In this episode, Jackson and Muhammad explore our first major right-wing populist faction: the Tea Party and libertarian conservative populism. They discuss the rise of the Tea Party, its influence, and its eclipse by MAGA.
TIMESTAMPS:
Introduction (00:00)
Defining libertarianism (04:21)
Libertarian Narrative of US History (08:04)
Important Libertarian Beliefs (14:00)
Tea Party Contextual Background (19:50)
Origins of the Tea Party (22:43)
Characteristics of the Tea Party Movement (27:19)
The Tea Party and the 2010 Midterms (39:06)
The Tea Party in Power, 2011-2013 (44:05)
The Tea Party and the 2012 Elections (46:49)
The Late Tea Party, 2012-2016 (50:00)
Discussion of why the Tea Party Failed (53:47)
Tea Party Defeated by MAGA, 2016 Primary (01:00:49)
Discussion on why MAGA conquers the Tea Party (01:04:36)
Libertarian Conservatism Under the MAGA GOP (01:12:34)
Modern Libertarian Populism Main Takeaways (01:21:05)
Wrap Up (01:31:14)
Rick Santelli's rant where he coins the term "Tea Party": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp-Jw-5Kx8k
Tea Party Organizations:
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/politics-and-government/tea-party-activism-overview
CBS Poll on Birtherist views among Tea Partiers & Americans:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-birther-myth-persists-among-tea-partiers-all-americans/
Mad as Hell: How the Tea Party Movement is Fundamentally Remaking Our Two Party System, by Doug Shoen and Scott Rasmussen
Chapter 2 & 5: Statistics on Tea Party popularity
Statistics on Tea Party Demographics (226-228)
“For the first time in recent history, the majority of Americans qualify as populists” (37)
“80 percent of the electorate now believes that “nothing can be accomplished in Washington” (Chapter 1)
All economic statistics (unemployment and deficits) from FRED
Studies on voting behavior in 2010 midterms: https://sites.duke.edu/hillygus/files/2014/05/AldrichetalPB.pdf
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/did-the-tea-party-help-or-hurt-the-republicans/
Debt Ceiling and Budget Showdown 2011: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-budget-crisis-of-2011-the-view-from-2021/
Tea Party Favorability:
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/10/16/tea-partys-image-turns-more-negative/
Newt Gingrich and the Tea Party:
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Tea-Party-Tally/2011/1220/How-Newt-Gingrich-won-over-the-tea-party
Tea Party in 2012 Elections: https://theconversation.com/tea-party-goes-cold-as-us-voters-reject-the-far-right-10621
Tea Party and PACS: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/08/tea-party-pacs-ideas-death-214164/
Tea Party and Betrayl: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-tea-party-betrayed-2012-5
Tea Party Support for Donald Trump: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/05/16/trumps-staunch-gop-supporters-have-roots-in-the-tea-party
Changing Republican Voters' Priorities: https://www.uakron.edu/bliss/docs/State-of-the-Parties-2021/rapoport-crossman-sop21-paper.pdf (19-26)
Tea Party Similarities to Trump & MAGA: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/tea-party-and-trump-presidency
Trump 2024 Election Night Speech on Not Starting Wars:
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-accepting-election-the-47th-president-the-united-states-palm-beach-florida
About the hosts: Muhammad is a recent graduate of American University where he received a BA in Economics and a minor in International Studies. He also interned at the Treasury Department during his undergraduate studies. Jackson is also a recent graduate of American University where he received a BA in International Studies and a minor in Political Science. He interned at the State Department and The Asia Group during his undergraduate studies. Disclaimer: the views expressed by Muhammad and Jackson are not reflective of the views of the organizations they have previously been employed at.
