Difference between Tea Party and Republican Party
The Tea Party of today is not quite the same Tea Party of Boston fame, although it definitely has roots there. Instead, today's version has a lot more in common with the Republican Party, as you will see in this comparison article.
Profile
The Tea Party is considered a populist, conservative/libertarian movement. It is based in the United States, and much of its growth occurred in 2009, in which time it developed from a series of local and national protests. Among the issues protested during this period were Federal laws such as the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and various other health care reform bills.
The Republican Party is one of the two main political parties in the U.S., along with the Democratic Party. It was established by anti-slavery activists in 1854, and since that time to this day, it has often been referred to as the Grand Old Party or GOP. Ever since its inception, the Republican Party has reflected the wide range of American conservative ideals in all its permutations. This puts it in contrast with the decidedly more "liberal" or "progressive" Democratic leaning.
Composition
According to various surveys of Tea Party supporters and participants, most are members of the Republican Party, and a large number tend to favor that party’s policies as well. Surveys also showed that most members do not think very highly of the Democratic Party, and as many as 40% are older than 55, and a large percentage is Caucasian. It is also interesting to note that many members refer to themselves as "born-again" Christians.
The Republican Party for its part is comprised of as many as 55 million members, as seen in voter turnout in 2004. This figure represents 1/3 of the electorate. In the 2010 elections, members of the Republican Party won the majority of seats in the House of Representatives, as well as the majority of governorships. Republican Party members were also a major force in state legislature, and they managed to gain control of one chamber in five states.
Policies
The Tea Party is not actually a national political party in the strict sense of the word, nor does it have official candidates for Congress. In addition, the name "Tea Party" has not shown up on any ballots at all. Nevertheless, the "party" has been instrumental in shaping various public opinions, particularly with regard to President Obama's policy on Muslim countries. The Tea Party has also expressed approval of the Arizona immigration law, which has been the subject of much controversy throughout the country.
The Republican Party for its part espouses ideas such as free market and individual achievement, and point to these two as being instrumental to achieving economic prosperity. The party is also opposed to government-run health care systems involving single payers, drawing parallels to it and socialized medicine. The party instead favors personal or employer-based insurance systems, in conjunction with Medicare and Medicaid.
Similarities and Differences
Tea Party
- A populist, conservative/libertarian movement
- Most are members of the Republican Party
Republican Party
- One of the two main political parties in the U.S.
- Reflects the wide range of American conservative ideals
