Tea partiers air doubts about Dick Armey

[bobbyw24]

It seemed a strange fit to begin with — a former House Republican leader turned $750,000-a-year Washington lobbyist who resurfaced as perhaps the single most identifiable leader of a populist, anti-Washington movement.


And in recent weeks, Dick Armey has found himself targeted by a quiet, but concerted campaign from fellow conservatives challenging — and seeking to undermine — his status as a leader of the tea party movement.


Critics ranging from prominent conservatives to bloggers to grass-roots tea party activists have called into question whether Armey’s stances on illegal immigration and social issues, his candidate endorsements and his past lobbying work are fundamentally inconsistent with the tea party movement. They also have suggested he raised the white flag too early in the fight over the Democratic health care overhaul and is beholden to corporate benefactors, and have accused him of trying to hijack the tea parties to serve those benefactors or his own personal political ambitions.


To be sure, some of the resentment seems to stem from jealousy over adept positioning by Armey that has put him and the small-government nonprofit group he co-chairs, FreedomWorks, at the vanguard of tea party activism, which everyone on the right — from the Republican Party and its elected officials to the groups that emerged from the 1960s restructuring of the conservative movement — has jockeyed to harness.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34990.html

[Rael]

How do they feel about Vagina Navy?

[Condor Bastadon]

Or how about Butt Marine?

[pacelli]

It's been a mystery in Washington for weeks. Just before President Bush signed the homeland security bill into law an unknown member of Congress inserted a provision into the legislation that blocks lawsuits against the maker of a controversial vaccine preservative called "thimerosal," used in vaccines that are given to children.

Drug giant Eli Lilly and Company makes thimerosal. It's the mercury in the preservative that many parents say causes autism in thousands of children – like Mary Kate Kilpatrick.

Asked if she thinks her daughter is a victim of thimerosal, Mary Kate's mother, Kathy Kilpatrick, says, "I think autism is mercury poisoning."

But nobody in Congress would admit to adding the provision, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim Acosta – until now.

House Majority Leader Dick Armey tells CBS News he did it to keep vaccine-makers from going out of business under the weight of mounting lawsuits.

"I did it and I'm proud of it," says Armey, R-Texas.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/12/12/eveningnews/main532886.shtml

[Cowlesy]

I am pretty sure that Freedomworks being supportive of Rand Paul coupled with Armey's regretting of his Iraq War vote (and his saying he was mis-lead by Dick Cheney) is a big part of this.

I smell neoconservatives and their lackeys on this one.

[Travlyr]

Wasn't Dick Armey a leader with the 1994 "Contract on America?"

[IPSecure]

In his last legislative effort, Dick Armey was named chairman of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security and was the primary sponsor of the legislation that created the Department of Homeland Security.

At the start of 2003, Dick Armey joined the Washington office of the law firm DLA Piper (formerly DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary) as a senior policy advisor. Dick Armey was also the firm's co-chairman of its Homeland Security Task Force.
Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Armey)
How many law firms have their own Homeland Security Taskforce?

Is Homeland InSecurity involved in the co-opt of the 'Tea Parties'?

[angelatc]

I am pretty sure that Freedomworks being supportive of Rand Paul coupled with Armey's regretting of his Iraq War vote (and his saying he was mis-lead by Dick Cheney) is a big part of this.

I smell neoconservatives and their lackeys on this one.

Couple that with Armey organizing the TEA parties, and notice that the attack dogs (Malkin etc) all broke anti-Armey stories simultaneously.

This is the GOP herding their flock back home.

[LibertyWorker]

The TEA party movement are just useful tools. if at any point before the 2010 election cycle the powers that be feel they cannot control the tea party people I'll bet you anything that operatives within the GOP will start doing things to discredit the tea party people to ensure their base has nowhere else to vote but for the mainline GOP candidates.

The party's over.... for tea party.

They let themselves be co-opted and used like a two dollar whore.

[angelatc]

The TEA party movement are just useful tools. if at any point before the 2010 election cycle the powers that be feel they cannot control the tea party people I'll bet you anything that operatives within the GOP will start doing things to discredit the tea party people to ensure their base has nowhere else to vote but for the mainline GOP candidates.



That's kind of the point Cowlesy and I were making. Armey is being discredited for that very reason.

[Travlyr]

The TEA party movement are just useful tools. if at any point before the 2010 election cycle the powers that be feel they cannot control the tea party people I'll bet you anything that operatives within the GOP will start doing things to discredit the tea party people to ensure their base has nowhere else to vote but for the mainline GOP candidates.

The party's over.... for tea party.

They let themselves be co-opted and used like a two dollar whore.

Insightful... very insightful. :)

How can the liberty movement co-opt them back? Is it possible?

[Cowlesy]

Couple that with Armey organizing the TEA parties, and notice that the attack dogs (Malkin etc) all broke anti-Armey stories simultaneously.

