Betting on the wrong horse

In the pivotal race for Nebraska's seat in the U.S. Senate, the Tea Party Express bet the store on Jon Bruning, and he responded as if the TPE "endorsement" closed the deal for all TEA Party groups in Nebraska. Wrong. Tea Party Express operatives believe they represent our voice--they do not.

TPE has no affiliation in this state. They may have hubris to speak for us, but theirs is a losing strategy. We reject both the tactics and the choice.

The TEA Party Express is the fifth wheel on the establishment GOP bandwagon. With typical flash, the GOP jockeys hope to convince conservatives that Jon Bruning is the sure bet to beat the "old gray nag," Ben Nelson.

Neither of these two horses is the real deal, but Bruning has "undiscovered" flaws that will cost him the race.

In failing to look their gift horse in the mouth the TPE will embarrass and harm the TEA Party movement; but that is the intent--because we conservatives have learned to rock the GOP boat--and the establishment fears us.

Tea Party Express rides to the rescue for the GOP; but conservatives know the score: Bruning and Nelson--aka the Corn-hustler Kid and the Kickback Cowboy--are two egocentric opportunists whose ambitions exceed their integrity.

Neither deserves more than a trip to the glue factory; but, disregarding Nebraska's legitimate TEA Party chapters, the media chose to ignore our protests, and then proceeded to shamefully kiss the hindquarters of the establishment's latest "maverick." The GOP prefers yes-men over true conservatives--and so TPE is the fixer for this horse race.

We therefore believe the Tea Party Express should change its moniker to a more fitting description of its brand: The BS Express.

Bruce C. Desautels

TEA Party SW Nebraska