Changes

== Beginnings ==

== Beginnings ==

On December 16, 2007, supporters of [[Ron Paul]] staged a re-enactment of the [[Boston Tea Party]] as a fundraiser event, and to promote Paul's bid for the presidency.<ref>[http://www.ronpaulforums.com/content.php?909-Who-Started-The-Modern-Day-Tea-Party-Movement-%28video%29&s=2b6ae18ef5615484bda67fa3c01678d6 Who Started The Modern Day Tea Party Movement? (video)], ronpaulforums.com, (Accessed August 19, 2011).</ref><ref>Warner Todd Huston. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110805120631/http://bigjournalism.com/wthuston/2011/05/14/ap-tars-tea-party-movement-as-grandfathered-by-ron-paul/ AP Tars Tea Party Movement as ‘Grandfathered’ By Ron Paul], [[BigJournalism.com]], May 14, 2011.</ref> Paul's GOP campaign received a "moneybomb", which broke the record for 24 hour fundraising.<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2007/dec/17/nation/na-paul17 Paul collects $6 million in a single day], [[Los Angeles Times]]</ref><ref>[http://www.cnet.com/news/ron-pauls-tea-party-a-bigger-money-bomb/ Ron Paul's Tea Party: a bigger money bomb], 2007.</ref> This event coincided with the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.<ref>Kenneth P. Vogel. Associated Press. [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-12-17-ronpaul-fundraising_N.htm 'Money bomb': Ron Paul raises $6 million in 24-hour period], [[USA Today]]</ref> This was seen as a major upset to the Republican GOP [[establishment]].<ref name=huffington>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/will-palin-and-the-neocon_b_456824.html Ron Paul vs. Sarah Palin for the Soul of the Tea Parties], [[Huffington Post]] (2010)</ref> Paul's youthful, libertarian-minded, supporters created a divide within the Republican Party.<ref>[[PBS]]. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3NtysJ5WI0 The Ron Paul Phenomenon], [[YouTube]]</ref><ref>[https://thefederalist.com/2014/08/13/the-libertarian-moment-cant-just-be-a-moment/ The Libertarian Moment Can’t Just Be A Moment]</ref> Juan Williams, a commentator at Fox News, commented that the Tea party emerged "from the ashes" of Paul's 2007-2008 presidential campaign.<ref>Williams, Juan (May 10, 2011). [http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/05/10/juan-williams-surprising-rise-rep-ron-paul/ "Juan Williams: The Surprising Rise of Rep. Ron Paul"], [[Fox News]]</ref> David Weigel at slate.com said, "The first modern Tea Party events occurred in December 2007, long before Barack Obama took office, and they were organized by supporters of Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas..." <ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2010/08/five_myths_about_the_tea_party.html Five Myths About the Tea Party]</ref>

