Tea Bagger Led GOP Wants Patriot Act Renewal

Steve Benen has an excellent take down of the fanatical and oft-repeated myth that Republicans are small government conservatives with their Tea Bagger base being even more so. Benen, justly, uses the latest GOP scheme to renew the Patriot Act as Exhibit A in debunking any serious claim to their small government mantle.

Before we get too far into it, the Bush Patriot Act is the most far-reaching, Big Government, police state piece of legislation in American history. It was passed with almost unanimous Congressional consent a little more than a month after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.  The only no-vote in the Senate came from Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), who, sadly, lost his reelection bid in 2010.  In the House, only 65 members voted against it, 62 were Democrats.  Nonetheless, the Patriot Act is the greatest legacy of Big Government in America and has been opposed by both liberal and conservative groups ever since President Bush signed it.

One would think, then, that the small government crusaders in the GOP-- since they've had their little Tea Bagger Revolution where they have promised to usher in a new era of government shrinking miracles-- would finally take a stand against renewing what is the epitome of Big Government.  Seriously, Tea Baggers are pro-small government.  They are against federal power becoming so strong that states and individuals have no rights left.  They are, by their own claiming, Reaganites that want a return to the Founders' Intentions.

Well, yeah, that's what they tell us at least.  That's how the Republican-controlled media portrays them.  They are but poor peasants marching in the streets against a tyrannical government that is forcing them to have health care when all they really want is their Medicare and Social Security left alone.

So why is Steve Benen's post so great?  Cause he does the counting (the legwork journalists won't dare do) and discovers..."[o]f the 26 Republican "nay" votes, only eight came from the massive freshman class, and many of those generally associated with the right-wing faction -- including Michele Bachmann and Allen West -- voted with the GOP leadership in support of the bill. Indeed, looking specifically at the 52 members of the House Tea Party Caucus, 44 of them voted to reauthorize the Patriot Act."

Like I've been saying, it's all about saying the right things.  You don't have to do them to be considered a fiscal conservative or a small government libertarian.  You merely need to talk about doing it, and of course be a Republican.