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Has the wind gone out of the sails of the smaller government movement? Is the tea party movement going through a hangover?
You can find some evidence for these propositions. In Washington, Democrats like former National Chairman Howard Dean look forward gleefully to a government shutdown, and Sen. Charles Schumer thinks he can drive a wedge between Speaker John Boehner and "extremist" tea partiers.
And in state capitals some new Republican governors are getting hostile receptions to their plans for cutting spending and curtailing the power of public employee unions.
In Ohio, Gov. John Kasich has only 30 percent approval, according to a Quinnipiac poll. Pennsylvania's Tom Corbett, easily elected last November, has negative ratings as well.
And in the state that has made more headlines than any other this year, Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker is facing some headwinds. He did get the Republican legislature to pass limits on the bargaining powers of state employee unions. And union dues aren't going to be deducted from public employees' next paychecks.
But the Democratic state senators' tactic of leaving the state and the often violent protests at the state Capitol have mobilized public employee unions and their supporters.
A Polling Company poll conducted for Independent Women's Voice showed 53 percent of voters with unfavorable feelings toward Walker and only 46 percent favorable. By a similar margin voters sided with the public employee unions over the governor in the recent controversy.
It should be noted that this poll has a small sample and a larger share of voters in union households (38 percent) than in the 2008 and 2010 Wisconsin exit polls (26 percent). And on issues of this kind, question wording can make a big difference in responses.
Next Tuesday, voters will have their say in an election for state Supreme Court. Incumbent Republican David Prosser is being challenged by Democrat Jo Anne Kloppenberg, who is giving strong hints that she'll uphold a dubious ruling by a lower court that the legislature acted illegally in limiting public employee unions' powers. A Prosser defeat would give Democrats a 4-3 edge on the court.
Off-year elections tend to have low turnout, and the public employee unions are working hard to get their voters out. It's unclear whether tea partiers and others whose enthusiasm and energy transformed Wisconsin from a 56-42 percent Obama state in 2008 to a 52-46 percent Walker state in 2010 will be similarly energized.
In addition, both parties have threatened to recall at least some of the other side's state senators. Recall petitions are being circulated and require relatively few signatures.
The IWV poll says that voters would oppose recalling Democratic state senators by 60 percent to 38 percent but oppose recalling Republicans by only 52 percent to 43 percent.
There's an assumption by many Republicans, seemingly shared by Walker, that voters settled these issues definitively in the November elections. But the IWV poll suggests that voters are not necessarily well informed and have been swayed by those who frame the issue as collective bargaining "rights."
Respondents become more favorable to Walker's position when informed that public employees are paid 45 percent more than private sector union members and that union dues have been automatically deducted and go to support candidates workers may not favor.
In New Jersey, a more Democratic state than Wisconsin, Gov. Chris Christie has won majority support in his struggles with public employee unions by making his case repeatedly, with facts and figures, and with a forcefulness that has made his town hall appearances a YouTube hit.
Christie and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, both elected in 2009, have won public acceptance of major spending cuts by making the alternatives and the facts clear.
Republicans in Wisconsin and other states, and Republican leaders in Washington, need to do the same. Given their druthers, voters oppose tax increases and spending cuts. But they're responsive to the message that in these hard economic times it's not possible to have all good things.
They have seen that vast spending increases haven't generated jobs, and they understand that tax increases can choke a sputtering economic recovery. Given the facts, they understand that public employee unions inflate spending, reduce accountability and operate as a mechanism for the involuntary transfer of taxpayer money to one political party.
The press won't make that case. Republicans and tea partiers need to do it themselves.
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Michael Barone, senior political analyst for The Washington Examiner (www.washingtonexaminer.com), is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Fox News Channel contributor and a co-author of The Almanac of American Politics.
COPYRIGHT 2011 THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM
March 31, 2011 @ 8:37 am
I don’t think we’re “pooped”, I think we’re all very, very frustrated with no action from those that were elected in November to stop the madness in Washington. Seems like Boehner and McConnell are pandering to the socialist/marxist regime instead of doing what that must to protect our Constitution, Country and Citizens. They need to shut the POS Government down, WE DON’T CARE! Defund Obamacare NOW! It’s not about healthcare, it’s about control over our lives and our wealth!
Start the impeachment proceedings! We know it won’t pass the Senate but make the cause anyway, investigate the imposter and all his unvetted Czars. The Republicans in the House ARE NOT protecting the Constitution either! No more RINO’s, what about the November 2010 elections didn’t you understand?!?!?!?? Boehner has proven to be a huge disappointment! I know, they would say we don’t understand the ways of Washington, I say they don’t understand the ways of the American people! POS Elitest!
