Tea Parties

The Associated Press has a story about the Tea Party movement, and they've got some of it right...

Here's what's clear: This is pure people-driven politics facilitated by the Internet. This is an ideological mix of libertarianism and conservatism with the common denominator being lower spending and smaller government. This is a loose collection of citizen groups with no leader but many voices. And this is the product of long-simmering anger.

The parties have been non-partisan, but clearly, the Republican platform of smaller government, lower taxes and less regulation is going to be far more appealing to most of these people.

"This is about giving voice to a people who don't feel they're being represented by either party. But it's too early to tell how this is all actually going to play out," said Nancy Hiser, 26 and from Findlay, Ohio. "The only consensus here is that everyone is probably opposed to the Obama agenda."

Whether the Republican party apparatus and Washington leadership are too stupid or too venal or too short-sighted to capitalize is, of course, a different question...