Tea Party Debate Brews Up
29. Jan, 2010 
5 Comments
The public’s growing dissent with both the Democratic and Republican parties has revived the call for a third political party to break the present two-party monopoly in American politics. In Florida, the “Tea Party” has officially formed and registered a political party that in our opinion will only bleed votes from the Republican Party and ensure future Democrat victories. Opponents of the official “Tea Party” have begun to make the case why the “Tea Party” lacks the infrastructure, a coherent platform, money, or the leaders at this juncture to become a credible force in electoral politics that has the ability to get its candidates elected.
The article that follows is the first piece in what will be an ongoing series on the “Tea Party” phenomena- both as a movement, and as an official political party in the State of Florida. The Shark Tank’s objective is to provide an open forum for a wide variety of perspectives on this topic, as we will encourage guest authors to publish their viewpoints.
- The Editors of the Shark Tank
FLORIDA TEA PARTY HIJACKED – CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS DECLARE WAR
By Michael Johns
The American Tea Party movement emerged as one of the top stories of 2009, and for good reason: the mass movement of millions of liberty-minded Americans into the political arena is the largest shift of its kind in modern times.
I was honored to play a role in the Reagan Revolution as a young man. Then, I considered myself a conservative first and a Republican second; I still do today. Thirty years later, the Tea Party movement has eclipsed that era fourfold.
Unfortunately, we are probably also four times as likely to see our movement spin out of control.
In fact, according to the mainstream media, we are already self-destructing. As usual, the reporters are mistaken. But America’s Tea Party organizations (TPOs) are facing serious challenges on several fronts.
Conservative Republican political strategist Stephen Gordon recently told MSNBC that our movement was ripe for a hijacking from the start. His reason: inexperienced Tea Party activists needed the help of experienced GOP operatives. Gordon wisely noted that, in the end, the professional consultants “want those email lists, they want the dollars, they want to control the organization.”
Gordon is right; we are a takeover target. Already major TPOs are being accused of lining the pockets of top-notch Republican operatives and individual entrepreneurs in the Tea Party movement. In Florida, three men disguised as Tea Party activists are flat-out hijacking the movement to promote unfit candidates.
The name “TEA Party” was quietly registered in Florida last summer and rolled out to the great surprise and dismay of state activists. Nobody had heard of the founders; nobody had met them at Tea Party events. Soon the party announced their support for State Senator Paula Dockery, a RINO candidate for governor, and threatened legitimate TPOs with trademark litigation if they continued using the Tea Party moniker.
A spokesman for the newly registered party, Doug Guetzloe, has a long and notorious record of running political trick plays and compromising on core conservative ideals. The deceptive Florida TEA Party could be used to promote Guetzloe’s clients and, more importantly, hurt their opponents. Guetzloe has, for instance, spoken supportively of liberal Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), who Tea Party activists hope to replace with a more conservative, liberty-minded candidate this November. He also has been an advocate of Dockery’s candidacy, which is requiring probable Republican nominee Bill McCollum, a solid conservative, to dedicate resources to a primary battle that would be better spent in the highly contentious general election campaign.
Worse: a U.S. Senate candidate by the name of Jorge Lovenguth has made noise about running under the Florida TEA Party in the general election. This is another clear signal, this time to both Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist, that the new party intends to be at the general election table. According to Guetzloe’s record, that means money.
In just one month, the leaders of the registered party have been quoted representing Florida TPOs in the state media and even in the recent New York Times Magazine feature on Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio. Clearly the media has been duped already; rank-and-file Tea Party activists are next.
Fortunately, Florida Tea Party activists and organizations quickly united in a federal court action against the perpetrators of the new party. Their complaint against the Florida TEA Party and its founders, filed last week in Miami federal district court, asks for a declaratory judgment separating the two groups and a court order to stop the party’s threats of litigation.
The unified coalition, built so rapidly behind the lawsuit, is an indication of just how robust our Tea Party movement is today. South Florida Tea Party v. TEA Party proves TPOs are united when we face a common enemy out-of-step with our shared values, bent on hijacking our movement.
