On 2010-11-05, at 3:29 PM, Carrol Cox wrote:
> I'm arguing only about the very special
> phenomenon of the Tea Party.
Based on the extensive discussion of the TPM on the list, my sense is that most don't see it as a "very special phenomenon", and share Somebody's view:
> White Americans are already predisposed to be against the Democrats as the party of minorities, and this is easily exacerbated by a minority president presiding during a depression...There's no mystery here; whites in this country have become very conservative since the civil rights revolution.
The uncoordinated agglomeration of groups which comprise the tea party faction of the Republican party has no independent life outside of it. And its influence within it - measured by the success of candidates endorsed by the movement's doyenne, Sarah Palin - is decidedly mixed. High-profile tea party candidates Sharron Angle, Tom Tancredo, Christine O'Donnell were all defeated, as was Joe Miller in Palin's home state.
Sarah Palin's endorsements: Half of the Tea Party favorite's picks win on Election Day By Aliyah Shahid New York Daily News November 3 2010