Our fundamental problem... Washington has become a huge, loveless, self promoting prideful ego fest.
Reagan grasped this and herded the polecats as best he could without the ability to change out the polecats.
As for the Tea Party... yes I tend to agree. They raised a ruckus in Washington. About all they could do, but even a small smoke signal is better than no smoke signal.
That flame won’t be snuffed now.
And those are its' good traits.