I use the term "interloper" to describe individuals who insert themselves into the ranks of legitimate participants to cause them to lose face with the greater population
I'm at an age when I'm at a loss for proper terminology/nomenclature
Part of the problem facing the Tea Party is that they're not well organized enough to root out the interlopers. In fact, they've resisted attempts to get organized. The problem is highlighted every time a Tea Party member, sponsor, or candidate advocates violence or engages in racist dialogue. I think most folks understand that the loonies and interlopers don't represent the crowd, but then the question becomes "Who does?"
Its not just that..
To paraphrase Bill Clinton, they do not know what "is" is. They lack defined leadership, a defined political position, a defined strategy. The result is that anyone who hates government is good enough to be a tea bagger.
To become a formal organization requires a formal leadership body, and this is a movement. Movements, once they have a leader, become "all about" the leader. This movement rejects being imbued with the faults, fallacies and frailties of any individual leader.
There have been and will be "spin'offs" but no official organization. It is less vulnerable operating in that fashion for the near future.
Last edited: