The Tea Party is why we still control the Senate

[Recursion]

As much as I am in abject terror of their policy preferences, I think it's important to remember that the Tea Party is very much the reason that the Democratic party still holds the Senate, and it's our best hope for holding it next year.

The Republican Party, despite our fondest wishes, isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It's certainly not going away, and they probably won't cough up the House in this election. What we have to do is make sure they don't take the Senate, and unfortunately the most realistic way that will happen is if the Tea Party continues to do the kind of "purifying" it's been good at of late.

This may also be an object lesson for Democrats who are eager to primary insufficiently progressive Democratic Senators.

[KharmaTrain]

1. I'm Amazed At Some Of The Polls...

...showing those rushpublicans who were against background checks. You are spot on that it was the stupidity and arrogance of the teabaggers that have helped Democrats keep control of the Senate. You can't gerrymander state lines like you can house districts. Remember that the teabaggers gained their lone victory in the 2010 elections and sadly those were important ones in redistricting.

On a local level the teabaggers have been very effective in winning house seats. I saw them do it in my district; taking advantage of low turnout to squeak through one of the most obnoxious teabaggers: Joe Walsh. Fortunately we kicked his ass out last year, but, unfortunately, we were the exception. I'm hoping the stupidity of this congress will have ramifications in other house districts next year.

The rushpublican bench is pretty bare...look at how hard it was to find a credible Senate candidate in Massachusetts and how teabagger candidates have been able to sneak into primaries and upset the "establishment" candidates. No, the rushpublicans aren't going anywhere for the meantime but they have sewn the seeds of their own destruction. The two factions continue to butt heads and its the strains will only increase as next year's elections near.

While the pundits are ready to hand the Senate to the rushpublicans (like they were in '10 and '12) I don't see that happening. Yes, there are a lot of Democrats retiring but there's also going to be solid, younger...and in many cases, more progressive candidates running who can strengthen a growing progressive caucus and mean greater influence. This is contingent on Democrats getting involved in next year's elections and taking back not only the House but State legislatures as well...it's a tall order, but one that's doable.

Cheers...

[Demeter]

2. Tea Party also the only reason we aren't shipping Social Security off to Wall Street banksters

Not yet, anyway....

[pampango]

8. Not sure we can give the tea party that much credit.

...who agree with the Tea Party, 57% view deficit reduction as more important than preserving Social Security and Medicare benefits as they are.

http://www.people-press.org/2012/08/13/older-americans-have-been-highly-resistant-to-medicare-changes/

Social Security and Medicare also divide the Republican base. On both issues, at least a quarter of Tea Party Republicans are prepared to make cuts, while non-Tea Party Republicans side with Democrats in favoring increases over decreases.

http://www.pewresearch.org/2011/02/11/tea-partys-hard-line-on-spending-divides-gop/

Seems like tea partiers favor reducing spending on Social Security and Medicare and are the only group that does.

[Half-Century Man]

3. Correct me if I'm wrong #2

I thought getting "Tea-bagged" was someone took a picture of you sleeping drunk while someone else rested the scrotum on your forehead, and then your drunken friends posted it on u-tube.
This maybe an accurate discription....it seems to have happened to the Republican Party.

[Buns_of_Fire]

7. That's originally how they referred to their individual members, UNTIL...

it was pointed out to them what the term meant. Now, being called a "teabagger" pisses them off royally -- so naturally, that's the only term I use when the subject comes up.

It's like referring to G.W. Bush* as anything other than "Shit-fer-Brains". It just feels right, y'know?

Oh, and welcome...

[Half-Century Man]

9. 2nd Funniest part

I laugh at the Republican Party going all drunken frat boy about it....."yeah it IS kinda scabulous, but the're ma bros dude, gotta love em"..... (revealing my age).
I would think the more natural reaction would be to stretch said scrotum over the offenders head. I admire their restraint.

[treestar]

4. Amen

They lost a Senate seat in Delaware due to their purifications (see witchy-poo Christine O'Donnell)

[Recursion]

5. See also Indiana, Nevada, Missouri

Here's to their continued "success"...

[HereSince1628]

6. Seems to me the role of urban voters in statewide elections is the reason

that the US senate is still controlled by democrats.

Tea-party support I've seen in WI is mostly anti-urban and although it is present, it has muvh less of a following in metropolitan counties and the inner-city.