San Diego’s largest Tea Party, Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition (SCTRC) went on the record and said they would break with the Tea Party Nation and will not tackle social issues like abortion, immigration and gay marriage.
The Fox News channel guest Judson Philips, founder of Tea Party Nation, a for-profit social network and convention organizer, who announced to his membership that the Tea Party movement needs to abandon its “fiscal conservative-only” identity and pick a side on social issues.
The SCTRC (also home of the San Diego Tea Party Patriots), strongly disagrees with Philip’s new strategy. “The co-founders of the SCTRC wish to go on the record that our group will focus solely in a fiscal-oriented policy that centers on lower taxes, sensible spending plans, and limited government.”
The grassroots movement grew in numbers largely because they stayed away from thorny issues.
“Our Tea Party started as a fiscally conservative movement, and will remain so under our stewardship,” said Sarah Bond, SCTRC Chief Executive Officer. “Social issues divide Americans. People have made up their hearts and minds on abortion, gay marriage, etc. We suspect that many of our compatriot Tea Party groups across the country hold this same position, and will continue to concentrate solely on a fiscally conservative platform. Fiscal responsibility is a uniting issue.”
Comments 1
It’s great to see my local San Diego Tea Party chapter — the So Cal Tax Revolt Coalition — limiting itself to fiscal issues. Runaway govt spending (and the taxes that such spending generates) is the glue that holds the decentralized Tea Party movement together.
Some conservatives want the Tea Party to adopt the full conservative agenda, but it ain’t gonna happen. Moreover, many conservatives within the Tea Party understand this, and — while doubtless still holding to their social conservative positions — put these divisive issues largely aside to unite our effort to rein in our ever-growing national, state and local governments.