Due Date: 9/21
Tea Party Moving For TakeoverObama Could Benefit
by Andrew Pooch
The primaries are finished and there is a restructuring in the making for Republicans. In 2009, a series of protests emerged in response to stimulus packages and the health care bill. This movement was tagged with the name Tea Party Movement, because it resembled a resistance against taxes.
States around the country are witnessing a change. In Delaware, Christine O’Donnell has the Republican spot on the ballot, but may not be the best choice. She was voted in against recommendation to nominate a very conservative candidate. Delaware is making a bold decision not nominating a highly conservative candidate. They have decreased their success of winning. Political analysts believe that Republicans should be distancing themselves from the Democrats as much as possible. Nominating Tea Party candidates is not helping.
Events like the one in Delaware have been happening in other states too. The Tea Party has conquered the primaries and some believe that it will remake the GOP in its image. Matt Kibbe, the president of FreedomWorks labeled it a “hostile takeover.” There are others that say it is too big to be taken over and they will become partners to gain the advantage back in Congress.
The result of this happening can be blamed on other Republicans. O’Donnell received endorsements from Mitt Romney, Senator Jim DeMint and Sarah Palin. This will not help the Republican gain back seats in Congress. By backing a Tea Party Candidate, this means that they are choosing a candidate that is moderately conservative. This also translates to mean that their candidate is closer to a Democrat.
The Obama administration has suffered a few tough blows since his election. He has lost confidence from voters in areas such as the job market and the situation in the Middle East. This development of Tea Party candidates has the potential to benefit his re-election.
The benefit that the Obama Administration foresees is Democrats winning or moderate conservatives winning. This is important; because when candidates are nominated they are usually supposed to be on the opposite side of the spectrum. Tea Party members are only half way there.
Tea Party members are benefitting Obama in some areas, but they are also putting the attention on his biggest problems. The Tea Party is trying to move the debate away from social issues. They will stand conservatively on abortion and gay marriage, but would rather talk about the economy. They feel like they have the advantage, because the Democrats have put the country into the position we are in right now economically.
This election is exciting, because there is change happening in the parties. The Tea Party was catapulted to the front with effective protests stressing change in the economy. The Democrats see an advantage with the choice of candidates being similar to them; voters won’t change. We will find out a year after this election, when each party is choosing a presidential candidate, if the Tea Party Movement was effective of not.
Word Count: 513
Sources:
New York Times Thursday September 16, 2010
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