TN-08: Republican Bolts To Run As ‘Tea Party’ Independent
Posted on January 10, 2010 at 11:34 pmDonn Janes, a candidate for Congress in the 8th District, confirms that he will not file to run in the Republican primary but as an independent in the general election as a ‘Tea Party’ movement aligned candidate. From a press release:
This past Saturday, Donn Janes, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee’s 8th District spoke in Paris, TN, to an estimated 300 Tea Party activists from the West Tennessee area.
“As of today, I am no longer going to run for the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican,” Janes announced. “We need to change the way we elect our representatives. We continue to rely on the two-party system to provide us with different choices; but thanks to this corrupt system, there is little difference between the two of them. Both parties voted to increase the size of our government; both parties voted to trade your freedoms for security; and both parties are responsible for our monstrous debt, our failing economy and the exporting of our jobs overseas. I will be running as an independent Tea Party Candidate, a candidate who doesn’t answer to or work for party leadership, but a candidate who will work for the people of West Tennessee.”
When asked about what led to this decision, Mr. Janes stated that the National Republican Party continues to aggressively support candidates who lack depth on issues and conservative values, but instead focus on candidates who are able to self fund or raise large sums of money.
During the extended question and answer portion following his speech, Mr. Janes was asked if he thought his running as an independent would split the vote.
“I intend to. I will be asking for votes from both Democrats and Republicans, many who are fed up with their party’s refusal to adhere to their respective party platforms. Over the course of my traveling within the 8th District, I believe there are enough conservative Democrats and right-minded Republicans who will enable me to win.”
Janes was asked about the Proposed “Contract From America”.
“We’ve had a ‘Contract From America’ for over 200 years. It’s called the Constitution of the United States. That’s the only contract we need,” he replied.
Donn first attended a TEA Party event in Memphis, TN, on April 15, 2009. He later challenged the views of ACORN founder, Wade Rafke, at a University of Memphis Lecture. Janes participated in a “Pink Slip” TEA Party event in Nashville on November 7, 2009, to protest the currently proposed health care legislation. Last month he attended the FCC meeting in Memphis to challenge the expansion of its responsibilities.
Donn Janes is a candidate for the United States House of Representatives for Tennessee’s 8th Congressional District. A Navy veteran and businessman, Janes is an outspoken critic of how both Republicans and Democrats have continued to ignore any calls for fiscal responsibility, causing the United States to plunge deeper into debt.
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80 Responses to “TN-08: Republican Bolts To Run As ‘Tea Party’ Independent”
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I don’t know much of anything about you, Janes, but thank you for your courage and will.
Neighbor … to bad that you let your emotions overcome your intellect. The US has a two party system. 5000 years of recorded history reveals that evolution of government is the best way to change it. Revolution is a step backward and usually fails without the use of force. The true exception is the example set by Martin Luther King. He galvanized the people and organized them into a political force that couldn’t be ignored. Then he presented the Democratic Party with an offer that they couldn’t ignore. Y’all should emulate his example and do the same to the Republicans. It doesn’t matter which party you present the ultimatum to except that the Democrats are so far away from us ordinary citizens that we’ll all be better off if we just vote them out.
Actually the United States has had more than just two parties. It is only recent history that two parties have become dominant. Those that adhere to this ywo party principle just seek to keep us enslaved to the status quo. In 1854 we had two big parties, the Democrats and the Whigs. A new party called the republican party formed in 1854. In 1860 thay took the white house and the whigs faded from the scene. History is about to repeat itself.
Ken
Ken, and if there’s another potential War Between The States brewing and four regional presidential candidates to split the vote, then an independent Tea Party candidate might have a chance. Until then, the movement would be best served to work through the Republican Party apparatus than to challenge it.
My commendation to Mr. Janes for standing on principle rather than expediency. Just because there are only two parties that presently dominate the political reality of America does not suggest that men and women of strong character and principle should not stand on those strengths. Had there never been a revolution, we would still be under the tax policies of Great Britain. When the two major parties are controlled by the same un-American interewsts, it is time for true Americans to stand up and change the sad condition.
WOW! This is SO COOL!
The Republican Party is about to get its ass handed to them in the 8th District of Tennessee.
They’re about to get shown for the hypocrites they are. What do we have to do to get him registered as a TEA Party Candidate instead of an independant on the ballot? Anyone know?
As miserable as the Republican party is I wouldn’t recommend bolting from it. Look at the history of third party candidacies here:
http://www.thisnation.com/question/042.html
It is better to attempt to take over the GOP or reform it with the power of ideas or poll numbers. Voters poll most heavily against increased gov’t services and spending, against our immigration tsunami and against outsourcing… basic conservative common sense.
There is an unfortunate reason the big parties go with candidates that can gain or have high funding. It is the high cost of advertising charged by the government licensed broadcasters and liberal owned media.
Win, first, as a GOP’er and then work to un-game the system that favors two parties if you don’t like it.
ummm.. no.
This is great. The candidate is forced to bolt from the Republican Party because of the party’s continual refusal to accept candidates that actually support the constitution. To you above that state we have a 2 party system get over it, etc. don’t be naive! when both parties ACT the same you only have a one-party system. What this gentlemen is rightly trying to do is to create a 2-party system once again. Now, if voters actually will vote he will WIN just as Hoffman actually WON. Only through the use of non paper ballots can the charade of the bandit parties continue and you naysayers are only that…just stay home… the rest of us will vote for a second party (TeaParty, Constitutional Party, or Libertarian). The rest of you whiners and wimpy RepubliStinks can just stay at home, period.
Do not take the bait! We do not need a third party, we just need to show up! Do not divide your vote, gather your vote!
WE WIN WHEN WE SHOW UP! Stop preaching! Stop whining! Stop hoping! Start showing up on election day.
I don’t agree with the Tea Party going political. Politics seems to corrupt everything within it’s reach. We are more effective attacking the corrupt politicians then joining them.
Running as an Independant only gives votes to Democrats. A third party is ALWAYS a loosing party. We need to take over the Republican party and kick out Rhinos!!! (Which I am not convinced you are not….) If you are truly conservative and lay out your position, you WILL win as a Republican! Not a lying, cheating, ACORN manipulating, ACLU suing candidate like Al Frankenstien….. the DNC in-house pornographer… (No wonder he’s welcomed with open arms…or spread legs!!!) Could explain Pig-lousy’s smile….
The Republican party will be the third party. In fact, I think it already is. It is up to Janes to make the TEA Party the first party.
Divided we fall.
I’m glad he’s running as an independent if he must, but don’t go “TEA Party”.
The one registered in FL now was stared by a Democratic operative.
HELLO?!
While we’re rearranging the chairs on the Titanic…
our SEAL’s are up for court martial. Here’s the latest: http://www.dailypress.com/dp-local_seals_0112jan12,0,1519734.story
Contact those “representing us” now - and all the candidates. RAISE THE ROOF on this! It is so wrong.
Supportourseals.com
Im sick and tired of “wasting my vote” on the current 2 party system…or ‘2 card monty’ as I refer to it…”its rigged”. They are all TRAITORS of America and the American way. They ALL should be HUNG for TREASON!! Way to go Don Janes I hope Im not the only one that feels this way, posseses enough “common sense” to make a REAL CHANGE for GOOD and vote for a REAL AMERICAN. Real change will come from real bravado from the people, real unity seeking the same goal…BRING JOBS BACK TO AMERICA!! GROW OUR OWN FOOD and DRILL OUR OWN OIL!!! To HELL with ALL CURRENT POLITICIANS AND ALL OF THEM FOR THE LAST 50YRS!!! Theyre ALL TRAITORS!! WEVE BEEN SOLD OUT PEOPLE…WAKE THE HELL UP AND VOTE LIKE YOU NEVER HAVE…TEAPARTY!!
Since Donn James stated the only needed contract is the existing constitution, why not join the Constitution Party? http://www.constitutionparty.com/ It’s already the 3rd largest & making headway. Ron Paul endorsed the C.P. candidate for prez in 08.
Adding a “Tea Party” will only further split the patriotic movement that seeks to bring back the real USA spirit.
“Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.” Thomas Jefferson
People resist change because of fear. Donn Janes is brave enough to stand up and say that he does not want to be lumped in with the guilty parties; both Democrat and Republican have cost us jobs and enormous debt over the last 20+ years, and is willing to put the Tea Party name in front of his affiliation because he agrees with the principles set forth by the Constitution. He will not answer to the head of the guilty parties and the lobbyist that pay them, but to the individuals in his district. Real principled Tea Partiers will back the man, not the party. You cannot rehab the Democrat or Republican Party, there is no accountability. For Democrats and Republicans to take Lobbyist money to vote for their interest instead of yours and mine, that is corruption, and in any regular business would be illegal. How would you rehab the Republican Party? How can you make accountable those that are unaccountable? Form the Tea Party and make sure that the bylaws include accountability and transparency, and get people from every state to vote them in. 45,000 signatures in Tennessee and The Tea Party becomes a reality.
Hey JayTeaKay, your linked website does a huge disservice to all intelligent thinkers! It completely FAILS to list the Constitution Party, (now the 3rd largest), then has a link “supposedly” to it at the bottom of the page, but instead directs you to the Heritage Party website! THIS IS TYPICAL DISTORTION DESIGNED TO KEEP YOU AWAY FROM TRUTH!
http://www.constitutionparty.com/
I looked at the Constitution Party a while back.
I don’t fit in with those folks. If I want to go to church, I’ll go to church. While it is good to be a Christian, there is no need to wear it on your sleeve.
Win, first, as a GOP’er and then work to un-game the system that favors two parties if you don’t like it.
Nice try JTK. This is what is trotted out EVERY election cycle for many decades. Hasn’t happened yet and never will. If it were possible don’t you think that the Ron Pauls over the years would have done it? Yet to see him sidelined in the media and by the talk whore change agents this last go around should convince anybody employing a second brain cell that a new tactic is needed. While I won’t go into treatise here, the simple fact is that BOTH parties are controlled by a single unseen entity. Heck even JFK told us this before he was murdered by that unseen entity. Further that until this entity is dismantled and all of its stolen gain returned to the victims it is clearly and historically IMPOSABLE to do as you ignorantly suggest.
Was refreshing to see Janes refer to the Constitution of these States United as a contract. This is precisely what it is! A contract between the States (creator) and its underling the fed.gov. (its created) At no time does the created become greater than the creator and indeed the entire tenor of the document reflects this relationship.
The Constitution of these States United must be treated as the all or nothing proposition it was and is. Restoring our Constitutional Republic does in fact mean that ALL those un-enumerated fed. programs and functions go away. While its quite a bit of restructuring, I’m ready!
This whole healthcare thing (sorry I lack a descriptive term that can be used in polite company) should have been handled in one way and one way ONLY. And that was for YOU republicans to shout SHOW ME THE ENUMERATION! That’s the ONLY response that should be given. No discussion of the bill or its minutia should have EVER taken place as it is painfully clear that the enumeration doesn’t exist! As such the fed.gov. is PROHIBITED from acting.
Now as you neocons (fake republicans) didn’t do so and the talk whores refused to do so, ya’ll need to be sitting down and shutting up. Maybe, just maybe ifn ya pulled out that second braincell you might learn something from TRUE and truthful Constitutional Republican Patriot statesmen.
