What is the difference between the GOP and the Tea Party?

I guess the biggest difference I see between the Tea Party and the Republican Party on economic promises is that the Tea Party really means it. Republican candidates too often campaign on promises to lower taxes, cut spending and reduce the size of government; but when elected they end up voting for bills which do the exact opposite.

The Tea Party wants to run the Republican Party and the same for the Republicans who want the Tea Party to be run by them. The difference is popularity and capability. Who knows which of them is better than the other, all I know is that the Republican Party will bring jobs to those who haven't worked in years.

The Republican Party is made up of people registered as Republicans, the Tea Party is made up of people registered to many different political parties. Tea Party members want responsible change, responsible taxes, responsible government size and scope, and accountability of those elected. If those newly elected Tea Party members that had the backing of the Republican Party fail to act in responsible ways and ignore the people that elected them, they too will be looking for new jobs after upcoming elections. Tea Party members want the politicians to work with them, not necessarily work with a political party. Liberals and Democrats want you to believe the Tea Party is part and parcel of the Republican Party, that is the only way they have of attacking the Tea Party. Notice who the Tea Party started with in their attempt to fix our government? They started with career politicians in the Republican Party, they voted them out in the primaries, then ran in their place against the Democrats. Those that won on 2 Nov effectively ran against both the Republicans and Democrats and won. What these folks are is a breath of clean air, neither entrenched Republican or Democrat. They are the small town folk, the laborer, the small business person, the wife/mother/father/sister/brother or husband, forced to enter politics to return this country to its senses. My hope is they succeed.

I am part of the tea party, I do not consider the republicans my friend, most tea party members I know do not prefer either party. Republicans and Democrats both make the mistake of assuming the tea party will vote republican. If this were true...we would have President Romney.

The Tea Party is the dominant force in the GOP today, therefore, there is really no difference. The GOP is the Tea Party, the Tea Party is the GOP. Yes, there are a few old-time Republicans left, but they have lost control of the party, so they are pretty much irrelevant -- as is the GOP since they allowed ignorance and prejudice take over the party.

The GOP is a political party. The Tea Party...... is a "movement!"

The tea party arose, and they were embraced and absorbed by the GOP

Tea Party members are just more extreme in their conservative policy making.

The tea partiers rule the GOP (LOL).

Now that's hilarious.