Tea Party Could Gain Wide Influence in November
Tea party candidates are set to capture enough Senate and House seats this November that they'll be able to exert some real influence on policy. From the New York Times, via The Daily Caller:
Enough Tea Party-supported candidates are running strongly in competitive and Republican-leaning Congressional races that the movement stands a good chance of establishing a sizeable caucus to push its agenda in the House and the Senate, according to a New York Times analysis.
With a little more than two weeks till Election Day, 33 Tea Party-backed candidates are in tossup races or running in House districts that are solidly or leaning Republican, and 8 stand a good or better chance of winning Senate seats.
While the numbers are relatively small, they could exert outsize influence, putting pressure on Republican leaders to carry out promises to significantly cut spending and taxes, to repeal health care legislation and financial regulations passed this year, and to phase out Social Security and Medicare in favor of personal savings accounts.
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Sep '10
Re: Tea Party Could Gain Wide Influence in November
Add to the #’s the primary examples in FL, AK, KY, DE, and UT that the GOP moderates will be reminded of an some progress might be made. I don’t expect much until 2012 when many more moderate Republicans will be shown the door and there are 23 Democratic senate seats up. Note it is presumed that GOP leadership will not act unless pressured to do so.
Oct '10
Re: Tea Party Could Gain Wide Influence in November
I'm trying to figure out how the New York Times thinks a small number of Tea Party-supported candidates would get legislation as sweeping as phasing out Social Security enacted into law.
The primary reason President Obama was able to enact such significant legislation such as his stimulus and health care plans over the objection of the Republicans and the public was because his party controlled the House and had 60 votes in the Senate.
The big question won't be whether the Republicans will be able to repeal entire entitlement programs, but whether they will be willing to go to battle with President Obama on a budget.
Will they be willing to go so far as to allow the government to shut down in an effort to control spending?