When people hear the phrase Tea Party protests they typically think of the Boston Tea Party of 1773. This is exactly the kind of memory the members of the current Tea Party want to evoke. The Boston Tea Party is seen by most Americans as a nonviolent protest of taxation without representation. This unfair tax made the colonists angry, and more than two hundred years later what are perceived as unfair taxation policies are still making Americans angry. Just as the Boston Tea party led to direct change in the colonies, many hope the Tea Party protests that began in 2009 will eventually result in lasting change in American tax policies.
Recent Tea Party protests were the result of many factors. The downturn of the economy along with a federal stimulus package that gave money to large financial institutions as well as auto companies made many people angry primarily because many felt much of the spending was wasteful and would lead to an unnecessary increase in government power. Other issues that have led to the popularity of Tea Party protests is an opposition to a steady increase in the national debt and even the federal income tax.
Interestingly, Tea Party is not only intended to conjure images of patriotic heroes of the past but the word TEA is also often used as an acronym. TEA, when used as an acronym, represents Taxed Enough Already, implying that the protests are against additional or unnecessary taxes. The most popular day for Tea Party protests during 2009, the first year of modern protests was April 15th, or tax day. Subsequent dates were added as the movement gained strength including July 4th, and other dates as determined by local protest groups.
What does the future hold for Tea Party protests? It is difficult to say. The groups are very compartmentalized by region and sometimes even by issue. Currently the new healthcare plan is attracting a lot Tea Party interest. It seems that anywhere government spending is seen to be excessive or government involvement going to a perceived extreme, the Tea Party will protest. Most of the localized groups are already planning on larger Tax Day protests as well as smaller protests as political issues demand.