Suppose you threw a revolution and nobody came? The raucous and rabble-rousing demonstrations of the Tea Party movement certainly make one wonder whether, out of the belly of a frustrated America, there has emerged a great new political force. Early on, it has proven capable of making stars out of dark horse conservative candidates, and maybe even swinging some elections. However, it remains to be seen whether the movement has any real staying power — or whether it is just a momentary phenomenon on the political landscape.
April’s tax day demonstrations appear to have attracted larger crowds than those of last year; yet, in some pockets of the country, the crowds were actually smaller. For example, estimates put demonstrators in Atlanta at 30,000, twice the 15,000 of last year. In Kankakee, IL, the crowd was estimated at only half the size of last year’s demonstration.
Meanwhile, a recent CBS/New York Times poll found that only 18% of Americans say they support the Tea Party movement, while a full 62% say they do not. The Tea Party messages are commendable enough: Controlling Federal spending, lowering taxes, keeping government out of our private lives — who can argue with that? Yet, only 25% of those polled believe the movement represents the views of most Americans, while 36% say it does not, and 37% say they do not know.
Confusion sets in when the hundreds of Tea Party groups around the country offer widely divergent opinions on how their goals should be met. Demonstrators themselves often seem to be protesting different issues within the same event. This has led to what the poll calls, “the muddled nature of perceptions of the movement.”
Variations on a Theme
In addition, a quick look around the country finds different groups calling themselves variations of the Tea Party name: The Tea Party Patriots, the Tea Party Express, FreedomWorks Tea Party, the Tea Party Nation, Leadership Tea Party, and TeaParty.org. Leaders have emerged among the top groups, but none appears to have the force of personality to win unanimous support from all the groups — and no group seems ready to combine forces.
Members of one of the better-known groups, the Tea Party Patriots, are openly frustrated by the movement’s lack of cohesiveness. As well, their blog quotes a Newsweek article that questions whether the movement has any real staying power. Recently, too, Kansas City Tea Party leader Andrea Plunkett expressed concern that the demonstrations themselves appear to be the end-goal of many group members. She worries about the lack of progress beyond the streets. “We can have these fun events…or we can get to work,” she says.
With more than 80% of Tea Party members acknowledging Republican affiliations, Republican core values appear to coincide with those of the Tea Party. However, Tea Party members are wary of Republicans usurping their brand to promote their own personal agendas, and so keep the party at arm’s length. Meanwhile, celebrity speakers such as Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity draw the crowds and stimulate contributions; of these, Palin is often cited as the possible heir to the thrown, but some party members question her motives and are not yet ready to give her the reigns. Palin herself remains coy about the question. Most likely, she does not want the albatross of a political party affiliation around her neck yet, as it would severely hamper the lucrative opportunities available to her as a private citizen.
With 36 Senate seats and 435 House seats up for grab in the November elections, candidates of all persuasions are jockeying for endorsements. Some are actively seeking out Tea Party support, while others remain skeptical that an affiliation with the movement is actually a good thing. None, however, will openly dismiss them. They are very vocal and generate a lot of publicity.
With Tea Party groups around the country actively sizing up candidates and picking sides, come November, we may finally discover whether the movement is the new voice of America, or just the squeaky wheel getting the grease.
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