The Tea Party
Ryan Stockman
Background Information
The Tea Party is a movement that brings awareness to a big variety of issues that they feel challenges the security or domestic tranquility of the nation. The movement's website was created on September 2nd, 2004. But it's roots can be traced back to 1773 with the original tea party event in Boston. There are members of the Tea Party all over the nation. The tea party movement brings awareness to the specified events through protests.
Core Values
1. Illegal aliens are here illegally.
2. Pro-domestic employment is indispensable.
3. A strong military is essential.
4. Special interests must be eliminated.
5. Gun ownership is sacred.
6. Government must be downsized.
7. The national budget must be balanced.
8. Deficit spending must end.
9. Bailout and stimulus plans are illegal.
10. Reducing personal income taxes is a must.
11. Reducing business income taxes is mandatory.
12. Political offices must be available to average citizens.
13. Intrusive government must be stopped.
14. English as our core language is required.
15. Traditional family values are encouraged.
2. Pro-domestic employment is indispensable.
3. A strong military is essential.
4. Special interests must be eliminated.
5. Gun ownership is sacred.
6. Government must be downsized.
7. The national budget must be balanced.
8. Deficit spending must end.
9. Bailout and stimulus plans are illegal.
10. Reducing personal income taxes is a must.
11. Reducing business income taxes is mandatory.
12. Political offices must be available to average citizens.
13. Intrusive government must be stopped.
14. English as our core language is required.
15. Traditional family values are encouraged.
what
The men and woman of the Tea Party
The New York magazine author, Ben Mcgarth talked about his experience meeting some individuals who affiliate themselves with one of the many groups that make of the Tea Party Movement. This was specifically in Kentucky. The author described the operation as amateur, as he was escorted around by an elderly gentlemen. Who took him through muddy fields to see men in plaid shirts and rumpled khakis.
Is the Tea Party really on the side of the everyday citizen?
The New York Times doesn't seem to think so, as they accuse the movement of being backed by multiple individuals who hold not only enormous wealth but also power. This seems to go against the view of the movement being everyday citizens standing up for things they believe in. The New York Times goes as far as to say how much the individual's agendas go well with Movement's. The New York Times calling the agendas radical and self-interested.
Tea Party demonstrators gather in Lafayette Park during a rally in Washington in April 2009
What is the Tea Party movement?
CNN believes they are conservative males coming from upscale rural areas. Oddly enough, CNN also states that three quarters of the group have attended college. Despite having an overwhelming amount of a specific group of people, CNN says that their polls indicate 24% of the public actually supporting the movement, but not actively acted on their support. Not donating or attending rallies and such.
My take on it all
I don't know a lot about politics, so most of my views were created through what I have heard. I spent a lot of time growing up in the suburbs of Minnesota. A lot of people really did not support the movement to my knowledge. As terrible as it sounds, my peers made the movement out to be some sort of anarchist group of the uneducated who like guns, that came from the south. I still view them as more radical group among politics but I have learned to obviously not clump people together and say they are all such and such.
Works Cited
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser. CNN. Cable News Network, 18 Feb. 2010. Web. 5 May 2015.
"The Movement - The New Yorker." The New Yorker. Web. 5 May 2015.
Rich, Frank. "The Billionaires Bankrolling the Tea Party." The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Aug. 2010. Web. 5 May 2015.