Tea Partiers

Tea Partiers have been angry about many things including taxes, bank bailouts and health care reform. These citizens favor limited government and a free market. Problem is, it was the free market that led to the crisis that created the very miserable economic conditions the Tea Partiers protest.

Critics of the Obama stimulus programs are calling for an end to recession-fighting spending, arguing that it isn't needed anymore. But are these critics repeating the mistake of FDR's opponents in 1937, calling for balanced budgets that could result in a double-dip recession?

The Tea Party rallies this week have prompted an obvious question from investors and public officials alike: will the Tea Partiers seek an economic third way? Let's put on the old political science hat for a moment to see if history and research can tell us anything about third party attempts in...