Sources
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tea-Party-movement
Britannica provides a comprehensive and authoritative overview of the Tea Party movement, including its origins, key figures, and political impact, making it a reliable source for historical and contextual information. - https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/tea-party
History.com offers a detailed account of the Tea Party movement, including its formation, key events, and influence on American politics, which aligns well with the blog post's content. - https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/10/24/gop-deeply-divided-over-immigration-reform/
Pew Research Center provides data and analysis on the Tea Party's stance on immigration and its influence within the Republican Party, supporting the blog post's claims about the movement's policy positions. - https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/06/us/politics/06teaparty.html
The New York Times covers the Tea Party's rise and its impact on the 2010 midterm elections, offering credible journalism on the movement's political strategies and outcomes. - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/tea-party-movement/2019/09/12/1a3b8e5a-d4c5-11e9-8924-1db7dac797fb_story.html
The Washington Post provides an in-depth analysis of the Tea Party's grassroots nature and its long-term effects on American politics, which supports the blog post's discussion of the movement's decentralized structure.
Key Points
- The Tea Party movement emerged in 2009 as a populist political movement opposing excessive taxation and government intrusion into business.
- The movement was sparked by CNBC commentator Rick Santelli's criticism of President Obama's mortgage relief plan, invoking the Boston Tea Party.
- Unlike earlier populist movements, the Tea Party directed its anger at the federal government and championed free-market principles.
- The movement grew rapidly through social media and conservative commentators like Glenn Beck, attracting libertarian-leaning Republicans and militia groups.
- Tea Party demonstrations, such as the April 15, 2009 protests, drew large crowds and popularized the slogan 'Taxed Enough Already.'
- The movement lacked centralized leadership but gained influence through figures like Sarah Palin and organizations like FreedomWorks.
- The Tea Party demonstrated political power in elections, notably helping Scott Brown win Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in Massachusetts in 2010.
- In the 2010 midterms, Tea Party candidates contributed to Republican gains, though their influence sometimes caused intra-party conflicts.
- The movement continued to impact elections in 2012, with figures like Ted Cruz winning Senate seats, but also faced controversies like IRS scrutiny of conservative groups.
- The Tea Party's decentralized, grassroots nature allowed for localized goals but also led to varied and sometimes conflicting priorities within the movement.
Summary
The Tea Party movement emerged in 2009 as a populist, libertarian-leaning response to government bailouts and taxation, advocating for limited government and free-market principles. Gaining momentum through grassroots organizing and conservative media support, it influenced elections by backing candidates like Ted Cruz and shifting Republican dynamics, though it lacked centralized leadership. Despite early successes, internal divisions and controversies, such as IRS scrutiny of conservative groups, marked its complex legacy.
The Tea Party
The Tea Party movement is a populist political movement formed in the United States in 2009, mainly opposed to excessive taxation and government intrusion into business while advocating stricter immigration controls.
The Historical Context for Tea Party Development
Anti-capitalist populist movements have responded to economic downturns for much of American history. Early examples are the Greenback (1860s) and Granger (1870s) movements.
This process continued with William Jennings Bryan’s Populist Party (1890s) and the Louisiana politician Huey Long’s Share Our Wealth program, which took place during the Great Depression of the 1930s. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis engulfing the world in 2008, the populist attitude was again in the ascendant.
Tea Party Movement Launch
President Barack Obama’s mortgage relief plan sparked the Tea Party campaign on February 19, 2009, when CNBC commentator Rick Santelli referred to the infamous Boston Tea Party (1773) that preceded the American Revolution when discussing the plan.
The Tea Party was officially launched on March 1, 2009, when President Barack Obama signed the Mortgage Relief Act of 2009. Speaking from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor, Santelli expressed his displeasure with the bailout, claiming that it will “subsidize the mortgages of losers.” He also urged a Chicago-based Tea Party to protest government participation in housing.
The five-minute video quickly became an Internet hit. The “Tea Party” call struck a chord with people who had already witnessed billions of dollars pour into failing banking institutions in the preceding months.
