It’s becoming almost a given in some circles: the Tea Party and various grassroots insurgencies of just a few years ago are little more than a thing of the past, defeated and done with. Faced by some unsuccessful races, a few tactical missteps and a well-funded establishment that’s now actively fighting back, they’re certainly facing tough odds.
Are we truly entering another reign of the establishment? Are the Tea Party and grassroots upstarts really “over” or “dead” as some have claimed?
Not exactly. It’s undeniable that, as with any broadly defined movement, there have been missteps and those who damage the brand. But we shouldn’t be too quick to ring the death knell.
In the first place, within the last year, there have already been grassroots victories at the polls, where small government candidates edged out the establishment against the odds.
More importantly, though, the Tea Party is doing what it’s always done: shifting incentives to push both parties closer to the ideal of smaller government and less spending. Whether by making longtime incumbents nervous electorally, or by shifting the Republican Party more in its direction, the Tea Party continues to be a force in American politics.
As Alan I. Abramowitz pointed out recently, “strong supporters” of the Tea Party are overwhelmingly more likely to be actively involved in Republican politics and regular primary voters. Even if the movement’s nationwide popularity suffers, its clout continues to grow independently.
It’s true that some Tea Party-affiliated candidates and figures have damaged the brand with unpopular or awkward statements on social issues; some others, perhaps, mistake incremental gains with selling out, or stubbornness for principle. But the core message of the movement, a message the establishment has long neglected, that we must make tough choices to lower spending and taxes instead of indefinitely racking up debt, is crucially important and continues to resonate with all Americans.
At the end of the day, Americans know government is broken, and they’re tired of paying higher taxes to fund ever-growing spending. The message wins, even if the messengers sometimes falter. For that reason, the Tea Party and grassroots upstarts are stronger than ever.
