Does Romney Truly Embrace Tea Party Principles? – OpEd

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I preface my following statements regarding Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney with enthusiastically saying, “ABO, Anybody But Obama”. Any Republican is a thousand times better for America than Obama. Obama is an evil divisive man willing to sacrifice national black/white race relations to further his anti-America socialistic, some say communist, agenda. Gee Lloyd, how do you really feel?

Thus, if Romney wins the Republican nomination you will hear me singing his praises, “Mitt Romney he’s our man. If Mitt can’t do it no one can! GOOOOO ROMNEY!!!”

Now that I have that out of the way, here is what happened at our Tea Party Express V national bus tour rally in Romney country, Concord, NH.

Mitt Romney was the featured presidential candidate at that particular rally. The majority of the audience were Romney supporters evidenced by the sea of t-shirts bearing his name.

Our Tea Party Express team began the rally with our military tribute; an emotional favorite of tea party crowds nationwide. The Romney audience response was uncharacteristically subdued.

Participating on 5 previous tours, this tour marked tea party rally number 301 for me. My signature opening statement always garners a powerful emotional and loud response from audiences, “Hello my fellow PATRIOTS! I am NOT an African-American. I am Lloyd Marcus…AMERICANNNN!”

A few in the Romney audience cheered, but the majority smiled politely. Some even appeared to have a puzzled look on their faces. I was taken back a bit. I thought, “Is my fly down? What is wrong? Why are these folks so unresponsive?” Still, I am a professional and pressed forward singing my “American Tea Party Anthem”.

My “American Tea Party Anthem” speaks to Obama’s failed stimulus and his despicable false charges of racism against the Tea Party. The lyrics of the song and my passionate performance is always a crowd-pleaser winning enthusiastic applause. The Romney audience smiled and offered polite applause.

Back on the Tea Party Express bus headed to our next rally in a different state, some on our team were baffled. Why was the response to our presentation at this tea party rally so uniquely lukewarm? Also, after Romney completed his stump speech, the majority of the crowd left in the middle of the tea party rally.

Then, it dawned on me, the majority of the audience were Romney supporters, not particularly tea party supporters.

Our in-your-face-Obama-must-go approach was probably uncomfortable for them.

Mary Kay Ash of Mary Kay Cosmetics fame said, “The speed of the leader is the speed of the gang”. I believe Romney supporter’s lukewarm response to our presentation reflects his attitude regarding the tea party and our principles.

It confirms “to me” that Mitt Romney is an establishment moderate Republican; willing to date and even have a live in relationship with the Tea Party, but not committed enough to marry the Tea Party.

A friend said it is unfair to judge Romney by his fans. Keep in mind that I have attended 300 tea parties nationwide. Some audiences in small towns despite being extremely appreciative were subdued because they are not super expressive. But, the Romney audience was unique, as if we were not on the same page.

I thought about how gangsta rap concerts always attract potentially unruly violent audiences. My brother David loves country music. David and his girlfriend attended a huge country music concert at the Baltimore Civic Center. He was struck by the peaceful nature of the crowd. David said people were drinking and having a good time and yet he did not see one confrontation or arrest; quite a contrast from the typical news reports of violence after a major gangsta rap concert in the same venue. Without question, the headliner attracts a certain type of audience.

I have appeared on the program of several rallies with Sarah Palin. Every Palin audience has been upbeat and enthusiastically patriotic.

Please do not think I am picking on Romney. John McCain was a disaster. To select another moderate as our presidential nominee will insure the re-election of Obama; ending America as we know it. Regardless of how moderate/liberal our nominee, the liberal media will portray him/her as a far right nut cause. So, let’s select a true conservative.

Still, I would work tirelessly to install Mitt Romney in the White House if it came down to Romney or Obama.

Lloyd Marcus

Lloyd Marcus is the songwriter and vocalist of the "American Tea Party Anthem." He currently serves as president of NAACPC (National Association for the Advancement of Conservative People of Color). Visit his website at http://www.LloydMarcus.com

2 thoughts on “Does Romney Truly Embrace Tea Party Principles? – OpEd

  • September 25, 2011 at 4:52 pm
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    Lloyd, here is why the response was luke warm. Not because Romney does not like the tea party, but because the tea party does not like him. If you are a Romney supporter then you know that the tea party is the single entity that can keep this country from getting the kind of president we all so desperately need. When the tea party first came out it was a group of people crying out for fiscal restraint in the government. As such I considered myself a tea party member. Since that time though the movement has been hijacked by people who care more about social issues then they do about whether or not their kids will be able to find a job.

    The Tea Party needs to keep its eye on the ball, and the ball this election cycle is jobs and the economy. If the Tea Party will do that, then you will not simply deign to support Mitt Romney, but you will actively and enthusiastically support him. Do that and you will see all the rowdiness you could hope for at a Romney event. Granted, you will likely see the support lessen at Palin and Perry events but ask yourself: Is the Tea Party a popularity contest or is it about what’s right for America?

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  • September 25, 2011 at 6:08 pm
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    Ummm … don’t take this the wrong way, but when the headline reads “Does Romney Truly Embrace Tea Party Principles?”, I expect to see an article comparing Romney’s words and/or actions to Tea Party principles. This article might have been more appropriately titled “Do Romney’s Fans Embrace Tea Party Rally Practices?”

    To answer both questions, yes, Romney embraces small government principles, lower taxation and regulation for businesses, and the right of the States and the people to retain as much autonomy from Washington as possible; but he and his supporters tend to be more … sedate than most, which might explain the perception that he’s just not that “exciting”. Trust me, I’ve been excited about the prospect of electing Romney president for over four years now; but yelling in a crowd just isn’t my style, even if the rest of the crowd is yelling, too.

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