Does the "tea party" movement result from a weak GOP leadership?

As he so often does, Glenn Reynolds provides thought provoking questions about the "tea party" movement: "Is the GOP leadership so weak that people have resorted to self-help? Or does this go beyond party?"

While the movement goes beyond party, the predominant problem is the lack of Republican leadership. Indeed, the real problem is that too many Republicans in Congress are part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

Too many Republicans happily play the earmark game and have no desire to lead a movement against it. Too many Republicans happily voted for bloated budgets under President Bush and lack credibility to oppose them now.

That said, the danger to the nation's economy from the Obama budget requires that the Republican Party step up to lead opposition to the destructive policy proposals. Obviously, any good ideas that come out of the White House need to be recognized and supported.

Furthermore, the opposition must always offer constructive alternatives to the statist Democratic policy positions. Republicans must never simply say "No;" but "No and our solution is this."