Is The Coffee Party a New Political Powerhouse or Unfocused Idealists?

The Coffee Party's aspiration to "checking party affiliate at the door" is a lofty goal, but founder Annabel Park appears committed to providing a forum for civil public discourse and doing just that, breaking away from the norm.

Not to be pigeonholed into the "anti-tea party," The Coffee Party, while in its infancy, is turning heads around the country as another venue of political discontent, however in a much more...shall we say civil manner. With a focus on cooperation rather then simple discontented protesting The Coffee Party is looking to create a real grassroots movement to effect change on the political scene.

From its humble beginnings as a Facebook status update:

"let's start a coffee party . . . smoothie party. red bull party. anything but tea. geez. ooh how about cappuccino party? that would really piss 'em off bec it sounds elitist . . . let's get together and drink cappuccino and have real political dialogue with substance and compassion."

The Coffee Party has blown into a small movement growing at breakneck speeds with people from around the country pouring into their main site every minute. The difference between the Coffee Party and the Tea Party appears to be the simply that they bare no political affiliation and as Annabel Park has put it, "A key difference is in our emphasis on the democratic process, on respectful and civil engagement with one another and with our elected officials" where this different path leads the Coffee Party remains to be seen. Perhaps the major difference separating the two organizations are the "extreme rhetoric, and the hostility toward the federal government" held by many in the Tea party.

The major differences between the Tea Party and the Coffee party may not be blatantly clear but the similarities are. The Coffee Party appears to be placing a major focus on corporatism in America and the influence lobbying has on our elected officials and this is something neither party agrees on. Tapping into the discontent of the American public both parties have tapped into an ever weary and growing American public who, if recent polls are any indication, are very dissatisfied with their government and elected officials.

What may be lacking however is the focus and direction to make changes within an already established system. It's often said that the squeaky wheel get's the grease, and based on comments from Annabel, it may be that The Coffee Party does less squeaking and more speaking in an intelligible manner, which unfortunately is an method of operation not seen in politics in quite sometime. With the Coffee Party being "focused more on the process than on the outcome," as Annabel puts it, is it possible that the "goals" of The Coffee Party are to idealistic and lacking in substance...to "liberal" as some might call it?

The appearance of the party's Web site does give a feeling of disorganization, whether this is as a result of quick growth or lack of leadership and defined goals remains to be seen, for now The Coffee Party forums are alive and the spirit of progress can defiantly be felt, but will that be enough to focus the visitors into affecting the changes they wish to make on this country? Annabel Park may have the formula America needs to break free and experience a paradigm shift years in the making, as she so aptly realizes the voting public's roll in winning back our democratic process, "The only way to close the loophole is for voters rise to their civic duty. They have money, but we have the votes. No one gets elected without votes," this will undoubtedly be the key to the success of The Coffee Party.

Coffee Party movement: Alternative to tea (2010, February 26). Retrieved March 1, 2010, from The Washington Post
website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2010/02/26/DI2010022602928.html