There should be only ONE party, anchored firmly in the Constitution!
Or perhaps you have more fun being a Hegelian divisive tool by finding ways to bash the other party. That’s ok they’re doing the same thing cause that’s the choice they have made. That entity does everything it can to keep that sham going and you keep eating the bait.
How incredibly pathetic
“Mason Weaver writes
Do not take the bait! We do not need a third party, we just need to show up! Do not divide your vote, gather your vote!
WE WIN WHEN WE SHOW UP! Stop preaching! Stop whining! Stop hoping! Start showing up on election day.”
Stop whining? yeah Bubba, you just won my heart and mind, NOT.
How about “Stop being an arrogant Jerk that thinks they can tell everyone else what’s right”. You sound like a Liberal. And probably are.
“We Win…. blah, blah, blah…”. We win WHAT? The Congress? And to do so, we elect Moderates that will enable the Socialist Liar Obama’s agenda even further and faster? And vote for it at the worst times? I guess some haven’t learned from Snowe, Collins, Spector, Kirk, and others.
The Old Leaders of the GOP keep saying we need to move to the Center to win seats, like they did in 1994. (Gingrich is an idiot). HEY, we didn’t have a SOCIALIST as POTUS in 1994. And we wouldn’t have now but those Old RINOS in the RNC broke to the Center and set us up for Obama!
Yeah, they think we didn’t notice, but we DID! And what MOST so called “Moderates” can’t seem to get their heads around is that the CENTER in Politics, is to the LEFT of Conservative Ideology! Truly a Party of Buffoons.
Time to do a spanking to the RNC, OR build a 3rd Party. And if this means we DON’T win back Congress this year, SO BE IT!!
Watch and see, this WILL be the Politics of 2010. Country and Principle before Party. The Dems can’t do it, and so far it looks like the Pugs can’t either. So, Conservatives lose seats for another two years. SO WHAT!
It’s not winning when we still see the Country going to hell as the “moderates” enable the downfall of America. One election cycle of losses WILL make a difference. And it will be the RNC who loses. Fine with me! And if anyone doesn’t like that, SO WHAT? Vote for who you want, I darn sure will! I don’t need any preaching from an arrogant idiot to do so, either!
Ron Nashif, what do you think happened before the Civil War when the Republican Party was born out of the broken down Whigs and Lincoln drew the anti-slavery Democrats to the new Republicans?
It isn’t overstating things to say that the present two party system needs to break down in the same way, so that a party of fiscal conservativism and small business free marketers can lead the country to economic renewal, drawing its support from conservative and patriotic Democrats and Republicans. From my reading, that is what the Tea Party movement is about.
If one of the rotten existing two parties survives, as the Democrats did after the Civil War, they will at least have to confront a Party that represents the majority American view - unlike the present two-party conspiracy that we live under now.
When it’s you and me making the deal and keeping it secret,it isn’t difficult.When we start to let others in on our plans it begins getting harder to keep the secret and the deal gets difficult to put together so everybody is satisfied.If for no other reason, this is reason enough to have more parties.
Oh great, another Obama term, and the Dems hold on to congress.
Stupid people like this gave us facism under the Wilson Democrats. Our country never saw anything like that. Same stupid Ross Pero voters gave us Bill Clinton and large Democrat majorities. Same stupid voters “punished” Republicans and gave us supermajorities of evil socialist democrats.
Hey stupid voters let me clue you in on something. If you cannot take over the Republican party then you cannot win national elections against the Democrats. Stupid voters who think they are so rightious in what they believe. Yet stupid is as stupid does. One more time dufuses. Taking over the Republican party is tens times as easy as winnong national elcetions against the demon motivatied pagen Democrats. You are losers, motivated by those same demons to give us the devils canidates as our national leaders. Thanks allot.
Not a good decision. By spliting the vote, Roy Herron goes to Washington to serve Obama and Pelosi. Fly the Tea Party flag in the primary. If it’s strong enough, you will win the nomination and have a united conservative majority to win the 8th.
Unless the Republicans nominate a moran, an independent will guarantee another Democrat victory. I was looking forward to a civil debate with the 3 Republican candidates.
I support the tea party but not as a third party! History has proved if you vote 3rd party and your a republican Democrats win! Dont blow it guy’s!
A GUARANTEED WIN FOR THE LEFT!
The Tea Party Movement is only beneficial if it serves to drag the Republican Party back to the right. However, if it becomes a 3rd party and splits the CONSERVATIVE VOTE it will guarantee HUGE DEMOCRAT MAJORITIES for the rest of time.
I simply cannot imagine anything more idiotic.
The idea is to run as a Republican on the TEA PARTY PLATFORM, not to run on the TEA PARTY TICKET which would give absolute victory to the left.
Wow, this will be disastrous if it picks up momentum.
Anyone remember 1992? 1996? 2000?
Three presidential elections in a row where a third party split the majority vote and the minority candidate won.
Fail to understand history, destined to repeat it. Pay attention, folks - third parties demonstrably do the opposite of what you intend. Republicans switching to a third party only ensures that Democrats will be re-elected.
It’s a pretty good example of “cutting your nose off to spite your face.”
Tea Party Candidates = Democrat Victory
You want to know why we got the RINO John McCain to run as POTUS? Because Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee split the Conservative Vote. If all Conservatives had voted to Romney or Huckabee, McCain would have stood no chance.
DO NOT start a 3rd party Tea Party people. If you do so, you are embecilic and not brave.
We don’t need a third party. We need to take control of the Republican Party. Jane is playing into the Democrat and RINO’s hands. All he will do is give the seat to a Dem and cost the tea party movement credibility.
