The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Last week, Mollie raised an interesting point about what a Mitt Romney nomination means for the Republican Party. In the comments, I shared my concern concerning the lean-Republican independents who make up much of the Tea Party, and who prior to 2009 were mostly inactive in politics beyond regularly voting.
The Tea Party is a collection of people who felt compelled to transition from citizens to activists in favor of limited government and fiscal restraint. Many sacrifice time away from family, work, and life in a desperate attempt to save the nation they love, from their perspective. My concern is that the Tea Party will recoil from supporting a Republican Party that is headed by John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, and Mitt Romney.
I spoke with one such Tea Partier, Rebecca from Florida, over the weekend. She's a retired detective turned young stay-at-home mom, who labels herself a "generic Tea Partier." What she had to say was fascinating and illuminating, and it should concern just about every smart Republican. She was gracious enough to let me publicize her thoughts here at Ricochet.
Here's what she had to share:
"I became politically engaged after the 2008 election," Rebecca told me. "I used to only vote in Presidential elections and local elections that were of interest to me. In January of 2008 I saw Barack Obama give a speech and I was really wowed. He is quite a gifted speaker." She admits that she "liked what he was saying, but some things were just a little off."
She started listening to Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck again, wanting to hear what this Obama fellow was really about. But beyond that, she didn't engage in activism - she just showed up to vote for McCain, despite what she considered his "progressivism."
"Obama got elected. Then Obamacare was rammed through. I was appalled. I couldn't believe the shady way such important legislation was passed," Rebecca said. "I have some like-minded mommy friends and I got together with them. I joined our local 9/12 Project, and As A Mom and the TEA Party of Tampa Bay."
Via email and Twitter, Rebecca started sharing information, organizing, paying more attention to what was happening. She took early retirement in 2010 to stay home with her son (Benjamin - a great name, am I right?), and gave birth to another young son (Jameson) last May.
"You see, I now have *much* more to think about in regards to the future of our country," Rebecca said, and happily so. She redoubled her efforts, achieving a level of engagement in politics she'd never had before, and as you all know, Florida's Senate race was ground zero for this movement.
"Casting my vote for Marco Rubio in the primary and then again in the general gave me this amazing feeling of accomplishment," Rebecca said. "I felt like we had done it. First, when he beat Crist for the Republican nod. When he won the seat, I felt like I had finally been able to cast a vote for someone I *believed* in, instead of just choosing the least worst one."
"2010 was a real turning point for me. I watched the midterm election results as we won the House with some good, solid conservatives and I felt so proud and accomplished. I felt like we - the TEA Party, my mommy friends, ME - we had made a difference," Rebecca said. "We were helping to put our country back on the right path, and return to the ideals of our founders."
"Then came 2011," Rebecca says, and her mood clouds. "It felt like every time I turned around, John Boehner and Mitch McConnell were selling us out, hanging our Tea Party freshmen out to dry, and doing it for no apparent reason."
She's unsure why this is. "Are they idiots, or just the worst chess/poker players ever? Every time they have an opportunity to limit government, reduce taxes, etc. they blow it."
And all the while, President Obama is able to "look like he's trying, he's really trying, but the 'Republican Controlled Congress' keeps getting in the way. The debt ceiling increases. The lack of a budget. The 30-odd House passed bills that Harry Reid won't allow a vote on." Indeed, Rebecca is so infuriated with the Congress' inability to carry their message or push back, she thinks a third party might be needed.
"I almost feel as though there needs to be a new party, a truly conservative party, that really represents us. Sometimes I feel like the GOP is more interested in protecting their jobs than in promoting conservative ideals. At least, that's what Boehner and McConnell make me think," Rebecca said. "Why can't we have a party full of Rubios - candidates who believe in American exceptionalism and limited government, and do so unapologetically? Why do we have to have so many squishes?"
The Republican presidential stakes kicked in, and Rebecca engaged. Her hopes rise with Rick Perry's entrance, but then "he gets hammered for stupid things, and drops." She thought about Herman Cain, "but his lack of campaign management was disconcerting." She never really thought Bachmann would make it to Florida, and says "Erick Erickson has educated me too much to cast a vote for Rick Santorum." She considers Ron Paul's views right on a number of accounts, but thinks his foreign policy is "crazy."
