After three years of activity tea party leaders have a better understanding of how the system corrupts good people.
Generally, the establishment gives a conservative a seat at their table, often without the conservative initially realizing it. The conservative now has something to lose. The conservative is suddenly averse to crossing the establishment.
Several things deserve consideration for tea party leaders being wooed by the establishment.
The first is that the establishment does not respect you no matter how good they make you feel for a time. You don’t have big money and you aren’t well-connected by birth, marriage, or professional circumstance. Plus, even in your compromised state you are likely still too burdened with ideals for them to feel comfortable opening up to you.
You have only one thing they need: a legitimate conservative reputation.
The establishment needs a steady supply of fresh conservative reputations to sanitize their political moves. Whether it is voting for a moderate over a conservative in a primary, helping depress a conservative issue that they don’t like, or voting for bad legislation, a trusted conservative standing next to it can ward off the grassroots tar-and-feather-patrol.
Conservatives who allow themselves to be used this way are eventually exposed. Their reputations are ruined and their supposed spot on the inside evaporates.
It’s sad but true that conservative movement crossovers function as the establishment’s makeup supply – temporary, beautifying, and replaceable.
One of the tea party’s primary functions is to be the establishment’s watchdog. When establishment moderates push certain people to the front of the tea party line they are effectively installing a beholden watchdog. This setup was unhealthy when Enron did it with Arthur Anderson. It isn’t healthier in the political realm.
So, beware of fellow tea party leaders suddenly interested in the perks associated with working with the establishment.
Smart tea partiers understand that their continued relevance lies in doing what they got into politics to do. Tell the truth, don’t let ambition cloud your judgment, and don’t become what you originally meant to get rid of.
Staying the course will cause the most potent force in Texas politics to keeps growing.