Wow! I am disappointed to read how negative you all are concerning this!! Maybe you didn’t read the Poll that came out about two weeks ago. They posted a third “straw man” party, which was the Tea Party and 41% polled said they would vote for a Tea Party canidate before a democrook or republican. I think 30 some persent would go dem. and only 18-20 would vote republican. The two parties are one in the same now. We NEED something different if we are to save our Republic!!! Wake up people and support the canidates that support the Constituion!!!
Remember that we got 8 years of Clinton because of Ross Perot. Conservatives should NEVER take this bait, they should take the GOP instead
This is encouraging news! As has been stated in previous posts, the lines are definately beginning to blur between the two current parties; really a system of 1.5 parties. JFK has been in the news lately; if he were running today, he’d be labeled as a “right wing, religious war monger”!
Small Federal gov’t, States rights, lower taxes, strong borders and adhering to the Constitution… would seem like a pretty good platform on which to run. Good Luck!
One America. Two major political parties. The Democrats are on the wrong side of history and the issue of the day while the opposing party continues to waffle on that same issue. Soon, the voters get angry. The majority won’t vote Democrat and they can’t stomach what the Democrat party stands for.
But they don’t vote for the opposition party because they are tired of the same old crap from them too.
So… what happens?
The issue: Slavery
The date: 1860
The party players: Democrats and Whigs
The result: Voters bolt the Whig party and form the Republican Party which stands against slavery and successfully pulls our nation through the American Civil War, resolving the slavery issue.
The Whig Party? Relegated to the ash-heap of history.
So… those who say ‘A vote for a Tea Party candidate is a vote for the Democrats’ is not aware of history. Maybe they are just afraid that their Republican Party for which they’ve committed their lives is about to go the way of the Whig Party.
Well, I say… vote what is good for AMERICA and not for what will benefit a petty political party!
http://www.cooljim.com/whatareyou.html
Good luck, Donn Janes!! Have at it!!
Jim Boyd
This is disturbing in that it will give democrats more power in the end by splitting republicans. We saw how the democrats exploited Ross Perot and his movement in the ’90s and we ended up with 2 terms of Bill Clinton. I’m afraid that even with all the good intentions and coservative values being highlighted, that we may be about to repeat that nightmare again if this trend continues.
To those who think the Tea Party needs to work within the Republican party to change it….I could not disagree more.
I hope this candidate wins and does well in the election.
Since the last presidential election I refuse to vote republican at the national level ever again(unless some serious change comes, which I doubt it will).
Watching McCain run for the party was pathetic….I could not tell the difference between him or Obama.
I will to continue to vote third party for the foreseeable future.
Either way the current two party system is set on destroying this country, our currency and our economy. It is just a matter of which party gets to it quicker Reps. or Dems.
@Bill Mitchell
“DO NOT start a 3rd party Tea Party people. If you do so, you are embecilic and not brave.”
************************************************
Wow….so you call those who do not vote the way you say as stupid….that is great. No possible way that those who disagree with the Dems or the Reps could be smart….
If I have to vote against the Reps. and Obama gets another 4 years in office….so be it. We are that much closer to a national reset.
How was Bush any better or conservative…and McCain for that matter.
How many social programs did Bush side with the left on??
Seth,, I will not be voting, Democrat or Republican, I will be voting conservative.
I dont care what letter is after the canidates name.
@TNVolunteer73
Amen brother.
It is a horrific idea. Yes, Ronald Reagan wanted us to be a party of bold colors and not pale pastels, but he STILL ran as a Republican in the primary against Gerald Ford to change it and make it so. IF this becomes a trend, and these folks start siphoning off conservative votes. The Republican party will have to track to the middle and beyond to siphon off dem votes to get elected. Then, instead of pushing them ideologically in the primary, they get a free pass and we end up with oodles of moderates to the tea parties 1 maybe 2 who will actually manage to get elected. It is bad for the conservative movement (we lose seats), bad for the tea parties (they become seen as the ones who killed 2010 and strengthened a liberal congress, and bad for the Republican party (become extreme in their moderation because of political realities). There are NO winners in this except the 1 or 2 who manage to get elected, which really makes this more about ego on his part not what’s best for the movement
LindaB the Republicans Tracked to the middle in 2008. they lost.
The only positive in the 2008 Campain was Palin, Who today is sitting in the Chair Ronald Reagan was sitting in 1977.
I am telling you. This is why the Liberals are so desperate to Distroy her they see it too,
Barak Carter is setting the stage for the Reagan Revolution part II
So, if a Tea Party candidate appeals to more voters, won’t he or she win? Let the people decide.
The big problem with the republicans, maybe any party really….is that if Health Care gets passed, they will not repeal it. Any social program that has passed, has never been repealed….so we would be stuck with it…
Now the adding to the “Health Plan” (what it can do) would be slowed with Reps in control….versus the Dems. But it would not go away.
If the Reps. were serious about it, wouldn’t you have started hearing chatter about rolling back The Health Care bill?? But they haven’t.
So we will get stuck with it if it is passed.
I think a third party would stand a better chance of rolling it back….and putting something in place that would reform Insurance plans.
Sorry, but I feel the reps. are lost….especially when you watch them beat the race drum against Reid.
Honestly, what does that do…..???
They are all preaching to the choir on this one and makeing themselves look stupid. We all know there is a double standard….the Reps. need to get over it, and realize that Reid will lose his election.
So hoofing and tweeting on this issue is really a dumb idea.
