I concur! I was there for the original 9/12 Tea Party in DC and I met so many wonderful people. I don’t think the effect of so many conservatives on other conservatives should be underestimated. It’s energizing; it’s inspiring... and it let’s both sides of the aisle know WE ARE STILL AROUND and can show up on your doorstep, or in your district, in force.
Not arranging another big get together allows THEM to portray us as weak, disintegrated and the like. It’s a bad idea NOT to have a huge Tea Party. We should do it yearly!
My husband and son went. I stayed home with the two younger kids... wasn’t sure at the time about bathroom availability, how far we would have to walk etc... They told me that it was so powerful and that they felt part of something amazingly strong. My son was impressed by how many great people he met of all races, ages, religions, backgrounds etc.. He talked and talked about the general respect shown to all people and the amount of patriotism shown and “felt”. I have really given a lot of thought to it and believe maybe it is something “primal”... belonging to a large group or maybe it is feeling like you are part of a “LOUD” voice. Not sure exactly but I truly feel that a mass of people impresses the idea that a group has strength.
Apparently you haven't been following the news the past few days. We miraculously went from fringe, unrepresentative, astroturf, insurance-company mercenaries, to THE MOST POTENT POLITICAL FORCE in American history. We control less than 1/3 of 1/3 of Boenher's 1/3 of the government, yet the S&P downgrade was *solely* because of our total domination of the debt ceiling agreement terms.