What is poorly understood by many critics is that the Tea Party cohorts are fundamentally split by certain ideological differences. You see this quite clearly in the preferences expressed in polls of Tea Partiers between Ron Paul and Sarah Palin.
Now, anyone who follows these two political figures knows that they fundamentally differ on many issues, to the point where it's really inaccurate to refer to them both as 'conservatives'. Ron Paul is a principled libertarian: anti-war dove, anti-Fed, anti-big banker, pro-sound currency, pro-free market, pro-choose-your-own-lifestyle. Sarah Palin--to the extent that she has principles and isn't just a self-centered egotist trying to make her fortune--is a fundamentalist Christian, pro-war and pro-military hawk, pro-life cultural conservative. She is pro-banker and big business, rarely disagreeing with the priorities of big business, whatever they may be. I actually respect many of Ron Paul's positions, while I find Palin to be revolting and even disgusting.
There is a certain incoherence in the Tea Party movement in this regard, and it seems like that it will fragment and disintegrate at some point in the near future.
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