It was the rant heard around the globe. CNBC correspondent Rick Santelli, fed up with the bail outs and the direction the Obama administration had taken the country, vented his frustration on the floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange Feb. 19, 2010, He ended with this suggestion: "We’re thinking of having a Chicago Tea Party in July. All you capitalists that want to show up to Lake Michigan, I’m gonna start organizing." He planted the seed.

The Tea Party began as a conservative grassroots movement and has gained momentum with those who now align themselves with the fundamental principle of fiscal responsibility. That doesn’t just mean conservatives. The Tea Party includes democrats, republicans and independents. More importantly, the Tea Party encompasses all races and religious affiliations, people from all walks of life. They even accept people who didn’t vote for Obama and those who did. For something so popular with the American people it’s not surprising that this movement has met with resistance from the progressive left. What is surprising is the opposition from the Republican Party.

The Republican Party has slowly shifted to the left over the years. It became evident when George W. Bush agreed to the TARP bailout with the statement, "I’ve abandoned free market principles to save the free market system." What?

Then there was the 2008 election with the republican candidate John McCain, promising, "I will reach across the aisle." Why? In reality, it didn’t matter whether you voted for McCain or Obama. Both are progressives; the only difference is that Obama is more radical. The American people are waking up to the fact that those within both parties, who are considered career politicians have lost touch with the people they were elected to those represent. Perhaps it’s time for a third party.

Traditionally, third parties have never been able to succeed in elections. Oftentimes the third-party candidate ends up splitting the vote and losing the election to the opposition. Today we have the moderate Republican Party reeling against the Tea Party candidates.

Charles Krauthammer and Karl Rove both have come out against those candidates who are backed or endorsed by the Tea Party. Many Republicans currently serving in office have been calling for the "Buckley Rule," which is: vote for the most electable conservative. The key word here is "electable." Who gets to define that anyway?

This is not the way to go. Just look at Arlen Specter, who became a democrat because he was losing in the Republican primary. Other examples are Dede Scozzafava and Colin Powell. Both are republicans and both endorsed democrats over the conservative candidates. It has become the battle cry sell-out, self-interested incumbents: win at all costs even if it means switching sides.

What both parties are saying is that the American people are too stupid to vote for the right candidates, so with the help of the media they will choose the candidate that will carry out their agenda. Now candidates who have risen out of the Tea Party movement are being vilified. We are being told by this administration and the mainstream media that Tea Party members are racist, right-wing nut cases who are dangerous extremists and that those running for office are uneducated, lack experience and are "unelectable." The funny thing is Chris Christie won the governorship of New Jersey from a long time democrat in one of America’s bluish states. In Massachusetts, Scott Brown won a senate seat that had belonged to Ted Kennedy for decades. Just look at the republican primaries: Joe Miller, Christine O’Donnell and Carl Paladino all Tea Party endorsed candidates who won in their districts. Why aren’t the Republicans hopping on the bandwagon and riding the wave of enthusiasm?

The Tea Party represents less government. They believe responsibility lies with the individual and that only the individual knows what’s best for them, not the government. It means lower taxes, less spending, a strong defense, but most of all, a return to the Constitution and the principles of our founding fathers as the law of the land. We are tired of the left wing media telling us who we should vote for and politicians’ telling us what is best for us by implementing policies that are "in our best interest." This is why we need the Tea Party. It is the party of the people and possibly the only chance at saving our country from a Marxist take-over. November is coming, so let your voices be heard and vote.