The American Tea Party Movement began December 17, 2007 as the “Tea Party” on the anniversary of the original Boston Tea Party when Ron Paul supporters raised 6 million dollars within 24 hours through individual donations in a political rally and fund raising event (per Wikipedia website). By 2008, the moderate-conservative theme and stands of the “Tea Party” (not to be confused with the political third party known as the Boston Tea Party named after the original Boston Tea Party that was one of the catalyst causes of the American Revolution), had completely developed (per Wikipedia website). The “Tea Party” claimed it represented the American Middle Class as well as the American moderate-conservatives. According to the Wikipedia website the “Tea Party” as a national grass-roots movement first received national exposure and attention February 11, 2009 when the talk-show radio host and Fox Business personality Dave Ramsey visited the television program titled Fox and Friends. He was seen during the shows airing waving some tea bags while he said, “It’s time for a Tea Party.” By 2010 this movement had progressed toward protesting in Washington D.C. against the Health-Care Reform Bill. The American Tea Party Movement participants called themselves the Tea Party Patriots. These concerned patriots protested in favor of strict adherence to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights (Amendments 1 – 10, U.S. Constitution). This national grass-roots movement began calling itself the American Tea Party Movement during the beginning of Summer 2010 (possibly as early as May 2010, exact date is unknown). Today, the American Tea Party Movement continues to protest and hold local, state,as well as national conventions in order to promote its pro-republic, strict adherence to the constitution as well as the Bill of Rights and in favor of free market economy ideals.
What exactly is the American Tea Party Movement (Tea Party Patriots) stand? This grass-roots national protest movement is in favor of “standing together, shoulder to shoulder, to protect our country and the Constitution upon which we were founded.” (per the official American Tea Party Movement website). The American Tea Party Movement’s core values explain further their stand. According to the official American Tea Party Movement website, this movement believes the federal government should be and exercise fiscal responsibility (not have the trillion dollar deficit), must strictly adhere to the US Constitution (abide by the US Constitution contents without deviation or create loop holes) and cease interfering with the Free Market economic system originally set up in the United States that its capitalistic economy is based.
If any of this sounds familiar, it should. The ideals behind the American Tea Party Movement is not new in concept; over 200 years old. What the Tea Party Patriots are purporting stems back to the later portion of the18th century. These ideals were promoted and implemented throughout the original 13 states by both Anti-Federalists and Federalists upon the ratification of the Constitution for the United States of America on June 21, 1788. In the late 18th century, they were regarded as liberal, revolutionary and new. These ideals were a part of the foundation built for the United States of America’s national government and social contract. The majority of American voters of the late 18th and early 19th century consistently voted in favor of a fiscally responsible national government with strict adherence to the U.S. Constitution. These early American citizens loved and were adamantly pro the newly formed republic. These early American voters were against a national government interfering with the American Free Market economy, primarily because that was one of the catalysts that ignited the American Revolution. King George III would not let the economy be completely Free Market; kept interfering on behalf of the British monarchy instead of the good for Colonial America. Before the Civil War, the federal government was very small and did a lot less for all citizens and businesses. It’s main duties were to maintain domestic tranquility and keep the borders secure from foreign invasion. The original national government for the United States had a state-wide non-interference policy. All thirteen original states were expected to take care of the individual citizen’s and state’s needs. After the Civil War, the federal government began to take a stronger governmental role which led to the early 20th century more progressive federal laws (plus more federal government programs) and with the passage of time created the more liberal U.S. national republic of today.
In comparison to the U.S. national government of 1789, the current federal government is extremely liberal, very strong, has an exorbitant amount of federal programs, high taxation, and a deficit that back in the 18th century could only be matched by the worst fiscally managed European monarchies. European monarchies for centuries had squandered governmental funds and over taxed their citizens in feeble attempts to make up for the large government deficit. These are some of the reasons why in England during the year 1215 the Magna Carta was written and the subjects of King John forced their King to sign this legal document. King John’s subjects were tired of King John being irresponsible with government funds that created a severe burden on the entire populace through heavy taxation on anything that could be considered taxable (income, property, business, commodities, and so forth). Sadly, in the 13th century, King John was the rule instead of exception throughout the European monarchies. Even though the Magna Carta gave some tax relief to the British citizens, it did not protect those in England and America from their taxes being increased as King George III levied higher taxation upon all citizens’ income, businesses and commodities. Like all of his predecessors, this King left nothing not taxed; if it was taxable, he made certain the tax for it was collected by the tax collectors. In response to this monarchical precedent, the American Colonists fought against national governmental fiscal irresponsibility, over taxation, lack of proper representation within the government, governmental economic interference, the totalitarian monarchical system and numerous other reasons that King George III refused to listen, accept or change on behalf of the American Colonists. This is why much of what the American Tea Party Movement purports sounds familiar to most Americans and explains why this particular movement has grown as fast as it did into a national protestation movement. Many Americans today want less governmental interference privately, publicly and economically as well as a strict adherence to the U.S. Constitution’s contents. These well intentioned Americans want their inalienable rights that are listed in the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution preserved. They fear a growth in national government does not protect or secure these rights, could possibly cause each citizen’s inalienable rights to decrease. The Anti-Federalists of the late 18th century had the same fears which is why they insisted the Bill of Rights were to be placed as part of the U.S. Constitution as the first ten amendments and refused to vote for the U.S. Constitution until the Federalists agreed.
