One of the most encouraging signs in countering a culture of excess government and bailouts has been the emergence of the tea party movement. I remember when this started with Rick Santelli’s rant and escalated into a massive movement on tax day. Polls now show millions of Americans identifying more with the tea party movement than either major political party. As an economic commentator, I can criticize their choice of convention speakers or lack of economic sophistication in some of the movement’s argumentation. My criticism is extremely limited, however, because the strength of this movement is its grassroots origin. Tea party supporters come from a variety of ideologies, regions, and demographics. They are united by one major idea: government has expanded beyond its means and created an undue burden on the taxpayer. Regardless of one’s reason for believing in this mission or who else supports it, it represents a basic concept that the majority of Americans can identify with. Both Democrats and Republicans have failed to adopt the wishes the American people, which the tea party seeks to address. An appropriate slogan might be “less is more”; one which I can certainly appreciate.
A friend of mine, John O’Hara, was one of the founders of this movement and has done an incredible job of spreading the message, organizing rallies, and being an effective spokesman for the cause. I’m proud to observe the strength of the movement he helped lead and thus was intrigued when he released his new book. Titled A New American Tea Party, O’Hara has received tremendous reviews for his summary of the history of this movement and articulating exactly what it represents. Check out the link below…
I’d definitely recommend this as a good read and worthwhile tool in understanding what looks to be a historic American political movement. Enjoy