Linda B is rite on the money. You will be useless if you cannot improve the Republican cacuss numbers in order to gain seats on different committees and raise our Republican numbers in the House and Senate. When I see a person do this i cannot help but wonder if this would be a Democrat plant. I think We should change the name of our Tea Party Movement.By changing our name to TPCSCR all the conservative candidates would be identified immediately and meet and vote in the Republican caucus, slowly dominating it to the point of having our common sense Republican party back. Then fight forever to never loose it again. Anyone running as an Independent or Dem. will not help us to get a majority in the House and Senate. I would be honored and proud to call myself a TEA PARTY COMMON SENSE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN (TPCSCR) if I were running for office anywhere in USA. You would immediately get the support of some Dems an Independents. They would know immediately what you stood for even thought you was running as a Republican. How could any devoted American or(Maligned Democrat or Independent) that is for our Constitution and Bill of Rights and all the orginal intent and meanings of our founders not want get back home and revive this great Nation and to stand tall and be an individual ovement.
@John Kelley
Didn’t the Reps. have the chance under Newt and his contract w/ America??
Then the Reps. Swept into power, and the election win of Bush….and then what happened?
They all forgot what they were supposed to be doing for “We the People”
So the Reps. were given a chance and they blew it.
“Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice…..”
Reps. cannot be trusted in my opinion, sorry.
Let them wander the wilderness a little while longer.
Seth,
I think you miss the point exactly what happen w/Gingrich. This is why the party needs to track back to the right w/conservative candiates. We need to get the party back to it’s roots not create another party which in history has never worked. I am running for congress and will be running on my R ticket not another party that will send votes to the dems. Please keep up!
Bad idea.
Seth,
That is the point why we need to take the party bcak from the left amd move back to the right conservative party we once were. You missed the point. I am running for congress and will be running on the R ticket not a third party it is like committing suicide and will make the TP’s irrelevant
@Linda
Good Luck with your election.
But I will say this, I have not missed the point.
I have a different point on things altogether.
And I think the Reps. are just as corrupt as the Dems.
You remember that Jefferson guy that stashed the money in his freezer?? Go back and look at what happened in Congress…the uproar from both sides of the aisle about how the FBI was wrong about its actions.
This from both Reps and Dems…mad that the FBI did its job….it just happened to be against one of them. It is a big old club up there….both parties are just different feathers on the same bird.
And to say that third parties have never worked….please, that is just insulting.
Go back and look at our history a bit closer…..there were a bunch of parties throughout history.
You think a third party is committing suicide?
Look at the election in New York last year.
Had that RINO removed her name off the ballot (she should have since she dropped out)…..then most likely Owen would have won.
Local elections I am more apt to vote republican….but on the national scene….sorry.
The Reps. just offer me nothing.
Throwing the abortion card out there is just getting old…it is settled law…
Yes, lower taxes are great….
Tell me where you will cut spending and that you will actually do it.
You can’t cut taxes and then increase spending, ala Bush. Doesn’t work.
Tell me how you are gonna do Torte reform so businesses are not held up in courts for years stopping them from expanding….
Give me your website so I can view your platform LinaB, I would like to read what is on your mind.
Seth. I understand your anger and your argument I was in the same boat. You cannot say what has been is what will be. Have faith that us conservative Tea Party Republicans have more sense than the batch that we are replacing. Most every person in America have had a big awaking. No one will ever pull this on us again, in my lifetime, I hope. We must unite and dont’t be fooled by the enemy trying to split us up. We are Tea Party Common Sense Conservative Republicans and no one can steal that from us again.
While Donn Janes may believe he is acting on principle, this is a huge political mistake. Even if the Democrat in TN-8 only gets 40% of the vote, he could win a 3-way race! Ross Perot with his 19% in 1992 gave the White House to Bill Clinton–what good did he do for conservatives?
Let’s face facts–if we don’t like what the Democrats are doing, we must vote for Republicans. If Donn Janes believes the Republican leadership is not conservative enough in TN-8, he should run in the Republican primary there, and let Republican voters decide who should represent them in the general election.
Who is the most successful conservative in recent history? Ronald Reagan! What did Reagan do? He campaigned on conservative principles WITHIN the Republican Party, and brought the party to his ideas, and won with them. This is what Donn Janes should try to do in TN-8.
United we stand, divided we fall.
Sorry, but running as a third party candidate is political suicide. You don’t like the Republican party or the candidates they put up, then change it. Get on the state central committees for the GOP, they are the ones that endorse candidates and control the direction of the GOP. From their you can jump to the national level. It is impatience and a lack of organization that are going to stop the People from returning to Liberty. It’s actually time to take a page out of Alinsky’s book.
http://libertyspeaks.typepad.com/liberty_speaks/2010/01/the-tea-party-is-not-a-third-party.html
@John Kelley
Your words give me some hope….
But I have a lot of doubt about the Reps. party in general.
I have no idea of what they will run on this year…
Other than “We aren’t the Democrat party”….
Yeah, great…..we need leaders and people who are not looking to fill their pockets with lobbyist money.
Tell the lobbyist and companies to take their money and use it in competition against other companies.
Lets get Government out of the picture a bit….I think it has its place, but I also believe that some of what they have put in place is what cripples our economy.
@Steve Z
This is the throw away vote argument.
I don’t agree. If a Rep. candidate only agrees with me on about 30% of the issues (McCain), then they obviously don’t need my vote anyways.
I agreed more w/ Ron Paul, but he gets totally ridiculed on the right….his foreign policy I question a bit, but economically I agree with him.
So I will vote Rep. when they can get someone that I can agree w/ on at least 60% or more of the issues.
