After the collapse of the McCain – Palin presidential ticket in 2008, conservatives think tanks, backed by the Koch Brothers, started to work on ways to stymie the new president’s political agenda. Much of the mainstream media gets it wrong when they discuss the origins of the Tea Party. It’s always described as an “organic grassroots movement”. Its was anything but organic.

It was started by an organization that founded itself back in the 1980s with the help of big oil and tobacco companies looking for a way to stop taxes and legislation in their areas.

Using what they learned from big tobacco, conservative funders found the weapon to strike back at the Democrat stronghold after the election of Barack Obama.

Shownotes for “Rise of the Tea Party”:

Articles:

The Secret Origin of the Tea Party – Time

The Tea Party Movement – Wikipedia

How the tea party paved the way for Donald Trump – The Washington Post

A History of the Tea Party Movement – ThoughtCo

Videos:

CNBC’s Rick Santelli Tea Party Rant – The Heritage Foundation

The Newsroom (112th Congress) – HBO Max

GOP Candidates Face the Tea Party – CNN

The Tea Party’s Influence on American -Politics – Brookings Institution

Boehner, the Tea Party, and the GOP – CNN

Lauren Boehner Takes on the Tea Party – AP

Debt Ceiling Crisis: Boehner vs. Tea Party – ABC News

The History of the Tea Party in Four Minutes – Slate

Palin Criticizes Obama’s “Terrorist Connection” – AP

This episode goes into the foundation funded by big business, and the GOPs obsession with seizing power. Their idea that they could somehow corral these lunatics to do what they need. The problem was that many of these people had no intention of governing. They have every intention of obstructing governing and allowing their funders to do what they will.

Enjoy this week’s episode of “The Modern GOP” with Great American Shit Show: Rise of the Tea Party.