It was the late evening during election night and it didn’t take long for my phone to start ringing once a good number of the races had been called and it became apparent that the Tea Party would indeed have a number candidates taking public office. What did these people calling me want? Well, I fielded questions about the future of the Tea Party. Many of my friends who called me wanted to know exactly where the Tea Party would go from here… would they fizzle out and die the slow painful death that most non-party political movements do? Or, would they find a home in Congress and speak with a legitimate voice?
The answer to that question is difficult because it depends on several things. First of all, I’d like to say this: If the Tea Party forms a Congressional Caucus – as some of its members aim to do – than the question of the Tea Party as a third party is answered. At that point there would be no question as to whether the Tea Party is an official third party or not. Now, the question of the Tea Party as a third party that will continue to exist for more than election cycle depends largely on the Tea Party’s efforts to build up a political structure around itself and Republican efforts to absorb the Tea Party Congressmen/women into their existing leadership rings and Congressional Caucus. The fact of the matter is that if the Tea Party fails to build up a political structure around itself, if they fail in getting out their political messages to the public, than they will fade away after one – possibly two – election cycles. Right now, the Tea Party does not have the resources in place to be able to build this political infrastructure… and only time will tell if they start to move in that direction. The Republicans are currently in the process of trying to absorb the Tea Party candidates into their Republican Congressional Caucus. Viewed through the lens of the Republican leadership in Congress, the Tea Party is a sort of separatist movement. Their success in incorporating Tea Party members into their caucus largely depends on what kind of deals they are willing to make with Tea Party members on certain fiscal policies. Their success is also largely dependent on how well they do at incorporating Tea Party members into the existing power/leadership structure that is already in place. If they seek to absorb the Tea Party, the Republicans are going to have to be willing to share power with Tea Party members in Congress.
Now, I will be the first to admit that I certainly do not like the Tea Party, what they stand for, or the candidates that they supported. However, there is a positive to be found within the Tea Party movement, I believe. Thus far, I hardly think that one could call the Tea Party movement a failure; no, it has largely been a success. The fact that they fielded candidates in the 2010 mid-term elections and that a number of their candidates won seats in Congress certainly makes their efforts as a political movement – and possibly even a political party – a success. The fact that they have enjoyed such success is evidence enough that it is possible for there to be a third party in the United States party system; or, it at least legitimizes the possibility of there being a third party. For too long has the two-party system been the bane of political and even social progress in this country. I believe – while I do not like the Tea Party – that their success thus far is a great spring-board for other political movements to break into the political system, field candidates, and win seats. However, as the old adage goes, only time will tell.
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