I don't like the Tea Party.

That's pretty blunt. I don't like the "Tea Party Movement." But I have huge hopes for it, even as I support our president and hope he weathers the oncoming storm.

See, the biggest problem with the Tea Party Movement is that - well, it's not a party. And no, I don't mean paper hats, noisemakers and drinks, I do mean this in the political sense. The tea party movement is summed up in two words - "We're mad."

Well, that's great. Discontent - something rather solidly American - drives change, if you want to do the work, if your politicians listen and do their jobs. But the tea party movement isn't any more defined than that - they're just mad about *everything.* Some over things that are patently false (Obama "not being american," policies that are more conservative than Nixon and that the Republicans offered a decade ago being "socialist" and the like,) some are just foolish ("Throw the bums out" being a rallying cry against incumbents,) and even internally, there's just no agreement. Find something to get a bunch mad and point them -

They're being a herd, and they're being used. And they're not, in their current form, good for the country.

However, that's also a hope for me for them, because our current parties are the *same way.* Less than a generation ago, we had political discourse. Yes, we had Democrats and Republicans - we had conservative, moderate, and liberals in both parties, though. They could work together far better than they seem to now - when it seems the only thing that's going to happen are party-line votes and mudslinging. (Yes, I realize that happens in politics, in many cases defines it, but it seems more entrenched now.)

My hope for the tea party? That they manage to shatter the parties. That we get a range of people - or better yet, actually get a viable third, or fourth, party out there, made of those broken away from the monoliths of Democrat and Republican. Those that would *have* to be worked with, those that would prevent "We're just going to say no to everything" from locking down government.

It needs to happen. Two parties, as long as we've had them, are dangerous. When they calcify, nothing gets done. We need a third... and while the Tea Party Movement isn't a party, maybe they can organize their anger enough to light a fire under those who *can* form a viable, long lasting party that can be taken seriously.

Note, I know there are "other parties," but really, when they don't even form a blip on the radar...