It's the exact same thing since the Carter Administration, tuned to a fine art during Reagan. It used to be "The poor GOP is being held hostage by that evil alliance with the Moral Majority!"

Then it was "The poor GOP is being held hostage by its evil alliance with the Christian Coalition!"

Then, "The poor GOP is being held hostage by the Contract with America people!"

Then, "The poor GOP is being held hostage by the Neocons!"

Now, "The poor GOP is being held hostage by the Tea Party!"

Its all the same strategy! It's worked for 30 years. They get "taken hostage" by a radical segment they create in order to get votes. The GOP actively sought out the Moral Majority and Christian Coalition, which they later hammered and tempered into Contract with America, Neocons, and Tea Baggers. They use that as an excuse to funnel money from the working class to the corporate class, during which time they hammer away at local and congressional races.

It's no coincidence that every newly named trendy political group just happens to support exactly what the GOP wants to do, and each of its members are already registered GOP.

Then just before the presidential elections, they try to repaint their image into something more moderate and reasonable. "Compassionate Conservative! Romney is a nice Businessman! Look! It's John McCain -- you remember that middle-of-the-road guy, don't you? Bob Dole doesn't have a mean bone in his body!"

At the same time, you have other operatives (Sarah Palin, Paul Ryan, Cruz etc) continuing to stoke the anger necessary to keep that segment of the working class voting against their own interests. They rebrand that country-bumpkin segment every few years, but it's all the same people from the same churches and redneck bars.