Nature Abhors a Vaccum

Wow. The Rumor is Confirmed.

-----link to Rasmussen Poll-----
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/december_2009/tea_party_tops_gop_on_three_way_generic_ballot
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For awhile now I have been saying to anyone who will listen in the Republican Party that there is“Angst” out there and the Party needs to come up with policies, programs and candidates that reflect that. I started back in July of 08 with the “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less” protest along the lines of Newt Gingrich Petition that ended up with 1.5 million signatures. July of that year I and a couple others had a march/protest in downtown Muskegon. The success of Newt’s petition came out of the anger - the sleeping bear was waking up.

Then the “Sleeping Bear” growled again except louder at the “Tea Party” rallies. The Angst heard in that growl from the Silent Majority made it clear that the Silent Majority was becoming Silent No More.

While I see some signs of the State Party trying to figure out how to “manipulate” this “Angst”, they might find by their top down attitude (try condescending attitude) is too little too late and unless more substantive will create the opposite effect they were looking for.

There are groups out there that are gathering up Precinct Delegates and will try to make a run at the party. These groups are serious and are also critiquing and vetting candidates. They do have foot soldiers out there. The groups are varied and many and the number of volunteers is uncertain but with larger issues and resonant policies the candidates they choose, as in NY 23 have proven themselves to be formidable.

One thing the Founders believed in was that the “Sleeping Bear” or common man was not stupid in their combined wisdom. For awhile now this Bear has sensed danger and has been hoping others will lead the way for him to do something that will turn this mess around. The Republican Party promised to do that, but after Big Government (Big Power) corrupted them they quit the fight. The Bear sensed this -- the Party lost. In its misery the Bear began to strectch is muscles and lately is extending its claws. It is deciding to do it on its own.

The angst is complicated yet simple. Anti Big anything is at its core. They’ve had enough of Big Everything telling them what to do. They are finding and using what freedom is still left in this country and trying to find ways to use that freedom to resurrect those other freedoms that have been buried and long forgotten.

Big Parties rank right up there with Big Business, Big Labor and Big Government.

What is this Angst? A Lion of Conservative thought in 2008 wrote a book that sums it up. “Leave Us Alone” His name is Grover G. Norquist. “Leave Us Alone” as Robert Novak wrote of the book and its title, “..is a clarion call in the political wilderness”

That Clarion call was used by the Pilgrims when they left England and sailed to America. That same call was heard among the settlers moving west; by anyone who believes in limited government including the Writers of our Constitution. By anyone who values individual freedom - that individuals count.

I believe that call is what is driving the Tea Party movement. Make no mistake this is becoming a movement. I have seen directly on the local level not just people on the corner holding signs, but organized interest groups sitting down privately with candidates and grilling them with tough questions. They are reaching out to all candidates in all parties. A Political arm of the Tea Party is I Caucus which is in the business of not forming a 3rd party but of taking over the RNC from the bottom up. They are not just talking as I said; they are doing this in a systematic way through candidate training and support and getting Precinct Delegates elected.

This is all stuff the local state and national party should be doing but isn’t.

Nature abhors a vacuum, and that is what the National Party on down has left those who were in the Conservative Coalition. In the Parties haste to have a big tent it has alienated the base by its lack of support which gave the party its definition.

The “Tea Party Movement” has been formed of the most active of the coalition from groups who were forced to go on their own apart from the Party like Citizens for Traditional Values, and the Americans for Tax Reform, Americans for Prosperity and now I Caucus. In other words those who have any passion left. All these activists who were welcomed under the Reagan Party now are gathering again and making alliances that better reflect the population as a whole than the Republican party currently does. The National and State Party should be happy that they are still knocking on their door.

Mr. Steele and Wiser should do more than placate and manipulate this angst in their condescending ways. They should try listening then try to help and facillate that gathering of the angst; if they don’t (as they are finding out) it will be turned against them.

If the Leaders of the Republican party really see the danger of a 3rd party to them then they should truly seek to be a party that encourages not placates those uppity conservatives.

Above all else the party needs to shed its sheep clothing, its stodgy, de-tusked, head drooped symbol. We need some crisp clean policies with the new image that differentiate us from the Liberals. We have to start acting like we can do things and are willing to take the lead in getting things turned around.

As in Nature what comes smashing in to fill the Political void is sharp fast and hard. Ask the O about that. He filled their void with a messiah figure; we have a chance to fill ours with and ideal. By We The People. Which do you think will win an election?

Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative