Tea Party Political Influence, Essay Example

Tea Party movement rose as a result of a perceived threat posed by the current American political polices on the social and economic stability of the American population.  The Tea Party movement continually advocate for strict consideration of economic and social aspects of the American population. In their advocacy, Tea Party activists base their views on the element of safety net programs provided by the current American federal administration.  Tea Party movement operates with the principle of a strong desire to reduce government’s role in their lives. This includes the government’s role in both their social and economic lives. With respect to the safety net package, Tea Party movement perceived a threat of increased and unsustainable federal debt in the future. Loyal activists of this movement work towards propagating the idea of reduction in taxes and federal expenditure on social security programs (Dimaggio, 29).

According to this political/social movement, increase in taxes and inappropriate provision of safety programs to undeserving population will translate to an unprecedented economic downturn in the near future. Apart from the economic point of view regarding the safety net, Tea Party members asserts that the safety net programs are affecting the social discourse of the American mainstream cultural practices. From Tea Party’s perspective, an example of the affected mainstream social practice is marriage (Dimaggio, 34). The increase in safety programs to unemployed people is reducing the need for marriage. According to sociology, marriage institutions are units with the sole purpose of pulling resources together. However, replacement of this role by the federal’s inappropriate spending on safety programs undermines development of family units in the American society.

Apart from safety programs, the aspect of social dynamisms within the American population sparked an outcry from the Tea Party members. Tea Party members assert that there has been an artificial decline in the moral principles within the nation’s population. This element serves to incorporate the movement’s conservative values into their main agenda list. Tea Party members subscribe to both liberal and conservatism principles in their activities. In this regard, the social element of childbirth outside marriage touches on their social values supported by their conservatism inclination (O’Hara, 27). With respect to safety programs, the movement’s members argue that these programs disturb the social equilibrium within the American society. As a result, there has been an increase in neglect of conventional behavioral standards by most young people. In this context, the rise of these social trends and perceived economic predicaments directly propagated the rise of American Tea Party politics.

In the case of major political changes, there has been a significant transformation of the Grand Old Party, (Republican), with respect to its fundamental political, social, and economic principles. Some of the values that dominated Republican politics in the last ten years changed considerably over that period. According to some political orators like David Frum, the GOP has lost touch with reality. The prevailing dynamics in the economic and social aspects of the American society have caused a corresponding evolution of GOP’s political principles. In an illustrative example from 2001 politics, Republican Party advocated for tax cuts in order to address the economic problems witnessed within the American poor society. In this regard, the purpose of tax cuts was to create a favorable environment for the American poor population to participate and gain from the nation’s economic activities (O’Hara, 21). However, GOP’s priorities changed over the last decade. Currently, the Republican Party advocates for tax cuts in order to address the social problems within the society.

This shift in political ideologies presented an opportunity for division of the GOP’s members. Some party members advocate for increased taxes in order to cover for the increasing social programs within the American population. On the other hand, the opposing members fight for reduced taxes in order to create a naturally equilibrium society where every member have to participate in building the nation’s economy. Division within the party results mainly from the influence of Tea Party ideologies on the GOP’s mainstream population. Tea Party members actively advocate for limited government involvement in their lives, low tax rates and appropriate federal spending on safety net programs (Dimaggio, 41). In this context, some GOP members feels that it is time to change their political ideologies in order to address the emerging social and economic issues. On the other hand, the loyal member advocates for continual subscription of the Party’s founding principles in spite of the dynamic social and economic forces within the American population. In this case, the Grand Old Party experiences an unprecedented tension within its structure. This continued tension will subsequently take the course that will serve to address the grievances on the Party’s mainstream population.

Works Cited

O’Hara, John. A New American Party: Counterrevolution Against Bailouts, Handouts, Reckless Spending and More Taxes. New York: John Wiley & Sons Publishing, 2011. Print.

Dimaggio, Anthony. The Rise of the Tea Party. New York: New York University Press, 2011. Print.