On December 16, 2007, supporters of [[Ron Paul]] staged a re-enactment of the [[Boston Tea Party]] as a fundraiser event, and to promote Paul's bid for the presidency.<ref>[http://www.ronpaulforums.com/content.php?909-Who-Started-The-Modern-Day-Tea-Party-Movement-%28video%29&s=2b6ae18ef5615484bda67fa3c01678d6 Who Started The Modern Day Tea Party Movement? (video)], ronpaulforums.com, (Accessed August 19, 2011).</ref><ref>Warner Todd Huston. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110805120631/http://bigjournalism.com/wthuston/2011/05/14/ap-tars-tea-party-movement-as-grandfathered-by-ron-paul/ AP Tars Tea Party Movement as ‘Grandfathered’ By Ron Paul], [[BigJournalism.com]], May 14, 2011.</ref> Paul's GOP campaign received a "moneybomb", which broke the record for 24 hour fundraising.<ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2007/dec/17/nation/na-paul17 Paul collects $6 million in a single day], [[Los Angeles Times]]</ref><ref>[https://www.cnet.com/news/ron-pauls-tea-party-a-bigger-money-bomb/ Ron Paul's Tea Party: a bigger money bomb], 2007.</ref> This event coincided with the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.<ref>Kenneth P. Vogel. Associated Press. [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-12-17-ronpaul-fundraising_N.htm 'Money bomb': Ron Paul raises $6 million in 24-hour period], [[USA Today]]</ref> This was seen as a major upset to the Republican GOP [[establishment]].<ref name=huffington>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/will-palin-and-the-neocon_b_456824.html Ron Paul vs. Sarah Palin for the Soul of the Tea Parties], [[Huffington Post]] (2010)</ref> Paul's youthful, libertarian-minded, supporters created a divide within the Republican Party.<ref>[[PBS]]. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3NtysJ5WI0 The Ron Paul Phenomenon], [[YouTube]]</ref><ref>[https://thefederalist.com/2014/08/13/the-libertarian-moment-cant-just-be-a-moment/ The Libertarian Moment Can’t Just Be A Moment]</ref> Juan Williams, a commentator at Fox News, commented that the Tea party emerged "from the ashes" of Paul's 2007-2008 presidential campaign.<ref>Williams, Juan (May 10, 2011). [http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/05/10/juan-williams-surprising-rise-rep-ron-paul/ "Juan Williams: The Surprising Rise of Rep. Ron Paul"], [[Fox News]]</ref> David Weigel at slate.com said, "The first modern Tea Party events occurred in December 2007, long before Barack Obama took office, and they were organized by supporters of Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas..." <ref>[http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2010/08/five_myths_about_the_tea_party.html Five Myths About the Tea Party]</ref>

The tea party movement grew exponentially in magnitude in February 2009; however, while [[Rick Santelli]]'s famous impassioned speech on CNBC was perhaps the most visible spark that ignited Tea Party gatherings across the nation, the movement's genesis was in progress long before that notable day.<ref>Tea Party Arose From Conservatives Steeped in Crisis. [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304173704575578332725182228.html Birth of a Movement], ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', October 29, 2010.</ref>  The movement was in gestation for years, in the hearts and minds of American citizens concerned about the path down which [[progressive]] policies have been taking the United States of America.  The emergence of the Tea party Movement has been called [[Main Street]] America's indictment against the ruling class.<ref>Doug Mainwaring. [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/13/tea-partys-inception-a-rebirth/ MAINWARING: Tea Party's inception a rebirth], ''[[The Washington Times]]'', August 13, 2010.</ref>

The tea party movement grew exponentially in magnitude in February 2009; however, while [[Rick Santelli]]'s famous impassioned speech on CNBC was perhaps the most visible spark that ignited Tea Party gatherings across the nation, the movement's genesis was in progress long before that notable day.<ref>Tea Party Arose From Conservatives Steeped in Crisis. [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304173704575578332725182228.html Birth of a Movement], ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', October 29, 2010.</ref>  The movement was in gestation for years, in the hearts and minds of American citizens concerned about the path down which [[progressive]] policies have been taking the United States of America.  The emergence of the Tea party Movement has been called [[Main Street]] America's indictment against the ruling class.<ref>Doug Mainwaring. [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/13/tea-partys-inception-a-rebirth/ MAINWARING: Tea Party's inception a rebirth], ''[[The Washington Times]]'', August 13, 2010.</ref>

| [[Houston, Texas]] || TBD || Large groups, not entirely made up of Republicans, tried to create a modern-day version of the Boston Tea Party.<ref>[http://houstontps.org/?page_id=163 Houston Tea Party Society, In the News, Audio, Video], February 27, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.khou.com/video/topstories-index.html?nvid=352345&shu=1 Houston's Tax Day tea party], February 27, 2009.</ref>

| [[Houston, Texas]] || TBD || Large groups, not entirely made up of Republicans, tried to create a modern-day version of the Boston Tea Party.<ref>[http://houstontps.org/?page_id=163 Houston Tea Party Society, In the News, Audio, Video], February 27, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.khou.com/video/topstories-index.html?nvid=352345&shu=1 Houston's Tax Day tea party], February 27, 2009.</ref>