This is the GOP herding their flock back home.

Yeah there is a lot of coordination from the establishment right and particularly amongst the bloggers and establishment publications. Malkin and Ed Morrissey seem to share a brain, and when you see them start screeching it isn't surprising to see National Review toads begin ribbiting (Cesar Conda).

Guys like Karl Rove sit back and look at the entire picture, and gauge how attitudes ebb and flow. What I think these guys are seeing now is that certain candidates may not line up behind them on foreign policy, but capture their base through domestic policy. Thus, they need to spend their credibility to change the story to highlight foreign policy as an issue that these certain tea partiers do not align with the establishment right, and try to bring back their base that tradition-cons may be peeling off.

They are terrified of people like Tom Woods or Tim Carney having books that generate more scans than Michelle Malkin or Jonah Goldberg. What does that come down to in the end? $$$$$ and influence (power)

[LibertyWorker]

Insightful... very insightful. :)

How can the liberty movement co-opt them back? Is it possible?

I am by no means a master strategist.

I think the better strategy is to keep it at a state level. Not to focus on Washington, DC and what they're doing there but to exert the pressure on state legislatures to bend to the will of the people.

I was also reading the this year will be the first year that Social Security will pay out more in benefits than it takes in. I think a revolt against the Social Security system based on the fact that it's a fraud would be a good rallying point for people.......... especially young people.

like I said I'm no master strategist ....... just a couple of ideas

[georgiaboy]

yeah of course this is the strategy, but strategery ain't working on me anymore. And C, you're so right, this is purely about power. I for one am taking what power over myself I have left, back.

I'm just not voting for big gov't RINOs anymore, tea party or no, and if that means the GOP keeps losing elections, so be it. And I won't be trusting who the GOP talks up in the mainstream for a long time. Hopefully not too long, though. :)

And I'll keep telling those in my spheres of influence what I'm doing, and let it keep rubbing off.

[georgiaboy]

I am by no means a master strategist.

I think the better strategy is to keep it at a state level. Not to focus on Washington, DC and what they're doing there but to exert the pressure on state legislatures to bend to the will of the people.

I was also reading the this year will be the first year that Social Security will pay out more in benefits than it takes in. I think a revolt against the Social Security system based on the fact that it's a fraud would be a good rallying point for people.......... especially young people.

like I said I'm no master strategist ....... just a couple of ideas

I think the movement just needs to keep doing what it's doing -- the power shift is occurring, we just gotta keep it up, on all fronts.

[Dunedain]

Dick Armey is your classic neo-con. Pushing for illegal invaders to enter the US and illegally invading other people's countries. I see little difference between him and John 50 years war McCain.

The fact that the Tea Party are outting this neo-con already is a great sign. Tea Party people are basically a subset of liberty movement people...they aren't as politically ignorant as your average republican voter.

[Stary Hickory]

Armey is not that bad if a guy from what I have learned. He appeared with Ron Paul once, and was pretty knowledgeable about economics. I think his major failure was having the courage to stand behind his convictions enough.

I am sure he has some pretty krappy views and what not, but when you talk about piss poor politicians I can't find as much fault with Armey as many of them. The GOP anyway has severely suffered a lack of conviction and a agenda by principle. Armey just is another casuality of the overall problem with the GOP if you ask me.

[Cowlesy]

Dick Armey is your classic neo-con. Pushing for illegal invaders to enter the US and illegally invading other people's countries. I see little difference between him and John 50 years war McCain.

The fact that the Tea Party are outting this neo-con already is a great sign. Tea Party people are basically a subset of liberty movement people...they aren't as politically ignorant as your average republican voter.

/giant facepalm

[Dunedain]

That's kind of the point Cowlesy and I were making. Armey is being discredited for that very reason.

He voted for the Iraq war and helped to create and run homeland security. Vowed to defend Israel in their "war on terror". How is he not a neo-con? Sure he claims after the fact that Dick Cheney misled him. How is that? Cheney didn't mislead me and thousands of other "uninformed" citizens. He is never to be trusted to run an anti-establishment movement - he WAS the establishment.

He carries the Republican torch. He also is open borders which is something that TEA partiers are generally not against. How can outting him be a bad thing?

[Stary Hickory]

/giant facepalm

Put the facepalms elsewhere please.

What would you do then? You want to demonize Armey as the antochrist as usually is done here? I want liberty people too, but God knows where people pick their battles confuses me. Of all the politicians who deserve to be taken down we are talking about Armey as a primary target? He has good economic ideas I don't see him being a serious resistance to reducing big government, he could help to some degree.

Strike out at some of the heinous creeps first please then move onto the lesser annoyances.

[Stary Hickory]

He voted for the Iraq war and helped to create and run homeland security. Vowed to defend Israel in their "war on terror". How is he not a neo-con? Sure he claims after the fact that Dick Cheney misled him. How is that? Cheney didn't mislead me and thousands of other "uninformed" citizens. He is never to be trusted to run an anti-establishment movement - he WAS the establishment.