"So here I am, supporting Newt Gingrich," Rebecca says. "I'm not in love with Newt, but I trust him more to stay true to conservative ideals. The guy pushed Clinton right, for goodness sake. I only trust Mitt to stay true to himself."
So, Rebecca, about Mitt: why not Romney this time?
"I don't trust him, and I don't think he can win. He is utterly unaware of how offensive his disconnect with the average American is. He drops $10K bets like it's nothing. He thinks $342,000 isn't very much to make in a year," Rebecca said. "I don't begrudge him his wealth - he worked for it and earned it and that is admirable. But I hate his lack of awareness of how super-wealthy he is. His flip-flops are legendary."
"Oh, and he invented Obamacare."
"I see a Romney nomination causing Tea Partiers like me to tune out. We are already disheartened by the congressional leadership. Romney will be the final nail in the coffin. He is completely uninspiring, and is everything we have been working so hard to defeat within the GOP," Rebecca said. "Don't even get me started on that Bain Capital picture. Ugh. There is no way he can win. And I don't want to have to defend him while he tries."
"What is the point in becoming educated on candidates and politics, arguing with my friends, taking the time away from my family - to end up with the guy McCain can't even look in the eye. Why bother?" Rebecca says. "Obviously the "establishment" has already decided it's Romney's turn, and to hell with what we want. I feel like I'm being patted on the head and told "Now go vote for Romney like a good little girl. We know what's best."... I don't even do that to my 3-year-old. It's insulting. It doesn't make me want to campaign for him."
"It honestly makes me want to skip the election, but Obama scares me too much to do that. I do think a Romney presidency will hurt the GOP brand though, and make it hard for a real conservative to have a shot," Rebecca said. "I feel like this is so similar to our 2010 Senate race. Romney is the Crist candidate, loved by many and backed by the establishment. But we have no Rubio. Crist would have been an easy win. He was a liked governor. Without Rubio, he would have easily won the seat. Just because we don't have a Rubio in this race doesn't mean we need to settle for a Crist."
Rebecca feels pressure, among more longstanding Republicans, to get on board the idea of Romney. But she says she's more likely to disengage. This is part of my overall concern: where cycles of political strife often include longtime activists bemoaning flawed nominees (as we saw in 2008 with McCain, and 1996 with Dole) and threatening to walk away, these are paid professionals who have been actively engaged in politics for decades. The Tea Party has a much shorter timeframe of engagement, which may indicate they are more likely to return to their previously disenfranchised state.
"It's like [Republicans] think because I don't eat, sleep and breathe politics, I can't make an informed decision - it must be emotional. My guy lost so I don't want your guy to win. When really I just don't think your guy is the best guy for the job," Rebecca said. "I can easily see a decreased Tea Party voter turn out if Romney is the nominee. I know political pundits may find this hard to believe, but not everyone's life revolves around elections. Are they important? Yes. Should people vote? Absolutely. But LIFE happens."
Rebecca tabulates her schedule for tomorrow, Florida's election day - a typical Tuesday for her household. She flies solo nearly all day, and she's never voted early. Husband's breakfast/lunch packed. Get her two boys up. Breakfast/lunch packed for them. Thirty minutes to Kindermusik, all morning there. Home early afternoon, already late for their naps. Errands, an abbreviated playtime. Dinner, baths, bed. Just voting, she says, is nearly impossible with two youngsters during the day lest naptimes and eating schedules be disrupted, and there's no way she can even attempt to get it done with both kids after about 5 because of the after-work crowds. But she'll still do it.
"I will be voting this Tuesday. I will make it fit into my schedule. I feel like my vote matters right now," Rebecca said. "But can you see how I might not make it a priority if I feel like either my vote doesn't matter, or if I don't feel like the candidate I'm voting for will be much different then what we have? Can you see how life may take precedence over casting an uninspired vote? I can't be alone in this thought process, and if enough people feel this way (and I think they will) it will be catastrophic for Romney and really very bad down-ticket as well."
Will the Tea Party remain engaged in a party led by Romney, Boehner, and McConnell? Rebecca thinks we are about to find out.