|-

|-

| [[Washington, D.C.]] || Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, Young Conservatives Coalition, The Heartland Institute || The American Tea Party made some noise outside the White House.<ref name="dc_examiner">[http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/New-American-Tea-Party-40442172.html DC Tea Party thrown at the White House], ''The Washington Examiner'', February 27, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.freedomworks.org/petition/iamwithrick/index.html 2009 Taxpayer Tea party], February 28, 2009.</ref> Several hundred taxpayers showed up at the DC Tea Party protest in Lafayette Park,<ref name="michellemalkin">[[Michelle Malkin]]. [http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/27/scenes-from-the-tea-party/ Scenes from the D.C. Tea Party], February 27, 2009.</ref><ref name="dcfreedomworks">[http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/bstein80/video-from-the-dc-tea-party Video from the DC Tea Party], ''[[FreedomWorks]]'', February 28, 2009.</ref> including "Joe the Plumber."<ref name="hotair">[https://hotair.com/archives/2009/02/27/joe-the-plumber-at-dc-tea-party-no-one-on-the-hill-gives-a-rip-about-you/ Joe the Plumber at D.C. Tea Party: No one on the Hill gives a rip about you], ''[[Hot Air]]'', February 27, 2009.</ref>

| [[Washington, D.C.]] || Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, Young Conservatives Coalition, The Heartland Institute || The American Tea Party made some noise outside the White House.<ref name="dc_examiner">[https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/New-American-Tea-Party-40442172.html DC Tea Party thrown at the White House], ''The Washington Examiner'', February 27, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.freedomworks.org/petition/iamwithrick/index.html 2009 Taxpayer Tea party], February 28, 2009.</ref> Several hundred taxpayers showed up at the DC Tea Party protest in Lafayette Park,<ref name="michellemalkin">[[Michelle Malkin]]. [http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/27/scenes-from-the-tea-party/ Scenes from the D.C. Tea Party], February 27, 2009.</ref><ref name="dcfreedomworks">[http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/bstein80/video-from-the-dc-tea-party Video from the DC Tea Party], ''[[FreedomWorks]]'', February 28, 2009.</ref> including "Joe the Plumber."<ref name="hotair">[https://hotair.com/archives/2009/02/27/joe-the-plumber-at-dc-tea-party-no-one-on-the-hill-gives-a-rip-about-you/ Joe the Plumber at D.C. Tea Party: No one on the Hill gives a rip about you], ''[[Hot Air]]'', February 27, 2009.</ref>

|}

|}

: ''Main Article: [[September 12 March on Washington]]''

: ''Main Article: [[September 12 March on Washington]]''

[[File:Gadsden_snake.jpg|250px|right]]The largest TEA Party event thus far has been the September 12 March on [[Washington, DC]]. This was an event organized initially by the FreedomWorks Foundation, but nearly all Tea Party organizations decided to participate in this event, primarily by chartering buses and registering people for transportation to Washington. FreedomWorks estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 persons attended, and they base that estimate on the number of persons who responded when their Master of Ceremonies asked all attendees within earshot to send the text message "Freedom" to a designated five-digit telephone number. However, the [[London]] ''[[Daily Mail]]'' estimates attendance at as many as a million persons, on the basis of eyewitness accounts and aerial-photographic evidence.<ref name=dailymail>Gardner D, "[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1213056/Up-million-march-US-Capitol-protest-Obamas-spending-tea-party-demonstration.html A million march to US Capitol to protest against 'Obama the socialist']," ''[[Daily Mail|The London Daily Mail]]'', September 14, 2009. Accessed September 16, 2009.</ref> Estimates of total attendance are difficult to obtain, primarily because the size of the crowd far exceeded the estimates by the event planners, with the result that many attendees were never able to get within earshot of the stage or even the sound system, and the temporary sanitary facilities were hopelessly jammed, with fifty persons standing in line to use each portable "necessary."

