Focus and Refocus

Maybe it's me. Maybe I just don't understand the world. But why is it that people with good ideals always seem to get corrupted by money and power?

Look at this article from the Daily Caller about why FreedomWorks co-founder Dick Armey is leaving the organization. Some credit FreedomWorks as being the founders of the tea party movement, a claim argued about from others, but that is irrelevant.

From the Daily Caller

I would assume that these people are like me, and either started or joined the movement because they were interested in the same things I was. I am assuming they, like me didn't and don't particularly care for the direction the country is going in and wanted to affect change. At least from what I gather from this article, this may not be the case.

When I think way, way back to 2008 and the beginnings of the tea party, I heard all the criticism about how the tea party would become corrupted, as all political organizations seem to be. It was said how the big money interests would infiltrate the organization and it would soon become like every other. This certainly makes it appear they were right.

I disagree.

The tea party movement was begun, and grew because there were people at the grass roots level who believed in the core principles of the movement, and still do. The majority of those people, I believe anyway, still do. Those people don't do what they do because they want the money or the fame (or infamy) but because they believe in what they are doing.

Recently I attended a meeting of some of the local movers and shakers of the state tea party movement. (Okay, movers and shakers maybe isn't the correct term, wigglers and jigglers might be more accurate.) This group hasn't lost focus, they still no what they are here for, and they all agreed we as an organization are still relevant. We need to refocus.

For example one thing we should be doing is sticking to our core principles and making politicians accountable to us. Why should we compromise our beliefs to suit the candidate? If a Mitt Romney wants the support of the tea party, he needs to sign on to what we believe. Then when he decides to change his mind, not that Romney would ever do that, the tea party can say, he agreed with us, it is he who is the traitor.

It is time for the tea party to take a stand and fight for what they believe in, The time for compromise is over.