As someone whose first vote was for Ronald Reagan in 1980, I can honestly say that I have consistently sought after the most conservative candidate I could find, but all too often I found myself voting for the lesser of two evils.
But in 2009 the political landscape changed. When the Republicans could only muster up a miserable option by the name of John McCain to run against a socialist-Marxist by the name of Barack Obama, tens of millions of grassroots Americans said enough is enough.
The Tea Party was launched and I'm grateful to be a part of the movement.
Much of our ire has been targeted toward the party whose candidates most of us have consistently voted for. Fundamentally our gripe has been that the principles the Republicans espoused, as defined in their platform, were consistently repudiated by their deeds via their votes, including at local, state and national levels. Most prominently though our Republican "values" were trampled on by our national Republican officials, year after year, decade after decade. In my own state of Tennessee, the poster child nationally for the repudiation of Republican values has been Senator Lamar Alexander. Sadly there are dozens of others we could highlight as well.
Innocently, and perhaps naively, the Tea Party movement sought to simply restore limited government, Constitutional adherence and fiscal conservatism (and for many of us traditional social values as well) to our government. What we got in return though from the party we had consistently but often times reluctantly supported with our votes, was a thorough lashing. We were treated worse than the Democratic candidates the Republican party sought to defeat. We were called all manner of names. And Republican candidates who had the audacity to call themselves "grassroots conservatives" (code phrase for Tea Party) were actively targeted by Republican PAC's and organizations (both at the state and national levels). Many of the Republican attacks on "their own" were the most vicious, vile and deceptive attacks one can imagine. For one such instance simply study the despicable attacks by Senator Thad Cochrane on fellow Republican (and tea party) candidate Chris McDaniel earlier this year.
But let's fast forward to November 2014.
Many Republicans look at the results of the just completed election as an endorsement of them and their party along with a repudiation of the socialist-Marxist sitting in the White House and his policies. They are half right -- but only as it relates to the last half of the sentence. Foolishly they perceive that the American people enthusiastically endorsed them. If they believe that then they probably believe that I along with millions of others "enthusiastically" endorsed John McCain or Mitt Romney when they ran against Barack Obama. That could not be further from the truth.
So, these next few months will reveal one of two realities.
Will those foolish Republicans, who fancy themselves as in touch with their constituents, push forward with their misguided, elitist agenda, one which would compromise with Obama and in so doing agree to half a dose of poison instead of a full dose (following six years of the same steady stream of poison from the Obama administration)?
Or will the voices and sentiments of the American people who rejected Obama but pulled the lever for the "lesser of two evils" prevail? Will they be heard? Will "We the People" guide Washington (and in my case Nashville as well) in a manner that will once again set our nation and states on course for a "rendezvous with destiny" of which President Ronald Reagan so eloquently spoke?
Time will tell. But out of honor for our predecessors and for the sake of our offspring, I pray that we will learn from history and not repeat its mistakes. I pray Washington will hear the message that was so firmly proclaimed a couple of weeks ago and they will do what is seldom done by politicians -- acknowledge their errors, humbly reverse course, and respect the will of the People. If so, we will together solve the momentous challenges facing our nation. If not, we will tragically succumb to those same momentous challenges.
Speaker John Boehner, Senator Mitch McConnell, Governor Bill Haslam, so which option will it be?
Postscript: If you live in the Chattanooga area, come join us this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at our monthly Chattanooga Tea Party meeting where we will hear from Patrick Hampton, a young “Frederick Douglas” Republican who is making a difference in his community.
Mark West
Ooltewah
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What some tea partiers seem to miss is that President Barack Obama, Senator John McCain, Senator Lamar Alexander, Speaker Boehner, Senator Mitch McConnell, and all elected Republicans, Democrats, Independents and others were sent to their various public posts by "We the People."
Tea partiers cannot lay sole claim to the words "We the People." Tea partiers are a segment of "We the People." In America, there are many segments of "We the People" from a variety of backgrounds, political thought, discourse and preferred policy action on many issues.
The best public policy decisions for our state and nation have always been produced by bringing people from these different backgrounds, beliefs, ideas and suggestions together in a civil manner to work out reasonable, real world solutions to the pressing public issues of the day.
This has been true since the Constitutional Convention and will be true from November 2014 forward.
There is nothing wrong with vigorous public debate. That is always good. But ultimately, workable solutions to public policy issues need to be found and implemented.
Working together is what made our nation strong and working together will be what makes us stronger.
Tim Gobble
Cleveland
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Dear Mr. West,
In my experience, the entire Tea Party movement is incontrovertible proof that the old adage - often attributed to Sinclair Lewis - is true: "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and waving a cross."
Your letter certainly didn't do anything to disabuse me of my perspective.
Brandon Baines
Signal Mountain
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I agree with Mark West’s comments for the most part. Mark is a true American patriot, putting himself out there in the line of fire, heading up the Chattanooga Tea Party. I once was a member of that organization. And I agree 100 percent with the premise that we were fed up with the corruption in both parties, sick of the all –knowing and self-serving governance, who think “we the people” are stupid and can’t think for ourselves. Both parties are guilty.
I began my interest on politics as a young child, listening to my father talk about Goldwater. I paid attention during the debates between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. I thought Ronald Reagan was the greatest president ever. I believe in the Republican platform (plank) with its conservative fiscal values and strong military belief. Peace through strength. Amen. But through the years, the politicians decided to “sell themselves” to the highest bidders, rather than doing what is right for this country. Special interest groups, padding the pockets of these men and women, have caused great harm to our country, and diminished our dignity and stance in this world. George Soros, a communist, is the puppetmaster of this current administration and main stream media. The NAACP, Planned Parenthood, AARP, Unions and more are right up there. Both parties are guilty.
