One thing that the DNC and GOP seem to agree on is that the Tea Party folks represent hardcore conservatives who hang out somewhere to the right of Limbaugh. As usual when both sides agree, they get it wrong.
I've been to a couple of Tea Party events and talked with the people there.
Sure there are hard core conservatives there, but there's also a lot of libertarians, and not a few moderate Democrats. I've seen a lot more G.O.O.O.H stickers and badges at these events than GOP, and an awful lot of sensible cars with Obama stickers on them.
People are pissed at the government and politicians in general, and a lot of them are in the mood to toss the whole lot of 'em and start over. Stalwart party apparatchiks on both sides of the aisle don't want to admit this, but the possibility of a true third party coalescing around the dissatisfied Tea Partiers is getting stronger all the time.
If we see a lot of upsets in the upcoming elections, with lots of new faces in the House and the Senate, regardless of whether there is an R or D after their name, the stage could be set for a very interesting 2012 campaign. Just consider that 16 men from both parties took the Senate hostage and forced through a compromise energy bill that neither the Republicans nor Democrats liked. Now consider what could happen in an evenly divided House and Senate if instead of an as hoc coalition forming in one chamber, 30-40 Reps and 15-20 Senators all formally committed to a new third party. If there were enough to prevent either Dems or Reps from holding a majority, well, all of the sudden, a vote for a third party candidate wouldn't be wasted, would it?
It could happen. There are a lot of blue dog Democrats feeling a lot of heat over Obama's administration, and with Scott Brown's example to follow, a conversion to a new party that taps into voter anger might be a pretty sound strategeric move.
It's going to be fun to watch for the next couple of years.
The Tea Party Surprise
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