Inspired by Willie Nelson, 'Teapot Party' Plans First Nationwide Events

by Charles Davis · 2010-12-09 08:00:00 UTC
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When country music legend and noted marijuana enthusiast Willie Nelson was arrested in Texas last month for misdemeanor pot possession, he came up with an idea for a new political movement aimed at ending the government's decades-long crusade against cannabis.

Forget the Tea Party, Nelson said, "How about the Teapot Party? Our motto: We lean a little to the left.”

Since Nelson announced the party, more than 40,000 people have joined a Facebook group created with his blessing. And now supporters across the U.S. -- and even as far away as Finland -- are planning their first real-life gatherings, set for December 15 and January 18.

The group's platform? Simple: "Tax it, regulate it and legalize it," as Nelson put it after his arrest. And the organizers' goal is ambitious: "We want our own candidates who support legalizing marijuana and hemp as their main issue."

Of course, any nascent third party in the U.S. faces a massive uphill battle, with ballot laws in most states crafted by the two major parties with an eye toward preventing any challenges to their duopoly. And given the winner-takes-all electoral system -- as opposed to the proportional representation system used in some countries that awards seats in parliament based on a party's percentage of the vote -- Teapot Party supporters will have a tough time combatting the "wasted vote" mentality.

But they're willing to give it a shot. "It's time to end the war on marijuana smokers," organizers say in a press release. "So let's all join together, one nation under a marijuana cloud, and get this Teapot Party started!"

To find an event near you -- or to organize your own -- check out the Teapot Party page on Meetup.com.

Photo Credit: Teapot Party

Charles Davis has covered Congress and criminal justice issues for public radio and Inter Press Service.
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