In contrast to earlier populist movements, there was no suspicion of industry and bankers. The Tea Party directed its wrath at the federal government and celebrated the glories of free-market principles.
Tea Party’s Rapid Growth
After only a few weeks, locally based Tea Party groups began to spring up all over the United States. Members used social media platforms to organize protests and demonstrations. Conservative commentators like Glenn Beck, then at Fox News, were instrumental in mobilizing the crowds.
As a result of the movement’s primarily libertarian orientation, dissatisfied Republicans became Tea Party members in droves. The movement’s anti-government stance was also very popular with militia groups.
Local Action by the ‘Taxed Enough Already’
Tea Party demonstrations were held around the country on April 15, 2009, drawing more than 250,000 people. These demonstrations were the movement’s first significant action, and were well-received.
According to tradition, personal income tax returns are due on April 15, and protestors claimed that “Tea” was an abbreviation for “Taxed Enough Already.”
Throughout the summer of 2009, the campaign gained momentum, with members attending congressional town hall-style gatherings to express their opposition to proposed changes to the United States healthcare system.
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National Level
Various groups claimed to speak for the Tea Party on a national level. However, it lacked clear leadership at that level. Since her resignation as Alaska Governor in July 2009, the former Republican nominee for vice president, Sarah Palin, has served as an unofficial spokeswoman for Tea Party causes. In February 2010, she gave the keynote presentation at the inaugural National Convention for the Tea Party.
Post-September 11 attacks
Following the September 11 attacks, Beck’s 9/12 Project, named after Beck’s “9 Principles and 12 Values” and an obvious reference to the 9/11 attacks, drew tens of thousands to a protest at the United States Capitol on September 12, 2009.
Beck’s daily repetitions of Tea Party beliefs were broadcast on his radio and television shows. FreedomWorks, led by former House majority leader Dick Armey, supplied the logistical backup for Party gatherings.
Sen. Jim DeMint (South Carolina) endorsed Tea Party-affiliated candidates running for office inside the Republican Party establishment. The Tea Party was distinct in American populism because it differed from the more centralized movements that preceded it.
A Grassroots Movement
Having no centralized organizing structure has been touted as evidence of Tea Party grassroots credentials, among other things. However, it meant the aims and ideals of the movement were intensely localized and, in some cases, even personalized. Despite this, the Tea Party demonstrated its political power at the elections.
The Tea Party organized in support of Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in a special election for New York’s 23rd district in November 2009. This caused Republican nominee Dierdre Scozzafava to withdraw from the race just before polling. However, this strategy failed, and Democrat Bill Owens won the seat, becoming the district’s first Democrat since the 1800s.
In the election for the United States Senate seat caused by the death of Ted Kennedy in Massachusetts (January 2010), the Tea Party outperformed the Democratic Party. Senator Scott Brown, a dark-horse contender, upset Kennedy’s presumed successor, General Martha Coakley, with a campaign that tipped the Senate’s balance, robbing Democrats of the filibuster-proof majority that they had enjoyed since July 2009.
The 2010 Midterms
The 2010 midterm elections were billed as a referendum on the Tea Party and President Obama. In some states, Tea Party candidates received support from local Republican groups, while in others, they drew a rebuke from mainstream Republicans in the GOP.
Some long-time Republicans ran as independents or only grudgingly supported their old opponents. Republicans gained around 60 seats in the 2010 midterm elections, taking control of the House and reducing the Democratic Senate majority. Over the next two years, the Republican Party worked to integrate Tea Party supporters into the mainstream while avoiding the fratricidal struggle that had harmed them in 2010.
The 2012 Election
Tea Party candidate Ted Cruz coasted to an easy victory for a Senate seat in Texas. Rep. Todd Akin’s bid for Senate was scuttled after saying that “legitimate rape” rarely results in pregnancy. Tea Party star Michele Bachmann survived a Democratic challenge for her congressional seat in Minnesota.
In May 2013, the IRS revealed that it had targeted additional scrutiny on conservative groups that had applied for tax-exempt status. One-third of 300 groups flagged for further review had the words “Tea Party,” “Patriots,” or “9/12” in their names.