Because that spells trouble for liberals in both parties, they naturally want to close their eyes and pretend we are disappearing or self-destructing. We will not. Impressively, America’s Tea Party movement boasts approximately five million members today. According to a recent Rasmussen Poll, a majority of Americans view the Tea Party movement “favorably” or “very favorably.” Clearly our upside growth potential is hugely significant to the future of American politics.
Nobody knows better than the grassroots how this movement comes alive at Tea Party protests, 912 rallies and other events. There is a lot of potential energy there to be harnessed. Of course, many politicians cannot resist the urge to poach. And then there’s the money. I don’t begrudge any entrepreneur, but the buyer–and the seller–must beware, especially in cases like the Florida TEA Party.
Let the liberals mistake our growing pains as a death rattle. In truth, our remarkable and promising movement is sorting itself out in a healthy manner, even when facing major political obstacles, and we’re not yet one year old.
We must protect our independence vigilantly and pursue our shared goals with enthusiasm and collaboration. Every day we are not working together, we take one step forward and two steps back. With the unity we have demonstrated against the so-called TEA Party of Florida, we proved we are at our best when we stay focused on the whites of the enemies’ eyes.
—
Michael Johns, a former Heritage Foundation policy analyst and White House speechwriter, is one of the founders and national leaders of the Tea Party movement. He is Chairman of The Patriot Caucus, a national Tea Party organization, and a board member of the Nationwide Tea Party Coalition.
In 2008 there wasn’t a TEA certified political Party in Florida. Now there is such a party, although the media seems to claim it is a branch of the Republican Party.
Others claim it was highjacked! What would you call Republicans and Democrats being taken over by corporations, some non American?
I believe it is unique within itself, with millions of Americans who believe in upholding the US Constitution, limited government, balanced budgets, fiscal responsibility and accountability, business growth and prosperity.
Clearly the two party systems have failed all Americans in our lifetimes, especially in Florida. I feel I can make a difference but that must be decided by the citizens of Florida on November 2, 2010.
The TEA political Party is quite alive in America. The only state which has an official registered TEA political party is Florida.
It doesn’t matter who registered it, it is now official and will be the launching pad from which American citizens will take back our country.
I am officially registered with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), and the Florida Supervisor of Elections as the TEA candidate.
I sought no permission from anyone, nor have I been endorsed by anyone. I made the decision to run as the Florida 2010 United States Senator Candidate after literally a few hundred of fellow Florida veterans emailed me about the TEA political Party being certified.
I had been a Democrat candidate in the Florida state senate election in 2008 for the District 5 seat Northeast Florida. I received approx. 72,000 votes losing out to the well established Steve Wise.
I wasn’t a typical Democrat as I believe in what the TEA movement represents.
The American citizens of Florida will then have the opportunity to show the seriousness of their commitment.
The current professional politicians of the Republican and Democrat party have destroyed the St. Johns River and Florida waterways; big oil gets the Gulf of Mexico.
I owe no corporation anything. I will serve the citizens of Florida first. Clearly, the others have not been able to.
On November 2, 2010, the date of the Florida 2010 Election, Florida citizens from whatever party they are registered to vote will be an indication of how the TEA movement is doing.
Many thousands of active duty and military veterans from every service have remained quiet, and are quite tired of both the Republican and Democrat corporation financed elections.
The 30 second commercials do not fool them. Thus far the TEA movement has been a “Pass the Word” effort with some media writing about its pros and cons, its importance, its efforts, profiteering, etc.
In the late evening hours of November 2, 2010 the voting results in Florida will determine just how serious the Tea movement is, at least in Florida, and not until then.
Respectfully, Jorge Lovenguth – TEA candidate Florida 2010 United States Senator Election
I am extremely worried about the dissension in the Tea Party Movement. I was so excited when it seemed that there were people out there that shared my disatisfaction with the drifting of our current politicians away from what was intended by our founding fathers. Now I feel that there are those that want to use the Tea Party followers to their own advantage. This will be the ruination of a truly wonderful movement that could have made such a difference in the upcoming elections and beyond.
