A Plan for the Tea Party To Win In 2016
Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
by Richard Vail
Chisel & Plane
How can a 3rd party realistically challenge the two entrenched major parties? There is no easy solution. However, there many ways of achieving that goal, but they will require a lot of money, almost as much time, and a great deal of effort. It's been done several times before here in the United States. Our political system was originally envisioned with no parties, since the founders thought that this was a fundamental flaw with the English Parliamentary system.
During the presidency of George Washington, two parties began to coalesce around Alexander Hamilton (who eventually took the names of the Federalists) and Thomas Jefferson/James Madison. The Jefferson/Madison party was originally called the Republican (and Democratic-Republican by their opponents) and then eventually just the Democratic party after the collapse of the D-R party in 1824. After that there were 2 wings, one centred upon Andrew Jackson (R, later called D), and the other on Henry Clay (D SC).
At the time, the Democrats favoured a rural economy centred on small family farms and a "states rights" decentralized government. While the Federalists tended to be much more mercantilist, or business oriented and favoured a strong central government. Thus the adversarial relationship between the early parties. If you think that today's media is biased, they are, but they still report actual facts howsoever slanted. But 200 years ago, newspapers were a bit more creative in what they reported about politicians from the party they opposed...some of it was even true. In 1816, the Federalist party basically collapsed and didn't offer a presidential candidate in the 1820 election. The D/R party lasted a couple of years longer, but splintered in 1824. Eventually it revived as the Democratic Party in the 1840's.
Now, what does this have to do with the rise of a modern "3rd" party? Well, all the political parties that have risen throughout our history have started locally. Thus, to make a new, "3rd" party viable, this proposed party must begin working at the local level before all else. That means developing a viable party platform, finding people who are like minded and then banding together and working on local issues. The phrase "all politics are local" isn't a recent invention. Then, this proposed party must begin to elect members to local offices such as city and country commissioners.
The 2nd step in this process must be recruiting and then electing members of this nascent party to state offices, such as representatives/delegates and state senators. This is a huge step. I mean a really huge step. By starting locally, and then building upon that local system, you build not just good will, but also party loyalists who will work toward a larger goal.
This is the mistake that the Perot organization made from the start. His group tried to capture first the presidency instead of organizing at the local level first. Only after the 1992 election, did he try and build a local party system. Organizing a new political party is a difficult task, but also an expensive one. Politics is all about money. Taking it from those who have it...and then wasting it in the most ridiculous manner possible.
The 3rd step must be getting party members elected to the US House of Representative and Senate. This is nearly as great a step as the 2nd, but if getting members elected to state houses occurs, then capturing governorships isn't out of the question at this step either. Statewide offices are very important to building the new party. If several different states are captured at this step, then the next is possible. Only after a this step, should this proposed party actually have a candidate run for national office. Of course at this point, having members in the state houses as well as Congress would make this step inevitable.
Now, the Tea Party movement has started organizing locally, though they are also sponsoring a national convention in the near future. That's why I believe this movement has the ability to evolve into a viable alternative to the existing major parties. Despite how they are painted in the major media, most people who profess to the solidifying ideology of this nascent party, they aren't far right wing 'nuts'. Most are much more moderate in their viewpoint. It's only fiscally that they are conservative.
Therefore, this movement has the distinct possibility to become the long wished for "moderate" party. This will be possible as the moderates of BOTH existing major parties are being driven from their respective folds as they move to the left and right. That has caused the huge rise in independent voters that comprise roughly 50-60% of the electorate.
Is this possible? Yes it is. A member of the GOP has switched to independent in the Tennessee 8th Congressional District, his name is Donn Janes. He is the first to do so...he has adopted the party name of Independent/Tea Party candidate...he almost certainly won't be the last.
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Top-level comments on this article: (7 total)The power of the major parties is frightening and dangerous. I'd be interested in a 3rd party. The local level, as you say, is where it must start, with an organized national structure.But that national organization can't exist without simultanious local organization building.
Are they really having a national convention? Hey, you could be the press and correspondent type person! This is amazing - could be history in the making - and here I am writing the 2nd part to Good Samaritan.... I should be doing taxes - got the CD today....GRIN. Marijounfortunately, I'm not part of the "accepted" press...msm...so no, I'd not be able to get credentials...
