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By David Colburn Special to The Sun

In 2009, I was in Akron, Ohio, and happened upon a tea party rally nearby. I had read about thetea party movement but I had not seen or attended a gathering of its supporters. So, I decided to take a few minutes before dinner to see what the fuss was all about.

A speaker was denouncing the policies of the Obama administration and the dismal state of the national economy. Almost all of those in attendance were white and looked to be struggling financially. They were people I could relate to since my family had been working class and I had worked alongside them unloading trucks and trains in Providence, Rhode Island, to pay my way through college.

My first impression of the movement in Akron was not positive. The few speakers I listened to had little to offer but complaints about the federal government for ignoring the plight of the working poor. But they offered no specific plans to ease the unemployment rate or combat declining salaries and called on the crowd to join them in throwing the bums out of Washington.

From what little I observed at the rally, I thought this was a movement that would struggle to be successful and I mentioned that to those I had dinner with that evening. They generally agreed with me.

But thetea party would go on to prove us wrong. Aided by Republican strategists and spokesmen who saw thetea party as a way to re-energize the Republican Party, activists gained additional traction among other whites who were attracted to the populist appeal of the tea party.

This modern-day Populist movement sought to mobilize working class voters against the money power in the United States, which they felt controlled the economy and dominated the political leadership of the nation to the detriment of the working class.

Tea partymembers and Donald Trump's campaign joined forces in support of a reduction in government spending, a stronger economy, fewer federal regulations, lower taxes, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and tighter immigration controls. Their collaboration proved instrumental in Trumps election as president in 2016, turning out their working class political base in record numbers.

While the affiliation with Trump energized the tea party and enhanced its visibility, it also had its downside. Trump was not a dedicatedtea party loyalist. His book, The Art of the Deal, made clear that he was prepared to compromise if it would secure those programs he valued most.

By contrast, thetea party has been known for its steadfast position on various issues and would not brook compromise on its principles. In his first 100 days, Trump switched positions so frequently that many tea party leaders were not sure what he stood for and some concluded he was unreliable.

How long this partnership lasts remains to be seen. So far most white workers seem willing to stick with Trump, even if he frustrates them on many of their core concerns. His distortion of events and repeated accusations of fake news, however, are a shallow foundation on which to maintain a coalition, much less secure a better future for the working class.

David Colburn is a history professor emeritus and director of the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida. He is the author of "From Yellow Dog Democrats to Red State Republicans."

Excerpt from:
David Colburn: Will Trump and tea party partnership last? - Gainesville Sun