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The Tea Party Movement A Resurgence of Right-Wing Populism Since the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States there has been a resurgence of the mostly white middle class populist movements that have appeared sporadically in the last two decades in the U.S. and Europe. The largest such movement, the Tea Parties, are primarily a collection of small activist groups basing their name on a famous pre-revolution colonial period protest that included dumping cases of tea into Boston harbor to protest the tax policies of the British government. In 2009, the Tea Partiers and Town Hall protestors, spawned as astroturf, morphed into a constellation of actual grassroots right-wing populist movements. It helps to recognize that much of what steams the tea bag contingent is legitimate. They see their jobs vanish in front of their eyes as Wall Street gets trillions. They see their wages stagnate. They worry that their children will be even less well off than they are. They sense that Washington doesn’t really care about them. On top of that, many are distraught about seeing their sons and daughters coming home in wheelchairs or body bags. With no one appearing to champion their cause, they line up with the anti-Obama crowd, and they stir in some of their social worries about gay marriage and abortion, dark-skinned immigrants, and a black man in the White House. Adapted from "Taking Tea Partiers Seriously". Reading the Tea Leaves:How Did the Tea Party Movement Emerge?According to author and veteran anti-racist activist Leonard Zeskind:
Tea Parties, Right-Wing Populism, & Scapegoating: Tea Parties, Town Hall Protests, Glenn Beck posing as the Rev. Martin Luther Robert Reich explains:
White Nationalism, Economic Fears, & Gender Anxiety: Progressives need to understand the complex dynamics on the Political Right, from Palin Republicans, to Tea Parties and other right-wing populists, to armed citizens militias, to ultra-rightists and neonazis. It is up to progressive forces to engage in counter-recruitment that recognizes the real anger and fear of many middle-class and working-class White people, but redirects it toward constructive societal outcomes. This is not about attempting to recruit active leaders and activists already firmly involved in the Tea Party movement, but about challenging the Tea Partiers for the allegiance of millions of Americans angry at the status quo and justifiably fearful about their future. Background
Chip Berlet's Blogger Series on the Tea Party Movement & Right-Wing Populism
Video & Audio Resources
From Political Research Associates (PRA)Election 2010 Editorial from PRA Election 2010 Analysis from PRA Take Action: Handouts
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Resources
Democracy is a process, Democracy is a process
that assumes
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