June 14, 2012
6. Marco Rubio. Rubio is turning into a major war hawk. He claimed last year that he had no interest in being VP, but he made a speech at the Brookings Institution in April which David Weigel referred to as an “audition.” One month later he made a similar speech at the Council on Foreign Relations promoting foreign aid as a way of leveraging other countries. This ignores both (1) the existence of blowback in international affairs and (2) Thomas Jefferson‘s warning: “Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations”entangling alliances with none.”
7. CISPA. If there’s one way to piss off the younger generations, it’s by advocating that the government curb Internet freedom. Yet over 70 percent of the House Tea Party Caucus supported CISPA. I explained at the Daily Caller how CISPA had zero to do with intelligence operations and everything to do with intellectual property. Trying to control something one doesn”t understand is a sure way of swiftly ending one’s political career.
8. Rand Paul. Rand was the only spinal column holding up the Tea Party”and then he endorsed Romney for president. Mitt”the regulation-friendly, war-prone corporatist”getting an endorsement from Rand Paul was a swift punch straight to the gut. A few people have defended his decision on the grounds that it”ll help his standing with establishment Republicans, but I fail to see how it”ll be possible to keep this up for the next four years without compromising actual principles.
Punching myself in the face would feel better than watching these bobbleheads nod back and forth acknowledging our country’s battle cries for small government while they raise their fists in solidarity for statism. Endorsing such laughable candidates has destroyed this once-powerful movement’s credibility. Every unconstitutional vote that Tea Party politicians cast cannot be undone by speeches that quote the Founding Fathers. The short-term goal of getting elected cannot outweigh the importance of constitutional consistency. Ron Paul is a living example of what kind of career can be built when a person sticks to their principles. Why not follow suit?
Photo of Tea Party rally courtesy of Shutterstock
