The tea party and its beliefs

I read an interesting article called “The Tea Party and the GOP Crackup” by William Galston. His key point is that the current debate in the Republican party between moderates and tea party individuals is nothing new in American history.

He says there is a "Jacksonian tradition" in American society. Jacksonians believe strongly in self-reliance, individualism, loyalty and courage. They are passionate defenders of the Second Amendment. They are suspicious of federal power, skeptical about do-gooding at home and abroad; they oppose federal taxes but favor benefits such as Social Security and Medicare that they regard as earned. Jacksonians are anti-elitist; they believe that the political and moral instincts of ordinary people are usually wiser than those of the experts and that although problems are complicated, solutions are simple.

In short, the tea party harkens back to an earlier period in America.

It is Jacksonian America, aroused, angry and above all fearful, in full revolt against a new elite—backed by the new American demography—that threatens its interests and scorns its values.

He claims there are surveys that back this up. Supporters of the tea party see President Obama as anti-Christian, and the president's expansive use of executive authority evokes charges of "tyranny." Mr. Obama, they believe, is pursuing a conscious strategy of building political support by increasing Americans' dependence on government. A vast expansion of food stamps and disability programs and the push for immigration reform are key steps down that road.

But it’s ObamaCare  issues  that highlight the discomfort tea party people feel the most about the current situation. Unless the law is defunded, tea party individuals believe the land of limited government, individual liberty and personal responsibility will be gone forever, and the new America, dominated by dependent minorities who assert their "rights" without accepting their responsibilities, will have no place for people like them.

There’s more to the article, but I’ll hold that for another blog. By the way, I’m in the camp of the tea party—I see the same things those people do.