Module 6

Week 6 / Week of February 15

 

Impeachment, acquittal, condemnations, declarations… this past week has challenged Republicans to think deeply. One could argue that it was the Tea Party, with its origin more than 10 years ago as an interest group, a faction, a movement… that set in motion the themes that have either invigorated the Republican party or torn it apart, depending on where you stand. What was the Tea Party, and what has it become? This week, after you read Chapter 5 of your textbook, please also read this additional article from 2011, titled “The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism.” A link is below and I can also send you a PDF file if you prefer.

 

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/williamson/files/tea_party_pop_0.pdf

 

Much has happened since this article was published. Having just learned the differences between political parties and interest groups, please reflect on how you would categorize the Tea Party both at its origin, as described in the article, and as it has evolved until today. It’s a great example of how interest groups can morph into political parties over time.

 

Blog entry #9 should be at least one full page of writing and should specifically respond to the questions and comments in this Module.