TEA Partiers in Sheep's Clothing

Every political organization has a great idealogical origin. They begin with the best of intentions. They say they will fight the good fight and always stand up for their values. As time goes on those values and platitudes are replaced by ruthless pragmatism and sheer avarice. Just look at the GOP and the liberal Democratic Party. Is the TEA party in danger of doing the same? 

In 2010 the political world was rocked by the TEA party movement. With their banners of "Don't Tread on Me" and their flood of little constitutions, they turned the political establishment of both parties upside down. They fought hard for candidates who believed in balanced budgets, less taxes, less government. These insurgents came to Washington with a clear mandate; Don't just talk about change, Do it! 

The old guard on both sides of the aisle descended like vultures on a fresh piece of road kill. Many  of the newcomers were sucked into the stinking slough of corporatism and Tammany Hall style politics. Our own Congresswoman Renee Ellmers was a victim. Once shunned by the establishment, she quickly embraced it and began to spout with vigor the watered down talking points from the speaker's office. She is no different than the man she replaced. Now she votes the right way enough of the time, but the train is still heading towards the abyss. Renee Ellmers is throwing chaff at the wheels and then looking at us with those dough eyes and saying "Well, I Tried." She needs to be replaced. 

This example should be a warning to the TEA party. There are wolves out there who will brandish as many constitutions as they can carry to win a seat. They will don a powdered wig and pantaloons and play the part of Thomas Paine or Patrick Henry. They will say they believe in what we believe. Yet when they win they will act like the good ole boys and girls they are. They will vote the right way enough to win re-election but when the chips are down they will turn tail and run. 

It happened to the GOP and it can happen to the TEA party. The local chapters need to research candidates dispassionately and judicially. They need to look into their backgrounds and their past actions. Thy need to choose people who aren't going to talk about "legal rape" or Obama's birth certificate. They need to choose candidates who are moral and who are conservative. 

Sadly many times the candidate they choose is based on emotion and whim. As soon as someone says a line from the Declaration of Independence or pulls a US Constitution from their inner jacket pocket, the TEA party swoons. 

If the TEA party wants to stay legitimate and actually make a difference than they need to do a better job of picking candidates. If they don't than two things will happen. They will elect fools to office or worse, charlatans who will sell their principles to the highest bidder. Both things will weaken and destroy the TEA party. This movement may be our nation's last resistance to the madness of liberalism. We can't afford to screw it up.