The Coming Schism of the Republican Party

As sure as Spring is a promise Mother Nature keeps with us every Winter, the Tea Party is all set to fractionate the Republican Party. Teabaggers are arguably about 20 to 22 percent of the voting electorate. They sent some pretty interesting characters to Washington, DC and Austin this past November.

In Austin we saw as they violated all sorts of political decorum when they openly opposed Joe Straus’ bid to become Speaker of the Texas House one more time – because he was not conservative enough for them – and he is a Jew.

Not particularly in that order.

And in the Republican Caucus yesterday, they could not muster the votes necessary to oust Straus. And ironically, Democrats again this year made the deal since only 70 Republicans sided with Straus in the caucus meeting, giving the Democrats the nod to provide the additional 6 votes necessary to elect the Speaker.

Joe Straus is Speaker again, and again it is because of Democratic support.

So you’d think they would learn, wouldn’t you. You’d think they would see that doing a deal is how you get things done, not yelling and stomping your feet.

But no. They won’t learn the lesson. After Straus was sworn in the Teabaggers held a rally outside the capitol building promising no let up. No compromise.

Newly elected African-American Teabagger State Rep Claver Kamau-Imani (R-Houston) got the small crowd going with his rant

From the Austin American-Statesman:

“Kamau-Imani referred to progressivism, liberalism and socialism as “all those evil isms” and said it’s unacceptable for lawmakers to compromise. He led the crowd in chanting “No compromise!” and “No surrender!” and said that public servants must have a willingness to die for their cause.”

Leading me to wonder whether Kamau-Imani wants to volunteer for that last bit. Or whether he, as I have, wants to volunteer for the one-way mission to Mars.

But that’s what I like in my Teabagger allies, no compromise, no surrender. If they can extract 20 to 22 percent of votes from the Republicans, so that they make no compromises at all, the more power to them.

That’s what I like about my Teabagger allies. They seem willing to stand on principle at any cost whatsoever.

In the morning after last year’s disastrous November election I told anyone who would listen to me that we need a miracle right about now in order to save us from a steamroller Republican agenda in the next 140 days.

A miracle.

And my prayers were answered by The Almighty. When I asked Him for a miracle, He provided one. For this year’s miracle from the Creator of the Universe, I give you the Tea Party.