Tuesday, February 07, 2017

This ‘Resistance’ Is No Tea Party


Remember Christine O’Donnell? The Democratic left is trying to emulate her.

By Kimberley A. Strassel



The question is how this accomplishes the progressive aim of an electoral wave that puts it back in power—a la tea-party conservatives. The left is banking that Mr. Trump and Republicans will blow this historic moment, and the public will revolt. That’s certainly possible. What’s less possible is that North Dakota voters—even if they are really mad at Mr. Trump—will vote to put an Elizabeth-Warren-like progressive in the Senate.

Democrats might also remember another woman from 2010: Blanche Lincoln. The two-term Democratic senator from Arkansas caused liberal hysteria in 2009 when she chose to reflect her voters and spoke out against both the public option for health care and a pro-union measure called card check. Left-wing Democrats pummeled her back home and subjected her to a grueling primary. She won that primary, only to lose to Republican John Boozman in a landslide. Even an unsuccessful progressive tea party could be deadly for Democrats.

The original tea party was about making conservatives in this center-right country act like conservatives again.
 
 
Photo: Frances Rice at a Tea Party Rally in February 2009
 
The progressive tea party is about making Democrats in this center-right country act like Bernie Sanders. Have at it.