Donald Trump is looking better and better to me!
March 31, 2011 @ 10:26 am
You have hit the nail on the head and ball out of park. The Teapartiers are the productivity of the nation and it took a lot effort to do what we did in 2010, only to have the Repubs continue to act like Demolites. The conservatives seem to think they can continue to milk us for donations and provide us with no action – wrong!
It is up to the elected Repubs to keep the Tea Party energized and it can not be done with propaganda. The Teapartiers are critical thinkers unlike the majority of demo’s. That is why the tactics of politicians do not work on us. Action is necessary – so far Scott Walker is the only example of action based on the reason he was elected. If he holds strong, he will come out on top. If he doesn’t truely believe in America and caves to demands of the mafia control of government, he will come out the loser. Simple – age old principles. The only thing Scott is doing wrong is not releasing all the statistics that show how these employees are raping the taxpayers. It is either a fight or it is not.
March 31, 2011 @ 8:43 am
I certainly hope the Tea Party movement does NOT weaken at all, ever! It is still needed. Many Rinos are still in action and we must succeed in terminating their reign!
March 31, 2011 @ 8:53 am
In previous close elections the Democrats have used their 2-3% , gay-rights, pro-abortion rights, pro-retarded “give anybody a home loan” rights minorities, to swing the elections which cleverly imposed the will of these derelict minorities over the will of the uninterested, “too busy working to vote” thinking majority. The necessities of the economic downturn caused a new awakening among the honest working but shrinking moral majority. The wealth redistributing Liberals who previously failed to realize that “HUNGER Motivates” in their failed social policies of social enablement, will soon awaken to the political reality of a Jobless Hungry political working middle class who will drive them from the power they have continually abused. The 30-40% Tea Party minority will be swinging their bats and swinging the next elections to right the wrongs perpetrated upon the rights and privileges of the American People. Republicans as well as Democrats had best take note or become footnotes in the pages of history.
March 31, 2011 @ 8:53 am
Not only are we not pooped we are getting stronger. We are expanding due to the fact that general population is waking up to lies of the liberals and are seeing them as the intolerant haters they are. The Tea Party knew that the spending by government would not improve the economy. It would only place a bigger burden on the people who still had privet sector jobs. The privet sector are the ones being hurt and the Government is responsible for the boondoggle. Government employees for the most part have not suffered the way we have and they need to share the burden. Not that I consider paying part of your health care or into your pension a burden. WE WILL NOT GO AWAY!
IMPEACH OBAMA NOW! ! ! ! !
March 31, 2011 @ 9:21 am
Although I have not been able to attend TEA party rallies of late that by no means I am not 100% involved and abreast of what is happening (or not) with our elected officials.
For sure I am not alone in this so while it may seem the TEA party is weakening I also believe quite the opposite is true.
It astounds me that no one has called for the Impeachment of Obama on his numerous violations of the US Constitution. That he has not been held accountable for any of the outright lies he has made that have been documented on camera. These things makes one believe that Republicans are complicit in the effort to destroy our nation and bring it under Global Government (latest term for New World Order.)
The TEA part pushes through faxes, emails and telephone calls which bring a constant reminder to their representatives that we have not gone anywhere but are holding their feet to the fire.
March 31, 2011 @ 9:33 am
The “Tea Party” is what the Republican Party was in the past but now the RINO’s have made their deals with the devil and America is suffering as a result.
Article One, Section One of the Constitution clearly says (for those who bother to read it) that only the Congress may make laws. So ALL of the regulation spewing bureaucracies are un-constitutional, period. Therefore, fire/lay off ALL these “public servants” and abolish their agencies! (Hello, is anyone listening?)
Dramatically less spending on dramatically fewer agencies in a dramatically smaller government. The ex-bureaucrats get jobs in the private sector thus boosting the economy.
April 1, 2011 @ 6:06 am
he’s right fire all the so called public servants and there are alot of people out there hunting for jobs and they would love to have a job that would pay half what these people don’t do half of them don’t even do there job . these union should not be able to hold our states hostage for what they want they are just a bunch thugs
March 31, 2011 @ 9:34 am
we must stick to our guns if i can use that term, IMPEACHMENT NOW, PRODUCE BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND ALL PUBLIC RECORDS…WHY MORE THAN ONE SOC SEC#? WHERE ARE THE MEN IN CONGRESS AND SENATE?..we will remember in 2012…dont you forget it…
March 31, 2011 @ 9:37 am
Stop listening to in the lame stream media and their biased poles, including Foxnews. Tea Party support is strong but we don’t have a nationwide media system using liberal progressive Dems to continually broadcasting the liberal lies and BS that all media believes, seems even you. Reps have always been stupid by letting Dems get by with lies and today it is still the same.
