The Tea Party emerged as a political force after the election of Barack Obama in 2008. Rich donors, such as the Koch brothers, mainly funded the fake grassroots movement made up of Obama-haters and hard-core conservatives dissatisfied with the Republican Party establishment. In an effort to remain politically viable, the party of Lincoln welcomed the vipers into its fold.
The fabulist Aesop told the tale of the farmer who found a frozen snake in his field. Fearful it might die, the farmer opened his jacket and pressed the snake against his warm skin. Unfortunately, once the snake revived, it gave the kind farmer a fatal bite. “I saved you,” said the farmer. The snake hissed, “But you knew I was a snake when you embraced me.” This fable is an apt characterization of the relationship between the Republican Party and its radical Tea-Party wing.
The snake has now claimed its first victim, House Speaker John Boehner. Because the conservative Republican was not conservative enough for the Tea Party extremists in his caucus, he was forced to not only resign his leadership position but his seat in the People’s House.
Now, the fully revived and strengthened viper is set on it’s second “kind farmer,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Unfortunately for the snake, McConnell still has strong support among his caucus members.
“As someone who’s in constant contact with our members, it’s clear Leader McConnell has overwhelming support within the conference,” said the second-ranking Senate Republican, John Cornyn.
While McConnell may be safe from the snake’s bite for now, he will need to keep looking over his shoulder as he is certainly in the snake’s cross hairs.
All this, of course, is good news for the country. The radical Tea Party Republicans may be winning the war, but they will surely lose the battle as more and more mainstream Republicans see them for what they are … anarchists bent on bringing down our government if their agenda is not completely followed. We may be witnessing the death of the Republican Party as it is currently constituted.
Politics is the art of compromise. It will always, by necessity, remain the art of compromise.
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You are absolutely correct. I never thought the tea party would have the legs it has, but eventually it will be the downfall of the GOP and the uprising of a more moderate Republican Party
I think that will be inevitable. But this mess will get worse before it gets better.