Re: “The predicted impact of the Tea Party,” June 24 Mike Rosen column.
I feel that I represent the views of many Tea Party supporters. In my early years, I was an independent, then felt the need to affect the outcome of the primaries so registered as a Republican because I aligned myself with conservative values. For many years, I was a staunch Republican who voted almost a straight ticket. I naively bought in to the concept that party trumps person.
However, when control of the House, Senate and presidency went under Democratic control, I reassessed why and how this had occurred. I wrote to [Republican Party Chairman Michael] Steele with the belief that the GOP had lost its focus on true conservativism. Their values had been compromised and the addiction to growing government and suspending a few more of our freedoms had made President Obama’s change so appealing.
Now that this change has been force-fed to us in huge mouthfuls, there are millions of Americans who have drawn a line in the sand. Our government must listen to the will of the people and be downsized with sound financial management of our taxes. I think many of us in the Tea Party will support with campaign donations and votes whichever candidate from either party who promises and then delivers ethical financial restraint and sound judgment that places their country’s well being above all else.
We get the message, and understand that it will be impossible for all of our candidates to make it to the November ballot. Faced with a choice of voting for Libertarians (who are un-electable) or an old-school Republican, we will bite the bullet and make our vote count. That is, unless a Democrat breaks rank with his party and demonstrates that support of what is good for his country is more important than catering to a union or bar association lobbyist.
One important aspect of the Tea Party movement that Mike Rosen did not address is the effect on the financial coffers of the RNC. The time has arrived when many of us are donating to individual candidates who best represent our values.
Doug Harbour lives in Lamar.