Unions have had decades of organization and thug actions to get what they want. Dems always marginalize their opponents but election will be different from now on with Reps and Dems at risk of being removed when the constitution and fiscal stability is not followed.
Only 12 percent of workers are union members. Workers see some good in private sector union then artificially passes that image on to public sector unions without understanding the true picture. Some people don’t comprehend that their taxes are paying for the unproductive over paid public workers.
March 31, 2011 @ 9:43 am
Everyone on this board should be attending to their own state’s legislative agenda right now, as this is where the action currently is. The “Tea Party” is us, folks. If you aren’t meeting with your representatives IN PERSON at their local offices, and then following up with calls and emails, etc., then you are part of the problem.
There are merely handfuls of people who show up at our state legislative hearings, so I’m astounded by all the forum comments I see on the web that indicates lots of us feel the same way. WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?? State legislatures are ruling on Immigration, States’ Sovereignty, Budgets, Education, and all the issues you care about. GO AND BE SEEN!
Quit talking about the “Tea Party” like it’s an organized, paid entity. It ISN’T! It is YOU!
March 31, 2011 @ 10:18 am
You’re damned right we’re pooped. Since organizing a Tax Day Tea Party protest in the spring of 2009, The Husband and I have been audited, lost a business, lost income, lost clients, lost our health insurance, are now having to pay exhorbitant energy and grocery bills, and are trying not to lose our house and to keep our Youngest in school. This misadministration is seems determined to force middle class family into poverty and then onto the dole; it takes everything we’ve got to resist Obama’s idea of CHANGE. We worked hard to elect fiscal conservatives so that they would go to bat for us and we wouldn’t have to spend any more of our precious time in the streets with signs. The fact that our fury has gone from red hot to stone cold shouldn’t be interpreted to mean that we no longer care. It’s quite the contrary, but we’re BUSY.
March 31, 2011 @ 10:26 am
It would be easier to think that the Tea Party Movement is waiting for fair weather. But the union thugs are not waiting! So I hope the movement in states like Wisconsin and Ohio are gearing up so that the unions don’t get their way and state budgets don’t spiral out of control.
March 31, 2011 @ 10:37 am
mvjimo, what are YOU doing to help that movement? Just asking… Yes, we ARE tired, and we need more help.
March 31, 2011 @ 10:30 am
It takes great numbers at a Tea Party rally before the broadcast media will believe anything happened. They’ll only see 10% of us at best. So the only way they pay attention is when thousands gather outdoors. It’s been a bit cold for that lately.
However, spring is unfolding, and the weather warming. In between having a real life to attend to, we’ll get outside and make our wishes known. They have not changed.
Republicans, do your job, or we’ll elect someone who will.
March 31, 2011 @ 10:33 am
I appreciate all the comments above, but why let great thoughts be marred by mispellings. Please, folks, go to the nearest bookstore and ask them for the “INSTANT Spelling Dictionary” It’s small, it’s handy, and it’s inexpensive. And after using it, you will look like a genious er genius. I’m a chronic mispeller, but I use the dictionary every day. Now typos? They happen because sometimes the fingers don’t go where you want them to, but let’s at least spell correctly.
March 31, 2011 @ 10:43 am
misspellings… ; ) Sorry, couldn’t resist, and I agree with you. You make a critical point! One’s credibility is equal to his/her ability to communicate.
March 31, 2011 @ 2:38 pm
See? I told you I was a lousy speller. The reason I’m so critical is that this forum is written by intelligent, thinking people for intelligent, thinking readers. I’m not critical of the great ideas being put forward. I care enough that I want us all to put our best foot forward. I have such a simple solution. If I annoy anyone, just go pick up a copy of the spelling dictionary and use it. That’s all I’m saying. Whatever you do or don’t do, please don’t stop passing along your wisdom. We need all of us in the fight against stupid liberalism.
March 31, 2011 @ 2:52 pm
Personally, I think everybody did a great job in the comments above. The points were all well made and easily understood. A misspelled word is so much better than a writer with a distorted view point (liberal, that is). I find it amazing the range of ideas presented above and yet they all have a common sense basis.
March 31, 2011 @ 11:44 am
I have to point out that I too have noticed what appears to be a withdrawing of the Tea Party, and only hope this is a re-grouping not a case of apathy. It is dissappointing to see the work wasted on electing conservative face plates only to see them drop and drool once in office, and to watch the media spoon feed the masses even more than before. Politicians are famous for short term memory and need to be educated in “Work or Get Out of The Way”.
