The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports:
A big loss for the T-SPLOST was a big win for the Georgia tea party, whose leaders didn’t shy away Tuesday night from claiming giant-slayer status.
“We took on the governor, the lieutenant governor, the mayor, big business and slick political consultants. We emerged victorious,” crowed tea party leader Debbie Dooley, celebrating with other T-SPLOST opponents at Hudson Grille in Midtown.
Looking ahead, some pundits read the T-SPLOST leaves as foretelling increased tea party clout on other state and local issues; others said the loosely knit group still lacks the muscle — and the money — to achieve sustained influence.
Many agreed, though, that the tea party, more than anyone else, placed its stamp upon the effort to tear down the $7.2 billion transportation referendum. With Tuesday’s resounding victory, the group made liars of critics who had months ago written it off as as a passing fad whose power had peaked.
“We took on the governor, the lieutenant governor, the mayor, big business and slick political consultants. We emerged victorious,” crowed tea party leader Debbie Dooley, celebrating with other T-SPLOST opponents at Hudson Grille in Midtown.
Looking ahead, some pundits read the T-SPLOST leaves as foretelling increased tea party clout on other state and local issues; others said the loosely knit group still lacks the muscle — and the money — to achieve sustained influence.
Many agreed, though, that the tea party, more than anyone else, placed its stamp upon the effort to tear down the $7.2 billion transportation referendum. With Tuesday’s resounding victory, the group made liars of critics who had months ago written it off as as a passing fad whose power had peaked.
Debbie Dooley, state coordinator of the Georgia Tea Party Patriots, said of the vote:
“The people are sending a message, and elected officials would do well to take heed: You aren’t getting any more of our tax dollars until you can show you’re responsible and can be trusted with the money you have now.”
To paraphrase a certain American president, perhaps we need to find out what brand of tea they are drinking in Georgia and send a barrel around to all the states.
