The rise of the Tea Party in American politics has taken many by surprise. More than thirty Tea Party candidates were elected in the congressional midterm elections. The political gains made the grassroots movement has left many political commentators and observers asking questions about the origins and nature of the movement, namely what is the Tea Party? In short, many Tea Party supporters routinely quote the founding fathers and what they see as their distrust of government. This seems to be the one universal belief that unites those in the Tea Party camp. Some emphasize the Second Amendment, while others …