March 31, 2011 @ 11:50 am
If the “Government” shuts down who will notice? They don’t work anyway! It may take a week or two for most citizens to even care! I say: “Shut It Down! & Cut Spending”.
March 31, 2011 @ 12:10 pm
Harry Reid and the Democratic Dimwits would like you to believe we are “pooped.” I am involved with a very active group in Clackamas County Oregon! Any time the Democrats are worried about opposition they try to marginalize the threat. They started by saying the Tea Party was a bunch of knuckleheads with no real purpose or drive. Once they realized that the Tea Party was much more than they anticipated they tried to demonize us. We were called Hate-Mongers, Racists, Radicals and Extremists. But, the public didn’t buy that…so now they are trying to divide and concur by infiltration and double speak.
It isn’t helping our cause that we have selected a Speaker of the House so willing to cave and compromise to the Democrats! If he wants to put Obama back in the White House in 2012…then have him keep waffling and weaving this pattern of milk toast diplomacy. Conservatives, who the Republican Party need very badly, will turn against this RINO tendency.
March 31, 2011 @ 12:14 pm
I don’t think the Tea Party is going away or “pooped” out. It just means most of us have jobs, family and obligations and cannot go demonstrate everyday, unlike the Democrat organized “professional protestors” who are paid and bused in for every thing! I stay up on what’s going on and email/call my Congressmen frequently! I don’t care what Schumer, Dean or Harry Reid think. Real patriotic American voters are NOT going away! :)
March 31, 2011 @ 12:34 pm
The Tea Party is just doing what every radical group does. They got all fired up for “Change”, pushed into office several incompetent people and then pegged all their hopes and dreams on them and sister Sarah to “right the nation”…
And like every other radical movement in recent American history they are watching as their representatives find out you cant just spit poison and expect everything to happen while taking tons of money from lobbyists.
March 31, 2011 @ 12:45 pm
Wishful thinking, Stevie. We’re here and no amount of calumny, derision or self-delusion on the part of our Progressive detractors will deter us.
March 31, 2011 @ 2:19 pm
Steven there is nothing radical about wanting the politicians to obey the constitution. The liberals are the ones taking tons of money from lobbyists. There is nothing radical about expecting the government to obey the laws of this country. There is nothing radical about there peaceful protest. The only radicals seen at them have been SEIU and other union goons. So I say you sir a completely uninformed about the Tea Party. You need to stop listening to and reading liberal propaganda.
IMPEACH OBAMA NOW! ! ! ! ! !
April 5, 2011 @ 6:05 pm
And you Steven will soon find out that your Liberally twisted view of our verbal poison will in reality turn out to be the righteous indignation of our prevailing CONSTITUTIONAL TRUTH over your unrealistic non-functioning POLITICAL TRUTH. I would rather take honestly earned money from a Lobbyist to support my campaign than the dishonestly socialistically redistributed money, stolen from the working men and women of America through oppressive dishonest misrepresentation of our current taxation system.
March 31, 2011 @ 12:43 pm
Tea Partiers aren’t at all sapped or less serious or determined. Let’s just say we’re momentarily sitting back in a wait-and-see mode, but are still organizing and ensuring that our powder remains dry for the next round.
March 31, 2011 @ 12:44 pm
I have been in favor of smaller government for decades. The problem we face, ever since FDR, is that reducing the size of government must be done CAREFULLY, not with a slashing broadsword. It’s not just the “deadbeats” and “liberals” who are now stuck with social programs as part of their support. It’s returning veterans who became ill or injured in the Middle East (and the veterans from Korea, Vietnam, and even the odd ones still surviving from WWII) who came back and struggle to support families on $7/hr jobs. THEIR kids can benefit from educational programs just as much as the folks typically shown as “habitual welfare” families and junkies. It’s the people who worked for forty years and more paying into retirement programs and Social Security who now see their careful investment plans in tatters and the remains of Social Security the main part of what they have left. My dad and my in-laws were ALWAYS careful with their spending, and saved faithfully into a variety of accounts along the way only to now be scraping along at the mercy of Uncle Sam and the Tea Party and the Democrats. It’s all the same mentality; the only difference is where they would swing their axes. ”Obamacare” was rammed through and is NOT right — but some aspects of it MAKE SENSE. Cut the budget, certainly — but not to the detriment of ANY of OUR people (and that includes all races and sexual orientations – America is a patchwork quilt).
