Original 'Tea Party' leaders

Q: Having failed to stop health care reform, Republican leaders have vowed to make repealing it their rallying cry in the November elections. What lessons could they draw from political history and the experience of leaders in other fields?

The Adams family of Massachusetts played a huge role in shaping the American revolution. The firebrand of the family was Sam Adams, who helped stir up the mob that stormed British ships in the Boston Tea Party. Afterward, he vigorously defended their protest by arguing such strong measures were the only recourse left to citizens denied their rights by an oppressive king. His cousin John Adams was more measured. Not nearly as incendiary, John stood to principle in arguing that the British soldiers who killed five Bostonians in the infamous massacre deserved a fair trial--and he ended up defending them in the trial.

Sam Adams is now best known for the beer that bears his name. John Adams became an author of the Declaration of Independence, president of the United States, and only one of two men to serve as president and father a successor.

Who was the better leader? There's a lesson here. Leaders can quickly reach great heights and huge success, rallying citizens by railing against an abuse, real or perceived. But that kind of leadership is hard to make stick for very long. Fires that flare up quickly often burn themselves out just as fast. Longer-term success requires something to fight for. John Adams was often plodding and sometimes clumsy, but in the end he won the cause for which cousin Sam provided initial ammunition.

This lesson is critical for the Republicans. They have a tea party moment that's given birth to a brand new tea party movement. The passage of health care reform is giving them an incredible opportunity to rally people scared of big government, frightened by Obama-ites, and uncertain about a domestic economy and global dynamics that offer little comfort. As Sam Adams showed, this can work--maybe even long enough to give the Democrats a very hard time in November.



By Donald Kettl | March 23, 2010; 5:59 AM ET

Category: Political leadership Save & Share:

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