Thanks for this piece, Richard. I admit, and am fascinated by the Tea Party movement. I watch and read all the news I can about the Tea Partiers.You and I agree that the main problem in Washington is corruption as the entrenched politicians serve lobbyists instead of the common citizen. And this occurs equally from both sides of the isle. The system seems to be created to prevent anyone from a third party from being a serious contender in any run for office. I sincerely hope that within my lifetime a third party forms which can completely disrupt the establishment parties.I would love to believe that the Tea Party movement is the party that I've been waiting for. Unfortunately the Tea Party movement has yet to demonstrate to me that they are anything but their base demographic (older, white, religious, lower economic status, lower educational level) which has been manipulated by special interests such as big oil to do their bidding. Having the opposition to cap and trade as a bedrock platform plank betrays my trust in them and makes them sound like every other Republican that has been bought off or scared off by big oil.To me, the litmus test of a 3rd party not being beholden to the political establishment is term limits. No entrenched politician who has a stranglehold on power wants term limits. Here in Houston where term limits has been around for about a decade, it's obvious that term limits is incredibly effective in solving problems in government. Our city government has gone from incredibly corrupt to incredibly effective in just a few election cycles. Yet I've never heard anyone associated with the Tea Party movement even mention the support term limits. If this became a serious party plank, I would consider supporting the Tea Party movement. If not, I see nothing to convince me the Tea Partiers are anything different than an even more homogeneous group of Republicans. I would love to be wrong on this, but I don't see any evidence that I am.Well Bruce...I gotcha there...take a look at my website and search the 28th amendment. and you'll see this one:I hereby propose the following as the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution.1. No citizen of the United States shall be elected to the House of Representatives to more than four (4) consecutive, two (2) year terms to office.2. No citizen of the United States shall be elected to the United States Senate for more than two (2) consecutive, six (6) year terms of office.3. No citizen of the United States shall receive any retirement benefits from serving in either the United States House of Representatives or the United States Senate.4. Congress shall not exempt itself from any laws of the United States of America, in whole or in part.5. Congress shall be in session for a period of not less than 90 consecutive days in the Spring, and 90 consecutive days in the Summer of each year. Each sitting of Congress may be extended by the President for a period not to exceed 30 days. The Spring session shall start on the first Monday of March. The Summer session shall begin on the first Monday in June. An additional 45 day session to begin on the 2nd Monday of November shall be called by the President if so deemed necessary, this session may not be extended unless a period of National Emergency is formally declared by the President. {This section I think is necessary to basically force Congress to actually work...in the past decade they generally only spend 2 1/2 days per week actually working in Washington, DC. Most often only from Tues afternoon to Thurs afternoon!}Richard, please don't take this as me trying to "getcha." I don't mean to be derogatory in any way. I'm just trying to see if there is anything to the Tea Party outside of the base demographic.I can't find anything about the 28th amendment on your web site, please post a link. Is this something that the Tea Party supports universally or is this your proposal? I haven't seen or heard anything about term limits from anyone else associated with the Tea Party movement.not at all, just me being my normal smart a$$ self.I too have hopes for this movement. Here in MD, the TP'ers tend to be moderates who are disgusted with BOTH parties....wow, should be able to under the topics...let me make sure...I've posted on it a couple of times. the US Constitution is another topic I've posted it under. I may have screwed up. That's not out of the question at all.I'm still learning on how to host a site. There's a huge amount to learn on that one! But I suspect you know that.
Richard, although I agree wholeheartedly with your article, which another great one, I do not believe we can afford to try hard to get this going right now, the stakes are too high to pull even one vote from defeating our present bunch of sleazies. If we can restore a little order and common sense first, then I think we might be able to work on starting a new party.Thanks Joel, try writing this stuff to your Congressman...write and use USPS...snail mail is given a great deal more weight than an email. Get in touch w/your local libertarian/gop party... and voice your opinion.
Rich: Not only is a 3d party possible, it is (right now)an absolute necessity. As an American, I am sick to death of the stinking politics, elected predators, corrupt elected officials and the bags of wind who make promises then forget who put them in their plush offices and just ride the waves to glory. There are very few in the House or Senate who should remain. The rest need to be run off on a rail with their pants down around their knees, nailed to the wall of the freight car, hanging by their hands. You done well...WE have way too many politicians who put themselves first, then their districts, then...if they absolutely have to, the country. It's time for a change, and hopefully Mr. Obama and his agenda aren't it. Thanks for taking the time to comment here. I do appreciate it...if you'd like to see more, google The Vail Spot...that's my blog, or hit the links up above in my bio.Rich
I found this article interesting and informative, also easy to understand. Thanks for the slice of education!my pleasure, welcome to searchwarp!
I appreciate your article. I am encouraged by the special election results in Mass. this week, but realize it doesn't really mean the progressive movement is defeated. We may not have time to build a 3rd party if things keep going the way they are. I have heard that the Republican Party may team up with the Tea Party movement and recapture conservative ideals. That might be a faster way to make a course correction. If that happens, then maybe a Tea Party might eventually replace them.Yesterday was merely one battle in a long struggle. We have all the time we need. The GOP may attempt to take over the Tea Party movement, but it's more a matter of the Tea Party selecting individual politicians and assisting them. Scott Brown raised more money from the Tea Party than the RNC and RSCC combined...
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