Who Rules the Tea Party?

Armstrong Williams  "So-called experts claim the tea party only affects Republicans, but that’s an incomplete assertion. Throughout the country we are seeing Democratic candidates run away from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and their party to tout their independence and fiscal responsibility. When was the last time you saw so many politicians run away from their greatest “achievements?”
"If the tea party and its message are so trite, why are officials on both sides privately telling me this is the best thing to happen to the parties in a long time? Simple — because it’s forcing candidates to finally start listening."

Tea Party activists invoke spirit of 1773  from the U.K. Guardian :  "We didn't storm the [Federal Reserve], we didn't start throwing valuable things into the water, because we have a decided appreciation for the value of goods. But we do honour our nation's founding fathers, and we do honour a system that for 200 years has shown that humans excel when they are left to their own devices. I don't know how you argue with 200 years of history."