Glenn Reynolds [1] and Dan Riehl [2] direct our attention to the opening of yesterday's Mark Levin show in which that right-wing radio host gave, per them, a "Rousing Call To Arms For The Tea Party Movement": link.

Levin recounts the events surrounding the Boston Tea Party and claims that those involved in that 1773 event are the spiritual ancestors of the current tea parties. What Levin fails to note is that complaints about being taxed without representation don't apply in the current situation, unless Levin would like to take the vote away from those who disagree with him and make it so only teapartiers have representation.

Levin also claims that those on the other side don't accept electoral results. The Democrats have occasionally tried various tricks to change the outcomes of elections, and have complained about elections they said were stolen ("President Gore", etc.), but that's quite a bit different from what the tea parties engage in.

The teapartiers - including Levin - act as if all those votes for Obama were illegitimate and they're the only real citizens in the U.S. That's also a bit different from past rightwing commentary which has at least acknowledged the (AFAIK) fact that there are other people in the U.S. and those people will occasionally disagree with the rightwing. Levin refers to them as "enemies" and acts as if they shouldn't have the right to have their votes counted. It's not like the Democrats have changed our entire form of government, even if Levin acts as if the U.S. has been invaded by the Soviets. The "super patriots" in the teaparties movement are oblivious to the fundamental principles of the U.S. such as representative government.

Of course, whether Levin actually believes any of this or whether he's just putting on a show isn't known, but I suspect it's closer to the latter.

[1] "I LISTENED. IT’S AN INSPIRED RANT. Mark Levin’s Rousing Call To Arms For The Tea Party Movement" (pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/105461); links to [2]

[2] riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/2010/08/
mark-levins-rousing-call-to-arms-for-the-tea-party-movement.html