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Brock Swinson | | Page 114
Since the election, there have been several post-election autopsies to try and figure out the ingredients of Trump’s improbable win. Most results include the failure of the Democrats to address important policies for the people, and mention the disaffected working class in America.
One ingredient completely overlooked in this election is the Tea Party and their anti-establishment stance in America.
President Bush | Photo Credit Wikimedia Commons
Grassroots Under the Bush Administration
Consider the grassroots conservatives who made a move after the financial crisis of 2008. These voters already felt cornered when the Republican party pushed big-government rather than slowing its growth, making the economic failure a tipping point.
Under the Bush administration, the size and growth of the government had spread. The unfunded Medicare Part D prescription drug program, and the “No Child Left Behind” education program were federally mandated, only aiding fuel to the fire of big government.
There were not any real efforts to rein in excess spending within the federal government. Then, the Iraq War cost America billions. With the onset of the 2008 financial crisis, Americans voted in an inexperienced, yet highly articulate man who would become the first black president of the United States.
With the addition of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), and another 830 billion in economic stimulus, the grassroots had had enough. The Tea Party began to push back in order to drive the country out of the financial hole dug by socialist agendas. It was time to toss away the shovel.
Obamacare | Photo Credit Flickr
The Tea Party Influencers
The 2010 and 2014 midterms were driven by the Tea Party influencers, especially after Obamacare grew government even further. Consider the following quote from Wall Street Journal contributor Kimberly Strassel.
“What democrats should realize, because everyone else does, is that voters rejected both their policies, (which have underminded middle and low income families), and their governance, (which has fueled rage at a power-hungry federal governement.)
The Tea Party’s grassroots influence within the blue-collar working class helped Trump win the election. The Tea Party isn’t getting any credit for this win, but perhaps when we look back and jot this win down in history, they will get the credit they deserve. After all, they helped America rid the shovel burying us in financial debris.
