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Scores of Republicans and conservative Democrats who voted against the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act subsequently wrote letters requesting funds for projects in a massive, behind-the-scenes letter-writing and phone call campaign, documents obtained by the Center show. Those asking for money include Tea Party favorites like freshman Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., former presidential candidates Ron Paul and John McCain and Republican congressional leaders like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Rep.

In response to the brazen effort on behalf of Republicans and neo-conservatives to hijack the Tea Party, as well as the establishment’s attempt to promote the Obama front “Coffee Party” as a fraudulent alternative, we are announcing the creation of The Real Coffee Party, an organization committed not to partisan bickering, but to the basic principles outlined in the Constitution.*

Massachusetts' New Political Party: Pirates

Pirate Party now accepted as a political designation

(Newser) – Avast there, Massachusetts voters! A’fore ye register f’r some lilly-livered party like the “Democrats” or “Republicans,” ye might want to consider signin’ on with the state’s newest crew: the Massachusetts Pirate Party. That’s right, the Massachusetts Election Division has officially approved the swashbuckling party as a political designation, meaning voters can now register as a “Pirate,” Raw Story reports.

A Republican senator's embrace of gay marriage is the latest sign of soul-searching in a party struggling to adapt in a society whose demographics — and views on emotional issues — are changing fast.

Gay marriage still divides the party, with the conservative wing strongly opposed. But an increasing number of Republicans, now including Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, are reversing course. Many others simply downplay the subject.

Hoffman, who initiated the sit-down, cautioned that the Tea Party movement is an autonomous grassroots movement and will not "be absorbed into the RNC."

Indeed, when a group of participants were asked after the meeting if they consider themselves Republicans, nearly all shook their heads and boasted that they were "American citizens." Others said they knew of fellow Tea Party activists who refused to come to the meeting because they do not trust the Republican leadership.

...it appears that some of the constitutionalist wing of the Republican Party (Ron Paul supporters, mostly) — including some Tea Party activists — felt unrepresented at the previous Maine Republican Party Convention and planned to make themselves a known quantity at the Convention this weekend.

It seems they don't play in Delaware. The Primary is in two weeks, and the party has sent this guy a certified letter... No, they're not against Ron Paul...

Anarcho-libertarian Doug Casey issues a critique of the Tea Party movement, muses on whether Republicans may in fact be worse than Democrats, and scorns the insipid Pledge to America.

The greatest strength of the Tea Party is its lack of a leader and political platform. Hopefully, it can stay out of the political minefield and simply support the "pledge of no".