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“Covenant of Liberty” author Michael Leahy on the Tea Party’s impact on the 2012 election and the debate over Rep. Ryan’s budget proposal.
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Are closer to the presidential nomination.
Mitt Romney followed up his big win in Illinois -- last night by locking down to key supporters today.
From the GOP establishment.
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush tweeted his endorsement.
And from the other end of the party freedom works which help make the Tea Party national force is now calling for Republicans to unite behind the former Massachusetts governor.
But the Tea Party is bigger than one man or one group they were a major force in 2010 but what happens this time around.
Joining me now Michael lady who co founded the Tea Party coalition.
He's the author of the book check this out covenant of liberty the ideological origins of the Tea Party Michael -- welcome to the show great to have you here.
It's so Romney here picking up some critical endorsements including freedom works will you endorse and -- Well our.
View is that any of the four Republican candidates would be far superior to President Obama in basically he's a financially reckless extremist.
And any of these four will do a great job saving the republic.
And I think about my personal -- -- let the primaries play out and whoever the Republicans nominate.
The Tea Party will be very active supporting and get out -- You know I thought it was interesting you gave your first copy in this -- to Rick Santos I dead -- today that.
Well -- the Tea Party wants to have these candidates align with our core values of fiscal responsibility free markets and constitutional and limited government.
And I had a message for him about that alignment and I was hoping that he would pay attention to it.
Well you know he's sort of didn't he took on a lot of social issues he talked a lot about birth control.
Lots of issues.
I'm aligned swift fiscal conservative isn't just sort of talking lately about liberty.
What do you make of that is that an issue that's gonna play is that something that can really resonate with the America.
Public via the social issues are not on the Tea Party agenda.
We are about freedom but it's political and economic freedom all deriving from constitution and limited government.
RE I wanna show folks some numbers from last night he probably saw the results of the Illinois primary but look at this Tea Party years supported.
Romney by a long shot -- 47% content compared -- 36%.
For Santorum 10% for Gingrich 7% for Paul Michael what do you make of that.
-- not surprising to me at all.
I think you know every Tea Party or has made up his or her own mind and in Illinois I think they decided that Mitt Romney was -- -- I think which -- going to see is that the Tea Party is going to start to coalesce.
Around the eventual nominee.
Well it's interesting that you say that because there's another election playing -- the election that's gonna have something to do with the 500 members of congress.
And the old school Republicans in congress say the -- carriers are doing the party harm.
Because they're taking people out of congress who would vote Republican but now those seats you know up for question who's gonna hold them.
Big questions about -- the Tea Party is going too far in house seeing people who are conservative but in their view not conservative enough.
You know there's nothing too far with supporting constitution and limited government and so.
Old school folks in any party have been wrong often and in this case they are wrong I think.
The idea is to support the most conservative candidate possible at every stage -- let's -- may not win.
Well you don't let them fight it out and they primary and then you know then go in the general.
You can't predict what's gonna happen in an election there's all sorts of activities in support going on.
That we'll -- all.
Are -- looks -- a little bit about Paul Ryan's budget yes -- that was in the news to you know this week everybody's talking about it Democrats were already rejected hadn't.
It's already toilet Paper they were.
Reminder to the ideas of it yeah exactly -- about twenty seconds.
But yeah.
You know it can have real controls on entitlement spending.
The dialed back even it it spending in other parts of the government.
It you know there's something serious about that budget that we're not really seeing out of the White House what do you make of it does -- -- -- -- -- I know it's a small.
Timid step in the restriction -- and if you look at it four years from today.
Under the Paul Ryan budget federal spending as a percentage of GDP will be 21%.
And the Obama -- to be 25% -- you know it's going to be more than that under Obama's budget.
They'll keep spending and spending there but actually a pretty fair gap between Paul Ryan's budget the president yet and here's the point you're saying that all right -- doesn't go here aren't out.
What was the federal spending as a percentage of GDP.
Under George W.
Bush last year 20% that was too much my view -- that they.
12% -- be -- well -- you're gonna have cut into a lot of programs to get there yeah.
Democratic process should be about -- liberating and making those hard decisions.
What does the future of the Tea Party here because we were talking in the break before you sat down saying.
You know it's a group of people who don't necessarily get together and vote on the agenda.
-- despray it's all over the place.
Will we see the Tea Party have a big impact in November think about how we haven't heard directly from them you know in in the past few months.
You could hear a lot from the Tea Party because we are doing the hard work of organizing to get out the vote there's really no one organization there are 3000.
Local tea parties around the country.
And there's local leadership groups.
And in Chattanooga Tennessee for instance they've been working for two years to recall a mayor who raise taxes.
And they finally got a court decision and they're gonna have an election on that process that's happening all over the country.
That's the real story of the Tea Party movement.
And -- -- impact most great at the local level or is it going to be felt more at the federal -- well it's it's very great at the local level.
But federal elections are the compilation of 4500.
Counties around the country which are very local.
And so we're gonna be very active -- the county precinct level in November.
Right Greta whip okay will -- live there with testimony right there you -- Michael thanks for coming -- I really appreciate your time congratulations on the book thank you very much.
