[basil]

I liked the TEA Party better when it was a grassroots movement that was not organized. It was in this form that more than a million people gathered in DC and marched.

To now have elected “leaders” of the movement IMHO takes away the grassroots of the movement It then becomes just another political party with all the infighting, etc that that entails.

I, for one don’t need that. The TEA Party that I knew didn’t need to be “organized. We know how to vote and who the people are that best match our beliefs.

But that’s just me.....

[dforest]

I stand with you on that. This is supposedly a newly formed Tea Party. huh?

The Tea Party has lost it’s clout because it has now become a vehicle for politicians to promote themselves rather than citizens stepping up and uniting to hold all politicians feet to the fire.

This is how a good thing gets ruined.

[ichabod1]

Don’t worry. Many will try to grab the tea party mantel, but the whole point of the movement is that we are nameless, faceless, and we don’t give a FIG about politicians spouting the same old rhetoric that only makes things worse.

[redhead]

"I liked the TEA Party better when it was a grassroots movement that was not organized."

the REAL TEA "party" is still out there like it was in the beginning. I think there are groups out there who like organizing, or who believe that they have to organize in the name of the TEA party in order to draw membership. Just don't join any group that claims to be TEA party but has organizational structure. Here in Wasilla, a group organized, but does not call itself by a "TEA party" name. It is simply called "Conservative Patriots Group," and is entirely "independent," but its membership is entirely composed of people who support the TEA "party" movement.

[luvie]

The REAL tea party is still grassroots. These guys can claim what they want to, but it’s “we the people” who are part of the movement...not an organized bunch of wannabes!

RUN, SARAH...R U N!!!

[NavyCanDo]

“I liked the TEA Party better when it was a grassroots movement that was not organized. It was in this form that more than a million people gathered in DC and marched.”

I have to agree with you. I was involved in early Tea Party rallies. Now when I hear Ron Paul called the founder of the TEA Party, I find it repulsive and the natural thing is to distance myself from them. And I know I shouldn't because I still share the limited government, balance budget, strong military, American exceptionalism, principles of most TEA Party activist.

[Ron H.]

I'm with you here on this idea of not formally organizing the Tea Party. It works best the way it was started.

BTW, I thing this public ruckus over first being invited and then dis-invited just because another candidate is P.O.'d about the first invite is just downright childish and petty in nature. I think some people are more impressed with themselves than other folks are with them, IMHO.

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

They are not elected leaders of the tea party they are the co-founders. Just because they don’t declare Palin or (NAME YOUR CANDIDATE) the President; or because they invited COD who Palin endorsed does not make them the bad guys.And so what if they like or support or want Perry to speak at a Tea Party gathering? There is not a declared nominee. Nor does any one candidate own the tea party.The Tea Party has a big tent of Independents and fiscal conservative democrats, like it or not.

As far as blaming the MSM (as shocking as this may be they reported from the source below) or Romney or Perry for any of this COD/Palin cat fight it is ridiculous.Read below.

http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/09/01/10405/