Neighbors …. the spirited discussion is wonderful. We all have access to the same information and there are lots of different opinions. And, there is a consensus. Ross Perot was mentioned and is likely the best example of what happens in the world of near instantaneous individual communications. Perot had unlimited funds available, succeeded in electrifying lots of people. The end result was 2 terms for Bill Clinton. We can have what we want if we focus on our goals and play the game according to the rules that exist. After we get people elected we can change the rules. your neighbor, ron
@Christine
If I felt I could run on what I believed and get elected, then I would…
But I don’t even think my wife would vote for me.
She says I am too right/conservative. Which politics is the art of compromise….
I am too black and white. LOL
To my friends in the Tea Party movement, you are winning. Look at NY 23, Florida GOP Chairman Greer and other locations. You are changing the GOP and with great success.
However, if there were 2 ‘conservative’ parties, we will lose elections. Its simple math, politics is a game of addition.
I don’t believe Janes is really doing this out of belief. Janes doesn’t have a path to victory in the primary, so he switches to Tea Party. You know someone else that switched because they saw they couldn’t win…..Arlen Spector. Don’t be fooled by opportunists.
The Tea Party movement has made tremendous progress and now they can be a victim of success. Look at the convention in Nashville. Over $500 a ticket! How does a typical grassroot activist afford that. I get the need to raise money to fund conservative candidates but, they don’t have any organization to cut checks with. Yep. At the moment, all the money raised at the convention will be placed in a bank account and they have no ability to fund conservative candidates.
I have been fighting the establishment for years. And we are finally getting some progress, don’t give up now. Make the party of Lincoln and Regean change back to its foundations from the inside. If not, be prepared to have democrat control for many more years.
Seth I am in the process w/my manager and consultant getting that up and running. I am staying under radar right now so as my RINO will underestimate me. Then when it’s too late to stuff his coffers I will hit him. You can contact me at censusrights@gmail.com and I will give you my stances on the issues.
Jim Boyd, I’m with you!
@LindaB
Email sent twice…I messed up on the first one.
Sorry.
I don’t see what the big commotion here is about.
If the GOP can’t (or won’t) run a conservative candidate in any given district (for whatever reason), then why should anyone object to a person who runs as an independent?
What we need to know from the reporter in this article is the nature of the other, GOP candidates. Don Janes hints that the other candidates are not conservative. Is this true? The reporter failed to provide any, objective information about the GOP candidates. If they are conservative, then Don Janes may be doing a disservice to CONSERVATISM by splitting the conservative vote. But if the GOP who emerges from the primaries is not a conservative then Don Janes is not splitting the vote and is, in fact, doing conservatives a huge favor by teaching the GOP a lesson that they cannot run RINO’s and expect conservatives (who form an overwhelming majority of the GOP) to remain loyal.
Let’s hear more about the GOP candidates and then conservatives can decide whether we need Don Janes to run or not.
Lots of people are mentioning Ross Perot. I think the more relevant example is Ralph Nader and the Green Party in 2000. He caused algore to lose.
But the consequences of that loss are what are interesting. To avoid having their Party split again the Democrats moved way to the left and they have stayed there ever since.
If losing a few elections across the country because of split votes will cause the Republican Party to shift to the right to avoid splitting the vote then I am willing to lose a few elections. You have to break some eggs to make an omlet.
On the otherhand, if we keep allowing the Republicans to get away with offering us unprincipled centrist candidates who are willing to play nice with leftests then we are going to keep getting unprincipled leftest government. What we have been doing is not working so it is time to try something different.
I was clear as a bell and still you couldn’t fathom moronic simplicity (as usual).
The tea party as with all visible like movements has been co-opted. In the tea party’s case it has been co-opted by Neocons and will be used by them to regain power OR at a minimum to keep the well meaning folk within from having a large impact. The Hegaelian concept is to get them riled up to do “something”. Said something will be fruitless and not achieve the restoration needed. Once you get the tea party movement chasing their tails, they pose no threat to the controlling entity. All is designed to keep well meaning folk from being effective and MOST importantly UNITING under the one banner they don’t want!
So, you say change and work within the Republican party. Wow this is a bold and new approach that just might work. Oh wait a minute you missed the part where I told you that this has been trotted out for decades and has NEVER worked. Yes even in Reagan’s case.
Point of fact!
Ron Paul ran on the rep. ticket (much to our consternation)Lets revisit what happened to him.
Most importantly, you morons wouldn’t support him!
The talk whores did everything in their power to denigrate him!(Glen Beck and Lars (Farce) Larson come to mind among others)
The “debates” were decidedly slanted against him!
When he did get a question it ran along the lines of
“You don’t actually think you can win do you?”
Not policy questions for sure!
Had his Constitutionally based policies seen the light of day in an un-rigged and controlled system he would have been elected by a land slide! Any candidate that says he/she will abolish the IRS and personal income tax has a definite leg up. This was but one of MANY Constitutional based issues he stands for. Thought you guys were for lower taxes, yet you vote for McPain who told you he was going to raise your taxes astronomically. (whatdoya think the “bail-outs” were/are to name just one instance?
So you see your position is void of both reason and fact. The ONLY pure constitutionalist running and you wanted nothing to do with him. However the worst possible candidate who stayed in the race when others were exiting in MUCH better shape, him your going for because somehow you think he is the lesser of two evils which is another idiotic talking point that you always trot out. This happens EVERY cycle and you keep drinking the same Koolaid.
Yet we’re the stupid and unenlightened idiots?
I think not. NONE of your savior candidates over the years has been a Constitutionlist, NONE!
If we don’t adhere to the Constitution of these States United, even in minutia, we are slaves and are defecating on the supreme efforts of our founders who were VERY clear on these issue’s.
That your inability to understand these simplistic principals cause me and mine to have to go down this road with you pisses me off in weaker moments.
