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Jan 16th, 2011


For the Tea Party, the Hard Part Begins

Freshmen lawmakers come up against tradition, partisan divisions, and competing interests


Walter Maciel, center, of Tewskbury, Mass., at an April 14, 2010 Tea Party rally on Boston Common. (Photo credit: Gretchen Ertl for The New York Times; image not part of this AP report)

By Charles Babington

January 16, 2011

WASHINGTON — Welcome to Washington, Tea Partiers.

Now that they’re freshmen in a GOP-run House, the political movement’s candidates are running smack into the traditions, partisan divisions and powerful competing interests that make it so hard to redirect the government.

Some Tea Party activists — part of a loose-knit, libertarian-tinged network advocating small government and less federal spending — already are dismayed to see their new lawmakers plunge into familiar patterns of raising political cash, hiring former lobbyists and stopping short of the often-heard vow to “change the way Washington works.” …

Some winced at a Jan. 4 fundraiser at Washington’s W Hotel, where ticket prices ranged from $2,500 for individuals to $50,000 for “donors.” It was sponsored by a political committee founded by freshman Rep. Jeff Denham of California and other Republicans who won election with Tea Party support. …

House Republicans plan on Wednesday to fulfill a Tea Party priority: voting to repeal the health care law passed by Democrats last year. The pace and rhetoric of the drive have cooled in recent days because of the shootings in Arizona that severely wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who supported the new law.

Nonetheless, GOP leaders are sticking with a title for their resolution that Democrats say is inaccurate and unseemly in light of the six people killed in Tucson: “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act.” Republicans acknowledge that the Senate is certain to block a repeal. …

Full story

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Related posts on this site

Video

Sen. DeMint: Tea Party is awakening of citizen activism (NBC Meet the Press, Nov. 8, 2010) — Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) says the Tea Party is a vital part of the Republican party and represents the awakening of the American people and citizen activism. (01:35)

Quo Vadis, Tea Party? (Nov. 7, 2010)

‘Tea Party’ Sentiment Goes Global (Oct. 10, 2010)

Tea Party Turns on Bachmann (July 29, 2010)

Republican Radicalization Threat (April 17, 2010)

New York Times Tea Party Poll (April 16, 2010)

Tea Party Fomenting Rebellion? (April 5, 2010)

Bachmann’s Anti-Health Care Rally (Nov. 12, 2009)

Bachmann’s Health Care ‘House Call’ (Nov. 1, 2009)

Bachmann Heads Teabaggers (Sept. 13, 2009)

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — January 16, 2010

Spanish Lawmaker Model for bin Laden

Image: Orignal and digitally enhanced images
The Associated Press
A composite image shows Osama bin Laden in April 1998, left, and two digitally enhanced and aged images released Jan. 14, 2010 on the U.S. State Department’s Web site rewardsforjustice.net showing what bin-Laden could look like today with a full beard and with his hair trimmed.

One year ago today, I reported that Spanish lawmaker Gaspar Llamazares was horrified to learn that the FBI used an online photograph of him to create an age-enhanced image showing what Osama bin Laden might look like today.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — January 16, 2009

Michele Bachmann Sullies Minnesota

Two years ago today, on Jan. 16, 2009, I reported that Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), talking about the recount in the Coleman-Franken U.S. Senate race in an interview on Fox News Channel’s “FOX & Friends,” besmirched the integrity of Minnesota’s election system by alleging that “a lot of irregularities occurred during the voting process.”





2 Responses to “Tea Party Credibility Test”
  1. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Tea Party Cannibalizing GOP Says:

    […] Tea Party Credibility Test (Jan. 16, 2011) […]

  2. Immelman for Congress » Blog Archive » Tea Party Fringe Has GOP Leaders Running Scared Says:

    […] Tea Party Credibility Test (Jan. 16, 2011) […]

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