Mark thinks the Republicans were tough on the Tea Party candidates, calling them all sorts of names, and he is right. We are all Americans who love our country, and only want our conservative values to once again rule our party, and to weed out the old dog Republicans and Democrats who have sold their soul to the devil, who no longer care about the U.S. Constitution and the oath they took when sworn in. That being said, the Tea Party also has much to answer for. I left our local organization because it became a bashing event against all things, with no cohesive thought or goals. Too many Tea Party or other non-affiliated voters stayed home and didn’t vote, simply because “their guy” wasn’t on the ballot. They allowed Obama to get re-elected, and continue his destruction of this great country. I’ve said it many times, it’s like peeling an onion. It is going to take several elections to peel the layers of corruption, greed and evil intent before we can once again, take pride on our politicians, and our executive office. And unless the Tea Party branch of the party can get qualified candidates, who portray sanity and dignity, they go nowhere.
When Reagan was in office, through Newt Gingrich, they worked with Tip O’Neill and the democrats and got things done. The Democrats shut down the government eight times, but still were able to work together to get things done. Bill Clinton and the Republicans were able to pass welfare reform together. It’s called politics for a reason. We can’t have all things our way, but we sure can negotiate the best deal for the common good of all Americans. You have to understand American’s history, it’s successes and it’s failures to formulate intelligent thought on what we need to do to once again, become the “greatest, best hope for mankind.” Too many among us, are ignorant, taking handouts instead of working, and voting for those that do the giving. Remember, what the government gives, it can (and will) take away.
Education is sadly lacking. Our schools are brainwashing our children with liberal ideology. Kids graduate high school, not even knowing the three branches of government. We don’t need common core. We need reading, writing, math, science, world and American history, civics and government, etc.
I believe that once we get this evil president, his lackey’s Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid removed from office, (next layer of the onion peel), and vote in some more new, young, bright and ethical people to office, we will once again be the beacon of hope and strength we once were.
Get involved here, at our local level. See money wasted locally, as our cars dodge and weave to avoid pot holes. Get involved in your child’s education, the parents associations, pay attention to what they are being taught. Turn off your cell phones and tablets and sit together at dinner time. Discuss current events and what’s happening in their lives and share what’s on your mind.
If we can bring back the “family” and give to our local communities, we are on our way. A good friend once told me “All politics are local.” Faith, family and freedom, that’s what the Tea Party motto is. Is it yours?
Debbie Davis-Peck
Chattanooga
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Mr. West,
I hope the Republicans are listening to your words, Mr. West. Given the animosity you hold toward the Republican Party, I wonder if the Tea Party has considered decoupling from the GOP? Perhaps the luxury (and funding) of gaining a coveted (R) after the candidate's name as opposed to an (I) makes the squabble worthwhile?
I'm genuinely intrigued by the candor in your admission to “...have consistently sought after the most conservative candidate..." since first voting in 1980. It's intriguing because it lays bare what I particularly dislike about the Tea Party. Whether you intend to or not, that mindset reduces the complexities of the world to a binary choice, yes-no, on-off, one-zero, conservative-liberal. It’s the armchair quarterback writ large.
I have voted since 1990. I’ve cast quite a few ballots for candidates of both parties based on my estimation of their ability to act and react in a complex world that will positively affect our city, our county, our state, and our nation. I don't cling to an idealized notion of the past. I want someone who is right for today's needs. A particular political approach may have been perfectly appropriate for the conditions of 1982 or 1958, but to think that policy of that vintage is always appropriate in the present is naive.
While you "pray that Washington will hear the message," I see things a little differently. Nationwide, only 36.3 percent of eligible voters exercised that right on Nov. 4. I suppose those who were silent on election day shouldn't be shouting from the rooftops with complaint. Like it or not, in 2016, voter turnout will recover. Since I voted in 2014, I offer my belief that you should tread lightly with any presumptions of a mandate. Instead, I hope that Washington (Nashville and Atlanta) will hear the true voice of the people, and not the shrill calls from the extremists of either party. Where low turnout is your sword, a healthy turnout is my shield. Moderation is the way forward. It is not the pejorative you believe it to be.
Will Taylor
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If you want to see the philosophy at work that leads to fascism, you won’t find it in anything that Mr. West said. Instead read Mr. Gobble’s second to last paragraph of his response. I’m sure Mr. Gobble is a fine man and he truly wants the best for America, but he and many others regardless of party have come to believe that America is made better through strong central planning of areas that historically have been the concern of each private individual citizen.
People increasingly accept the idea of central planning through public policy as the solution to almost all the nation’s problems as opposed to it being the cause of most of the nation’s problems. However, we observe elected bodies such as congress unable to implement a particular central plan simply because no one plan can ever satisfy the complex circumstances and the varying opinions that exist. At best they can come to a compromise. But what is compromise in reality? It is a solution agreed upon that no one thinks is the best plan. Just because they agreed on it, does not mean it is good policy. In fact, it is almost always ineffective, and even worse – harmful to the very people it was intended to help. Beyond that, every government program has exemptions, monopolistic protections, and subsidies that favor certain groups, corporations or individuals. This is true even when it is not intended by a legislature.
FA Hayek in his book “The Road to Serfdom” tells us what comes next:
“The conviction grows that if efficient planning is to be done, the direction must be “taken out of politics” and placed in the hands of experts – permanent officials or independent autonomous bodies”
Is this not what we are witnessing today in our own country, state and even towns?
In my opinion, Mr. Gobble expresses frustration with “public debate” and concludes that solutions need to be “found and implemented.” In a nation built on central planning, Mr. Gobble is right. However, this thinking can only lead to silencing the voice of the people with horrible consequences that are not the intention of anyone whether they be Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, Green Party, etc.
Rob Bower