Indiana

What Do You Do When The Tea Party Ends?

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

You’ll be seeing and reading a lot about “tea parties” today across the country.  Citizens who are mad about the stimulus package and everything else will show up and protest.  Organizers says thousands of people will meet at the Capitol this afternoon, even though only about 660 have signed up on their website.

I expect these guys will get some pretty decent news coverage, but my question is what are these people going to do when the “tea party” ends?  Are they going to form a political action committee or think tank and put out position papers?  Are you going to raise money?  Are you going to register voters?  Are you going to recruit candidates? Are you going to pool your resources with other like-minded people and form your own political party?

Already I’m hearing about dissension in the “tea party” ranks and chatter about whether these things are really citizen-oriented or part of a bigger National Republican get out the vote effort.  Regardless, of who’s behind it, the bigger question is what next?

If people are going to stay in this for the long haul and attempt to make some real change, then I’m all for it. Petitioning your government with your grievances is a good thing.  But if all you’re going to do is make noise and go home, then I prefer you save yourself a step and stay home.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on April 15, 2009 (boomark / email).