Donald Trump survived the Ides of March with a win-loss record now of 20 to 12 (19 to 10 if we just count states). But what does it mean? It's the triumph of the Tea Party.
The Tea Party, properly understood, was just as much a protest against the Republican Party as it was against the Obama administration.
I was never really a fan. So the economy kicked a little dirt in your face? Welcome to my life, bub.
The angry middle-aged persons (they weren't just white men) who came out for those rallies in 2009, 2010, and early 2011 had disappeared by 2012, seemingly discredited by the death of Osama Bin Laden, disgrace of Herman Cain, and poor showing of Michelle Bachmann in the 2012 Republican Presidential primaries. But now they are back, throwing punches, and casting votes.
It's not just Donald Trump. The Tea Party Class of 2010 included Ted Cruz getting elected as U.S. Senator for Texas, Marco Rubio as U.S. Senator for Florida, John Kasich as Governor of Ohio, Chris Christie as Governor of New Jersey, and Rand Paul as U.S. Senator for Kentucky. Carly Fiornia tried and fell short of getting elected U.S. Senator for California in 2010. Ben Carson counts himself as Tea Party too.
As a group, they have gotten 98.5% of the vote in the 2016 Republican primaries so far, while the candidates with more traditional Republican roots - Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, and Jim Gilmore - only getting only 1.5% (19,950,541 to 313,575). The Republican grass has been pulled out by the roots and left to dry in the late winter sun.
What does the Tea Party want? "Taxed Enough Already" was the original backronym. But it was never really just or even primarily about taxes. "Had Enough" does better service. As Donald Trump moves on to clinch the Republican nomination, as he almost certainly will, perhaps it should be renamed the HE Party.
Can HE win in November? So far in the primaries there have been 7.5 million votes cast for Donald Trump and 8.7 million for Hillary Clinton. But look at the almost 20 million votes for all the Tea Party candidates versus less than 15 million combined on the Democratic side for Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Will all those Republicans support Donald Trump? HE is mad and Hillary Clinton is Wall Street friendly, the old school Republicans might decide. That may be what SHE is counting on.
1 comment:
My Uncle got out of Germany just before the second world war. He lectured us on how the Nazi's came to power. I am not in anyway saying that the Tea Party or Donald Trump are Nazi's and It is bad to even bring the comparison up because it kills the lesson that could be learned.
My Uncle noted that Germany was in a moral collapse. Spiritually, financially, ethically, politically. The wild times in Berlin were not out of fun but more of a desperation.
When someone came who was not establishment, not part of the same tired regime, people overlooked the obvious problems and went for the change.
That is our problem.
Everyone hates and distrusts the Gubment. Our dear leader is dividing people not unifying people. People do not feel in control of their lives. The economy is terrible for anyone but Gubment employees and the clever folks keep telling us it is great. We are tired of being lectured about everything we are doing wrong. Everyone is just irritated.
Skip the Donald and look at Bernie. He is saying what liberal's say when they have had too many glasses of wine. Just like Donald is saying the same thing other folks say when that have one or five too many Bud Lites.
We are voting for people who upset the people we don't like.
It is not a good thing.
I don't have a solution and this is my uneducated opinion but this is my observation.
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