I belong to one of the strongest Tea Party groups in the country and not one likes the budget deal. All feel betrayed by the Republican Leadership. Boehner allowed himself to be out maneuvered on every conceivable level - he and others in the leadership fell into the trap of splitting the party, in other words, Democrats succeeded in creating a rift between the Republicans and the Tea Party, which well over 90% of Republicans identify with - 24% of Americans call themselves Tea Party members, which isn't much less than those who are registered Republicans.
How can the leadership not understand this? Boehner allowed the party to be divided into those who identify with the Tea Party, formerly automatically Republican, and now look at the Republicans almost as bad as Democrats. Boehner and the Republicans just alienated their base, and it may never come back. You can't have a party - you can't win elections - without people, and Boehner just thumbed his nose at those needed to win elections. He just showed those people who called themselves Republicans and Tea Party members that being Republican is inconsistent with being in the Tea Party.
It is difficult to imagine the awful stupidity of the Republican leadership - to basically toss away any chance of winning the next election. They have just told their base, the most passionate among them, that they are not wanted, that they should go elsewhere. And the anger they have provoked among the base is as high as any anger at Democrats. It is difficult to comprehend the degree of close minded incompetence that led them to the decisions that have made.
Where do we go from here? We are literally in unknown territory. But the Republican leadership will regret this - they have cut themselves off from the people who make up the party. How the heck do the Republicans get people to vote - when what the party believes in is directly contrary to what the members believe in?
Truly the party of stupid.
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