Posted: December 20, 2010 at 5:24 pm
“Establishment” GOP vs.TEA Party Legislators: Fight Set for January 3rd Starts Early
The session hasn’t even started and tensions that have been bubbling behind closed doors are flaring up publicly now between ultra-far-right wingers, on one side, and your run-of-the-mill conservative Republicans on the other.
In a press release entitled “Is the conservative mandate derailed before leaving the station?” former GOP legislator Roger Koopman, of Bozeman, fired the first public attack on the “Republican Establishment” over the lack of leadership bones thrown to the GOP’s hard-right ideologues given the fact that the TEA Party delivered the GOP a “a powerful conservative mandate” in the November elections.
Judging by who received plum leadership positions, Koopman is part right and part wrong. Wing nut appointees include Krayton Kearns (House Ag), Ted Washburn (House FWP) and David Howard (House HHS). Those guys are RWNJs all the way. So the question is, is Koopman trying just to get attention for himself, or does he honestly believe that these yahoos are somehow not conservative enough? Koopman ends the rant by calling for a separate TEA Party caucus of truly “principled” conservatives:
If there is any hope for conservative Montanans in the coming legislature, it will come from a highly organized, principled group of Republican legislators who will simply not allow the conservative mandate of November 2 to be stolen from them.
The best part, you might recall, is that Koopman was caught sucking off the government tit a while back, and basically got cited by the state for using public resources to line his own pockets.
It is fitting as it seems Dems these days are a giant mess ! Certain legislators are even anticipating fist fights to break out at the annual fundraiser in March! Should be excellent fodder for your gossip rag!!
Interesting comment. If you have details, let me know.
LOL…if the fossils in the ruling class think they have have the street smarts to win against the shrewd new TEA Party members, bring it on! They weren’t able to tame government during Mark Racicot or Judy Martz, so it seems strange that only when they are faced with a resurgence of conservatives do they get into a fighting mode and try to block the TEA party out of power. Perhaps they realize that the survival of their cushy insider life style is at stake.
Cushy lifestyle? What ARE you farting about, Patirass? Please, do explain, for you see, you seem retarded. Is THAT what the new tea party’s all about? Just curious.
LOL…I am talking about listening to the PEOPLE! Remember us!!? We sent them to do our bidding, not hoity toit around acting like big shots LOL
we have more guns LOL – note to the GOP If you want to be invited next time, you’d be smart to dance with the ones who brung you.
I am offended that the know-it-alls in the GOP is going to do is teach the newly elected, the policys and procedures of Helena the first week instead of letting us do our jobs. The GOP best realize that these newly elected people are like a bull in a china shops. Bulls don’t pay attention to “procedures and policys”…..and that is what the people want!!!!!!!!! If the GOP wants to stand up and fight the Bulls, they may just get hurt.
DAMN you’re a dumbass Skeester! This IS the Skeester, isn’t it? You’re truly are the DUMBEST sumbitch I’ve seen in a long time to make it into the Lege! And buddy let me tell ya I’ve seen some dumb ones! They really know how to grow a dumbass down south, don’t they? Oh, and BTW, LUV your grammar, dude! Never DID hear of a subject agreeing with a verb, didja? That’s OK. It’s overrated ANYway!
Larry, That’s grammer.
Grammer? How so, tubby? What’s your highest grade level achieved just for the record? You first, then I’ll follow. For you see, chub, you don’t strike me as a well-read individual. If fact, you appear to be a moron. Prove me wrong, dude.
I presume you are refering to Representative Derek Skees. I am not he, but I have heard he is a great man. Your uncivilaty and grammer leave much to be desired, sir.
It’s spelled GRAMMAR, dude! Oh, and “incivility”! Your SPELLING leaves much to be desired! Buy yourself spellcheck for Christmas, for unfortunately with atrocious spelling you’re simply reinforcing all those preconconcieved stereotypes I have about you inbreds! But hey, that’s OK. I hear you play a mean banjo!
p.s. And freedumb fighter, isn’t THAT what the dinks from the south called themselves? Freedumb fighters? This IS the Skeester, isn’t it? What a dink.
Washburn a RWNJ – now THAT is a good one. Check out his TAB rating:
http://www.montanaconservatives.com/files/TAB_RATINGS.pdf
Seems Koopman certainly doesn’t believe Washburn is a conservative – heck, Koopman may even have been behind trying to Primary Washburn. And just look who is Washburn’s vice chair on FWP – Welborn, who barely scores above Washburn.
Howard seems to fall into the “moderate” category with his TAB score.
You libs have no idea who a true conservative is. Krayton Kearns maybe TEA and maybe not. but the other heads of this monster are all RINOs
I was trying to figure out why this Dem astroturf blog still exists, and it appears that you are trying to generate a rift between the GOP and the Tea Partiers. Good luck with that one – please keep it up!
coobs, i think the fact that your own blog gets five readers a week has resulted in you having a case of vagina envy.
Vagina envy?
You mean from one or all of the ‘Cowgirls’ or one of the many anonymous names she holds conversations with herself through?
I was a Republican till I was about 21 or 22, in fact I even voted for Bush Jr. in 2000, my family is still Republican to this day, some of my uncles are strong Republicans. Yet the Republican party moved so far to the right that there was no place for me in it. My worry is that as a moderate man from Eastern Montana, will I even have a party at all at the end of this session? The Republicans are fighting amonst themselves before Christmas even though they won the election. In the Republican Party your choice is right, far right, wacky right, or get the f–k out of the party. Now the Democrats seem intent on shooting themselves in the foot, and writing off Eastern Montana. AKA Governor Schwietzer’s tax plan to take about 72 million dollars away from Eastern Montana oil producing counties and put it in the general fund. Trust me this will not earn you votes for next time in Eastern Montana. In fact people will remember this and will take this out on legisalative candidates, county commissioner candidates, and possibly county sheriff candidates in the future. Also Eastern Montana is coal country, you cant have pictures of your candidates back droped by the Rocky Mountains and the words “John Smith Supports the Environment” you are sure to lose for sure with that one. So these are my concerns
You sound fiscally conservative and socially moderate. Generally speaking, that makes you a middle of the road Republican.
The extremists on both sides generate a lot of headlines, but they don’t get to run things (with the exception of this last congress).
No I believe there are times to be liberal and times to be conservative. EXP You have 5 bucks in your pocket to make it through the week, time to be conservative. You come home to the ranch and your pasture is on fire, time to get out the water truck and be liberal with the water. If you want to put lables on me Im a very moderate middle of the road Demorcat. Because first off the moderate Republican is going the way of the horse and buggy. They are dinasors, case in point Carol Lambert got beat by the Roger Koopman squad in 2008. In 2010 the extreme Republicans targeted Lisa Murkowski in Alaska and are still in court on that deal. Ronald Regan the God to conservatives probley today would not be in the Republican Party. Teddy Roosevelt who broke up trusts and created the national parks and forest system in this country and was a true hero to conservation and hunting and fishing would today be a wild eye wacko treehugger. And he would have no home in the Republican Party. So where in the hell is my home in the Republican Party? Also what the hell happened to the Republican Party of my grandfathers day? It was old grumpy white guys who did not spend money. Today its old grumpy white guys who spend like drunken sailors, or kkk members, or the cheerleader from Wasilla.
There is nothing extreme about wanting an accountable sane government. And it is the Tea Parties, we are independent-like the United States of America.
You will just have to watch us go.
I have 2 things to say to Larry. (1) I know Derek Skees and he is a fine human being.(2) You could learn some manners,and some writing skills. Seriously son, you make leftists look bad.(Yes, i do have liberal friends.)