The Tea Party emerged in 2009, soon after Barack Obama became the first African-American President but it is not a real grassroots political movement.

These are the same people who shouted "terrorist!" and "kill him!" at Sarah Palin rallies in 2008 and on occasion their racism rears its ugly head.

And yet, they wield enormous power as Fox News eagerly magnifies their attendance, and Republican politicians kowtow to their extreme demands.

It is time to denounce the Tea Party's toxic ugliness they have injected into politics.