Harbison: Wishful Thinking

Jim Harbison

Liberal politicians like Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and political advisers like David Axelrod all proclaim the TEA Party and its influence has reached its zenith and is now on the decline. From their prospective it will not be of any political significance in the 2012 election cycle. I applaud them for their liberal wisdom and perspective and it just illustrates what is wrong with the Obama Administration. They clearly do not see what is happening all around them. Fortunately, their distorted vision of how to get us out of the current financial and economic conditions will help usher more conservative members into the next Congress. The straw poll in Iowa should tell them that politics as usual will not be acceptable to the group of Americans formerly known as the “silent majority”. This group represents individuals of all political orientations who want a limited government that is responsive, protects their rights and demonstrates fiscal responsibility. Because of the Internet and the ability to network and immediately communicate messages to large groups government is no longer able to clandestinely create policies and agencies that restrict our freedoms and encroach on our constitutionally guaranteed rights.

The blatant expanses of government, creation of czars and bureaucracies that are not accountable to the people and the increasing intrusions into the private sector have awakened this group. It made them even more concerned about protecting their own individual liberties and also about protecting the Constitution and enforcing the rule of law. There are increasingly more people and groups that are concerned about the growth and escalating cost of government and a corresponding loss of individual freedoms. These groups are aggressively educating the public about the creation of this nation and the type of government envisioned by our founding fathers.

Michelle Bachmann

TEA Party supporter Michelle Bachmann’s victory should send a strong message to everyone that the TEA Party still has influence and that America values liberty, fiscal responsibility, and limited government. It also sends a clear message to Republican candidates to demonstrate individual responsibility and return to those traditional conservative values. TEA Party groups, while independent of each other, have learned how to network and work together. They share information and strategies to defeat liberal policy agendas in their local areas. As we all know, all politics are local and TEA Parties across New Mexico and the nation are learning how to impact local governments. Recent actions by the Clovis TEA Party defeated an unpopular affordable housing project. Because of TEA Party pressures Las Cruces announced it would not renew its membership in the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, a non-government organization (NGO) sponsored by the United Nations to implement its Agenda 21 sustainable development policies.
There are many people who periodically attend TEA Party groups, form other special interest groups, and work on constitutional issues important to them. TEA Parties are opportunities and incubators for people to learn about their constitutional rights and freedoms and how to fight to retain and protect them. The TEA Party is supporting www.LocalFreedom.net in hosting a September 10, 2011 conference in Las Cruces on Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development to educate our politicians and the public about its adverse impacts on our property rights.
Independent free thinking individuals who believe in limited government and fiscal responsible will not disappear. As the current administration continues to spend us into oblivion they will find stronger political opposition from the TEA Parties. I hate to be the bearer of bad news for the Democrats but I think the rumor of the demise of the TEA Party is definitely premature.

Harbison: Wishful Thinking