Buy a set

Hm.

Signs in the crowd reflected the antigovernment ethos of the movement, calling for spending cuts and an end to the “Marxist income tax,” and quoting the libertarian icon Ayn Rand. “Redistribute my work ethic,” read one sign. Others called for a Fair Tax — a national sales tax to replace the income tax — and a repeal of the health care bill passed in March. “Down our throats on March 21st,” one sign said, “up yours on Nov. 2nd.”

But others reflected anger about illegal immigration — “Uncle Sam wants you to speak English,” read one — and the planned Islamic cultural center near ground zero, which many Tea Party supporters have rallied against. “Obama Creates Jobs at Ground Zero,” read one sign, over a picture of a mosque.

911pingpongballs

I was skitting about the talk radio landscape, tuning into the Republican Conservative debate over the Delaware Senate Primary being held today.  This is the one that is going to decide whether Mike Castle will be pushed aside for a long time perenial candidate, and one time Abstinence Activist.

Suddenly, this guy is a “Liberal”.

mikecastle

The Conservative Activists have “discovered” that this man, Mike Castle, sided with Kucinich to Impeach Bush.  A gold mine of comedy, that claim.
It could be worse.

It does not much help that prominent liberal activists are itching to claim some of these candidates, oddly justifying the warped position where your Mark Levines are drawing “right” and “left”.  From wikipedia.:

Castle’s terms marked the full establishment of what Delaware political commentator Celia Cohen has called “the Age of Incumbency.” Following du Pont’s very successful and popular terms as Governor, Delaware politics seemed to have reached a consensus, with leaders of both parties being regularly re-elected, while working closely and quietly together on a conservative fiscal low tax, pro business, and clean government agenda. Prior to du Pont only four men had served eight years as Governor and one of those had two non-consecutive terms. From 1977 until the present there have been four governors, two from each party, each emulating Castle in essentially carrying out the program initiated by Pierre S. du Pont, IV.

Things harrow back toward:
Castle’s cosponsored the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. The bill proposed expanding the number of stem cell lines that are eligible for federally funded research, expecting that this funding would generate more research and ultimately greater progress in addressing many kinds of diseases.
Still pushing it.  Right now, in fact.

In 2006, the Senate candidate who found himself squeezed in the middle, narrowly won a primary battle before losing in the general, was Lincoln Chafee.  Now an Independent favor for governor of Rhode Island.  Funny, though — the vote that is most memorable from his record was the lone Republican vote against the Iraq War.

I recall hearing — at the time the Tea Party trumped over to a third party challenge in the NY 23 Special Election — that the significant thing about the whole movement was a focus on “Fiscal” matters — the deficit and taxes.  Probably taxes over the deficit, as we seem to be learning.  Prudence, that!  No social or cultural issues are shifting into the main.

Mostly I’m just reminded of the Republican Senators who came in in the year 2004: Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn.  Are there just more of them this time out?

Well, hope is there in the voice of moderation.

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