"I feel like the people who live politics just don't understand those of us who don't. I am a self-identified political junkie. I am enthralled this cycle with how things change so quickly, and I am trying to stay very informed. But I have to be honest, my time is limited. My family, my boys are my everything. Being informed takes time away from them," she says, whether it's engaging online, organizing activist responses, pushing back their naps to attend a rally.
"If I don't feel like I'm making a difference, where is my incentive to take that time from them?" Rebecca asks.
How Republicans answer her, and the concerns of those like her, may decide their future as a party in 2012 and beyond.
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Comments:
Apr '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
St. Salieri:
I began to loose my faith in the period 2002-2007 as I got sick to death of defending the Bush administration. I hated voting for McCain in 2008, but I did, he didn't get my support in terms of money or volunteering.
Now here we are, after the chastening of 2006 - which I thought the GOP earned, I feel like the leadership keeps saying, thanks for the votes suckers - now on to make nice nice with the Dems. I am fuming mad.
Continued · 1 minute ago
We really do need more than just one house of congress. Had the tea partiers not nominated the Sharon Angles and Christine O'Donnells, we might be that much closer to forging a consensus.
Feb '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
I went into this season liking no one.
I didn't find Romney attractive in 2008, Santorum was inept in PA, my home state, betrayed Tomey, and was caught up in a stupid and avoidable housing scandal, he had played big government squish his whole career. Ron Paul is nuts outside of a few fiscal / federalism areas, and Gingerich is a mess, the rest I didn't care for, I had hopes for Cain and Perry and they flamed out quickly.
Watching the Gingrich/Romney slugfest I've decided to back Santorum, for all his faults and failures.
So what am I to do?
I don't see Romney winning the national. If the economy slowly keeps ticking up, and nothing blows up on the international scene (or if it does it might become a rally round the flag moment that saves Obama's behind), then we are done.
The alternative to a GOP win is a nightmare - more regulation, more abuse of executive power, the cementing of Obamacare, liberal appointments to the bench, etc. etc., so yeah, I'll hold my nose and vote (R), but it is the LAST time I vote for the establishment.
Feb '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Romney seemed like an honorable man albeit one whom I didn't like and one with very different policy ideals, but after watching the attacks on Newt - I'm sickened.
I think the country may be too far gone - after this - if we can't regroup with a Romeny or other GOP win, and (not or - and) if we can't forge a more coherent Republican / Conservative / Libertarian consensus, it's over for several generations or until a major national catastrophe.
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
wmartin
We really do need more than just one house of congress. Had the tea partiers not nominated the Sharon Angles and Christine O'Donnells, we might be that much closer to forging a consensus. · 4 minutes ago
Two problems with this:
1. "We." I doubt many Tea Partiers would use that term interchangeably with making Mitch McConnell majority as opposed to minority leader. Is anything significantly different without Angle and O'Donnell? The Democrats would still be able to filibuster anything, and Scott Brown would be the most important guy in the Senate.
2. The Tea Party also sent Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, and Ron Johnson. Cherrypicking two primary campaigns where they failed to nominate a serious candidate is far outnumbered by cases where they nominated serious ones.
Dec '10
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Frozen Chosen
Really?
Because as a Governor, Romney and his State Legislature were both required under the State Constitution and State law to balance the budget. They had no choice.
President Clinton and the Congress in 1993 had no such constraints, and indeed showed no inclination toward balancing the Federal budget. It took Newt Gingrich leading the Republican takeover of Congress and becoming Speaker of the House to force Clinton to agree to "triangulate" to a balanced Federal budget. I note that no one since has managed to replicate the feat.
In my opinion, that puts Newt Gingrich way ahead of Romney on the proven fiscal responsibility score.
Dec '10
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Ben Domenech
wmartin
We really do need more than just one house of congress. Had the tea partiers not nominated the Sharon Angles and Christine O'Donnells, we might be that much closer to forging a consensus. · 4 minutes ago
Two problems with this:
1. "We." I doubt many Tea Partiers would use that term interchangeably with making Mitch McConnell majority as opposed to minority leader. Is anything significantly different without Angle and O'Donnell? The Democrats would still be able to filibuster anything, and Scott Brown would be the most important guy in the Senate.
