For GOP, Embrace of Tea Party Carries Some Risk

In particular, Republicans' courtship of the Tea Party movement threatens to pull the party away from its moorings on two crucial and emotional issues: the war on terror and immigration. On the terror front, many Tea Partiers question the very notion of a war on terror, and see some law-enforcement policies adopted in its pursuit as unacceptable intrusions on American liberties. On immigration, the close-the-borders rhetoric common within the Tea Party movement runs counter to what many in the GOP hope will be a renewed outreach to Hispanics...read more

Mr. Seib makes no mention of the Constitution when discussing law-enforcement policies. Wonder why?

As a long time observer of federal law-enforcement agencies, I can tell you they are adept at having legislative language to increase their power inserted in bills at the last minute, with no hearings and no debate. They also keep legislation "on the shelf", ready for when the timing is right.

For instance, after the OKC bombing, Clinton took legislative proposals "off the shelf" and for the most part got them enacted. Not satisfied, they went back later with Clinton II, which was rejected by the Republican Congress as being either unconstitutional or anti-liberty. Back on the shelf it went and there it rested until 911. Off the shelf it went becoming significant provisions in the PATRIOT Act.

Watch closely, and you will see it makes no difference who is President or who controls Congress, a crisis of some sort hits and legislation comes flying "off the shelf."

And then along comes the TEA Party demanding strict adherence to the Constitution.

Make no mistake, that is what they are worried about. Those shelves could become bare.