Why the republicans need to embrace (and fear) the tea parties.

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And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms.  -- Thomas Jefferson

If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.-- Samuel Adams

We don't need a lot of Jim DeMint disciples. As soon as they get here, we need to co-opt them. -- Fmr Sen Trent Lott

The problem with the Tea Party, I think it's just unsustainable because they can never come up with a coherent vision for governing the country. It will die out -- Sen Lindsey Graham

I'm not sure I should be participating in this story. -- Sen Bob Corker


From this vantage point, it does appear that the country's "regular people" identify with the tea parties. The tea party-goers invariably ask for less government (which is exactly the same as asking for more freedom). If the republicans are not "on" with that, the tea partiers will find someone who is. It may be a brave new world out there. I think people are genuinely tired of the left progressive party and the moderate progressive party being the only two choices. Experienced political observers are becoming the vocal majority. Unless something changes in the republican party, this powerful train leaves without them.

Tea party attendees are asking for a halt to unsustainable economic policies. Democrat and quasi-democrat parties don't want to sign on to that. Tea party types want government transparency and accountability. No more bailouts, and are without a doubt very tired of compassionate progressivism. Yet these two parties continue to glide that path together.

In the product development business, we have an axiom that says: If we follow the ideas of brand X, the brand X customer will always choose brand X over our version of brand X. They will pick Nike vs any other swoosh. If we instead make a superior product that is unabashedly Brand Y we have a chance to cut our own path. If we want big government, the way to get that is to vote democrat. No question.

There is nothing more useless than a big government republican (Wizer One-Liner #16 for those of you keeping score), yet it is the only kind younger voters (all those under 30) have ever seen. They likely wouldn't recognize the tea partiers as republican anyway. So, the risk is great that the republican party will "miss" this train.

Senator Graham doesn't see the coherent vision, yet it's as plain as every tea party sign in the rally: The "new" coherent vision for running the government is less government, Senator Graham, and if you don't see that, it might just result in your untimely retirement.