The Tea Party Fizzles

First Read: “The outlook for the Tea Party in the next four weeks looks bleak. Things can always change, of course, but the GOP establishment finds itself in a stronger position right now than anyone would have thought six months ago. So how have they done it? Perhaps two reasons. One, establishment Republicans took their challengers more seriously and did oppo on them as if they were Democratic opponents. Two, the issue that animated the Tea Party base more than any other — the debt (remember, that was Santelli’s rant; not health care) — just doesn’t seem like a crisis anymore. The deficit controls that have been put into place over the last two years seem to have satisfied a significant chunk of the GOP base.”