Who can join the American Tea Party Movement? Any citizen of the United States of America can join and become a Tea Party Patriot. There are no other qualifications. The American Tea Party Movement has two websites, one official and the other affiliated with the official website. Both websites are easy to browse or navigate. These websites have a membership section that makes it very easy to become a member. The Tea Party Patriots also have their own Facebook page so any one can be “a friend” of the American Tea Party Movement. The American Tea Party Movement has local Tea Party Patriot Groups in all 50 states including Washington D.C. Their official and affiliate websites did not mention any one individual or group being in charge of the entire movement, seems to be a compilation of the Tea Party Patriot Groups that have banned together, without a formal head or board of directors. The new official American Tea Party Movement symbol (mascot) is a blue shield with red and white stripes plus white stars (red, white and blue as seen on the official American Tea Party Movement website) in order to promote the colors of the American Flag and the republic it represents.
The concerns of the Tea Party Patriots continue to be a part of the national news. Sarah Palin and other prominent well known political figures have given speeches at their conventions. This movement seems to be rapidly growing. It does have some negative fringe elements that the news media has shown in their news-casts, but these elements are not regarded as a section of the American Tea Party Movement and have their own agendas. It seems that this particular movement is doing all it can to remind all Americans of the roots of American freedoms, possession of inalienable rights and the original small republic national government during the formative foundational years of the United States of America; a way of honoring those gallant revolutionaries who fought in the American Revolution as well as the Founding Fathers of the United States of America.
Alicia Rose, personal studies in U.S. and World History, Archaeology and Anthropology, 1978 – present.
Alicia Rose, evening viewing of current events on CNN live news broadcasts, Fox News, and CBS Nightly News, 2008 – present.
Bill of Rights (Amendments 1 – 10, U.S. Constitution), official government website: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html
Amendments 11 – 27, U.S. Constitution, official government website: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_amendments_11-27.html
U.S. Constitution, official government website: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html
American Tea Party Movement and its Core Values, Official Home of the American Tea Party Movement website: http://teapartypatriots.ning.com/
Tea Party Patriots affiliate website: http://www.teapartypatriots.org/
Tea Party Patriots, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Party_Patriots
American Revolution, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution
Boston Tea Party (political party), Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party_(political_party)
“The Democratic Party: Where Did This Political Party Come From?” article by Alicia Rose, published January 2010, Associated Content website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2623883/the_democratic_party_where_did_this.html?cat=37
“Federalists vs Anti-Federalists” article by aliciaharrell, published on HubPages, HubPages.com website: http://hubpages.com/hub/Federalists-vs-Anti-Federalists
“Free Market: An Economic Market System” article by Alicia Rose, published November 2009, Associated Content website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2376728/free_market_an_economic_market_system.html?cat=3
George III of the United Kingdom, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_III_of_the_United_Kingdom
James Madison: The Fourth President of the United States” article by aliciaharrell, published on HubPages, HubPages.com website: http://hubpages.com/hub/James-Madison-The-Fourth-President-of-the-United-States
Magna Carta, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Carta
“Racist: What Does This Word and Being a Racist Actually Mean?” article by Alicia Rose, published July 2010, Associated Content website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5594496/racist_what_does_this_word_and_being.html?cat=37
“Republic: A Representative Governmental System” article by Alicia Rose, published October 2009, Associated Content website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2306855/republic_a_representative_governmental.html?cat=37
“Social Contract: Theory and Application” article by Alicia Rose, published November 2009, Associated Content website: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2363810/social_contract_theory_and_application.html?cat=37
Tea Party Movement, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Party_movement
United States Constitution, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution
