My dad is a Tea Partier ?!?

...and my mom may no longer be a Democrat.

So, if you read this post, you know that there are some gaps in my relationship with my dad. I have no idea what political ideas he held during my childhood years. The political discussions we have held in recent years mostly included how all of the decisions made by GWB have made his life (and everyone else's) unbearable. He's always been a union member (electrical contractor, now retired). I expected that he was at least a nominal Democrat.

Mom and I discuss politics even less often. The last conversation I can remember was when I registered to vote and registered Republican. “Republican? Why not Democrat like me?” Younger and much less wiser, I had no response, and she never asked again.

Over the last six months, thanks to the BIGs, The StageRightShow, and Twitter, I know lots more about government, politics, and what is happening in America than I ever did before. Most of the folks I work with are "too busy" to be interested in those topics. Living away from family, I guess I expected that they would still hold the same beliefs as before, or just be apathetic.

Dad showed up last Saturday afternoon after driving from his home near Atlanta. He had a bumper sticker in his window (and three more in other places on his car.) “You lied; we decide! Walton County Tea Party” Dad they apologized for being late; he was cleaning up after the parade.

TeaParty?
Parade?

Turns out that my father is very involved in his local Tea Party. There are sessions to educate the young people. Candidates come to speak and are required to answer questions about Constitutional knowledge and positions on abortion, taxes, and other key issues. At the parade, TeaParty members answered questions, gave stickers to kids, and generally spread the word. Dad's church is apparently part of the process too. Dad even referenced several Constitutional amendments. He knew who he was supporting for Congress in GA-7 to replace the incumbent R that is retiring this year. (Sadly, Dad's not in GA-4 to help oust Hank Johnson. That would have been over-the-top coincidence..."takin' care of home)

Mom still has much less to say on the topic, but indicated her current thoughts this way. Upon seeing an “Obama '08” bumper sticker, Mom said, “Well, I wonder if they are ready to vote him out yet.”

I don't know why I'm surprised that my parents feel this way. After all, the family we spent the weekend with (long-time friends) feel exactly the same way. I'm in the southern U.S. (and South Carolina has been Republican for, oh, forever) and the prevailing view seems to be that November 2010 is a starting point, but November 2012 cannot come soon enough.