Taliban or Tea Party?

[AGDee]

Extremists of any kind are scary. I agree that there are differences between the Tea Party and the Occupy movement. The Tea Party has candidates as part of the Republican party. Occupy does not support either major party. In fact, they pretty much feel like the whole government, as is, is corrupted by corporate interests. You may see some people who support Occupy on the Green party ticket. A lot of them really like Ron Paul, who is so much more Libertarian than Republican.

I do love The Newsroom. I'm watching the finale right now because I couldn't see it Sunday. LOVE this show

[TonyB06]

For some reason, it's not an apples to apples comparison. As someone said upthread, left wing extremists haven't dominated the Democratic Party as Tea Partyiers have come to take over the "directional arc" of the Republican Party.

It's axiomatic in politics that the hard-core; those that make the calls, knock on doors, give early, stuff envelope, have first and early say on the slate of candidates. It's always been that way.

Honestly, I think Mitt Romney, and probably to a lesser extent McCain in the previous cycle, are held a bit "hostage" to the Tea Party/Republican base. Looking at his Massachuttes (sp, I know) record, I have no doubt he's a moderate. But he's beholden to this current party's dominant group think(his Ryan selection was another sop to them).

Were he a "freer" candidate, allowed to run closer to his own (historic?) views, I think he'd be a more formidable candidate among the sliver of independents who may tip this election. (of course, he wouldn't have the Rep base, so there is that.)

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by TonyB06

Honestly, I think Mitt Romney, and probably to a lesser extent McCain in the previous cycle, are held a bit "hostage" to the Tea Party/Republican base.

I agree.