Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    The Tea Parties and the Consequences in Congress

    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.

    • rss
    • Share
    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    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.

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The Tea Parties and the Congress
    1. 0:00Poor Oversight of Billions in Afghan Reconstruction Funds
    2. 7:25The Tea Parties and the Consequences in CongressYou’re reading this
    3. 42:25President Obama, 'Dude,' Visits Jon Stewart on 'The Daily Show'
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/e23b2c8a5a7a4a05410f82a6104e445f/custom_thumbnail_large.png?h=250&fm=webp

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Katie Cooper

      Producer, 'One year Later'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

    • KCRW placeholder

      Karen Radziner

      Managing Producer, To the Point & Which Way LA?

    • KCRW placeholder

      Kate Zernike

      New York Times reporter covering politics

    • KCRW placeholder

      Chris Littleton

      Littleton and Associates

    • KCRW placeholder

      Mark Herr

      Organizer, Mid-South Tea Party

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The Tea Parties and the Congress
    1. 0:00Poor Oversight of Billions in Afghan Reconstruction Funds
    2. 7:25The Tea Parties and the Consequences in CongressYou’re reading this
    3. 42:25President Obama, 'Dude,' Visits Jon Stewart on 'The Daily Show'
    Back to To the Point