2. The Tea Party also sent Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, and Ron Johnson. Cherrypicking two primary campaigns where they failed to nominate a serious candidate is far outnumbered by cases where they nominated serious ones. · 2 minutes ago
Problem #3: Without the TEA Party, "we" would have ZERO Houses of Congress. It's pretty myopic to blame the TEA Party for not managing to get ten seats in the Senate while failing to credit it for gaining 63 seats in the House.
Aug '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
C'mon! The GOP already thinks we're the easiest girls in school. Time for you to respect yourself!
Apr '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Stuart Creque
Ben Domenech
wmartin
We really do need more than just one house of congress. Had the tea partiers not nominated the Sharon Angles and Christine O'Donnells, we might be that much closer to forging a consensus. · 4 minutes ago
Problem #3: Without the TEA Party, "we" would have ZERO Houses of Congress. It's pretty myopic to blame the TEA Party for not managing to get ten seats in the Senate while failing to credit it for gaining 63 seats in the House. · 11 minutes ago
I fully acknowledge that tea party energy got us the House. It's just that tea partiers are showing that they're still rookies at politics, both in the two senate races I mentioned and in their support of Newt Gingrich. They think 2010 means much more than it does, and they don't quite seem to understand just how different the composition of the electorate is in a Presidential election.
Feb '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
You made me laugh for the first time today! Thanks, I needed that, and I agree, but...but....
Nationalized Healthcare is the end, if I support them and it's left in place, we are done for...as a nation. I'll try once more to lie back and think of Lincoln...
But if they fail, I think I'll retreat into my church, my family and my music for good...let the republic wither on the vine, because 21 years of support, money, and arguing with friends, family and neighbors has brought us here - the exact place I never wanted my country to go.
I could just cry, the world I was born into is gone, the little village of farmers and self sustainging working class families with their neatly trimmed lawns, vegetable gardens, surrounding farms and woods has become a bedroom community for the wealthy upper class and a welfare slum.
Destroyed by left and right.
DrewInWisconsin
C'mon! The GOP already thinks we're the easiest girls in school. Time for you to respect yourself! · 1 minute ago
Oct '10
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Back in 2009 when the tea party was gearing up, I said to a friend: "If the Republican party nominates Mitt Romney, I will leave the Republican party."
And his response was, "if that happens, there may not be a party to leave."
Oct '10
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Ben Domenech
Two problems with this:
1. "We." I doubt many Tea Partiers would use that term interchangeably with making Mitch McConnell majority as opposed to minority leader. Is anything significantly different without Angle and O'Donnell? The Democrats would still be able to filibuster anything, and Scott Brown would be the most important guy in the Senate.
2. The Tea Party also sent Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, and Ron Johnson. Cherrypicking two primary campaigns where they failed to nominate a serious candidate is far outnumbered by cases where they nominated serious ones. · 28 minutes ago
Exactly! Without the tea party, you don't get Rubio and Paul and Toomey, you get Crist and Arlen Specter etc.
Dec '10
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
wmartin
Stuart Creque
Ben Domenech
wmartin
We really do need more than just one house of congress. Had the tea partiers not nominated the Sharon Angles and Christine O'Donnells, we might be that much closer to forging a consensus. · 4 minutes ago
Problem #3: Without the TEA Party, "we" would have ZERO Houses of Congress. It's pretty myopic to blame the TEA Party for not managing to get ten seats in the Senate while failing to credit it for gaining 63 seats in the House. · 11 minutes ago
I fully acknowledge that tea party energy got us the House. It's just that tea partiers are showing that they're still rookies at politics, both in the two senate races I mentioned and in their support of Newt Gingrich. They think 2010 means much more than it does, and they don't quite seem to understand just how different the composition of the electorate is in a Presidential election. · 6 minutes ago
But - but - but - at #56 you said the TEA Partiers in FL support ROMNEY!
I am getting whiplash from trying to follow your arguments from one extreme to the other.
Aug '10
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Stuart Creque
Frozen Chosen
President Clinton and the Congress in 1993 had no such constraints, and indeed showed no inclination toward balancing the Federal budget. It took Newt Gingrich leading the Republican takeover of Congress and becoming Speaker of the House to force Clinton to agree to "triangulate" to a balanced Federal budget. I note that no one since has managed to replicate the feat.
