The New(est) Party

We have the Green Party and the Libertarian Party, the Conservative Party and many others (yes, even the American Communist Party).  Now we have two more, one maturing and one just getting started.

The Tea Party has been around for a few years. It seems to have started out with the cry, "What about me!" (1) and has morphed into more specific creeds.  Constitutionality. smaller government, less taxes.  It has not been absorbed by the Republican Party but rather attached more like a Siamese Twin.

The 99 Percent Movement is just starting out.  It's rallying cry is "What about me!" - wait - where have I heard that before??  It is coming from the Left but it is not happy any more with the establishment left, just as the Tea Party is not happy with the establishment Right.

So what do we have?  I think the initial movement on both sides is a reaction from the radical right and left.  As the movements mature, they tone down the rhetoric and develop game plans.  As this gets out they start picking up people who are are closer to the center.  All movements by their nature become more centrist in order to keep attracting new followers.  Where will the 99 Percent end up? I don't know - but I do know they need a better name.

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(1)  For those who think the Tea Party is not the "about me" party - here are some links to peruse - two from definitely conservative sites.  Rick Santelli's (former hedge fund manager) rant asks "who wants to pay for your neighbors mortgage, who has an extra bathroom and can't pay their bills?"  Well if you got rich on taking your neighbor's money when YOU knew he could not pay his bills, then maybe you should.....he was railing against the Homeowners Affordability and Stability Plan - not the stimulus by the way.  Ironically, if the government had focused on solving the mortgage problem, maybe jobs would have appeared and we would not be in this mess today...

http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/258258/short-history-tea-parties

Look at the signs on this site:
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/15/a-tax-day-tea-party-cheat-sheet-how-it-all-started/

http://www.slate.com/articles/video/slate_v/2010/11/the_history_of_the_tea_party_in_four_minutes.html