Two hundred and thirty-six years ago today, a group of revolutionary colonists known as the "Sons of Liberty" disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians, boarded three English ships and pitched more than 300 crates of tea overboard to protest British Parliament's new tax-heavy Tea Act.
The Dec. 16, 1773 demonstration, which came to be known as the Boston Tea Party, was a defining moment in American history, as it marked the beginning of the colonists' struggle for independence. Two and a half years later, on July 4, 1776, this fight would culminate in the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In the past year, the Boston Tea Party has taken on a new meaning for conservatives in 2009. The election of President Barack Obama in 2008 ushered in a new European socialist model of governance in the US, creating a backlash among taxpayers on the right.
The lack of bipartisanship following the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (aka "The Stimulus Package") in February outraged many conservatives, as did the rumors that Obama planned to raise taxes significantly to pay for more social programs. The first Tax Day Tea Party protest was subsequently held on April 15 in more than 300 US cities.
The Tea Party movement has gained considerable momentum in 2009. People previously uninvolved in the political process have become active in it, as was evident over the summer months when members of Congress held health care town halls in their districts.
Of late, the Tea Party express has steamrolled Washington politics. Former adversaries Rush Limbaugh and Michael Steele have put aside their differences and gotten on board, while powerful Democrats like John Kerry are scared silly by its gathering speed, as this fund-raising letter proves.
Just how big of a role the Tea Party movement will have on the 2010 midterm elections is tough to say. If the momentum of the Texas Tea Party is any indication, the impact could be significant. As it is, a recent Rasmussen Reports poll shows that many Americans would prefer to vote for a member of the Tea Party (if it were to become an official political party) over a member of the Republican Party. This could be the fly in the ointment for Republicans looking to regain control of the House or Senate. If enough conservatives split their votes between the GOP candidates and Tea Party candidates, 2010 could be a disappointing year.
If, on the other hand, the GOP is able to align itself with the Tea Party, anything is possible. Which perhaps explains why Michael Steele seems to have openly embraced Tea Party politics. Right now the Tea Party is just a movement with no formal organization and a number of disjointed factions all over the country. If Republicans can absorb the Tea Party identity and attract the spirit of its supporters, they might just be unstoppable in 2010 ...
Just like the Sons of Liberty were in 1773.
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Boston Tea Party Illustration by Robert Reid
Photo © Hulton Archive/Getty Images
2009 Tea Party Photo © Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images
Comments
“In practical terms, it is unlikely that a true third-party option would perform as well as the polling data indicates.”
But, Justin, they are planning on running third party candidates in a number of Congressional districts in 2010. Their sole success may be in exterminating that endangered species, moderate Republicans.
“If Republicans can absorb the Tea Party identity and attract the spirit of its supporters, they might just be unstoppable in 2010 …”
Okay. Would absorbtion be assimilation? Do you expect the Republican Party to aborb the Tea Party agenda? What would their platform be? What would they be for? What would they be against? IOW, why would a majority of Americans vote for them?
Seriously. Why would a majority of Americans be attracted to this disjoint chorus of nihilism?
“Former adversaries Rush Limbaugh and Michael Steele have put aside their differences and gotten on board”
Not quite. Michael Steele now knows who is the real boss of the Republican Party.
LISTEN UP!!!
This website appears as a watering hole for those thirsty for true freedom and direction for the voice of the people to be heard and acknowledged resulting in real change.
Lack of true organization and leadership leaves these people thirsty, lost and scattered, which is perhaps the intent of those in power. The true rulers DO NOT want us, the people to join together and replace them with forces that represent the people instead of corporation interests who own them.
They prefer for us to be distracted, having a party, drinking chamomile tea and staying calm while they continue business as usual with our money and bodies to run their war machines and fill their private prisons. They mock on us and do not take us serious.
THIS IS A SERIOUS AND CRUCIAL POINT IN TIME!!!
This may be our last and only chance to spur a change, yet talking and drinking tea will not bring about change. We must to have representation INSIDE Washington D.C. We will get nowhere by only circling the sidelines; where they want us to stay, out of their way.
Jorge Antonio Lovenguth (George), a USMC-H Vietnam Veteran, is willing to represent the Tea Party in the U.S. Senate without corporation backing. He is not accepting corporate donations; only donations from the people he will represent to meet the qualification fee to be on the ballot. Small donations from people, not corporations, will add up to make it happen.
The most important donation to his campaign is to PASS THE WORD and get out the vote in Florida, Nov 2, 2010 for U.S. Senate. His approach is to come in helicopter style with VOTES on Election Day that the establishment will not expect and be surprised to see the Tea Party have someone to represent the People, instead of corporations, within Washington D.C.
People please, put down your tea cup and Pass the Word to vote for Jorge Antonio Lovenguth (George), to be inside, in a seat in the U.S. Senate!
He will be the only senator in history who will not owe any corporation interests and will be free to represent the interests of the people. He will focus on helping veterans, the elderly, and education; all areas currently highly neglected. His fight for the Florida St. Johns River and to stop offshore drilling is legend.
He has a degree in literature and will actually read and write. All words will come from him and not speech writers. Isn’t that what you want in a senator?
If you are a true American and really want direction and change within the current system that rules us all, go to http://www.TeaParty.pro and PASS THE WORD to everybody you know.
Contribute to making history and real change in Washington D.C.! Only you can make it happen.
Register to vote. Jazmon
Jazmon@TeaParty.pro
I have a question for the “tea baggers”. Where were you when George W Bush created the senior’s prescription drug bill, sent us to Iraq, and started the bank bailout process? Why weren’t you concerned about fiscal discipline at that point in time? Those policies were less than fiscally prudent.
I am all about fiscal discipline. But I have been for a long time. Also how is comparing Obama to Hitler constructive, let alone patriotic?
We do need a 3rd party. But the “tea baggers” are not the answer. This is a movement started and backed by many prominent Republican leaders such as Dick Armey. It is not a grassroots movement. It is a Republican rally in disguise. For those who feel the government is giving us the shaft, you need to realize that the Republicans make up 50% of that shaft. And the actions of the Bush Administration and the Republican run Congress in the early 2000s were by no means “conservative” by the true definitions of “conservative”, i.e. smaller government and fiscal discipline.
Maybe if the Libertarian Party actually gained some ground freedom would finally return to this nation. Maybe as crazy as it sounds, the Green Party was right about how corporate greed has taken over America and the victims are our citizens. Maybe we need to throw out the 2 party system and have anyone who backs the 2 party system be tried for treason. It is clearly tearing our country in half. Their actions are treasonous by all accounts.