The Tea Parties and the Consequences in Congress

Hosted by

The New York Times says about 30 Tea Party candidates could get to the House, while eight have a chance at the Senate. There is no official platform, but all want "smaller government," and their constituents' demands range from repealing healthcare reform to abolishing Medicare and Social Security. Many long for what they see as the Good Old Days -- before 1900 -- and they regard the Constitution as a form of holy writ. We talk with Tea Partiers and others about where they're coming from and how even a small contingent could have a big influence on Capitol Hill.

Credits

Guests:

  • Kate Zernike - New York Times reporter covering politics - @kzernike
  • Chris Littleton - Littleton and Associates - @clittleton
  • Mark Herr - Organizer, Mid-South Tea Party
  • Jill Lepore - professor of history at Harvard University, staff writer at the New Yorker, and host of the podcasts “The Last Archive” and “Elon Musk: The Evening Rocket.”
  • Larry Sabato - Director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics and editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball. He’s author of “The Kennedy Half Century; The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy.” - @larrysabato
  • Jonathan Alter - MSNBC - @jonathanalter

Host:

Warren Olney