Tea partiers, Republicans, and Republicans masquerading as tea partiers are rallying against health care reform this morning on Capitol Hill at an event they're billing as "Code Red."That's right, the entire event this week is entirely Republican. There isn't a chance in all of human history Democrats would be able to get away with organizing something like this and not take the credit for it. This is the first time I've seen this extent of grouping the whole lot together from TPM. In the past they relate the two but shy away from fully describing it as Republican. I'm their biggest critic when it comes to failing to make the connection. We welcome the new trend.
This rally is being organized by the more establishment side of the tea party movement -- or co-opted side, depending on your point of view. The sponsors include the Tea Party Express, founded by Republican operatives in California, and FreedomWorks, the corporate-funded outfit run by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey. Accordingly, the list of speakers is dominated by elected Republicans, albeit some of the more whacked members of the GOP caucus: Reps. Michele Bachmann, Marsha Blackburn, Joe Wilson, and Phil Gingrey.
Like I said, it's a long shot but it's critical for progressives and Democrats to make the GOP own their crazies. It's the only way to return to some form of basic sanity.