[[File:Gadsden_snake.jpg|250px|right]]The largest TEA Party event thus far has been the September 12 March on [[Washington, DC]]. This was an event organized initially by the FreedomWorks Foundation, but nearly all Tea Party organizations decided to participate in this event, primarily by chartering buses and registering people for transportation to Washington. FreedomWorks estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 persons attended, and they base that estimate on the number of persons who responded when their Master of Ceremonies asked all attendees within earshot to send the text message "Freedom" to a designated five-digit telephone number. However, the [[London]] ''[[Daily Mail]]'' estimates attendance at as many as a million persons, on the basis of eyewitness accounts and aerial-photographic evidence.<ref name=dailymail>Gardner D, "[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1213056/Up-million-march-US-Capitol-protest-Obamas-spending-tea-party-demonstration.html A million march to US Capitol to protest against 'Obama the socialist']," ''[[Daily Mail|The London Daily Mail]]'', September 14, 2009. Accessed September 16, 2009.</ref> Estimates of total attendance are difficult to obtain, primarily because the size of the crowd far exceeded the estimates by the event planners, with the result that many attendees were never able to get within earshot of the stage or even the sound system, and the temporary sanitary facilities were hopelessly jammed, with fifty persons standing in line to use each portable "necessary."

=== Operation: Can You Hear us Now? ===

=== Operation: Can You Hear us Now? ===

''"If you vote for any of these, your real pink slip will be issued in the next election"''

''"If you vote for any of these, your real pink slip will be issued in the next election"''

As of November 2009, 8 million pink slips have been sent to Congress at a cost of $29 each <ref>[http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=117136 True grass-roots effort? The 'pink slips' campaign], [[WND]], November 25, 2009</ref>

As of November 2009, 8 million pink slips have been sent to Congress at a cost of $29 each <ref>[https://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=117136 True grass-roots effort? The 'pink slips' campaign], [[WND]], November 25, 2009</ref>

== Noteworthy achievements ==

== Noteworthy achievements ==

Several news anchors working for [[CNN]] and [[MSNBC]] used uncivil language to describe Tea Partiers and coined the phrase "teabaggers," which is a crude term used to slur conservatives. Additionally, President Obama used the crude term as an off-color connotation attempting to mock Tea Party Movement organizers and participants across the nation. During an interview with the ''[[New York Times]]'', Barack Obama described the people of the Tea Party Movement as "the teabag, anti-government [extremists]."<ref>Michael Patrick Leahy. [http://www.tcotreport.com/obamaslur.html In Pep Talk to Democrats Yesterday, Obama Used Crude Term to Slur Conservatives], ''[[The TCOT Report]]'', November 8, 2009.</ref>  [[Vice President]] [[Joe Biden]] accused Tea Partiers of having "acted like terrorists" in a fight over raising the nation’s debt limit, according to several sources in the room with him, as reported by ''[[Politico]]''.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60421.html Sources: Joe Biden likened tea partiers to terrorists], ''[[Politico]]'', August 01, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/01/biden-criticized-for-calling-tea-party-republicans-terrorists-over-their-debt/ Tea Party Group Calls on Biden to Apologize for 'Terrorists' Remark], Fox News, August 02, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_081611/content/01125108.guest.html Ryan Rhodes Calls the Program], Rush Limbaugh, August 16, 2011.</ref>   

Several news anchors working for [[CNN]] and [[MSNBC]] used uncivil language to describe Tea Partiers and coined the phrase "teabaggers," which is a crude term used to slur conservatives. Additionally, President Obama used the crude term as an off-color connotation attempting to mock Tea Party Movement organizers and participants across the nation. During an interview with the ''[[New York Times]]'', Barack Obama described the people of the Tea Party Movement as "the teabag, anti-government [extremists]."<ref>Michael Patrick Leahy. [http://www.tcotreport.com/obamaslur.html In Pep Talk to Democrats Yesterday, Obama Used Crude Term to Slur Conservatives], ''[[The TCOT Report]]'', November 8, 2009.</ref>  [[Vice President]] [[Joe Biden]] accused Tea Partiers of having "acted like terrorists" in a fight over raising the nation’s debt limit, according to several sources in the room with him, as reported by ''[[Politico]]''.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60421.html Sources: Joe Biden likened tea partiers to terrorists], ''[[Politico]]'', August 01, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/01/biden-criticized-for-calling-tea-party-republicans-terrorists-over-their-debt/ Tea Party Group Calls on Biden to Apologize for 'Terrorists' Remark], Fox News, August 02, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_081611/content/01125108.guest.html Ryan Rhodes Calls the Program], Rush Limbaugh, August 16, 2011.</ref>   

