The Tea Party caucus is a minority group. But they have proven to be a force that their party does not know how to manage. They are obsessed with extremism and they are holding John Boehner and the Republicans, and now the country, hostage. What do they want? They have reached their goal. The objective was to shut down the government. Mission accomplished! And now they are hurting everyone.
They have been talking about and planning the shutdown for years. The goal was never to negotiate for an idea or policy. It was not to reduce the deficit or spending -- as proven in the current proposed budget. Discretionary spending in this budget is set at levels almost matching the Ryan (Romney) budget, which is much less than the president's budget. This conservative, austere budget has been rejected for months. Their goal is not really about defunding ObamaCare. Their goal was to force their extreme agenda onto the American people, after America rejected their draconian measures during the last two presidential elections. They want to dismantle government and will not stop until they get their way. Their obsession that government serves no good purpose is hard to comprehend... Especially because they work for the government and many of them receive subsidies. The hypocrisy is obviously lost on some.
This Republican Party is not your grandfather's party, not your father's, nor is it the party of Ronald Reagan. I wonder what President Reagan would be thinking now and during this past couple of years. The Republican Party nationwide has become completely co-opted by the Tea Party children (my apologies to children). Many say that the Tea Party members do not speak for the Republican Party. Unfortunately, it is only the Tea Party members doing the talking and calling the shots -- speaking locally and nationally for the Republican Party. No one in the Republican Party has the courage to stand up to them and saying "enough!" No one is telling the Tea Party members to sit down, be quiet, learn procedures, and learn about the government and our country. You cannot lead effectively if you just want to walk off of a cliff. There are no adults in the room and the Tea Party group is holding their party, our country, and the economy hostage, and all because they do not like the results of the last couple of national elections. They do not care that America has spoken and said "no thanks" to their extreme agenda! They should stand for something, not stand against everything. Obstruction is not a platform.
Shutting down the government was the Tea Party's destiny. They do not like democracy; therefore, hard-working people, the elderly, children, and poor must suffer even more and longer than even under the sequester cuts -- because the Tea Party members know best. Congratulations, TP -- you wanted the shutdown. You own the shutdown.
Tea Party members are not good at math, they do not know anything about history or government, and they do not believe in science. We know what they think about the arts and music. And they make fun of Michelle Obama's directive to get kids to exercise. What exactly did they do all those years in school?
So it's "Mission Accomplished" and now they punt. To paraphrase W, "You are doing a heck of a job, Orange-Man!" How's that working out -- for everyone?
We can do better. Remember, actions have consequences -- always Vote! It matters more than ever.