Whether knowingly or unknowingly, good people are sending obstructionists to Washington to represent us. Watching the actions by tea party candidates seems to indicate the tea party isn't a political movement. It's more like a religious movement. President Obama is the Antichrist and they preach that to compromise with progressives is of the devil. There is an uncompromising loyalty to the "tea party." Its motto is "We are taxed enough."
It is a like a religious movement, one based on the traditions of spiritual revival. This religiosity explains the tea party's political fanaticism. They hold to a conservative ideology, and particularly its major themes; small government, low taxes, repeal "Obamacare," privatize Social Security and Medicare, a strong military, strong law enforcement, opposition to immigration reform, resistance to any form of gun control. When I call it a religion, I don't mean theology. Theirs is a belief system that provides simple answers regarding how society should operate, how to deal with social and political issues.
The tea party has an obsessive set of principles, all of which are untouchable. Tea party candidates vow they won't sacrifice their principles. This means shutting down the government rather than negotiating on legislation is their moral obligation. Tea party members celebrate the position of not compromising. They see themselves enforcing that it is up to them to accomplish taking back of America for the people. This refusal to compromise is a slogan of the tea party candidates and they wear it as a badge of honor. This is disastrous in the give and take of world of politics and it has become their religious doctrine. The traditional political parties have lines they won't cross, but tea party faithful do not and will never negotiate or compromise.
What is happening is reality, not just my opinion. As we observe the present Congress, it is obvious that the tea party faithful are unrealistically aggressive, noncompromising and will not reach a deal with the opposition. Loyalty is the highest virtue communicated by the tea party, they use it as a tool to oppose compromise. Loyal tea party supporters over and over again abandon their good judgment in doing the will of their leaders. Democracy works when people bring their best thinking to the deliberations and then with cooperation, negotiation and compromise achieve the best solutions. We still have the power to bring change, but we must act before we pass the point of no return. Our vote is important. Who we choose to lead us determines the future.
George Lindholm
Hot Springs
Editorial on 07/26/2014