Who's really at fault for this mess? Is it really just the Tea Party Republicans?
No. And we need to spread the word for next election.
Every single moderate republican in the House and Senate has been an Enabler for the Tea Party. Without their votes, the Tea Party would not have been able to change House rules to prevent a clean CR from coming to the floor. Without their votes, the Senate could not have filibustered a clean raising of the debt ceiling (I'm looking at you, Susan Collins. Just a couple days earlier said she supported a clean bill). Had these Enablers thought rationally, a clean CR would have passed the House weeks ago.
We need to spread the word that these "moderates" are not really moderate at all. They are mouthpieces for the Tea Party. They are the sole reason the Tea Party has any power what-so-ever. Fine, these Enablers are scared of being primaried by a Tea-Partier. So, then they make Tea Party-like statements and demonstrate Tea Party-jingoism. And, meanwhile they spew BS like "we need to keep the government open" and "we want a clean debt ceiling increase".
It's not that the Tea Party is part of the GOP anymore. We need to make voters aware that these Enablers and Republicans are really just part of the Tea Party right now. I hope Dems can get this word out next election, when most Americans will have forgotten this debacle. We need our House and supermajority back and it starts with these GOP "moderates" in Congress.