Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
No one.
And that's what freaking people out.
Well, not everyone. But it sure is making the establishment -- on both sides -- sit up and take notice. From Hotline:
The Tea Party movement, which is still dismissed by skeptics as an undisciplined collection of passionate but exotic conservatives, garners plenty of respect from political operatives in both parties according to the latest results of the National Journal Political Insiders Poll.
Typical of the GOP sentiment was this statement: "Yes, they've nominated some wacky candidates. But their intensity will help Republicans across the board, wacky and non-wacky alike." Said another GOP Insider, "Motivated voters are better than depressed voters. We can worry about re-electing this [freshman Senate] class in six years.
"Plenty of respect" is code for: we're freaked out. We're scared. This thing is happening and there's no one in charge.
Usually, a movement like this has a face, a leader. The people following the movement tend to associate it with that person -- the Perot Voter, for instance -- and the people against the movement do what they can to discredit that person. And the rest of the political establishment knows that there's someone there -- some person to call -- to make a deal with.
Because there's always been a person in charge, to either follow and vote for, or try to discredit, or make a deal with.
But that's where the Tea Party is so different, and so unnerving. There's no leader -- oh, sure, Palin and Beck circulate through it, but they don't crystallize the movement. They're not the leaders as much as they're the most famous members.
The Tea Party is a network. It's only possible thanks to the explosion of networks on the web. Who's in charge of Facebook? Who's in charge of Twitter? No one. Just like no one is in charge of the Tea Party, which is vast and growing and terrifying to the people who need someone (anyone!) to be in charge.
The Tea Party is doing to American politics what new media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) are doing to Old Media: breaking down the hierarchies, busting up the org chart, freaking out the suits.
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Jun '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
Who's the President of the Lady GaGa fan club? Nobody knows, because it doesn't matter. Same for the "Tea Party."
May '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
I like that tea cup flag design. Where does that come from?
Jul '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
The leader isn't a person, but the traditional American ideal. Let the left attack it all they want.
Aug '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
The fact that the Tea Party is a network also means that it has no monolithic "platform." Yes, there are some shared principles, but there are differences among those who are inspired by the Tea Party movement as well.
I -- for example -- like the small government focus, but don't like the populist nativism of some Tea Party participants. That doesn't mean that I don't like the Tea Party because it isn't a party in the normal political sense, it is as you say a network.
Jun '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
Liberals hate the tea party for the same reason they hate free markets: no one is in charge. In a free market, buyers and sellers make free choices, which is anathema to liberals because those buyers and sellers aren't as smart as someone with a degree from Yale, and who is thus better able to make decisions for everyone else. It makes them nervous that citizens could spontaneously reject the received wisdom of the elites.
May '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
If you're a Washington insider, you might call it "The Wisdom of the Wrong Crowds"
May '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
This is not all that new, Rob. When Reagan spoke about his faith in the American people, that's exactly what he meant. When leftists talk about "the people," they're referring to organized groups like labor unions, lobbyists and pressure groups like NARAL and NOW.
To them, if it's not organized, its a mob. Mobs can be egged on but they can't be controlled. If you can't control it you're not the one in power.
Aug '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
Rob Long: From Hotline:
Gosh, I'm rather flattered to be called "passionate" and "exotic". It makes me want to break out in a tango, or maybe the Lambada.
May '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
You know, I tend to dislike the tea cup or tea bag imagery for this movement, even though it is common with both proponents and detractors. I think it misses an important point (which eventually relates to the main topic of this thread, I promise).
The historical "tea party" in Boston, from which the movement draws its name, was not about getting together to share tea, but exactly the reverse, they destroyed the tea. The government had placed a tax on that thing the colonists would not do without (or so they thought). The "Sons of Liberty"demonstrated that they could not be so easily coerced. They would not drink the tea (In modern parlance, "drink the koolaid").
That's the spirit the modern Tea Party needs to recall.
As such it is not really an organized political organization but a civic spirit with a name. Ideally there would be "tea party" movements within both political parties, people who differed on many policy points but shared a determination to prevent the slow erosion of liberty.
Of course, that's the "ideal." Reality is different at present.
May '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
Nathaniel Wright: The fact that the Tea Party is a network also means that it has no monolithic "platform." Yes, there are some shared principles, but there are differences among those who are inspired by the Tea Party movement as well.
I -- for example -- like the small government focus, but don't like the populist nativism of some Tea Party participants. That doesn't mean that I don't like the Tea Party because it isn't a party in the normal political sense, it is as you say a network. · Sep 7 at 10:33am
That's a key point. The only principle I think all Tea Party participants agree on is smaller government. That is the principle Republicans must address.
Jul '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
Populist nativism? Is this smart wording for nationalism? If so, why is nationalism bad?
May '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
That's better than the Anderson Cooper imagery.
May '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
EJHill
That's better than the Anderson Cooper imagery. · Sep 7 at 1:40pm
Which is exactly the point. Its a trivialization. In the original, the name "Tea Party" was used ironically. I like the Gadsden Flag imagery better, it captures the spirit of the movement better.
A fortuitous typo just now gave the the name of the opposite of the Tea Party. If the Tea Party is about small government and preserving personal liberty, then its opposite is the "Teat Party", those who hungrily attach themselves to what Alan Simpson so aptly described.
Aug '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
Jimmy Carter says it's an "American ideal"; G.A. Dean says, "As such it is not really an organized political organization but a civic spirit with a name."
Exactly. Our patriot ancestors would understand and recognize it instantly as the soul of the Nation expressed.
The Founders never thought there would be political parties, and many were very troubled when they emerged. They thought "factions" would destroy the country.
It appears they were correct, though it's taken a lot longer than they thought it would. Our two-party system now resembles a vituperative and vicious divorce.
Aug '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
Michael Tee
Populist nativism? Is this smart wording for nationalism? If so, why is nationalism bad? · Sep 7 at 12:16pm
"Populist Nativism" is academic speak for "exclusionary of immigrants." It's language used to describe the anti-Irish, anti-Italian, and anti-East Asian immigrant sentiments of certain eras. Nativism implies a desire to keep "non-natives" out of America. "America for Americans" is the kind of slogan you might here from a nativist.
Populist means that the sentiment is coming from the grassroots, or that it is being used by politicians to demogogue the public. Typically "populism" is -- correctly -- used to describe class warfare demagoguery where politicians motivate the "common man" against the "privileged classes."
Unions often use Populist Nativism, as does our President, when saying that "we need to keep American jobs in America."
It isn't patriotism, love of country generally, rather it is nativism -- love of country for me, but not for you.
As for nationalism good or bad, that depends on the reasons for the nationalism and the aims of the nationalists.
Jun '10
Re: Who's In Charge of the Tea Party?
Populist nativism? Is this smart wording for nationalism? If so, why is nationalism bad? · Sep 7 at 12:16pm
...Nativism implies a desire to keep "non-natives" out of America. "America for Americans" is the kind of slogan you might here from a nativist...
It isn't patriotism, love of country generally, rather it is nativism -- love of country for me, but not for you.
· Sep 7 at 3:25pm
with all due respect Nathaniel, my experience with tea party-esque folks is that the overwhelming majority wholeheartedly welcome immigrants *who want to be Americans*, who have a hunger for the freedoms that animate those in the movement as a whole. like knows like. forgive if i've read you wrong, it just sticks in my craw to see that great majority as i see it painted with any broad nativist brush...