Overview for tea-party

Tea Party Turns on Debt Compromisers

There goes another lazy narrative. Fifty-nine Republican House freshmen voted ‘yes’ last evening on a debt ceiling compromise, making up about 68% of the freshmen class. In the 60-member tea party caucus led by Rep. Michele Bachmann, 53% voted in favor of the compromise. But what will be the …

Written by Tim Mak on Tuesday August 2, 2011

Too Soon Old, Too Late Wise

I wish my defense hawk friends at the American Enterprise Institute and the Weekly Standard had discerned before it was too late that a budget framework that calls for: (1) no additional revenues and (2) big cuts in discretionary spending, is not a hospitable climate for a robust defense budget. …

Written by David Frum on Monday August 1, 2011

Boehner's New Plan - Even Deader

A few thoughts on the implications of Boehner adding a "Balanced Budget Amendment" to his debt-ceiling bill (which would now require that Congress pass a BBA before a second debt-ceiling increase could take place early in 2012): Adding the BBA makes the bill very likely to pass the House. …

Written by Fred Bauer on Friday July 29, 2011

Do You Believe in Magic?

My new column in the Week (misattributed a few minutes ago to my estimable Week editor, Ben Frumin, no relation) praises the Boehner plan for its artful use of smoke and mirrors. Tea Party Republicans confront a party establishment unanimously representing the Boehner plan as a huge …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday July 27, 2011

Want to Fight Federal Over-reach? Start Here

When the House of Representatives last week voted for the “BULB Act”—a proposal its sponsors said would lift a coming federal ban on incandescent light bulbs—plenty of Tea Party supporters and others rejoiced at a major victory for limited government. Plenty of others, it's true, had fair …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday July 21, 2011

Snowe's Challenger: Obama is Not a Christian

The most prominent Republican challenging Olympia Snowe in the Senate GOP primary in Maine says President Obama is "exercising a lot of Muslim faith" and doesn’t believe he is a Christian. Scott D’Amboise, one of two Republicans challenging Snowe, has been endorsed by several organizations whose …

Written by Nicole Glass on Tuesday July 19, 2011

What the GOP Can Learn from Canada's Conservatives

Canada's right wing won control of parliament this month — but their strategy on immigration and Tea Party-types wouldn't work in the United States. American conservatives are looking at Canada's Conservative Party election win for lessons. But as my latest column for The Week points out, it's …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday May 11, 2011

Bond Markets Brush Off Tea Party Threats

Bond markets are shrugging off the debt ceiling debate as political theater. That's a relief. But isn't it also kind of insulting to the Tea Party? Philip Klein of the DC Examiner correctly observes that bond markets are shrugging off the debt ceiling debate as political theater. From the …

Written by David Frum on Friday April 22, 2011

Red Light Cameras: The Latest Govt Rip-Off

While many libertarian battles against perceived government overreach seem excessive, the campaign against red light cameras may be a winner. Libertarians have mobilized this year against perceived government over-reach. Some of the causes seem excessive: opposition to seatbelt laws and carbon …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Sunday April 17, 2011

Third of GOP Freshmen Rebel on Budget Vote

This afternoon, 27 Republican freshmen bucked the leadership's wishes and voted against the continuing resolution to keep government funded. This afternoon, 27 Republican freshmen bucked the leadership's wishes and voted against the continuing resolution that would fund the government through the …

Written by Tim Mak on Thursday April 14, 2011

The GOP's Romney Problem

If the economy remains depressed into 2012, Romney could well defeat Obama. However, he would also be a very dangerous candidate for the GOP to lose with. So here's my Romney problem, triggered by yesterday's formal announcement (hem, exploration). I think Mitt Romney would make a fine …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday April 12, 2011

The Budget Deal's Biggest Winner

In Friday’s budget deal, Boehner amassed enough credibility with his own caucus that he can now confront the larger fiscal challenges ahead. Conventional wisdom saw House Speaker John Boehner as all tan and no substance. As usual, conventional wisdom got it wrong. In Friday’s budget deal, …

Written by Steve Bell on Monday April 11, 2011

GOP Wants Deal, Tea Party Wants Shutdown

At a Capitol Hill rally, Republicans urged Sen. Reid to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government. But at another rally, conservatives cheered for a shutdown. Freshman Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) at the press conference. House Republicans held the latest in a series of …

Written by Tim Mak on Wednesday April 6, 2011

The Tea Party Must Learn it Doesn't Run the Country

Conservative Republicans are debating the budget without realizing that they don't represent the entire country or all its citizens. The next deadline for Congressional action on a comprehensive appropriations bill for the remainder of the current fiscal year is fast approaching. A bill has to be …

Written by Les Francis on Monday April 4, 2011

Why Centrists Can Still Win the Budget Fight

The Tea Party movement has proven it can't have a serious discussion over how to solve the budget crisis. This leaves space for centrists to take the lead. Please, stop. Whether it is Bruce Bartlett admonishing Republican Senators who have co-sponsored the Balanced Budget Amendment or Rep. …

Written by Steve Bell on Saturday April 2, 2011

Why the Tea Party's Clout Fizzled in Washington

The tea party activists who helped score the GOP's 2010 midterm win are learning the hard way that electoral success doesn't always translate to policy success. A recent headline , "Tea Party Leverage Fading in Spending Talks," reminds me of the not-always-understood difficulty of transforming …

Written by Andrew Gelman on Thursday March 31, 2011

Palin Flops in India

If Palin's speech at a Delhi conference was intended to establish her foreign policy credentials, she failed. With due respect to aficionados of the emerging India-US alliance, it is difficult to see how New Delhi qualifies as an appropriate destination for a potential presidential candidate to …

Written by Kapil Komireddi on Saturday March 19, 2011

Tea Party: Disaster Readiness = Big Brother

Japan was able to properly prepare for a massive earthquake thanks to a proactive public sector. Would today’s conservatives oppose similar regs? Earlier today I wrote about how Japan was able to properly prepare for a massive earthquake due to strict building codes and a proactive public …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Friday March 11, 2011

Tea Party Goes Global

Heinz Christian Strache, the poster-boy of the Austrian right, is joining a Tea Party tour of the U.S. Is a transatlantic alliance of populist parties in the works? Heinz Christian Strache , the poster-boy of the Austrian right recently declared that he has received an official invitation from …

Written by Robin Tim Weis on Tuesday March 8, 2011

Atlas Shrugged: Will Moviegoers Do the Same?

The new big screen take on Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” doesn’t just adapt the novel to cinema, it adapts it to the current political climate. But will viewers buy it? When the film Atlas Shrugged Part 1 came to Washington, DC for a preview on March 2nd, an array of libertarian and conservative …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Saturday March 5, 2011