Kevin Drum: The reason the tea party caucus isn't willing to compromise is because there's no pressure on them to compromise. Their constituents are as crazy as they are. They want the safety net slashed, taxes cut, the EPA put out of business, and the Fed eliminated. ...
But why? There's always been a faction of right-wing craziness in America. It's part of our DNA. But how did it become so widespread? The usual answer involves the rise of conservative think tanks, conservative talk radio, Fox News, the Christian right, and racial resentment toward a black president. And maybe that's it. Somehow, though, it doesn't feel quite sufficient...
Complaining about tea party congressmen misses the big picture. The problem is the people who voted them into office. What happened to them?
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Vitus: The problem is "[C]onservative think tanks, conservative talk radio, Fox News, the Christian right, and racial resentment toward a black president." Not so complicated - Citizens United... Also see Winner Take All Politics, chapter 7.
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