Have you heard? There's a new caucus on Capitol Hill: the Tea Party Caucus!
Yesterday, Representative Michele Bachmann (who led formation of the caucus) says the group will not serve as the "mouthpiece" for the Tea Party movement, but rather the "earpiece." The caucus had its inaugural meeting yesterday morning; 28 lawmakers were in attendance:
Representative Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Representative Gary Miller (R-CA)
Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO)
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
Representative Paul Broun (R-GA)
Representative Phil Gingrey (R-GA)
Representative Tom Price (R-GA)
Representative Dan Burton (R-IN)
Representative Mike Pence (R-IN)
Representative Steve King (R-IA)
Representative Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Representative Todd Tiahrt (R-KS)
Representative John Fleming (R-LA)
Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)
Representative Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)
Representative Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
Representative Todd Akin (R-MO)
Representative Walter Jones (R-NC)
Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC)
Representative Joe Barton (R-TX)
Representative John Carter (R-TX)
Representative Michael Burgess (R-TX)
Representative John Culberson (R-TX)
Representative Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX)
Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX)
Representative Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)
While some still have concerns about designating an official caucus for a grassroots movement outside the Beltway, I'm curious…what do YOU think? Good idea or bad idea? Can it be a successful platform for dialogue that helps further fuel the enthusiasm and influence of Tea Party activists? I guess time will tell.