He carries the Republican torch. He also is open borders which is something that TEA partiers are generally not against. How can outting him be a bad thing?

Well hell what do you want? He says he regrets the war? It's about as good as it gets. There is always a better candidate but for your run of the mill GOPer he at least has given us this much. I hate Neocons as much as anyone, but Armey is not a hardnosed Neocon, he is weak and easily swayed. And I am sure he prefers a bigger government than any of us here do. But at least he represents some kind of progress.

I take what I can get, we are going to need A LOT of repentent Neocons if things are going to change. If you cannot live with that fact then you may as well pack up and quit.

[Dunedain]

Well hell what do you want? He says he regrets the war? It's about as good as it gets. There is always a better candidate but for your run of the mill GOPer he at least has given us this much. I hate Neocons as much as anyone, but Armey is not a hardnosed Neocon, he is weak and easily swayed. And I am sure he prefers a bigger government than any of us here do. But at least he represents some kind of progress.

I take what I can get, we are going to need A LOT of repentent Neocons if things are going to change. If you cannot live with that fact then you may as well pack up and quit.

I want to keep Armey under the thumb of the people. If he is going to organize things he needs to be OUR PUPPET not the neo-cons. This kind of pressure is excellent. It tells the republicans that WE CAN'T BE LED. It tells them that WE tell our leaders what to do. If you want to do our bidding, fine. Otherwise, get the heck out of dodge.

[AuH20]

The TEA party movement are just useful tools. if at any point before the 2010 election cycle the powers that be feel they cannot control the tea party people I'll bet you anything that operatives within the GOP will start doing things to discredit the tea party people to ensure their base has nowhere else to vote but for the mainline GOP candidates.

The party's over.... for tea party.

They let themselves be co-opted and used like a two dollar whore.

I disagree. There is a sizable segment of the Tea Party that is no longer beholden to the GOP. I actually see the mainsteam Tea Party splitting. About 40% don't believe what the GOP is selling. The bailouts were a seminal moment that woke many out of the partisan haze. This also accompanied the rise of Beck who started to excoriate the mainstream GOP, which drew the ire of Levin, Hannity, Limbaugh and Bennett. They ain't never going back, unless drastic changes are made.

[angelatc]

He voted for the Iraq war and helped to create and run homeland security. Vowed to defend Israel in their "war on terror". How is he not a neo-con? Sure he claims after the fact that Dick Cheney misled him. How is that? Cheney didn't mislead me and thousands of other "uninformed" citizens. He is never to be trusted to run an anti-establishment movement - he WAS the establishment.

He carries the Republican torch. He also is open borders which is something that TEA partiers are generally not against. How can outting him be a bad thing?

(Inserts Cowlesy-esque facepalm here....)

ETA - I see Cowlesy already inserted his own.

[Cowlesy]

Put the facepalms elsewhere please.

What would you do then? You want to demonize Armey as the antochrist as usually is done here? I want liberty people too, but God knows where people pick their battles confuses me. Of all the politicians who deserve to be taken down we are talking about Armey as a primary target? He has good economic ideas I don't see him being a serious resistance to reducing big government, he could help to some degree.

Strike out at some of the heinous creeps first please then move onto the lesser annoyances.

/ANOTHER GIANT FACEPALM

I was defending Dick Armey in that it is neoconservatives trying to knee-cap him! My facepalm was to the idea that it is good that he is being "outed by the Tea Party," when it is the neoconservatives likely behind his negative publicity. So Dunedain is applauding neoconservatives for outing who he thinks is a neoconservative.

I disagree with people making Dick Armey a target. He's supporting Rand Paul along with Steve Forbes who is Honorary Chairman or Senior Adviser (or something) at FreedomWorks. I don't have any particular love for him, but at least he is aware of our economics (he wrote his doctoral thesis in favor of austrian economics if I recall correctly), he denounces his Iraq War vote and is a friend of Ron Paul.

[Anti Federalist]

Gah, I hate politics.

Like a nasty, flea infested, in-bred rat king, floundering around in filth.

[Old Ducker]

He voted for the Iraq war and helped to create and run homeland security. Vowed to defend Israel in their "war on terror". How is he not a neo-con? Sure he claims after the fact that Dick Cheney misled him. How is that? Cheney didn't mislead me and thousands of other "uninformed" citizens. He is never to be trusted to run an anti-establishment movement - he WAS the establishment.

He carries the Republican torch. He also is open borders which is something that TEA partiers are generally not against. How can outting him be a bad thing?

Exactly. Where was Armey when the "Contract with America" was forgotten once the GOP controlled Congress? Yeah, he was fine in the bullshit department but his actions speak for himself. Fuck Armey.