The Tea Party Simplified

So I was a rather ambivalent individual when it came to politics. Then Barack Obama decided to run for President of the United States and all of a sudden, I was energized and had a renewed sense of political responsibility. It was not because Obama promised change but because he, an African American man, had his shit together enough to organize and handle a viable political race. I was engaged because I never thought that that would happen in my life time. At that point, I had no idea who I would support but no matter the choice, I, like many of my usually enthusiastic friends, was now paying attention to the issues. Well what a surprise when Obama was victorious. Like most Americans, I felt change would be a great thing. It was refreshing to see college students, Latinos, and people who usually were not engaged in the political process come alive and take interest in the political events.

Well here we are a little over a year later and things are well sorta crazy. Sarah Palin's face is popping up on my television nightly and honestly, she is not a face I want to see. I found her to be a pandering unintelligent woman the GOP sought out to give John McCain more electability. Oops, big mistake! They failed to do their research and she cost him the election. Remember, my blog, my opinion. I digress. We keep seeing Palin as all these Tea Party demonstrations pop up in various cities around the US. Well I honestly had no idea what the heck they really stood for so I guessed, neither did most of you. I could be wrong but bear with me as I attempt to educate myself and you in the process. Here is what I found, maybe it'll help us all better understand their purpose.

Last year on April 15th 2009, millions of hardworking Americans stood in unison in over 800 protests around the country.

These protests, which became known as the Tax Day Tea Party, expressed real concerns against reckless government spending and spawned millions of Americans to get involved in their local Tea Parties which today are holding elected officials accountable.

The name "Tea Party" is a reference to the Boston Tea Party, whose principal aim was to protest taxation without representation. Tea Party protests have sought to evoke images, slogans and themes from the American Revolution, such as tri-corner hats and "Don't Tread on Me" flags. The letters T-E-A have been used by some protesters to form the acronym "Taxed Enough Already". The theme of the Boston Tea Party, an iconic event of American history, has long been used by anti-tax protesters with libertarian and conservative viewpoints. It was part of Tax Day protests held throughout the 1990s and earlier. The libertarian theme of the "tea party" protest was previously used by Republican Congressman Ron Paul and his supporters as a fundraising event during the primaries of the 2008 presidential campaign to emphasize Paul's fiscal conservatism, which they later claimed laid the groundwork for the modern-day Tea Party movement. As home mortgage foreclosures increased, and details of the 2009 stimulus bill became known, including the provision for the AIG executive bonuses, organized protests began to emerge.

Tea Party Nation (or TPN) is a user-driven group of like-minded people who desire our God given Individual Freedoms which were written out by the Founding Fathers. We believe in Limited Government, Free Speech, the 2nd Amendment, our Military, Secure Borders and our Country!

Well that is it. There wasn't much info out there but I wanted a concise definition so I could judge the motives from an educated point of view. Whenever I hear the words "Founding Fathers" I cringe. I immediately think pre-Civil Rights. Largely I see Caucasian Americans, typically males who make more money than average Americans and they are not particularly happy with the way America is changing. They are living the American Dream but they don't support diversity and they believe in the good ole boy networks. Most have never struggled a day in their life and they don't care about or have any identity with those who have. There are women involved in the movement, too. There are even African Americans but they a really small minority. My personal take is that if I could take a sample of them they'd be from rural suburban areas which are relatively homogeneous in make up. They probably have not moved very much and they probably have no friends of color. I am sure they possess guns. They will want nothing to do with health care, immigration, or anything that would help the the masses. Disclaimer--I do believe we need a plan to deal with illegal immigrants and a way to prevent an increase in illegal individuals entering the country. So what are your thoughts? Do you see the Tea Party having a real impact on politics or does it just give voice to subliminal hatred and nonacceptance? Inquiring minds want to know. Till next time, have a great weekend! Ciao!

Copyright April 16, 2010 by Pamela Cole Thorpe