THE TEA PARTY'S PARTY IS OVER
Finally the inevitable happened. The split between the Republican Establishment and the Tea Party went public -not just some sniping between Cruz and McCain but the real thing. The uneasy truce in the Republican Party in Congress burst open like an over ripe abscess with pus pouring all over the place. As Jay H. Ell has been blogging ad infinitum it has been the Tea Party megalomaniac institutions and their leaders that were dictating Republican policy and strategy. Now no lesser person than the Republican Speaker of the House has said just that. He has told the wealthy and influential Tea Party Foundations - Heritage Action, Club for Growth and Freedom Works to mind their own business. The issue precipitating World War 111 was the recent House Budget Deal between the Republicans and Democrats that would avoid shutting down the Government again, for the next two years.
Boehner stated unambiguously and defiantly, " You know they, (The Tea Party Institutions), pushed into this fight to defund Obamacare and shut down the government", he said. " It wasn't exactly the strategy I had in mind. But if you recall, the day before the government re-opened one of the people of these groups said, "well we never really thought it would really work".
Are you kidding me?”, he exclaimed. He continued, "Frankly I think they are misleading their followers. I think they're pushing our, (Congressiional), members in places where they don't want to be. And frankly I just think they've lost all credibility."
The subsequent vote that accepted the budget deal confimed the balance of power in the Congressional Republican Caucus and the fact that policy for a long while has been driven to date by a minority of Congressmen under the orders from the Tea Party think tanks. A 167 Republicans voted in favor and 67 against. The budget really solved none of the philiosphical differences between the parties but it did acknowledge publicly the division within the Republican Party. Within no time the two sides lined up. Ted Cruz was first out of the block to attack Boehner. Remember it was Cruz who was the Tea Party's agent that persuaded Boehner to listen to the House of Representative's minority and shut the Government over the budget and Obamacare last time. When the Repubublicans in the Senate called it quits Cruz maintained that they had sold out on the House Republicans.
There is no going back on this and the battle has publicly begun.
The subsequent vote that accepted the budget deal confimed the balance of power in the Congressional Republican Caucus and the fact that policy for a long while has been driven to date by a minority of Congressmen under the orders from the Tea Party think tanks. A 167 Republicans voted in favor and 67 against. The budget really solved none of the philiosphical differences between the parties but it did acknowledge publicly the division within the Republican Party. Within no time the two sides lined up. Ted Cruz was first out of the block to attack Boehner. Remember it was Cruz who was the Tea Party's agent that persuaded Boehner to listen to the House of Representative's minority and shut the Government over the budget and Obamacare last time. When the Repubublicans in the Senate called it quits Cruz maintained that they had sold out on the House Republicans.
What does all this mean in political terms and how is this being reported in the media.
THE MEDIA’S BIASED SPIN ON THE BUDGET DEAL
* The Bill is a compromise for both parties but the Democrats are getting no credit for their compromise. The media - and they are the “deciders” - have deemed this, as a Republican success. It is as if they are rewarding the spoilt brat for behaving, for once, and ignoring the child who always has behaved.
* The deal was hammered out by Democrat Paddy Murray and Republican Paul Ryan. Again the “decider” media have hardly mentioned Murray. It is all about Ryan. Insiders say it was Murray who unconditionally accepted Ryan that gave him the confidence to settle.
* Both Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader and John Boehner, her Republican counterpart had to persuade their caucuses to vote for this Bill that addressed neither Party’s fiscal priorities. Moans and groans emanated from the Republican dissidents. Hardly a peep from Nancy’s Democrats who accepted her "plea" just to "suck it". Again the “ decider” media are all a buzz about Boehner. Not a word about Nancy.
The above commentary is indicative of how most of the media has lost it’s way from reporting the news in balanced way. They rather look for the sensational angle to get viewership or readership. It is not news that the Democrats have consistently been responsible about trying to govern but it is, that for once, and because of political reasons the Republicans, are behaving in a non destructive manner. Also they need a horse race otherwise who is going to listen or read their drivel and listen or read their adverts for soap. The Democrats prior to all of this were about to increase their representation slightly in the Senate and win back the house. All that is apparently no longer.
THE POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE BUDGET DEAL.
The Republicans
* The Republican brand, generally, will benefit as they will not suffer once again the negative consequences of shutting down the government. This in the environment that the Democrats, apparently have already lost ground over the problems with Obama and his handling with Obamacare.
* Paul Ryan, Romney’s running mate has raised his status no end in this hullabaloo. A fiscal conservative that would “restructure” Medicare and Social Security as Government institutions, now appears a moderate and a front runner for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2016. Ryan is still a product of the unelected Tea Party Insitutions and in immediate fence mending stated that the Institutions were very important. He distanced himself from Boehner saying the latter, "Just got his Irish up".
* However the big battle will be in the Republican Primaries for the 2014 midterm elections where the vast resources of the megalomaniac institutions, of both sides, will back their candidates. In making his move Boehner must have taken into account that among the Republicans, the Tea Party approval rating has dropped to 30%. Boehner has called the ultra Conservative bluff. Do your worst. The vote in the House has strengthened Boehner, who is no bushing liberal either, and the Establishment.
