<rhetorical critique>
"The Tea Party" is a vaguely defined entity with no official spokesman. Ron Paul may have been at least conceptually the beginning of it. Many democrats who reject some aspects of government deemed excessive or intrusive have come out for one idea or another that is rhetorically bagged and labeled as "Tea Party" by a disparaging mainstream media and some politicians who hold more favorable views to the present fashion and power of "government", but today the Republican mainstream has pretty much sidelined the "Tea Party" elements in their party, and are mostly in cahoots with the Dems on most of what our government is doing. . . . though most of their voter base clearly wants their party to do some push-back on things like Obamacare, and measures to curtail "excessive" spending. . . . hence the political posturing that is going on with the "government shutdown". It has got to last long enough that Republican voters will remember their representative or Senator "tried" to do "something". . . .
I just say there really is no meaningful "government shutdown", and nothing is actually going to be done. The media hype is all about controlling the rhetoric and posturing for the next election, and attempting to divert blame and actually to avoid taking any responsibility for the things people are unhappy about. . . . .
And, franklin, I know you're a smart guy who believes in monetary policy of a certain stripe. . .. and I know a lot of "tea party" folks are sorta lost in the woods and can't understand your actual ideas. . . . I just hate seeing you lump them all together with, say, communist or western-manipulated political activists who are working the Islamic community with inflammatory rhetoric.
"Tea Party" folks who do indeed want to restore more direct influence upon our government by actual citizens are talking about essential human liberties like freedom of speech, belief, religion, and economic choice. . . . in direct reaction to progressive encroachments upon our rights. . . . but, alas, many are still idiots, sorry to say.