by Tom Ontis

Created on: March 15, 2010   Last Updated: March 16, 2010

     The Tea Party movment-not a registered political party in any state of which I know-is just that, a movment.  It's hardly new that one group of people, no matter how large or small, would come up with some kind of mechanism to publicize their views.  We have had movements and parties in this country that have existed for one purpose and one purpose only: The Greenback Party and the Prohibition Party come to mind.  We even had one person, Norman Thomas run seven times for President as a member of the Socialist Party.  In that regard the Tea Party movment in no different from any other movement.

     The movement gained noteriety in the summer of 2008 when their highly publicized tactics disrupted many a congressional representative, both Democrat and Republican in town meetings across the country when trying to explain any healthcare reform.  We later found out that the tactics and talking points were not coming from the grassroots, but being directed by a number of lobbying firms, first and foremost 'FreedomWorks', a firm run by former Texas Representative Dick Armey, a Republican.  Though the 'tea partiers' were claiming they were a grassroots orginization, with no organized leadership, that has been proven not to be the case.

    The Tea Party movement reminds me a lot of the Reform Party movement of the late 1980's into the early 1990's.  The biggest difference being that the Reform Party did win a spot on many state ballots, though they did not get enough votes to garner their candidate, H. Ross Perot any electoral votes.  The Tea Party is just that, a movement, on the order of Mother's Against Drunk Driving-M.A.D.D. or the Vietnam Veterans Against the War.  The tea partiers want less taxation and a reduced role of the Federal government into their personal lives.  Sounds like somethng straight out of the Republican Party handbook to this writer.  The Reform Party, despite electing a governor in Minnesota, ex-pro wrestler Jesse Ventura and a few minor political posts around the country, went the way of the Federalists after a couple of election cycles: They disappeared.

   My prediction is: The Tea Party movment will make some noise for two or three election cycles, then they will disappear, becoming a blip on the history of politics in this country. 

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