‘No fools on our ticket’

By Steve Benen

Just over the last few months, we’ve seen reports from the New York
Times, Bloomberg News, and the Washington Post on the simmering tensions
between Corporate America and Tea Party Republicans, driving a wedge
into the GOP coalition. With party primaries looming, talk of a
“Republican civil war” abounds.

Some of the party’s major players are even putting their money where
their mouths are. This Wall Street Journal piece yesterday was
circulated far and wide in Republican circles.

Republican leaders and their corporate allies have launched an
array of efforts aimed at diminishing the clout of the party’s most
conservative activists and promoting legislation instead of
confrontation next year. […]

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce early next year plans to roll out an
aggressive effort – expected to cost at least $50 million – to support
establishment, business-friendly candidates in primaries and the general
election, with an aim of trying to win a Republican Senate majority.

“Our No. 1 focus is to make sure, when it comes to the Senate, that
we have no loser candidates,” said the business group’s top political
strategist, Scott Reed. “That will be our mantra: No fools on our ticket.”

Though Reed did not specify who would qualify as a “fool,” it’s not hard
to look back at major Senate races from the last couple of cycles and
know exactly the kind of candidates he’s referencing (O’Donnell, Akin,
Mourdock, Angle, et al). In other words, when Reed and the Republican
Party’s Chamber of Commerce wing talk about “loser candidates” and
“fools,” they’re obviously talking about right-wing Tea Party favorites.

Also note, there’s been ample analysis this year noting that Corporate
America may want to overcome extremist candidates in GOP primaries, but
if this wing of the party doesn’t commit real resources, Tea Partiers
will prevail. It’s worth acknowledging, then, that $50 million in
support of establishment candidates is a considerable sum.

But as word of the Chamber’s intentions spread, the backlash soon
followed. “Special interests in Washington will do whatever it takes to
protect big government Republicans,” Senate Conservatives Fund Executive
Director Matt Hoskins told TPM yesterday. “Their ability to get future
bailouts, kickbacks, and other favors depends on it.”

Club for Growth senior fellow Tom Borrelli added, “This is a battle
between the outsiders and insiders and insiders include big bucks and
establishment Republicans.”

Remember, primary season hasn’t really begun in earnest, which means
these disputes are likely to intensify very soon. For many Democrats,
hoping to see Republicans at each other’s throats during an election
year, the popcorn is already being popped.

http://tinyurl.com/kc843hk


Gosh, I hope not. No party is more deserving of a continuing stream of
crazy Tea Partiers than the Republicans. Of course, if the Tea Partiers
split off and run their own candidates, even better!


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Religion: together we can find the cure.