Anti-Establishment Pushback

Hey hung up Mr Normal
Don't try to gain my trust
--The Who

In 2010 the Republican Party won a big midterm election, largely on the back of Tea Party voters fed up with the GOP establishment. We noted that the establishment would try to co-opt or otherwise purge many of the incomers in order to maintain the status quo--that being of ever bigger federal government whether it be powered by Democrats or Republicans in Washington.

Fast forward to today and the status quo remains in place. With some noteworthy exceptions, the mandate for change conveyed by the 2010 vote has largely gone unanswered. The federal government is larger and wields more control over people's lives.

Dissatisfaction with the GOP's non-responsiveness is clearly evident this primary season. Voter preference for a few anti-establishment candidates has swamped votes for a dozen plus Main Line hacks.

Of course, the extent to which the anti-establishment candidates actually are 'anti-establishment' in action largely remains to be seen. But there can be little doubt that the Republican Party as we have known it is coming apart at the seams.

A battle of ideas has commenced. This battle was inevitable and is long overdue.