Were the Results of the Primaries a Tea Party Influence or an Accusation of President Obama?

Yesterday, there were Primaries in some of the states and the outcome will have political ramifications not only for the Obama Administration, but the country as a whole. The Tea Party is a new player in politics, and perhaps, these primaries will give us a clue on how much influence this new political entity has and its reach. The results of these Primaries might allow us to read the pulse of the nation and the political tea leaves… guiding us to what role the Tea Party will play during next year’s important mid-term elections.

[caption id="attachment_874" align="alignleft" width="289" caption="Barack Obama at His DeskPhoto Credit: Pete Souza"][/caption]

As of now, the Democrats have the majority in both the Congress and the Senate, along with the Presidential bully pulpit (This term bully pulpit was coined by President Theodore Roosevelt, who referred to the White House as a "bully pulpit,"). This dynamic may change… depending on who wins the mid-term elections. Think of all the important pending legislations that will be at issue: Cap & Trade for the environment; Immigration reform; financial reform; and even the recently passed health care reform bill may be subjected to amendment or outright nullification. There is an unwritten rule which gives an incoming president a honeymoon period; this honeymoon period normally last for a year or so – but the time is long gone for President Obama… so much so that the Republicans are emboldened and entrenched.

If the Republicans retake both houses, this could relegate President Obama to a lame duck… half-way through his term. Nothing on his agenda would see the light of day without drastic compromise on his part; and if our president has so little to show now with him having at his disposal both houses of Congress - then imagine the opposite. All is not lost for President Obama with such an outcome because history shows us that President Clinton was faced with the same situation, during the so called Gingrich Revolution; Clinton was so successful that America had one of its most prosperous era.

The Tea Party, who took so much scorn from the biased press in its infancy, is now a force to be reckoned with in politics. If we thought that the Tea Party’s influence during the victories in Massachusetts and Virginia were aberrations, then this result from the early Primaries where its endorsed candidate won his race, seems to be becoming a norm and a reliable trend. It is must be noted that the Tea Party does not have allegiance to the Republican establishment – case in point, the Tea Party backed candidate, Ron Paul, Jr., was elected… defeating the Republican establishment’s candidate. The million dollar question is what influence the current darling of the Tea Party, Sarah Palin, will have during the 2012 Presidential election, if she decides to run.