Ron Paul has been called the godfather of the Tea Party Movement. Ron Paul supporters formed the first modern day Tea Party protest during Paul's 2007 Presidential campaign. This video offers indisputable proof that Ron Paul inspired the modern day Tea Party Movement in 2007. So, why are political pundits in the major media failing to acknowledge that Congressman Paul is the only authentic Tea Party candidate? Because they know he could win if Tea Party voters began to identify Paul as the Tea Party standard-bearer.
Yesterday, Congressman Paul received an endorsement from State Senator Tom Davis, who is regarded as perhaps the most influential Tea Party leader in South Carolina. Senator Davis endorsed Congressman Paul because he believes the United States needs radical change to get the country back on track. In his endorsement speech, Senator Davis said the United States has lost its way. He said he believes Congressman Paul is the only candidate that will restore liberty. He believes Congressman Paul will take on the crony capitalism that has undermined middle class prosperity. He implicated both major political parties in the spending scandal that has brought the United States to the brink of bankruptcy. Davis also said he agrees with Congressman Paul about failed US monetary policy and the illegitimacy and corruption of the Federal Reserve system.
These are the major themes that legitimized the Tea Party political activism in 2007 and inspired the protesters in early 2009.
In late 2009 and 2010, when the movement reached critical mass, members of the Conservative and Republican Establishments that had other priorities, introduced issues that may have dilluted the movement's core libertarian message. Conservative Establishment voices like Glenn Beck and Mark Levin became more visible as movement representatives. Religious conservatives wanted to co-opt the movement to insert social issues. Neoconservatives were concerned that the movement was moving away from its internationalist principles. And most damaging, insider Republicans wanted to be sure the movement became more Republican rather than Independent because they wanted to win the mid-term elections.
Cynically speaking, Conservative and Republican insiders were probably also concerned about losing power and influence.
To some extent, each of these efforts succeeded. Since then, the Tea Party Movement has lost some steam because it has become too sectarian and the core populist message has been lost. Some observers are even questioning whether the movement may be over.
It is also likely that the recent decline of energy in the Tea Party Movement has to do with two factors connected to the 2012 Presidential race. Some Tea Party members have decided to support former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney even though his record is inconsistent with many of their core beliefs. They believe he can beat President Obama so they have decided to compartmentalize their core beliefs in order to win an election. That is creating an indifferent political atmosphere during a year that most political observers believed would be passionate. Secondly, much of the authentic libertarian spirit that was taken up by the Tea Party Movement has been absorbed into Ron Paul's Presidential campaign. Many authentic Tea Partiers have (re) joined the campaign for liberty. Remember, that is where many of them were in 2007. The less ideological Tea Party adherents who came aboard in 2009 and 2010, are splitting their energies among the various other candidates because of their other beliefs about national security or social issues. Thus, the Tea Party Movement has become fragmented.
For the movement to become a cultural force again it will need to return to its roots. It's core identity has always been constitutional and libertarian. Ron Paul is the only national leader that can pull the various factions together to fire up the Tea Party Movement. He can do it by reminding Tea Partiers why the movement bubbled up in the first place and why it became such a potent, legitimate force for change in America.
Ron Paul's Plan to Restore America is the authentic Tea Party Manifesto. It may be time for Ron Paul to reclaim and reignite the Tea Party Movement. South Carolina may be a good place to start.
Kevin Kervick is a social entrepreneur and freelance writer. He is the author of Discovering Possibility: A Common Sense Conservative Manifesto (For Classical Liberals Too).
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