Why the Tea Party is a Good Thing
A Quinnipiac poll this week on the make-up and prospects of the Tea Party movement found a bunch of interesting, if largely predictable, results. Self-identifying tea partiers are 88 percent white; 74 percent of them are or lean Republican. Blah Blah. And then this:
“…if there is a Tea Party candidate on the ballot, the Democrat would get 36 percent to the Republican’s 25 percent, with 15 percent for the Tea Party candidate…”
For those (on either side) who have for years sought a viable third party, this should be good news, even if the that party’s views are not. Those who supported the doomed Ralph Nader campaign in 2000 on sheep principle, were treated to a paltry 2.75 percent of the popular vote. That missed the 5 percent that would have qualified the Green Party for public, federal funding in the next election (a big fucking deal).
With 15 percent of the vote, a “Tea Party” would more than qualify for funding and be a viable party for years to come. It would also put the party on a national platform and force it to argue actual positions (instead of just “NO”). That should be good news.