Where We Stand The Tea Party movement (TPM) is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009. It endorses reduced government spending, opposition to taxation in varying degrees, reduction of the national debt and federal budget deficit, and adherence to an originalist interpretation of the United States Constitution. [1] Personal Freedom : We believe people should be free to do whatever they want as long as it does not infringe on the freedoms of others. Individual Responsibility: We believe people should take responsibility for their own actions; governments should not take responsibility for the affairs of people except in the most dire circumstances. Smaller Government: We believe that the government that is closest to the people is most responsive and most effective; we believe that since the government works for us we should be actively engaged in elective politics. Fiscal Responsibility : Real cuts to spending, real cuts to taxes, real cuts to regulation, real cuts to the size and reach of government. Governments at all levels should work within their means. Constitutional Government: We support the US and NJ Constitutions, as written, while reserving the right to legally change those Constitutions where merited. In this context we believe in the sovereignty of the State of New Jersey and its rights as constituted by the 10th amendment. We support the values articulated by the Declaration of Independence and the founding fathers. We reject subservience of the United States to any foreign or global governance.