And I'm sorry--I know too many Tea Party types for that dichotomy to resonate much with me. Unless you're trying to point out that the "conservatives" are to the left of the Tea Party. Because that's certainly been the charge FROM the Tea Party. Why else have they been actively running against Republicans in primary races on the grounds that the GOP candidates aren't conservative enough?
If Tea Party != Conservative, then it's only because Tea Party = Reactionary.
The Tea Party is reactionary... it's not Anti-Obama, it's not Anti-Democrat, it's not Anti-Liberal, it's not Anti-Conservative... it's about fiscal conservatism, not political conservatism. Some of those transparency in government movements that Obama himself pushed are directly related to the Tea Party movement trying to get transparency and responsibility in our government's spending.
Democrat, liberal, conservative, sunflower seed, piece of dry bread... whatever you are, whoever you are... if you believe that the Federal Reserve and IRS are abusing our money and the Dollar... then you are most likely in agreement with Tea Party rallies.
When you call them tea baggers, you are most likely calling yourself a tea bagger unless you think the government should just continue to print money like it's going out of style and fund the programs that they are while sinking our Dollar to a point where it's going to be worth less than squat on the global market.
If you think the Tea Party is anything but that, you're living in ignorance or believing too much of the news.