The charts above are from a series of surveys taken by the CBS News Poll -- with the most recent being done between May 16th and 19th of a national random sample of 1,009 adults, with a 3 point margin of error.
At first glance this might seem to be a cause for celebration among moderates and liberals in this country (and even old-time conservatives). After all, rational Americans have been hoping for the death of the teabagger movement for some time now -- convinced that these fringe right-wing racist extremists are hurting this country. But any celebration would be premature.
The teabagger extremists have not gone away -- or lost any power in the Republican Party. They have won complete control of that party. The graph simply shows that the teabagger groups are no longer needed, since there are no Republicans in Congress (or running for Congress) that do not espouse the teabagger agenda. The moderates have been run out of the party (or marginalized to the extent that they no longer matter).
Which make the headlines in the mainstream media about the "war" in the party between the establishment GOP and the teabagger GOP seem more than a bit silly to me. These headlines make it seem that this primary election is between Republican moderates and Republican extremists. Unfortunately, that is just not true.
Take McConnell in Kentucky for example -- can anyone say with a straight face that he is not a right-wing extremist? Of course not. It was simply a matter of a right-wing extremist in power (McConnell) running against a right-wing extremist wanting power (Bevins). Both supported the teabagger agenda, and both would have pursued that agenda once elected. McConnell won that primary because Republicans knew that, and saw no reason to switch one extremist for another (since McConnell has a leadership position and his opponent would not have).
This move to the extreme right of the entire Republican Party may be unknown (or ignored) by the media, but those in the Republican Party are aware of it -- and many see no more need for the separate teabagger movement. Listen to what Speaker John Boehner says about it:
"You get in these primary elections – they are hard-fought battles and sometimes – listen, there is not that much, not that big a difference between what you call the tea party and your average conservative Republican."
Boehner is right of course. There is no difference between the "conservatives" in the party and the "teabaggers". They all support a right-wing extremist position -- and it will make no difference in the positions taken by Republicans in Congress if a new teabagger extremist is elected or if an old establishment extremist is elected.
Voting for an "establishment" Republican will not save this country from the teabagger agenda that is destroying our economy, standing in the way of achieving equal rights for all citizens, and damaging the reputation of this country around the world. The only way to stop this extremist agenda is to vote against all Republicans.