I don't know if you caught the last debate, Stuart, but Ron Paul deftly pointed out that Newt/Clinton only balanced the budget because they raided the SS fund to use in the general fund. Granted that everyone has played that game for a long time but it still doesn't make it right - the federal budget hasn't really been balanced for quite awhile.
Also, Insofar as Newt did "balance" the budget, I would add he only did so with a massive increase in revenue due to the .com bubble and high tech explosion - he didn't do it by cutting spending.
Edited on January 30, 2012 at 10:30pmApr '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Stuart Creque
wmartin
Stuart Creque
Ben Domenech
wmartin
We really do need more than just one house of congress. Had the tea partiers not nominated the Sharon Angles and Christine O'Donnells, we might be that much closer to forging a consensus. · 4 minutes ago
I
But - but - but - at #56 you said the TEA Partiers in FL support ROMNEY!
I am getting whiplash from trying to follow your arguments from one extreme to the other. · 3 minutes ago
Nationally they still support Newt. In Florida in the last few days, they have come around to Romney by a small margin, as tea partiers nationally will do once they see the writing on the wall (I hope).
Edited on January 30, 2012 at 10:38pmAug '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
DrewInWisconsin
C'mon! The GOP already thinks we're the easiest girls in school. Time for you to respect yourself! · 12 minutes ago
Ahem...let's not be sexist here...I've known a few easy boys in my time too. Oh, ummm..wait a minute....
Edited on January 30, 2012 at 10:52pmMay '10
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
My advice to all of us is to grow up. Good grief.
If this person can't tell the difference between Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell, between Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner, and between Barack Obama and even Mitt Romney, she should have her kids taken away by Child Protective Services as too spacey to be a fit parent.
If you have a likely candidate who you think doesn't naturally fit with the lower middle class, you don't throw in the towel when the alternatives are worse, you go find ways to fix it.
Ben, be honest. When was that picture of the Romneys with Charlie Crist taken? And tell us if you have ever been in a photo with anyone on the Left? I've had pictures taken next to friends who are way out wacky former Democrat lefty enviro elected officials. In fact, I donated five bucks to buy a cup of coffee. That doesn't mean I endorsed her candidacy.
Jun '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
So what did she find that was "off" about Obama: the rainbows or the unicorns?
Ben Domenech: Here's what she had to share:
"I became politically engaged after the 2008 election," Rebecca told me. "I used to only vote in Presidential elections and local elections that were of interest to me. In January of 2008 I saw Barack Obama give a speech and I was really wowed. He is quite a gifted speaker." She admits that she "liked what he was saying, but some things were just a little off."
Apr '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Forgive me as I try to take the middle ground, but often I perceive this as the situation. The 'Establishment' tends to be, "This is the way the game is played, so just shut up and play right," while the Tea side tends to be, "If you don't play the way we like, we'll take our ball and go home."
Whoever wins the nomination is going to have to successfully unite both sides here. Romney talks about being able to work with others to get things done. I want to know if he can work within our own party to get things done. Newt may be making the Tea side happy for now, but he can't alienate the Establishment side in the process.
In the end, we don't go with the troops we want, we go with the troops we have. Our choices are there, and no, we don't have a Reagan. It's why I say that activism needs to be long term. The activists on the left have been trying to get national health care for decades and are closing in on the goal. Do we have that kind of patience?
Mar '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Great post that has summed up my feelings about the Republican presidential candidates since 1988. Every one of them have been bad and our present economic situation is the result. Squiches every one. Bush, Dole, Bush, McCain, Romney. Why do Republicans nominate these people over and over? Perhaps a third party is inevitable. If attractive candidates were in the third party, like Ryan and Rubio, it could have a shot at exerting some influence. Or it could mean ultra liberal Democrats winning every national election. I wonder if we wouldn't be much worse off as our Repub. presidents have done nothing to decrease the size of government.
Dec '11
Re: The Conversation With a Florida Tea Partier That Should Scare Every Republican
Nobody's Perfect: There is, by the way, already a third party that has been able, by dint of organization, to place candidates on the ballot in all 50 states, election after election.
The Libertarian Party was the Tea Party before there was a Tea Party. · 1 hour ago
They are increasingly likely to get my vote, and most of my politically active friends.