republican friends said, "THINK IT, DON'T SAY IT." Thanks for reading and taking time to comment. texWell, this Republican (because there mostly isn't another choice) would say DO IT! IF somebody doesn't begin to manage the budget well they will not get my vote but for a time now have felt like there weren't many choices in either party... ah, well.... best not get the BP raising any more than it already is! Thanks Tex!
Your Grover Norquist quote is wonderful. More power to you. I love your HEART.I believe more people care, than don't care. The problem with caring people is they care about others, but the don't always care about organizing demonstrations, or running for office, or trying to change the world. Caring people tend to want to change the world one person at a time. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Great article, Tex. I'm right and you're wrong is never going to get anybody anywhere. I wonder what happens when those people who believe they're the only ones going to heaven die - and meet all the wrong people in heaven! I'm right and you're wrong can't work positively in religion or politics.C S Lewis wrote that the gates of hell are locked from the inside. I believe the gates of heaven don't even have locks. If you want to be there you will be there. The admission priece has already been paid.
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