The Tea Party Movement

By

The Tea Party Movement refers to the national political movement that promotes and advocates constitutional conservatism, which in turn is a strict following of the U.S. Constitution.  Its name comes from the Boston Tea Party and most of its ideologies have influenced the Republican Party and vice versa.  The party advocated reduction in U.S. government taxation and spending, and reduction of the budget deficit and debt.

Unlike the Republican Party, the Tea Party Movement does not have any center or easy definition.  It comprises of several groups from different levels of society with varying priorities, influence, and size.  In many cases, different groups within the Movement have completely different ideologies and priorities.  The lack of a party structure or central leadership has led to the formation of a number of factions within the Movement, each of them affiliating themselves to different issues and ideologies of the Movement.

Despite the factionalism of the Tea Party Movement, a majority of its members have the same core beliefs.  They tend to be staunchly anti-government and anti-spending, often attacking President Obama directly.  Most Tea Party members are also anti-immigration and against compromise politics.  In the last few years, most of the Party has focused a lot on the repealing of the Affordable Care Act.  It has also turned its focus towards the United Nations, openly criticizing the international organization for its policies and agendas.

While the specific issues and opinions of the Tea Party Movement members vary with different factions, most of them agree to the following:

  • Ensure that every law and federal agency abides by the constitution
  • Rejection of the current cap and trade pollution control approach and provide incentives to companies for reducing their emissions instead
  • Amend the constitution to make a balanced budget mandatory and a two-thirds majority compulsory for tax modification
  • Limit the annual growth in government spending
  • Repeal the Affordable Care Act
  • Reduce taxes and repeal all recent tax increases

The Tea Party Movement Today

The Tea Party Movement was the result of the frustration over the bailouts given to various Wall Street banks and private companies when the recession hit.  It criticized the government’s spending, and from thereon in it has turned into an outspoken wing of the Republican Party.

Today, the Tea Party Movement that began in 2009 has been taken away from its roots to suit the demands of the extreme sections of the Republican Party.  Chapters have now left protests and begun to focus more on getting Republican candidates elected.  The Movement, in its current form, has been heavily criticized for its vague and often bitter attacks against the Democratic Party.

The Party has also been criticized for supporting candidates and politicians who serve the interest of the corporations and financiers against which the Movement was initially started.  Many Tea Party Movement members have also expressed worry that the rally, which was focused on wasteful spending by the government, has strayed away from its path.

Similar Posts: