Michael J. "Mike" Rogers, 47 year old Republican Congressman from Michigan, has recently introduced a bill to renew controversial provisions of the Patriot Act which would have otherwise expired this year.
Rogers is a member of the so-called 'Republican Majority Transition team', which is educating freshman Republican lawmakers as to how Congress works. FOX News recently featured a story on the Transition team, outlining some bickering and contention between Tea Party factions and Establishment factions of the GOP.
Many libertarians would contend that the so-called 'Tea partiers' themselves do not need to be pressured into towing the establishment line, since to a large degree, they do that already. Official Tea Party Caucus member Joe Barton of Texas recently sponsored the dreaded 'food safety' bill, which was widely opposed by most all libertarian and tea partiers.
Republican Congressman Tom McClintock, another member of the Tea Party Caucus, was initially endorsed for Congress by Ron Paul in 2008. During his first term in Congress, McClintock voted for mandatory DNA grabs, supported and funded the undeclared wars, and voted to extend the Patriot Act in 2010.
Republican Congressman Tom McClintock, another member of the Tea Party Caucus, was initially endorsed for Congress by Ron Paul in 2008. During his first term in Congress, McClintock voted for mandatory DNA grabs, supported and funded the undeclared wars, and voted to extend the Patriot Act in 2010.
In addition to supporting the myriad of tyrannical laws enacted by the Bush administration in the wake of 9/11/01, most Republican lawmakers support an agressive foreign policy. Despite their rhetoric of limited government, they support what's commonly referred to as a neocon Zionist policy of foreign intervention, preemptive wars and meddling under the guise of national security.
Despite the fact that the media tells us there are distinctive differences between the two parties, there is one thing that Democrat and Republican lawmakers almost always agree on; fervent support of Israel. Sarah Palin, supported by many Americans who identify with what they believe is the 'Tea Party' has long supported the establishment line on Israeli policy. Even Rand Paul and Peter Schiff, both avowed libertarians, pledged loyalty to our 'special ally' Israel during their Senate campaigns. Paul, however recently pleased many of his critics by suggested that the U.S. end all foreign aid, including aid to Israel.
In mid December, the Jerusalem Post ran an article titled Netanyahu meets with Tea Party ‘darling’ Mike Lee, describing how the Israeli prime Minister was 'cultivating a relationship' with Lee. It also explained how pro Israel groups were seeking to meet with the 87 new Republcans to explain the Israeli 'point of view'. Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, who was heckled by Muslim Students in Orange County last year, is mentioned in the article as planning to meet with the new lawmakers at their swearing in ceremony. The Muslim Student Union, which denied any involvement in the disruptions, was astonishingly barred from practicing their religion as a group at UC Irvine in the wake of the heckling.
It is not clear how much influence Mike Rogers and other establishment authoritarians will have on the new batch of Tea Party reps. A measley ten Republicans, including Ron Paul, voted no on the Patriot act last year. They were featured in my May article Ten Republicans who voted no to renew Patriot Act in 2010. There are online efforts to pressure lawmakers to let the Patriot Act expire this year.
Let's hope that the 87 new Republicans, many of whom purport to be tea partiers supporting limited government, will join the minority of ten this year. Call me a cynic, but I won't hold my breath.
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Martin Hill is a Catholic paleoconservative and civil rights advocate. His work has been featured on LewRockwell.com, WhatReallyHappened, Infowars, PrisonPlanet, Rense, National Motorists Association, and many others. You can view a full archive of his Examiner articles here.
Comments
Marty, I never believed the TEA party was a grass roots movement from the beginning. I always believed the Repug's were behind the movement from the start. Try to start something from the grass roots now days??? See how well it takes off. The largest grass roots movement in the US is the Pro-life movement. Join the Pro-life group at your Catholic Church, and when you guys do an event just see how many don't want you there.
Marty, I never believed the TEA party was a grass roots movement from the beginning. I always believed the Repug's were behind the movement from the start. Try to start something from the grass roots now days??? See how well it takes off. The largest grass roots movement in the US is the Pro-life movement. Join the Pro-life group at your Catholic Church, and when you guys do an event just see how many don't want you there.
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