Why Obama Dems and Tea Partiers are Good for America

It may sound odd to hear someone supporting both Obama and the Tea Party.  In fact, I actually support neither.

But I do see the presence of both as a positive force on American politics.  Although I would ideally like to see the rise of a legitimate third party, and a system which was not inherently controlled by two parties, I recognize that this is unlikely to happen, and especially to last, with our current system of government.  If, however, we are going to have a two party system, it is important that there really are two parties.

Can anyone tell me with a straight face that the Democratic and Republican parties are really that different on politics?  Can anyone clearly define the basic, philosophical difference between Republicans and Democrats?  In doing so, do they not expect me to be able to find any exceptions sitting in elected offices?

"Blue Dogs" and "RINOs" are great for getting things done.  They are great for "working across party lines."  In reality though, they blur party lines, and their dominance of the American political system right now essentially fails to represent U.S. voters and their views.

Both parties have moved so far to the center that we really have no choice.  You can vote for someone with a D next to their name, who opposed the war, but thinks we need to "support the troops" by continuing our foreign occupation and further endangering our troops' lives, supports bailing out banks and auto-makers, and thinks gay marriage and abortion will come when society is ready.  Or, you can vote for someone with an R next to their name, who supports the war, but thinks it is time to wind it down, "opposes" bailouts in general, but thinks that banks and auto makers are "too big to fail," and thinks gay marriage, DADT, and abortion are too touchy and personal to be addressed by our current legislature, especially with the pressing economic situation.

Really, from a practical point of view, what is your choice?  The votes will go the same way.

The extremism of Obama's socialist-leaning Dems and the far right Tea Partiers is opening a real debate and providing real options to Americans at the ballot box.  Turnout in this midterm election will be high, as it will in 2012.  By providing real options, we are re-engaging America in politics.  This is exactly what establishment Republicans and Democrats are afraid of.

Where I parted ways with FreedomWorks

Let me start off by saying that I still frequent the Freedom Works website.  I recently read an interview on there that made me rethink my views on the organization and the Tea Party movement.

In the interview, some higher up from the organization (I forget who) kept mentioning that the organization is currently trying to "take back the Republican Party."  Well, here's a few issues I have with that.  The first is that the organization has consistently said that it does not take stances on issues like gay marriage, abortion, foreign wars, etc. because it is focused on fiscal and financial freedom.  Fair enough.  But by not taking a stand on these organizations, and supporting a party which largely does, Freedom Works implicitly supports the Republican status quo stance on these issues, which offends my sensibilities.

Second of all, before overtly coming out as a a movement to "take back the Republican Party," the Tea Party movement and Freedom Works were a sign of hope for real, systemic change.  By supporting any candidate, Republican, Libertarian, Democratic or otherwise, who agreed with them on the issues, the Tea Party movement and Freedom Works represented a real threat to the Republican Party as it was.

In an odd way, openly trying to take over a political party strengthens that party, even the parts of it we don't like.  By encouraging thousands of Tea Party and Freedom Works activists to become active in the Republican Party, the organization is implicitly supporting the Republican Party.  Yes, they may put a lot of fiscally conservative Republicans on ballots and even in office.  But when one of the RINOs they are trying to stop gets nominated, they're also encouraging people to vote Republican, and that RINO will get elected.

What candidates, organizations, and movements trying to change one of the two major parties need to do is show their willingness to give up on that party.  Freedom Works should be encouraging voters to vote Democratic, or especially Libertarian, IAP, or Constitutional, in races where the Republican candidate is not up to par.  By showing that voters are willing to leave a party they don't think represents them, they put real pressure on the party to change.  By trying to change a political party from within, we just show the parties that they need to have barely enough candidates, barely far enough to one side of a couple of issues, to keep Tea Party activists voting.

So instead of trying to take back the Republican Party, show them who's in charge around here.  If the candidates don't meet your standards, look at third party candidates.  Look at independents.  Maybe even take a glance at the Democrat running.  Show the Republican Party that being "better than the Democrats" isn't enough.