The analogy I see is that of crabs boiling alive in the pot. The crab that realizes he is being boiled alive and tries to get out is pulled back in by the other crabs. The thought of getting out with the one enlightened crab never crosses your mind or if it does you are too fearful to try it.
Stop being spoon fed and do your own thinking! you’ve never tried it before, it might work!
Until you understand this VERY simplistic issue you can’t even begin to restore our Constitutional Republic.
“We’ve given you a Republic, IF YOU CAN HOLD IT”
Ben Franklin
And yet you have no idea how to hold it, do you, for if you did you would have supported the REPUBLICAN candidate that most definitely did.
The Obamination that we are living through is YOUR fault not ours. Perhaps you still think that Obama is preferable to Ron Paul. How dare you blame us for siding with the Constitution. It is YOU who is the Torrey, not us!
@ Canine
Your ranting completely undercuts your point.
Breathe, man, breathe.
The biggest voting mistake I made in my life was Perot in the 92′ election handing the election to Clinton.
From that point on I will never support a third party candidate.
Look at the disagreements on this thread alone. If we are divided on this thread what makes everyone think we will be united on election day?
Ronald Reagan lost the nomination in 76′ but he didn’t go pouting about how he got treated bad. Instead his persistence won him the 80′ primary and the rest is history.
The Republican party is a well recognized political vehicle that can be greatly improved by removing the leadership establishment. There are many good candidates running in the primaries all across the country and we need to stand against them, while at the same time stand against the RINO’s so they are primarried out.
The Tea Party movement has been a blessing because it was a vehicle that awakened the sleeping giant. Though popular, it should be politicized as a political party. It’s should stay genuine as it is now, not contaminated by politics.
Stick to your guns and don’t give up on on Conservatism in the Republican party.
TS Alfabet,
Have you not been following along? I’m pretty sure that Fincher is what prompted Janes to tell the GOP to go fly a kite.
Fincher is running a campaign on our tax money and being supported whole heartedly by the Republican Party in DC. A true conservative does not have a chance against that in the Republican Primary because the Republican party is not conservative at all! Not even a little bit.
TS provides us with another prime Hegelian tactic.
Don’t address the issue’s or stated fact. Rather use the divisive tactic of sidelining the messenger by name calling or other forms of attack. I and a growing segment of the population are mere “ranters”.
Why not go for the throat and use the mother of all accusations and insist that I’m anti semitic as well.
Hmm… seems like I recall this tactic being used to sideline another presidential candidate the the past.
Wasn’t true but that didn’t matter once the “entity” made the false accusation, they had the media “stones” to make it stick. His name? A catholic named Pat Buchanan. Why did they do this? Simple, Because he was winning.
As to my “breathing”, I breath fine even when you’re trying to gag me…
Firm and fact based revelation does not a “rant” make. Nice try
I agree w/ Gotta Wonder,
It is hard to vote for a conservative republican, cause ultimately he is owned by the GOP….so most likely he will tow the party line, even if conservatives disagree with it.
Case in point.
Bush and TARP and funding GMC and Chrysler.
Everyone person said “NO!” and so did congress….
What did he do?
He went to Paulson and got the money from TARP and gave it to GMC and Chrysler. Against our wishes.
Allowing for Unions and failing companies to remain as is. What was he hoping?? To get the Union vote??
Compassionate Conservative. LOL.
First, let me write that I was not going to post anything since after reading countless diatribes on so many site, I realised the vast majority of people posting will never hear nor understand a view point opposing theirs, EVER! They will also never hear or accept anything other than their own, sometimes sad, revision of history.
I will try to be brief and forward some of the gross errors in judgment I have seen here (and in so many other site commentaries). As a quick background, I am a college grad, former military, former Republican. I left the party because of the heavy right turn the party was taking and its growing intolerance of anyone with different viewpoint. I will never join the Democrats and see both parties being pulled to their extremes(and, in my personal view, the ends of the political spectrum bend toward one another and hence both parties are becoming nearly identical, think fascism and communism for an analogy).
To correct many of the incorrect assertions of the 1992 and 1996 elections, Ross Perot DID NOT spoil those elections. Check the fact that he received zero (0) electoral votes. None. Nada. The electoral college elects your president, not popular vote. Several polls taken showed that Perot voters were mainly split between the two, main party candidates. NO SPOILER! That is a lie perpetuated by a party that failed to convince the voters that their candidate was better, plain and simple. And to be fair, I did not vote, nor like, Clinton.
To put in perspective, many of you feel that McCain’s failure was trying to embrace the middle and ignoring the Republican core. Ummmm, Sarah Palin anyone? She was an attempt to satisfy those same core Republics who threatened to not support McCain. He looked to be tacking right, began alienating the centre, and *boom* he lost. Obama, the great charlatan, was able to snooker the centre and hence, won.
One thing that appartchiks of both parties don’t like is when grown-ups decide to govern from the centre to create as balanced, and fair, a system within the framework of the Constitution, ya know, that little scrap of paper the “Demicans” like to ignore whenever they want. Ron Paul is one of those amazing candidates who seems to be in all parts of the political spectrum depending on who is attacking/supporting him. I love him, I disagree with him at times, but agree that the “mere scrap of paper” is the contract agreed upon so long ago, and if you don’t like it, amend or create a new one.
To agitate, or hopefully stimulate, more Jefferson was a great writer, but a was also a walking dichotomy and one must quote with care. He was not happy with the Constitution, as noted in his letters to Madison during the Constitutional Congress, and often by act and word talked of its dissolution. Not bashing him, just trying to bring him back to life and make one of the greatest idealist of his time a little more “real.” Wilson may have been a Dem., but he was a major conservative, sometimes fascist, and a “racist.” for those of you who want to return to conservative roots, you may have to move to Canada. That is were the first conservatives went, though they were known as loyalists and beat feet when they and the Brits lost the Rebellion of 1775.
