Pluto has a great diary up right now outlining the NY Times article on the unraveling of the Tea Party Nation convention, and here's a strategy take on it from our side:
So, just hours after I make my Teabagger in Turmoil prediction, it seems the cup is off the saucer. Just as I had hoped, the rank and filers are beginning to feel that itchy corporate feeling on their noses, and they ain’t liking it.
A Tea Party convention billed as the coming together of the grass-roots groups that began sprouting up around the country a year ago is unraveling as sponsors and participants pull out to protest its expense and express concerns about "profiteering."
The convention’s difficulties highlight the fractiousness of the Tea Party groups, and the considerable suspicions among their members of anything that suggests the establishment.
Yes, an overall cost of about a thousand dollars to attend a convention that bills itself as the economically downtrodden common man’s haven is probably not very feasible for its members.
Mr. Glass said he was also concerned about the role in the convention of groups like Tea Party Express... and FreedomWorks, a Tea Party umbrella. He called them "Republican National Committee-related groups," and added, "At best, it creates the appearance of an R.N.C. hijacking; at worst, it is one."
Well, when you’re led by Dick Armey, a former Republican House Majority Leader and corporate hack that led the charge to undo Glass-Stegall, which was the biggest gift to bankers of all time and helped lead to the gigantic robbery and recession that we now face, you damn better believe that this is really just a corporate, establishment ploy all dressed up in astroturf.
So what does this mean?
One, a lot fewer opportunities for mass teabagging jokes, which is a shame. But more importantly, perhaps it is the beginning of the unraveling of a movement, just as it seemed to be gaining traction. Hmm, should sound familiar to some Democrats.
But what can we do to take advantage? There are two real options here. One, Democrats can continue on their own pro-corporate path and let Washington languish in hatred for both parties, as populists from both sides suffer the consequences. To be honest, that’s the most likely situation.
Or, starting with President Obama’s State of The Union speech tonight, they can take a decidedly pro-populist tone that brings the angry and disaffected aboard to create a real ruling majority and a new mandate for change.
How can they do that? A few ideas include finishing healthcare with reconciliation that makes it a good bill that people can support, push back harder and harder against the universally hated banks, fight back against the Supreme Court ruling that legalized corporate hijacking of our elections, and work every single goddamn day to bring as many jobs as possible to the desperate people of this nation.
If they do that, November can be a positive time for Democrats, not the lashing they expect. We’re 10 months away from elections, and already Democrats are bracing for big losses. To me, that says they know they’re doing a shit job and people hate them for it, but instead of changing course and making the big changes people demand, they’d rather serve their corporate daddies and suffer the consequences. I’m pretty sure that’s the way it seems nationwide, too.
So those are the two choices. This tea party unraveling gives the Democrats another shot at delivering on their campaign promises and, if only the self-interest appeals to the swamp creatures, hold onto their power. Which will it be?
Yesterday, one or two people took issue with my diary, saying I seemed a little bit sympathetic to teabaggers. I loathe all that the movement stands for, but I can say that I understand where the teabagger's anger is coming from. Like us, they feel ignored by their government.
They want it to stop serving special interests, and start serving their interests. Do I think they have the wrong solutions? Yes, 99% of the time. But I think we can find common cause in ending the corporate choke hold on our Democracy, and real progressive ideas always poll well. If we could deliver real healthcare and jobs and hope for the so many people without both right now, I'm pretty sure party allegiances will shift.
In the end, people just want what's good for their families, what helps them dream bigger and feed kids and send them to college. The little D or R doesn't matter much, and we need to realize we can create a lasting movement in this country if we fight for progressive principles. I'm not for Obama bi-partisanship, giving up the house for so-called comity that will never actually happen. I believe in reconciliation and fighting and fighting — there's a difference between Republicans in Washington and the rest of the nation. The ones everywhere else don't get corporate donations, and if we fight for them, they will fight for us.
So, how do we do this? How do we communicate and work together to deliver the message to our leaders?
Crossposted at my blog, JordanZakarin.com.