To the Editor:

In a Quinnipiac University polling (8/16-8/27), 29 percent of Americans responded that they couldn’t formulate an opinion of the Tea Party because they hadn’t heard enough about it. Following are the core beliefs of the Tea Party.  

The Tea Party is a political phenomena of the 21st century. Independently, throughout this nation, like-minded individuals began meeting to discuss America’s massive government spending and unprecedented debt. Lack of transparency and accountability, a failing economy, unsustainable entitlement programs, and a financial crisis triggered by the government mortgage giants of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac served as alarms that awakened people to the need for fiscal responsibility in our government.

In addition to fiscal responsibility, the Tea Party believes in the values of constitutionally limited government. We respect the original meaning and intent of the founders. The Constitution provides for a system of checks and balances in order to prevent usurpation of power; backdoor legislation by executive order can lead to corruption. We believe in our inalienable rights and we pledge our allegiance to America. We defend our values and freedoms and believe in the exceptionalism of America.

Besides fiscal responsibility and constitutionally limited government, the Tea Party champions a free market economy, the basis of America’s prosperity. We are against federal bailouts of corporations. We believe that financial institutions should regulate student loans, not the government. The free market system should prevail; the government should not be choosing winners and losers, as they have been with car companies, financial institutions, and soon to be, healthcare. Free markets should be free, not stifled and controlled by executive ordered regulations.

In an attempt to restore fiscal sanity to D.C., the Tea Party has shown a spotlight on out-of-control spending and skyrocketing national debt. The Tea Party has alerted the nation to unconstitutional legislation and usurpation of executive power. The Tea Party believes that an unbridled free market system, not socialism, will restore the American economy to its former status.

The simple truth is that, for far too long, American voters have relied on what they believed to be the innate integrity of our elected leaders, Democrats and Republicans. Unfortunately, both parties have let us down. The members of the Tea Party are no longer inattentive or gullible. We are concerned citizens who want to preserve what is best in our nation for both present and future generations.

Gail Chapman, President

Mountain Patriots Tea Party

Macon County