Tea Party spawns GOP nightmare: How it’s already ruining the party’s ’16 strategy

[applegrove]

Tea Party spawns GOP nightmare: How it’s already ruining the party’s ’16 strategy

GOP elites want Americans to think the party's boring and safe again. Maybe someone should notify the Tea Party

by Elias Isquith at Salon

http://www.salon.com/2015/01/23/tea_party_spawns_gop_nightmare_how_its_already_ruining_the_partys_16_strategy/

"SNIP.....................



If you’re understandably perplexed by the Republican Party’s apparent decision to enter the post-Obama era by nominating either another member of the Bush dynasty, or another version of Mitt Romney, there’s at least one way to think about it that might help explain the seemingly inexplicable. Put simply, the leaders of the GOP, the people who tend to be referred to as “the establishment,” fervently believe that in order to win in 2016, Republicans will have to convince voters that the party is once again what it was for much of the 20th century: safe, staid and, in a word, boring.


Of course, in a perfect world, Republicans would rather their presidential candidate be seen as a charismatic dynamo similar to Barack Obama in 2008 (or Ronald Reagan in the final weeks before Election Day 1980). But Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the party’s de facto chief strategist, would likely consider a GOP nominee who reminds voters of a suburban accountant nearly as good — especially after eight years of tumult under a Democratic president. Thus the appeal of your Jeb Bushes and Mitt Romneys — and thus the establishment’s aversion to more fire-breathing types like Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz.

The plan is obviously cynical, but it’s also pretty savvy. It’s a testament to not only how much attention the party leaders pay to controlling the media narrative, but also how little they pay to, y’know, actual policy. And if all the GOP had to do between now and November ’16 is keep troublemakers like Paul, Cruz and Mike Huckabee at a distance from the party’s nomination, you’d have to consider it in a strong position to win back the White House, on the strength of voter fatigue with the Democrats, if nothing else.

But here’s the problem: There’s this thing called Congress, which is now the full responsibility of the GOP. And while there are plenty of GOPers in Congress who care deeply about which party holds 1600 Pennsylvania, there are also more than a few who think they were elected to change Washington. They answer to conservative activists who will no longer trim their sails so a RINO can enjoy free flights on Air Force One. And some of the issues these folks want to talk about won’t jibe with that nice accountant-next-door narrative establishment Republicans have been building.



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[DeSwiss]

1. Savvy my ass.

- They don't have anything else, this is what they are.....

[Iliyah]

7. MONEY

[Cryptoad]

2. The AssClown Contest begins in Iowa this weekend!

[rurallib]

3. Watch it on CSPAN if you dare.

[L0oniX]

4. I don't expect anything intelligent from these people. When repukes speak these guys respond with...

[rhett o rick]

5. Which is the before and which is the after? Just sayin'. nm

[AwakeAtLast]

6. Get out your checkbooks

Let's make this interesting!

[Initech]

8. Another election, same GOP clown car.

They don't have anybody different that they are going to run, and already it's starting to show. Settle in folks, this is going to be a long election.