The tea party (or what would become the tea party) actually started in 2008 in response to the pending bank bailouts.
I know. I was there.
It later morphed into opposition to Obamacare and other issues.
Tea party or no tea party we must remain active and engaged with our government (no matter who is in office) and speak up strongly about things we don’t agree with. If we can join with others who feel the same on certain issues, all the better.
you are so right. i too remember it well. pelosi on the floor vainly trying to whip votes for the bank bailouts to save the chamber, too-big-to-fail banks, bush and the gopes. the tea party flashing into existence spontaneously as a massive movement on the phones.
then the deal between the suspended mccain, bush and obama to shut that movement down, mccain agreeing to throw his campaign.
then the courageous rick santelli crying out on the floor of the chicago mercantile exchange, giving a public voice to the tea party when few media outlets would even acknowledge its existence and galvanizing those millions of self-selected, self-generalled patriots inclined to protest into the streets throughout the states and eventually into the capital. yes, i remember it well.
yup, the tea party is alive and well and not going anywhere.