I’m afraid I’m going to step on a couple toes here… One, for this reactionary critique of the Tea Party… Two, for not having truly delved into the whole Tea Party message (I imagine we agree on many of the eight toes remaining)… I’ll say first that I sympathize passionately with what I believe to be their message; which is Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Trade, right?

I was therefore perplexed when I witnessed, the other evening on Fox Business News’ Cavuto program, a young Tea Party co-founder mightily ripping Constitutionalist Ron Paul’s candidacy, while promoting Rick Santorum’s…

My respect for Ron Paul, and my belief that he’d win the coming general election hands-down (think Independents, Vets and college kids), doesn’t earn me much respect amongst my pals… That said, the fact that the Tea Party isn’t embracing him (he eats, sleeps and poops their message), I find troubling…

The problem as I see it is two-fold: One, Mr. Paul has no shot (if he only looked like Mitt)… And two; the Tea Party has itself morphed into a political party; subject to all the glad-handing and wink-winking: “Yes, Rick, we’ve seen your voting record; multiple yes votes on raising the debt ceiling (supposedly anathema to the Tea Party), etc., but you have a shot and we want a horse in the race. Never mind your core fiscal principles, we’ll mold ya…”

Alas, whether we’re talking Tea Partiers or the Occupiers; organize your efforts, elect officials, raise funds and before you know it, you become what you supposedly abhor, a life-source for your own rent-seeking leadership…