It appears there is some dissension in the ranks in Georgia Tea Party territory. Either that, or they not only don’t like the way government does its job, they don’t like each other very much, either.
What else could explain the fact the Tea Party of Georgia is now “splintered into several organizations that are competing for recognition,” according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Those groups, by the way, are The Georgia Tea Party Patriots. The State of Georgia Tea Party LLC and Georgia’s Tea Party, also known as the Tea Party of Georgia Inc.
How the different groups came about makes for fascinating reading, but it also shows how bumptious the political process can be when ideas collide and political philosophies clash -- and everyone involved is angry.
For example, the founder of the State of Georgia Tea Party, Bill Evelyn, told the AJC he founded his group because the Georgia Tea Party Patriots have lost their way.
“They have become an appendage of the GOP.”
But Debbie Dooley, coordinator of the Georgia Tea Party Patriots, says the other groups are merely fronts for candidates trying to latch onto the Tea Party brand, the AJC reported.
Much of the dissension centers around the Republican Party, with some accusing Evelyn of supporting state right’s activist Ray McBerry, a GOP candidate for governor. Meanwhile, the founder of the Tea Party of Georgia, Inc., has been accused of backing John Oxendine for governor.
And that could be just the tip of the iceberg.
After all, there reportedly are more than 100 Tea Party groups of one size or another in Georgia alone, so just imagine the fireworks if they all started feuding.
The bottom line is this: Though some of the Tea Party aims should find favor with any thinking American -- limiting government and promoting fiscal conservatism are particularly worthwhile causes -- their inability to get along could damage Tea Party credibility and in the long run lessen their ability to affect change.
It also shows it’s a lot easier to stand on the outside and point fingers than it is to attempt to govern.
What else could explain the fact the Tea Party of Georgia is now “splintered into several organizations that are competing for recognition,” according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Those groups, by the way, are The Georgia Tea Party Patriots. The State of Georgia Tea Party LLC and Georgia’s Tea Party, also known as the Tea Party of Georgia Inc.
How the different groups came about makes for fascinating reading, but it also shows how bumptious the political process can be when ideas collide and political philosophies clash -- and everyone involved is angry.
For example, the founder of the State of Georgia Tea Party, Bill Evelyn, told the AJC he founded his group because the Georgia Tea Party Patriots have lost their way.
“They have become an appendage of the GOP.”
But Debbie Dooley, coordinator of the Georgia Tea Party Patriots, says the other groups are merely fronts for candidates trying to latch onto the Tea Party brand, the AJC reported.
Much of the dissension centers around the Republican Party, with some accusing Evelyn of supporting state right’s activist Ray McBerry, a GOP candidate for governor. Meanwhile, the founder of the Tea Party of Georgia, Inc., has been accused of backing John Oxendine for governor.
And that could be just the tip of the iceberg.
After all, there reportedly are more than 100 Tea Party groups of one size or another in Georgia alone, so just imagine the fireworks if they all started feuding.
The bottom line is this: Though some of the Tea Party aims should find favor with any thinking American -- limiting government and promoting fiscal conservatism are particularly worthwhile causes -- their inability to get along could damage Tea Party credibility and in the long run lessen their ability to affect change.
It also shows it’s a lot easier to stand on the outside and point fingers than it is to attempt to govern.