* The Republican disarray is illustrated by the reaction of Tea Party Senators, lead by Cruz, Rubrio and Paul. There are up to 19 Republican Senators, including their leader Mitch McConnell that are leaning towards voting against the budget deal. The establishment may be confidant about their chances but not one Republican Senator up for reelection is risking the Tea Party ire by voting in favor of this budget. They do not want to lose their Primaries to a Tea Party candidate.
* Notwithstanding the Republican disaray the Establishment certainly believe that they will win the battle to retain the party. Lots of resources will be spent to settle it. What is more crucial to the Establishment Republicans is whether those fortunes backing the Tea Party will be available to take on the Democrats. The Koch brothers for example would not have used up all their 68 billion in the Primaries and the Party would like some of it to take on the Democrats.
* Jay H. Ell believes that what the unelected Tea Party megalomaniac institutions and their backers will do is not a mystery. He does not see them either leaving the Republican Party nor backing the Party as a whole. After all their Godfather Joe De Mint of Heritage Action has said he would rather have 30 Republican Senators, that believe in Conservatism, than 50 Republican Senators who believe in nothing. They are still a force even if they don’t take over the Party. They still can create chaos as they have done over the past 4 years. They have faith in the final outcome and Moses did after all spend 40 years in the desert.
* At the end of the day whatever happens the Tea Party have shifted the Republicans way to the right. If a Tea Party favorite Ryan is the moderate the good Lord help us. He agreed with Romney that the country is divided between the “makers” and the 47% “takers” and fiscally would finish off the "Great Society" .
* The Republicans thus want the 2014 election to be a referendum on Obama and Obamacare.
The Democrats
* The Democrats would have a lot easier time if the Republicans had continued with their suicidal no co operation attitude. The fact that Ryan and Boehner saw the light means that they have to work harder at their agenda.
* The Democrats, apparently, have lost a lot of ground of late. The latest polls show that they could lose the Senate and are even in danger of loosing seats in the House. This is apparently as a result of the Republicans now being seen in a more positive light and the problems with Obama and his Obamacare.
* Bearing in mind that the verdict on Obamacare is far from in and that that many are spinning their November recruitment as an amazing success and that there are 4 more more months to recruit, Obamacare may well be a positive rather than a negative for the Dems. In addition the States that have shunned helping Obamacare are having the beginnings of a backlash. Obama and his celebrity supporters will be punting the program to the limit. Jay H. Ell believes that when March comes along Obamacare will be a benefit to the Democrats.
*In addition Obama is on a roll. He has a big advantage in that he has the "bully pulpit" in that everything he says and does is news. So he is out there daily promoting Obamacare and several other programs.
* The key political issue at the moment is the financial inequity between the citizens of America. Obama has an ally here in the Pope. The fact that 40% of Americans are Catholics cannot do the Obama campaign any harm.
* The minimum wage is up front and center. Obama has been on this since way back. The Republican counter to this, that jobs will be lost, is lame. This especially in the light of the fact that the key sectors of retail and fast food, where the bulk are paid minimum wages, the companies are making massive profits. A recent study found that one third of bank tellers required public assistance. The banks have been showing massive profits with their CEOs and management earning astronomical sums yet the tellers cannot make out. The Republican response that all these people are moochers and “takers” is going to loose them a lot of votes from the moochers and “takers”.
* Immigration reform is still being thwarted by the Republicans and with the Latinos increasing in number the Republican indifference does not help their cause. Even if the Republicans get their act together on this one it would be too little too late.
* Women’s rights are still a top priority with the Democrats. The Republicans are not being helped by the fact, that a number of Republican controlled States are passing blatant anti feminist legislation. For example, Texas with a recent voter suppression law have ended up targeting women, and Michigan are joining other Republican States in insisting that women take out, what is in effect, insurance against being raped.
* To add to their demographic woes it is not lost on the African Americans that the voter suppression acts being enacted are reminders of the pre Civil Rights days. The LBGT group’s growing power and the official Party line on them makes it very difficult for a member of their group to come out of the closet and vote for them.
* Unemployment benefits for those out of work for a year are due to stop unless Congress does something about it. The Republican attitude to date is that they just don’t want to work!
* and and on…….
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
The fact that the Republican agreement not to shut the Government down has put them back in the game, even while they are ignoring all the other issues, is hard to fathom. It is the media that are once again calling this as a close horse race. The fact too that the Republican’s sole issue election Obamacare, is enough to trump all the other issues strains credibility to the limits. The issues of financial and social inequity are front and central to the Democratic plank. Obamacare must be defended vigorously by all Democrats not only Obama.
The economic situation is what the media should be focussing on in the midterm election - not lauding and acclaiming the Republicans for not continuing with doing absolutely nothing.
The economic situation is what the media should be focussing on in the midterm election - not lauding and acclaiming the Republicans for not continuing with doing absolutely nothing.
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