For many reasons, this has been the most challenging book project I’ve ever undertaken. Nonetheless, it's been a labor of love. Writing a book about the Tea Party presents a unique set of challenges. For one reason or another, mere mention of the phrase “Tea Party” seems to incite passionate feelings from across the ideological spectrum. In many ways, Americans have come to love ’em or hate ’em; rarely does one encounter indifference. Because of this, telling someone you're writing a book “about the Tea Party” is often an awkward moment, engendering a pregnant pause during which one waits for the deluge of either effusive or suspicious comments. In an attempt to get along, I have found it generally more pleasant not to reveal my own thoughts about the Tea Party in the context of such conversations. Instead, I’ve learned to listen, soaking up the information conveyed and discerning the basis of the speaker's perspective.

This isn't to say that I don't have my own thoughts about the Tea Party. As the dedication to the book reveals, I’ve developed admiration and respect for the movement. This isn't a politically motivated conclusion: I consider myself libertarian, not pledging any particular allegiance to either the Republican or Democrat party. I am quite conservative on some issues, quite liberal on others.