I am suree I forgotten most of what I meant to say. Bottom line is the Dems. are fractured, but still have a charismatic leader (and his cronies/handlers) to control the herd. The Republicans have no true leader, often pay homage to bellicose voices (e.g. Palin and Limbaugh) who curdle the blood of intelligent, educated, free-thinking people and demand absolute obedience in all things. For you Dems., I only seemed to pick on Republicans, but believe me when I write that your dear party also is full of it and I only had more right wing targets here. Down with both parties and long live, centrist, Independent, Constitutional, governance.
@crow01
“To put in perspective, many of you feel that McCain’s failure was trying to embrace the middle and ignoring the Republican core. Ummmm, Sarah Palin anyone? She was an attempt to satisfy those same core Republics who threatened to not support McCain. He looked to be tacking right, began alienating the centre, and *boom* he lost. Obama, the great charlatan, was able to snooker the centre and hence, won.’
—————————————————–
Well I must be the exception to the rule….because I decided early on I would not vote for McCain (I saw him as a continuation of Bush)….even w/ the addition of Palin…..
Even if she were to run in 2012 or 2016…..I don’t know if I could vote for her then either.
Both she and Obama have a lot to learn when it comes to media and they need to better understand how to handle it. Maybe go back and watch some Reagan clips or something.
Nice letter Crow. But, Jefferson was against the constitution (while in France) because it guaranteed no rights for the individual. Once the Bill of Rights were added, he agreed to support it.
To govern from the middle is silly on its face. Sure, politics is an art of compromise, but governance is an art of reason.
Politics is ugly on its face because the people are twarted by self interests. The GOP need help with more conservatives being active, not condemnation giving the Dems the keys to our bank accounts.
PS. James will lose. He acted in his own interests because he cannot communicate the values he believes. It was a cowardly act of self-preservation.
Whatever it is, it sure is working for him. He’s gotten more press in two days than he has in 6 months.
Bush was a lot of things, a Conservative was not one of them. Bush was a T. Roosevelt style progressive.
We voted from Change from a T. Roosevelt progressive to a Maoist progressive.
For too long we have voted to win. The choice has been for a long time the choice between evil or the lesser of two evils. We have complained for years that our politicians do not represent our core convictions. Example: When the Cardinal refused communion to Rep Kennedy because his vote on abortion. Kennedy ran his campaign on ProChoice but he didn’t think he should be responsible for his votes. It is time to start voting for values not R or D.
Catch Donn Janes tonight at 6pm CST on Fox Business “Americas Nightly Scoreboard.”
Oldwiseandcurious, paying $600,000 for a seat in Congress (Everybody else in the race so far, Roy Herron and Stephen Fincher) is acting in your own self interest, and is a good down payment on the national debt. Preventing your own Campaign Finance Manager from accepting solicitations from corporations (Donn Janes) and finding unique ways to let people know you think like they do, is called true at heart.
A party such as the Constitution Party and the Tea Party movement could push the Republicans further to the left/center and allow the Constitution Party to overtake the Repubs like the Repubs did the Whigs 150 years ago. I don’t see a monolithic party such as the Dms or Repubs being ‘taken over’ by any movement. They only seek to use movements such as the Tea Parties or weak 3rd parties to their advantage. The people are stronger, but not united.
The “teabagger movement” is a total waste of time and will become meaningless(if it hasn’t already)unless the outcome is a the birth of a third party. The GOP has been totally hijacked by far right conservatives and religious fanatics for a long time. As the teabagger element tries to grow and move out from under this restrictive umbrella of the GOP, all money and forces are moving from within the GOP to control the “teabaggers”. They want survive, as illustrated by the “Nashville Bash”. The public image grows worse with each event they try to pull off. Any movement that has a chance to succeed must be able to draw Republicans, Dem’s, and Independents. As long as the movement is controlled by the GOP and their reactionary political ideology, the movement is dead. Their spin is that this anger, discontent and distrust with the government be directed at the Democrat Party. The voters are already seeing through this farce. A new party has to have term limits, a limit of $100 per person contribution for each election. Corporations, labor unions, pacs or any groups set up to help political organizations can not give any money for political campaigns. No one will serve longer than 6yrs and both houses would be 1/3 rotated out every two years. They then could never work as a lobbyist. This would end seniority, having to raise money for next campaign, lobbyists control and pension plans. We would be talking about a party of the people not Corporate America. But how do we get this concept down to the intelligence level of the “Ditto Heads, Those Hannitized, Followers of Beck awaiting for their daily revelation delivered from his ascension from the mountain top. These individuals have been fed such a daily dose of propaganda over a long period of time, the damage done may be irreversible. Maybe in the years to come, technology will be able to offer help! Teabaggers bring on a third party if you are to have any relevance.
[...] clever bit of buzz-leveraging from Tennessee independent Donn James, who bolted the GOP last month and whose campaign website now features all nine principles espoused by Glenn Beck’s 9-12 [...]
Is Don Janes Gay? Decide for yourself…
First, go to: cnn.com/video/?/video/offbeat/2010/03/08/moos.psalms.on.palins.palms.cnn
1:29 minutes into the video, Janes show you something written on his hand. Notice that his ring finger is SUBSTANTIALLY longer than his index finger.
Now, go to: http://www.unl.edu/rhames/courses/readings/homofinger/homo_finger.html and read the 30 March 2000 article in NATURE.
Hummmmmm….
Packery
Keep clicking the heels of your ruby red slippers together repeating the mantra:
“The Tea Party is astro-turf, and will go away”