Quote:
Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel
I think the only people who can really own the theme of the "Tea Party" in the true spirit of taxation without representation are the residents of DC.
The widespread fear, in my opinion, is the increase of media and technology and how in a second people can get information (correct or incorrect) and have lost their ability to think independently and rely upon talking heads and pundits on all sides.
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I think this has a lot to do with it.
If you look at mass movements like this in US History, I don't think there's been anything like this since the suffrage and anti-immigrant movements of the early 20th century. I'm not including the anti-war sentiment of WWI and Vietnam because I think those are a separate issue.
Technology plays a HUGE role in all of this. Besides the points that VS listed above, technology (through blogs, email, etc.) has made it easier to coordinate the movement (organizing meeting locations, getting speakers such as Palin, etc.). That has helped take it from a bunch of local pockets to something on a national scale.
As far as the subject, taxation, I'm not sure there has been something like this in the past. When Bush I raised taxes in violation of his "No new taxes" statement, there was some hosility, but not to this level. I don't even think there was this level of protest when the income taxes were first instituted in the late 19th century, or when they were raised during the World Wars.
I think that the combination of more technology, a Democrat as President, and the current financial situation combined to create a perfect storm.
Little32, I'm not sure if that's responsive to your question, but that's just the opinion of one history major.