If what's happened in Wisconsin tells us anything, it's that the power of the Tea Party has been grossly overstated. If Republicans did well in the last elections, it's because Democrats and dem-leaning Independents stayed home, disappointed by the constant capitulations of Democratic leadership and the Obama administration. Polling always shows that compromise is popular, but this is generally true only in the abstract; show someone an actual compromise -- you know, where they give up something they want -- and they don't like it. As I pointed out in a conversation recently, there are no statues to heroic centrists in public squares. The middle of the road, in actual practice, is only popular with pundits. Well, those and politicians with no real convictions.But conviction isn't enough. Wisconsin Republicans have convictions and those convictions have made them about as popular as a stubbed toe. Yet, they're inarguably Tea Party convictions. If the Tea Party is a popular movement, then why isn't it -- um -- popular?
There's a lesson here for Democrats: be about something. No one other than a Broderist pundit or a TV talking head is impressed by anyone's centrism...[CLICK TO READ FULL POST]