I would love for folks to quit buying into the “whipping up” of phrases like “gleefully” waiting for the government to shut down. The guy writing that is PLAYING US for fools for his own agenda. NO politician in his right mind will “gleefully” see things shut down — unless they’ve fooled you into overlooking the fact that it takes BOTH sides to make a budget work. EVERY politician’s job is at risk when people can’t get the things they need. The last election proves that when people are angry, politicians lose their jobs. They all know that. It is in their interest to either go along with what their voters tell them or use enough of the right words to fake (or convince) the voters into going their way. BOTH SIDES DO IT. Don’t be P.T. Barnum’s sucker — think about what makes SENSE and vote accordingly.
Budget reform is like losing weight. It took us DECADES to get to this point. Obama administration policies didn’t help, but they only ADDED TO an existing problem. Just as you cannot lose 100 pounds in six weeks and remain healthy, neither can we slash 40 years of deficit-building in one legislative term without severely crippling ourselves. Americans love “fixing” things with a pill. Sometimes that just doesn’t work.
March 31, 2011 @ 1:03 pm
When is some courageous Republican, going to counter BO’s “We are going to reduce our consumption of energy in this country by 33%” with a running platform of “We are going to increase this countrie’s energy production by 10% a year for the next 10 years.” THAT would be better for our country than this, oh how I hate to use libtard language, “Draconian” non-plan of BO’s. COME ON you guys, this would be better accepted by the American People than his plan that sanity knows can’t be done without devestating this country and removeing it from world power status. Folks, we are battling a hugh liberal machine that has had plenty of time to infiltrate most of our important establishments, like education, media, courts, congress and most recently, the Pres himself, and is sponsered by billions of George Soros’ money. We KNOW what this country needs, why in the HELL can’t we take this country BACK, with bold, no holds barred politics? TRUTHFULNESS, if offered to the American people, will still win over lies, hypocracy, shortsightedness and greed, but someone has to SAY these things, OVER and OVER. Every time the MSM, which is basically irrelevant theese days, twists and lies and abets, Republicans and conservatives must get on FOX or some other non-propagandistic outlet and counter them with facts and tough love truth. It WILL work, if it is done. There are more conservatives in the land than progressive liberals, just not as well organized. TEA Party, you are our greatest hope right now, you BETTER NOT go to sleep!
March 31, 2011 @ 1:31 pm
The tea party is directly responsible for GOP gains in the last election. Republicans, especially the leadership members distancing themselves from the tea party are now commiting political suicide. That’s ok, they can and will be replaced.
March 31, 2011 @ 1:42 pm
Does anyone know where the most dangerous dog always hides? Kinda back in the weeds, keeping his head down until he wants to pounce!
Does that sound a bit like the TEA Party to you………sure does to me and when we do need to pounce the stupid libs and the RINOs won’t know what hit ‘em!
March 31, 2011 @ 3:01 pm
If the Democrats really believed the Tea Party was fading away, they wouldn’t bother to talk about it so much. They’ve done everything they can to villify the movement and nothing has stuck. Now we’re in a relatively quiet period, trying to get Boehner and the Repubs to do the right things, but not wasting our resources on big, showy rally’s. As we move into the upcoming campaign season, you can expect to see more and more activity. Democrats and Republicans alike had better be aware that if they fail to do the right things, their day of infamy is coming.
March 31, 2011 @ 3:08 pm
Speaker John Boehner does not need Sen Chuckie to drive a wedge between the Tea Party and him. The Speaker is doing a fine job himself. To the Speaker, I say, “Get out there and do the job Republicans were elected to do — first is to repeal or defund ObamaCare.” HR1 was nice, but it didn’t get the job done. Get the job done! Republicans were not elected to be moderate of dem-lites. They were elected to fulfill the promises made or they may just be reelected in 2012 as official Tea Party candidates.
March 31, 2011 @ 3:58 pm
Boehner is NOT doing the job the TEA Party wants him to do. He will alienate the Tea Party and the voters that sent the new Republicans to Washington. And, it seems there is some trouble brewing within the House, as the new Republicans want to keep their promises and do what the people elected them to do. Boehner seems to be standing in the way!
Sorry, but I cannot respect a person that gets in front of the TV cameras and acts like he is emotionally retarded. Cry behind the cameras…then, go out and give a “Happy Face” to all the people that are counting on you! People want to see “strength and determination” in their politicians. People need to know they have someone that can “fight the good fight.”
Tea Party members worked hard to send him reinforcements to get the job done. But, it looks like Boehner is way too willing to compromise with the Dems on everything! It is very frustrating when Republicans keep “selling out” to the other side! What is wrong with conservative politicians. They just have no backbone once faced with the Democrat Machine. The reason why this happens is yet to be discovered…. What is going on in Washington. What is it that we do not know!