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Sen. Jim DeMint, (R-SC), discusses the future of the Tea Party, the debt debate and his new book “The Great American Awakening: Two Years that Chang...
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Majority of shares were I have the top of the stack we are beginning to hear more complaining about the Tea Party.
That the group was cruelly insignificant you won't hear any thing so how influential are today's.
Well they changed at least one longtime politician.
Who has written a book called the great American awakening two years that changed America Washington and me.
Joining me now Republican senator from South Carolina Jim -- Senator -- -- book because you've kind of pulled back the curtain.
About what really goes on in at least in the senate and the fact that you got elected in 2004 it took four to the senate it seems like you got into a period of of disillusionment.
I really did -- I thought I was coming to work with a team of Republicans who are here to reform government to reduce spending.
Reduce the role of the federal government -- and fiscal sanity and instead.
It's saying that done to many Republicans as well as all the Democrats were working on taken home the bacon.
And weren't really focused on what was happening to our country.
And the national debt is tripled since I came to congress in 1999.
And frankly just want people to see.
So first of all that our country's in trouble.
But second the great American awakening shows how much power people have actually changed.
The course.
Of our country and so -- talk about what's happening.
All around the country after the election of -- Barack Obama the tea parties that town halls and what's going on behind closed doors in the senate.
Is that try to do things like -- changes seniority rules and ban earmarks.
And -- It it it wasn't working out too well for me inside of the senate.
But the thing that change for me was to find out their millions of Americans who are willing to stand with me.
To try to make these changes take place so I go through a period of two years up to the last election.
Talk about that my endorsements of candidates like Marco Rubio Rand Paul Pat -- Mike Lee Ron Johnson and how I was told I could never get elected.
But I put up a website called senate conservatives dot com.
And people from all over the country gave small.
Contributions but we raised over nine million dollars.
In an that now serve with those senators who -- taken a -- don't trying to get control spending the first thing we did was the ban earmarks.
And pass a resolution our conference to.
To try to pass a balanced budget amendment.
To the constitution that would force us to balance our budget so we started the change.
But I'm the last two chapters of the book are talking about 2012.
Perhaps being our last chance to turn things around.
And just calling on Americans again to.
To take to the streets to speak out in to stay -- because we really need him.
Well I think people are weighted that we talked to mark mettler last week come on the show the founder co-founder of the Tea Party patriots.
And and He said to -- many many times it's gonna take two were three or more election cycles to get.
Members in there that are are truly aligned with fiscal responsibility staying -- the constitution.
And so forth and so on but a lot of people and I must profess I have talked about a many times -- -- radio show.
We think a lot of members of congress are there for them.
And whether they go in that way or whether it just envelop -- I don't know but that it's the power to the powered.
Takes over what ever good -- people have when they start to come -- my question for you is.
When these new members come in to congress -- -- you've seen.
Are they there for them or are they there for us and what changes.
-- I think they -- All of this coming and with the best of intentions.
Democrats and Republicans and Democrats of course have a a different philosophy they believe in centralized political power and -- his policies but.
Republicans a spouse those principles of limited government personal responsibility.
But what happens to us we saw it dying during -- the Wall Street bailout that big TARP debate and what's happening now with the debt ceiling.
Is -- you are challenged to balance of political realities.
With what really should be done and we're seeing that with the debt limit debate where.
Republicans are saying the Democrats are not gonna give us a real solution to our debt.
So we're left with fighting with the best political solution that might.
Blame the Democrats for the problem.
And it's really easy to -- right now we're hearing from all over the country even from conservative commentators are Republicans ought to just.
Take a victory and and and pass an increase in the debt limit but for -- I've seen this movie year after year after year.
And that's how we've tripled our debt.
And I just saw right now was a time that we needed to go to the mat with the president and say -- -- we can put this country on a path towards a balanced budget.
We're not gonna give you an increase in the -- went well and this apartment.
And this of overcome coming down to get like you said the Democrats have their core principles and Republicans have their core principles and in if you're going to be principled.
Those two don't they don't -- because they're different principles out there so then you get into.
Well should -- be principle over practical should I played chess game.
And and give on this -- so that the next election and the next election I can get more people winners -- wife finally get my way.
Well when I came to the senate we had 55 Republicans in the senate a large majority in the house we had a Republican present in the White House.
And and a majority doesn't necessarily mean you do the right thing and have been lectured many times -- talk about it in the book.
That I don't understand how Washington works and it's not about principle is about numbers.
I'm but I know enough and we sought in the last election Tom that if you have the principles if you show some courage and some consistency what you believe.
Then people who elect us that conservatives can get elected in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and Florida and that's what we saw happen.
So I want the numbers but there's no need to have the numbers if we don't stand for anything.
So I don't want -- calls.
Disruption in our country by not raising the debt limit.
But also don't want to take this line time after time that we have to take something bad or we're gonna end up with something worse.
Our countries on a course.
Towards bankruptcy.
I don't know if it's going to be next month next year it's not very far out.
And none of the proposals that are being talked about now in the congress are gonna change that course we might add.
Eight trillion instead of ten -- or -- -- but that's not even relevant because I don't think anyone's gonna lend us anywhere near that amount of money.
So there's a day of reckoning I felt that at this point that we needed to have that fight now before things got worse.
Right well.
I'm looking for -- forward to your next book too because this book the great awakening and is a real pull back the curtains take a look.
Between 2008 and 2010 -- what happened in the back halls of congress senator Jim dement thanks very much senator.
Thank you down to about.
