Six years ago I wrote the song, “American Tea Party Anthem” and was asked to perform my song at rallies across America on a Tea Party Express national bus tour. Back then, I was not politically savvy; clueless about how all this political stuff worked; back room deals, positioning, strategic narratives, optics and so on.
Like millions of my fellow Americans, all I knew was Obama, the Democrats and the MSM were pushing my country down the wrong road; exploiting the occasion of the first black president to force their dreamed socialist/progressive agenda down our throats. Insidiously, all opposition was branded racist. For this reason, I joined the Tea Party.
The hardworking decent patriots across America who attended the rallies, mostly white, mostly Christian, middle-aged and grandparents treated our team (speakers and performers) like rock stars. We were their voice in the national arena, pushing back against Obama's tyrannical overreaches, fighting for traditional principles and values which they held dear.
They were frustrated and through with voting for soulless politicians on both sides of the isle who said whatever necessary to get elected without really giving a hoot about the desires and best interest of their constituents.
A remarkable unforgettable incident from one of the early bus tours was a whistle-stop. Our team had completed a huge rally in the state and was headed to our next rally in Memphis. Our rally coordinators informed our team that some folks requested that we make a brief unscheduled road side stop before heading to Memphis; supposedly 50 or so people wanted to meet us.
As our Tea Party Express tour bus pulled up to the location off a major highway, a State Trooper was directing traffic. Five hundred or more people greeted our bus cheering and waving U.S. flags. They showered our team with baked goods, hand-knitted patriotic gifts and requests to take pictures with them and their kids. Because it was not supposed to be a rally, the truck with our sound system and staging was on its way to Memphis.
Our team climbed up on the back of a pick-up truck and some guy handed us a bullhorn. After encouraging and thanking the crowd, and spontaneous outbreaks of the crowd chanting, “U-S-A! U-S-A!”, we closed with everyone singing “God Bless America”. There were very few dry eyes in the house (on side of the road). They were extremely grateful because we were their representatives, fighting, speaking out and working for them. They trusted us. We were their heroes.
Fast forward six years. Praise God, I have grown to become Chairman of the Conservative Campaign Committee; much more politically savvy.
Frankly, the GOP establishment candidates with unlimited resources have been kicking most of our true conservative Tea Party candidate's butts in the primaries. The GOP joined the Democrats in branding the great Americans I met at over 400 tea party rallies on numerous national bus tours, a bunch of extremists and racists for simply expecting candidates to honor the Constitution and stay true to their word.
Having said that, a third party is a loser right now. While the GOP is not perfect, it is the political party closest to supporting our principles and values. Therefore, it is wise to support the GOP while working to infiltrate its ranks with as many conservatives as possible. This means that on occasion we must vote for GOP candidates who may not be as conservative as we would like.
It is crucial that we (Republicans) win the Senate. I get that. After all, I am more mature and politically savvy.
However, there is one last race in which there is a true conservative, Col. Rob Maness (ret.) running for U.S. Senate Louisiana. Folks, tea party groups and people that I respect are understandably supporting Bill Cassidy because he is polling better than Maness against the Democrat and we really need that seat. Fine. But folks, I can not do it.
I thought about the five dollar lady that I met at one of the early rallies. She took my hand and placed a crumpled up five dollar bill in it for gas for the tour bus. With tears in her eyes, she shared how Obama's policies had caused her to fall upon hard financial times and thanked me for fighting for people like her.
Folks, for me to support Bill Cassidy is a betrayal of the five dollar lady, the patriots at the whistle-stop and the tea party movement.
Bill Cassidy is a liberal whose behavior is an anathema to the Tea Party. He trashed Ronald Reagan and campaigned for Michael Dukakis. Not only did Cassidy contribute to Democrat politicians, he contributed to Mary Landrieu, the same Obama sycophant incumbent Democrat senator he is trying to unseat. How bizarre and politically soulless is that?
Cassidy repeatedly voted to increase the debt limit. He received a failing “F” grade from FreedomWorks and was labeled too liberal by Senate Conservative Fund.
Conservative Rob Maness is an American patriot who served 32 years in the U.S. Air Force. Maness has been a fighter to defund and repeal Obamacare. He has proposed a Constitutional conservative agenda of lower taxes, reducing the size and scope of government, and expanding our personal liberties; in essence, restoring what Obama and company are incrementally taking away.
Rob Maness has received thumbs up from Sarah Palin, Conservative Campaign Committee, Tea Party Express and Gun Owners of America.
All you folks who choose to hold you nose and vote for Cassidy, I get it and do not judge you. You are my patriot brothers and sisters doing what you believe to be best for our country.
I am simply saying that I can not support a RINO when there is a real conservative in the race; not after looking into the eyes of the five dollar lady. For me to go along to get along would feel like a slap in the face betrayal.
The man in my mirror forces me to support conservative Rob Maness for U.S. Senate Louisiana; staying true to my patriot sister, the five dollar lady.
Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American
Chairman, Conservative Campaign Committee