Oh, how it seems like just yesterday that Republican leaders egged tea partiers on....

[Honeycombe8]

Oh, how it seems like just yesterday that Republican leaders stood on balconies at Capital Hill, while a mass of tea partiers spat upon Democratic Party leaders as they entered Congress. The Republican congress people/senators egged them on.

Oh, how they were all such a happy, energized party, now that a "grass roots" (cough) movement had sprung up in their midst. Money came pouring in, regular people seemed interested in the Republican Party again.

But they didn't notice the dark clouds in the sky, or know enough to know that a wildcat is hard to contain and will often turn on the one who thinks he is the master. They fed the beast, and the beast became what it was all along, a beast.

The worm has turned, and the tired Republican Party leaders aren't so happy with their "grass roots" we-don't-compromise-or-govern wildcat members.

It'll be interesting to see who will win the Republican Party. Will it collapse totally? Not likely. Will it revert to what it was? I don't think that's possible, given the changing demographics of the country. Will it become completely rightwingnut tea-party? I don't see how people will continue voting for people who refuse to govern, because sooner or later, it will hurt those voters.

In the meantime, we're frozen while we wait. Can the Democratic Party govern without the aid and assistance of the other major party? Nope. These are very odd and dangerous times.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. This scenario reminds me a lot of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

All those broomsticks are like the Tea Partiers...

More and more of them, and more and more out of control!

Pass the popcorn, please!

[cbrer]

2. Open the door for a third party?

I'm much more interested in the political future of our nation, rather than watching the short term small mindedness of the GOP bite them (selves) in the butt.

Don't get me wrong, watching idiots writhe in the pain of their own poor decisions is an important instructive tool of "learning through negative feedback".

But my kids need a better future. A less violent future. And a much less indebted future.

Peace out

[Spryguy]

3. We dont need them

Govern without rethugs? Yes we can! Realize our dream of a one party system where another filthy shit eating rethuglican never holds office again? YES WE CAN!!!!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

4. I've been saying since the Tea Baggers donned their first tea bag bedazzled gear...

The Republicans had created a Frankenstein monster they were not going to be able to control.

Sad thing is, we're all suffering while they learn that lesson. Our country is facing the most rigid political climate of my lifetime. I really don't know how things are going to end up. I don't think it's going to end well though. The hate and anger the Republicans have been feeding their fringe for decades has infested far too many in their party now. There's no stuffing the genie back into the bottle once you've set it free.

[pcbynature]

5. New Parties Needed

Hi Honeycomb!

I know I am late to the thread, but you touch on something close to what concerns a growing number of us: that the Tea Party (AKA "John Birchers&quot is not only incapable of governing in post-1950's America, it also has the goal of subversion of democracy and destruction of the Federal government.

In the fantasy of TP "ideology," the near-destruction of the American economy is a means to its ends. The "fiscal cliff" is like sword of Damocles over its sworn enemy: the Federal government, with all of its "commie" programs to help "social" and "economic" goals of progressive taxation (not to mention "human rights" to shelter, income, health care and other "socialist" promises.)

The TP is not meant to govern. It is meant to destroy. It should stand alone and apart from the GOP, which is more corporatist and less "Bircher."

On the other hand, the Democrats today are a group of old Republicans and DLC-type Blue Dogs of the Clintonian variety on one side and old Progressives on the other. IMO, the Dem Party should split up, too.

Why? Because then another party for American workers might emerge.

[KharmaTrain]

6. The Tail Wags The Dog...

The teabaggers were astroturfed to amp up hatred against this President and support the rushpublican plan of obstructionism that has made Washington virtually dysfunctional. It's a long term deliberate ploy by the elites of the party to "numb" most people about politics by making it toxic. They helped create hate radio and the right wing bubble that echoed and amplified their talking points and were able to take that hatred and get small term political and financial gains. The teabaggers were useful fools who served their purpose to help the rushpublicans take back the House in 2010 but have been a pain in their asses ever since. They cost them the Senate twice and now threaten to alienate millions and make the rushpublicans a regional, minority party for many years to come.

We're watching the start of the long overdue battle for the "soul" of what is left of the rushpublicans. It's going to be a long ordeal that surely won't change in the short term and will require several election cycles to play out. In the meantime our government will teeter from one "crisis" to the next. The fallout of the past election is still settling but one thing is for certain...most rushpublicans feel they lost not because they were out of touch with the majority of the electorate, but that they weren't "conservative" enough...