Thread: Dem plan: Split GOP, Tea Party

Dem plan: Split GOP, Tea Party

By MANU RAJU & JOHN BRESNAHAN | 1/26/10 12:44 AM EST

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31991.html

Robert Menendez speaks during a hearing.
Menendez spoke last week at a Democratic Caucus meeting, where he urged his party's candidates to 'run scared.' Photo: John Shinkle

POLITICO 44

Democrats are looking for someone to blame for their electoral woes — and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Menendez is working hard to make sure it’s not him.

Showing that they’ve learned the lesson of Massachusetts, Menendez and his staff will distribute a memo Tuesday advising Democratic campaign managers to frame their opponents early — and to drive a wedge between moderate voters and tea-party-style conservatives.

“Given the pressure Republican candidates feel from the extreme right in their party, there is a critical — yet time-sensitive — opportunity for Democratic candidates,â€

Actually a split between the Tea Party folks and GOP was already engineered by the RNC and McCain in 2008. As for vetting candidates to see how they stand on the KEY issues, I am all for it. And if the Democrats have to do the vetting for the GOP, shame on the GOP.

But the key issues are not Obama's birth certificate, whether we should return to the gold standard, or whether or not Obama is a socialist ( He is not. He is a communist.) The key issues are the national debt and annual deficit; the need for a comprehensive energy policy that works, not a tax scam like cap and trade; health care reform that is truly reform and not a government power grab as illustrated by the current bills under consideration; and comprehensive immigration reform that actually requires the government, states and businesses to obey the current immigration laws, makes e-verify mandatory for all, requires businesses using H1 visas to provide proof that labor skills/numbers are not available from the US labor pool, requires the Labor Dept to evaluate the businesses claims for H1 visas, requires the Labor Dept to manage the visa program such that foreign workers leave the country upon expiration of their visas,.

Overall, the most pressing problem is how to deal with unemployment, but lack of a cohesive, workable approach for the above major issues, plus uncertainty and the anti-business nature of the Obama agenda suppresses any meaningful efforts to deal with unemployment.

Menendez might better spend his time concentrating on fixing the splits already apparent in the Democrat Party between the far left radicals (including Obama), Moderates and the Blue Dogs.

I have a shocking response to this article. Some of you may fall out of your seats, in-fact. Until I discovered Ron Paul, I was a registered democrat that voted for McGovern, Gore then began campaigning for John Edwards ( I sure ask for a full refund of my Edwards' campaign contributions).

It took the realization that both major parties are corrupt. If you scan some of the liberal democratic websites, you will see the shock and disappointment being spammed there; for they are now discovering what I already knew. That Obama is untruthful... however, so is McCain for that matter. We really had no choice in the last election. The DNC and the GOP are going to do it to us again. At some point, we have to say enough.

I have attended all the tea parties in my area. The fake tea party with Palin as guest speaker.. the one charging people $550. to get in is a "for profit" event that has nothing to do with the real tea party movement. It is just reflective of "greed" and everything that is wrong with the current system of government.

The true tea party movement that sprung from grassroots support of Ron Paul's freedom from tyranny movement is comprised equally of democratics and republicans who are fed up with the current system of corrupt government.

So I believe many are taking it for granted the tea parties will split the GOP. The true tea party movement will take from both the parties and work to get third party, liberty loving, honest politicians in Washington to save this country.

In the last election, I would not pull a lever for McCain or Obama as they are basically the same person. The GOP is destroying itself by forcing candidates like McCain down the throats of Americans. Let them do it, the sooner they are gone; the better off we will be. And let the democrats clean their house as well; they are just as frustrated.

Menedez suffers from the same ailment that assails all corrupt politicians, thinking that Republicans vote as a block. I have never voted for someone based on what party they belong to, I vote on the issues.

My number ONE issue is illegal immigration, which affects jobs, taxes and the economy. I would never vote for anyone who is pro-amnesty. I am looking for pro-enforcement candidates who will work to reverse illegal immigration. This will open up jobs for unemployed Americans, drastically reduce what we spend on schools, medical care, social services and jail costs.
Cut fraud in Medicaid, not medicare. Our senior citizens have paid for that already.

Has someone checked into all the rental properties Menendez owns in NJ? How many are rented to illegal aliens?

My number ONE issue is illegal immigration, which affects jobs, taxes and the economy

I agree... that is why Obama and McCain will never receive my support. I supported Edwards the first time he ran because he was going to get tough on illegals. Of course we all know he is a compulsive liar that can stare into a tv camera and boldly lie; much like Bill Clinton.

If the GOP continues to put up pro amnesty candidates like McCain and Graham; I am absolutely finished with them. And everytime I get a letter from the GOP, I respond that way. One day when they keep losing elections; they'll finally get it.

A candidate's stance on Illegal Immigration is a litmus test that really encompasses everything, our Sovereignty, Rule of law, Macro Economics, Strategic Resource Allocation, Population Growth, Energy Consumption, Education, Infrastructure, Food Supply and so on. Any candidate supporting Amnesty for 20 Million illegal Aliens has absolutely no understanding of the cataclysmic effect it would have on the things i mentioned. That is why it is one of the most single important issues.

A candidate's stance on Illegal Immigration is a litmus test that really encompasses everything, our Sovereignty, Rule of law, Macro Economics, Strategic Resource Allocation, Population Growth, Energy Consumption, Education, Infrastructure, Food Supply and so on. Any candidate supporting Amnesty for 20 Million illegal Aliens has absolutely no understanding of the cataclysmic effect it would have on the things i mentioned. That is why it is one of the most single important issues.

Could not agree more... Now if we can just get some uncorrupted people (not politicians) but citizens to fight for us... we can make it.

Dianne, I saw the organizer for the Nashville Tea Party event, that Sarah Palin will speak at in February, on speaking himself today. He and another tea party group member were discussing any rivalry or problems within the Tea Party movement. I only caught the end of the discussion, and they were both very cordial and admitted that they have more in common than divides. The media is trying to create rifts to benefit the Democrats and other criticizers I would think.

Anyway, the Nashville Tea Party event will host a big line up of anti-amnesty speakers and sponsors, and Sarah Palin will hopefully get that message from those who strongly oppose amnesty.

Psalm 91

I only caught the end of the discussion, and they were both very cordial and admitted that they have more in common than divides.

That's probably true, but putting that dope Palin on the front lines; making it appear she is tea party endorsed is unforgivable and embarrassing.