Paul Begala has an excellent, concise piece up today on The Daily Beast about the Tea Party Downgrade of 2011.
In a few short paragraphs, he brilliantly capsulizes the Tea Baggers' reckless nihilism and how they've badly defamed the Founding Fathers with their distortionist hijacking of America's legacy. Rather than rehash here what he says, I suggest following the link to his piece. (Slightly amusing are the Tea Baggers railing against him in the comment section with their usual ad hominem schoolyard taunts -- you can't attack the message so you attack the messenger.)
Begala ends his essay with a quote from Abraham Lincoln, targeted at secessionists before the Civil War, but which could be directed at the Tea Baggers today with equally precise accuracy:
Your purpose, then, plainly stated, is that you will destroy the Government, unless you be allowed to construe and enforce the Constitution as you please, on all points in dispute between you and us. You will rule or ruin in all events.