Why do taxpayer groups oppose the construction of a bridge that will cost precisely zero in Michigan taxpayer funds? That’s a very interesting question, and I hope it’s not too cynical to wonder if the answer can be found in the stubs of Manuel Moroun’s chequebook.

The advocacy has proved effective: Moroun’s TV commercials falsely claiming that a second bridge will cost Michigan taxpayers have had an impact. Polls show support and opposition to Proposal 6 almost exactly evenly divided.

For Americans, the moral of the story is: He who buys the Tea, runs the Party. The Tea Party has proven itself no exception to the rule about the sway of big-dollar donors over the U.S. political process. The Tea Party advertises itself as a middle-class protest movement equally hostile to Big Government and crony capitalism. Instead, it has hired itself to a business monopoly whose only argument rests on untrue statements and lavish spending.

It is a true and tired story about how popular movements eventually get corrupted by big interests, but it seems like the Tea Party has become overwhelmed by special interests rather quickly. Even worse the veneer of populism the group enjoys hides the special interests that is punching it through and through.

Posted with Blogsy