Confronted with an epidemic of joblessness in her home state of [[California]], liberal-[[socialist]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUaY3LhJ-IQ&feature=related Maxine Waters threatens to nationalize U.S. oil industries], [[YouTube]], (Accessed August 22, 2011).</ref> [[House of Representatives|House]] representative [[Maxine Waters]] tried deflecting blame by telling a group of supporters that the "Tea Party can go straight to hell."<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/22/rep-waters-tea-party-can-go-straight-to-hell/ Tea Party Group Slams Rep. Waters Over 'Straight to Hell' Outburst], Fox News, August 22, 2011.</ref> She then threatened: "And I intend to help them get there."<ref>[http://www.bluegrasspundit.com/2011/08/liberal-msm-omitted-maxine-waters-overt.html Liberal MSM Omitted Maxine Waters Overt Threat to Tea Party], ''Bluegrass Pundit'', August 22, 2011.</ref>  At a [[Labor Day]] speech with Barack Obama in attendance, right before the president spoke, James P. Hoffa declared war against the Tea Party Movement. He offered to a cheering Obama, "President Obama, this is your army. We are ready to march. Let's take these sons of bitches out."<ref>[http://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2011/09/06/teaparty/jimmy-hoffa-bring/ Jimmy Hoffa, bring it on!]</ref><ref>[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2011/09/06/don_hoffa_goes_to_the_mattresses Don Hoffa Goes to the Mattresses], Rush Limbaugh</ref>  In a show of the same attitudes that several liberal leaders have expressed in graphic and ugly form, anonymous liberals created a Tea Party murder game, called "Tea Party Zombies Must Die."<ref>Tiffany Gabbay. [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/tea-party-zombies-must-die-new-online-lets-you-murder-beck-bachmann-palin/ ‘Tea Party Zombies Must Die’: New Online Game Lets You Gun Down Beck, Bachmann, Palin...], ''[[The Blaze]]'', September 6, 2011.</ref>

Confronted with an epidemic of joblessness in her home state of [[California]], liberal-[[socialist]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUaY3LhJ-IQ&feature=related Maxine Waters threatens to nationalize U.S. oil industries], [[YouTube]], (Accessed August 22, 2011).</ref> [[House of Representatives|House]] representative [[Maxine Waters]] tried deflecting blame by telling a group of supporters that the "Tea Party can go straight to hell."<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/22/rep-waters-tea-party-can-go-straight-to-hell/ Tea Party Group Slams Rep. Waters Over 'Straight to Hell' Outburst], Fox News, August 22, 2011.</ref> She then threatened: "And I intend to help them get there."<ref>[http://www.bluegrasspundit.com/2011/08/liberal-msm-omitted-maxine-waters-overt.html Liberal MSM Omitted Maxine Waters Overt Threat to Tea Party], ''Bluegrass Pundit'', August 22, 2011.</ref>  At a [[Labor Day]] speech with Barack Obama in attendance, right before the president spoke, James P. Hoffa declared war against the Tea Party Movement. He offered to a cheering Obama, "President Obama, this is your army. We are ready to march. Let's take these sons of bitches out."<ref>[https://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2011/09/06/teaparty/jimmy-hoffa-bring/ Jimmy Hoffa, bring it on!]</ref><ref>[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2011/09/06/don_hoffa_goes_to_the_mattresses Don Hoffa Goes to the Mattresses], Rush Limbaugh</ref>  In a show of the same attitudes that several liberal leaders have expressed in graphic and ugly form, anonymous liberals created a Tea Party murder game, called "Tea Party Zombies Must Die."<ref>Tiffany Gabbay. [https://www.theblaze.com/stories/tea-party-zombies-must-die-new-online-lets-you-murder-beck-bachmann-palin/ ‘Tea Party Zombies Must Die’: New Online Game Lets You Gun Down Beck, Bachmann, Palin...], ''[[The Blaze]]'', September 6, 2011.</ref>

===Death Threats===

===Death Threats===