Also, if someone thinks that there should be a Tea Party special party and candidate, Forget it! Remember Ross Perot? He and his followers had good intentions and look what happened. We need to find good Conservative Republicans and do all we can to get them elected. I still have hope that the Tea Party Movement can get its act together and unite those of us that feel left out in the cold by most of our elected officials.
Everett Wilkinson/South Florida Tea Party, Inc. Rejects Compromise: Files Suit Against Florida Tea Party
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Below is a reprint of a press release issued today. The undersigned are leaders in various Florida tea party movements. Their statement tries to persuade Everette Wilkinson, a leader of South Florida Tea Party, Inc., to cease and desist from filing a lawsuit against the Florida TEA Party (recognized by the Florida Division of Elections as an official political party).
Wilkinson declined to withdraw the lawsuit which was filed by him and a couple of others on January 19, 2010.
While many of the undersigned do not agree with the Florida TEA Party operating as a political party, all agree that taking this to court is not helpful to the movement. When offered a compromise that would make clear that NO ONE had exclusive rights to the name ‘tea party’, not only did Wilkinson reject it, he would not even show it to membership.
It is obvious that Mr. Wilkinson is spoiling for a fight. This is all the more evident when the compromise clearly stated Fred O’Neal, Chairman of the Florida TEA Party, agreed not to take legal action over use of the name ‘tea party.’
This is a statement by Robin Stublen on the lawsuit…
Over the past two weeks Nick Egoroff and I have been working behind
the scenes to find a compromise between the political party Tea Party
of Florida and several Tea Party groups who had filed a lawsuit
against the political party. While I do not know Nick personally, I
would like to thank him for working with me on this issue. Hopefully,
we can get this behind us and work on slaying dragons.
Disclaimer: I am not a plaintiff in this lawsuit. I did not at the
time and do not now agree with the suit and have always believed we
could work something out. The agreement below proves that this is
actually the case.
The three defendants in the suit have all agreed to the agreement and
are willing to sign a formal written agreement as stated below. Tom
Gaitens and I have attached our names only to show support for this
agreement and believe this is the best course of action. We have no
legal standing.
I have given this to the primary plaintiff in the case (Everett Wilkinson) and have asked
him to forward it to the other plaintiffs. He has refused to forward
it to them and has told me not to speak to any of them.
Robin Stublen
Punta Gorda Tea Party
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Below is a copy of the press release:
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Contact
Nick Egoroff
Director Communications/
Florida TEA Party
(321) 228-9761
email nicholasegoroff@hotmail.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Recently Florida Tea Party was registered as an official political party through the Florida Division of Elections. As a result, many misleading and misinformed emails and unfounded allegations have circulated over the Internet. This has resulted in threats of legal action over the phrases “tea party” and “Florida Tea Party.” It is agreed by all concerned that individual Tea Party groups in the state of Florida shall continue to use “Tea Party” in their group or organization name and activities.
We the undersigned wish to put a halt to the miscommunication. In no way do we support or condone ANY group seeking to own the name Tea Party. Any individuals or groups that have taken actions or made threats are asked to rescind them for the betterment of the tea party movement.
The power and force of the tea party movement in Florida should continue to grow with each tea party entity taking separate paths and doing what it does best.
Let this be an example of how misunderstandings can lead to serious consequences and how communication can result in positive action.
Nick Egoroff
Communications Director
Florida TEA Party
Robin Stublen
Punta Gorda Tea Party
Tom Gaitens
Freedom Works (Florida)
Fred O’Neal
Chairman: Florida Tea Party
Doug Guetzloe
Chairman: Ax The Tax
###
About: Florida TEA Party is an officially recognized political party by the Florida Division of Elections. It has no affiliation with movements using variations of the phrase ‘tea party.’
Congress needs to work from home! So that they will HEAR their constituents – read more and vote, talk to your candidates!
http://remixpolitics.newsvine.com/_news/2010/02/13/3891500-send-the-bums-home-the-case-for-a-telecommuting-congress