Comparing the tea party to the Birchers is not accurate.
The tea party is sane and effective and engaged in real life conservatism with real life, effective political leaders and hopes for a presidency.
I didn't say they were the same. But both organizations have been maligned by the left who perceived/preceives them as a threat.
The "Birchers" have been around a very long time. People think they know who they are, but are often mistaken. I worked a gun show years ago in a John Birch Society booth trying to prompt gunowners to take a more active part in the political process (vote). It's amazing how few would even talk to us. Some who did thought we were a "communist" organization! Amazing. It shows how effective the left has been in covering its true character and mischaracterizing the JBS who are anything but. It's an Americanist organizatino who purpose in principally educational in nature.