Sarah Palin is Right About the Tea Party

At the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville earlier this month, Governor Palin had this to say when asked about the Republican Party's role with the Tea Party movement:

"The Republican party would be smart to absorb as much of the Tea Party as possible. The Tea Party is the future of politics. It is shaping the way of politics in the future."

There are some within the Tea Party movement that took exception to that, misunderstanding what she meant. She didn't mean that the GOP should take over the Tea Party movement. She meant that the Tea Party movement should take over the GOP. At least that it should be a loud voice within the Republican Party, if not the loudest.

I totally agree. It makes so much more sense within the current political time frame, to remodel a house that sits upon a strong foundation or "planks" as the governor calls it, than to build an entirely new home all together.

Thursday night on Hannity, Governor Palin spoke in detail about this very topic. Watching the interview I had one of those 'uh huh, this is why I support this woman' moments. Well, it's another reason anyway. It certainly is nice to have more than one reason to support a political figure.

Hannity asked the governor, "One issue is third party candidates tea party movement running candidates. You have said an that you think that is a bad idea can you explain in specificity, why?" Her reply:

"Well, Reagan also said there are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. A simple answer to a challenge that we face today with the Tea Party movement and I believe that I'm a part of that, because I'm such a believer in freedom, that's what the Tea Party is all about. A simple answer to the challenges they face in not knowing kind of where we belong right now, is to essentially pick a party because we are a two-party system it is easier to reform one of the parties and get the people in the party to understand what has built in great country and what will allow for a brighter future than it is to form a new machine and new process, via a third party.

Let's get in there and take over one of the parties! Take over the Republican Party tea partiers, and get them to see the light. They are seeing the light clear and clearer everyday. Get them to understand what built this country. Get back to the foundation of America."

What she said struck me because it was the exact tone of a conversation I had while out to dinner with friends last Tuesday night. After a healthy anti-Obama rant the conversation moved on to the Tea Party and Governor Palin. It went as follows:

(Paraphrased to the best of my recollection)

Friend: Do you think Sarah Palin will run for president?

Me: I don't know but I hope so.

Friend: If she runs, do you think she'll run as a republican?

Me: Oh yeah, Governor Palin is a republican, she's not going to change that.

Friend: What about the Tea Party? I heard some talk about a third party.

Me: That's not a good idea.

Friend: You don't think so?

Me: Nope. We need to use the current system. We operate in a two-party system in this country, like it or not, and splitting it into thirds puts us at a disadvantage. Plus, the GOP is already an operational machine... We should take that over and tell the big government fat-cats to shape up or show them the door.

Friend: How's work?

She can only tolerate political discussions in five minute increments.

I am in no way a Republican Party hack. I actually just re-registered as a republican last week in anticipation of the upcoming GOP primary race here in California. I had over a year hiatus from the party but I'm not missing a fight for the soul of the California GOP for nothing. This might get ugly but it's healthy and it's nice to hear real conservative voices in the dialog for a change.

I left the GOP for a few reasons, but mainly because they lost their way. I think with a good cleansing and some hard work, we can get the party back to where it should have been all along. There simply is no other way to defeat the democrats and their leftist agenda. The Republican Party needs a broad base of support to go toe-to-toe with the dems on a daily basis. If we help direct the debate, the GOP will respond. We just have to keep up the pressure constantly and watch out for those within the party that poison the well. When you find someone within the party acting in lines with the big government liberals, write them, call them, yell at them, and if need be, vote them out come the next election.