With Tea Party candidates losing primary elections all over the country, many are wondering if the movement can exist in its current form.Â
Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin suggests the Tea Party should morph into a “one-issue” organization. After all, the NRA and Grover Norquist’s “Americans for Tax Reform” have been very successful advocating on a single issue.
But what should that issue be for the Tea Party? Rubin says Sen. Mike Lee may have hit on that with his recent crusade against anti-cronyism.
The ideal movement, missing on the right, would be one devoted entirely to anti-cronyism. It is a popular position on the right and among all voters. The removal of special goodies in the tax code and budget that distort the market and reward entities that can manipulate big government is sorely needed. And although Republicans talk a good game, there has been comparatively little progress on issues such as too-big-to-fail bank subsidies, energy tax breaks and ag subsidies. Moreover, the original issue that lifted the tea party to prominence was the mortgage bailouts, a prime example of favoritism (not only for irresponsible borrowers but also for the lenders). Devising a pledge as stringent as the no-tax-hike pledge to stop new crony capitalism endeavors and to begin rooting out existing ones would be one way to approach the issue.
The worst-kept secret on the right is that the tea party doesn’t have issues or positions distinguishable from the GOP. An anti-cronyism crusade would be distinct, a counterweight to the influence of big business and a contribution to fiscal discipline and limited government.
