Frequently in the Australian media we hear stories about how the tea-party movement is comprised of radical extremist fascist conservatives. Now, as readers here would know, I classify myself very much on the libertarian end of the political spectrum, and if this were to be the case, I would be rather concerned.
The reality, however, is quite to the contrary, and, to that end, I just came across this article from David Boaz of the (libertarian) Cato Institute:
Tea Party groups have declined invitations to criticize federal court rulings on gay marriage. They have studiously avoided taking positions on social issues, even when social conservatives stomp their feet and demand that the Tea Party start talking about abortion and gay marriage.
I have said before that “The tea party is not a libertarian movement, but (at this point at least) it is a libertarian force in American politics. It’s organizing Americans to come out in the streets, confront politicians, and vote on the issues of spending, deficits, debt, the size and scope of government, and the constitutional limits on government. That’s a good thing. And if many of the tea partiers do hold socially conservative views (not all of them do), then it’s a good thing for the American political system and for American freedom to keep them focused on shrinking the size and cost of the federal government.” That still seems a valid point: Whatever views individual Tea Partiers may hold on an array of issues, as the Tea Party they are organized to constrain taxes, spending, deficits, debt, and the size of government, and that’s a libertarian direction.
Sounds pretty good to me!
You can, of course, read the whole piece here.
(Posted by TVA)
