O yeah!

The grass-roots “tea party” movement that swept across the country April 15 to protest federal tax and spending hikes will hold demonstrations in Washington and elsewhere this summer and fall when Congress will be battling over President Obama’s biggest budget proposals.

Leaders of the Tax Day rallies that drew an estimated 600,000 people in nearly 600 cities and towns say the seemingly spontaneous local protests have grown into a more muscular movement concerned that the escalating growth and cost of government threatens to undermine economic freedom.

Organizers say rallies are planned here and around the nation on the Fourth of July to tie the movement’s goals to the nation’s founding principles; on Sept. 12, when Congress is expected to be in the midst of debate over Mr. Obama’s plans on health care, energy and global warming; and on Oct. 2, when supporters expect that debate to be continuing.

“There is no central governing body behind this,” said Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity and one of the movement’s many informal leaders.

“It’s a genuine grass-roots movement, so I think you will continue to see an array of grass-roots protests giving voice to their concern that they have of losing their freedom, specifically their economic freedom.”

This is very true. Of course there are certain ‘ringleaders.’ People who are experienced, passionate, and well connected. Leaders have to stand up in every aspect of life. And they do. The same goes for the tea party movement.

But there is not ‘one’ organization behind it. There are libertarians, moderate conservatives, traditional conservatives, social conservatives and fiscal conservatives involved, who all organize their own parties in order to let Washington know they will not accept more (future) taxes.

Interestingly enough, although Republicans are certainly happy with the tea parties, it would actually be best for the GOP if attendees fail to influence Washington’s policies. Why? Simple. If Democrats go ahead and raise taxes, Republicans can run on an anti-taxes platform one and even three years from now. If the tea parties are successful, however, Obama and Democrats in general can claim they are “tax cutters.”