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Getting The Tea Party News

By Coleen Torres


If you have a computer, it's not hard to keep track of the grassroots political movement causing a disturbance in republican ranks. Tea Party news is often mentioned in mainstream media reports and broadcasts. However, for complete coverage of the movement, going directly to dedicated websites lets people read and judge for themselves.

On the surface, the Tea Party (TP) is a grassroots movement of citizens who feel unrepresented by the current government in the US. They are conservative in viewpoint on almost all political issues, especially about free markets, national defense, secure borders, and the economy. The TP is a loose organization of local groups with a central body mostly devoted to fund raising for specific candidates, presenting petitions on priority issues, and raising public awareness.

The origin of the movement is obscure. Some people credit Ron Paul's presidential campaign with bringing like-minded citizens together. Others say bloggers who urged people to 'send a tea bag to Congress' (a reference to the 1773 Boston Tea Party protest over unfair taxation) really started the ball rolling. Paul's campaign was in 2007; the start of the TP itself is considered to be 2009.

Considered by some moderate Republicans to be a third-party threat to conservative solidarity, the TP faces a lot of opposition from Republicans and Democrats alike. Some opponents call the movement racist, secret-agenda driven, and not truly grassroots at all. The popular view is that the movement will fade away. However, it seems remarkably valid, resilient, and enduring to many, especially true fiscal conservatives.

It's easy to find source material by going online to TPNN (TP News Network) and signing up for email bulletins, reading recent reports, and tracking local and national events. There are other dedicated websites, as well as local groups. Each local group may have its own particular focus, which some see as strength for the entire movement and others see as chaotic.

A lot of current coverage concern alleged IRS targeting of TP-affiliated groups for special scrutiny, delays in granting tax-exempt status, and denial of applications. Although the administration and the President have dismissed the allegations, Congress is taking them more seriously and trying to get answers to specific questions. Continuing failure to get the facts for whatever reason - some say accidental loss of documents and others say deliberate refusal to cooperate - has kept the issue in the national headlines.

In the current political climate, it's hard to get the truth about issues and even accurate reports of public statements. This is good reason to follow the TP online, getting their position and comparing it to what might be reported in the mainstream media or in statements made by commentators. In addition, the TP supports and endorses candidates for political office; in order to judge the candidates fairly, getting both sides of the story is important.

If you have a computer, go online and find out what's happening. If you don't, the local library and community college will have ones for the public to use. There is no way to stress the importance of everyone being politically savvy in these troubling times.




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