Look Bob, Of course you are right, these people are politically naive and easy pickin's for those who would manipulate them.

But they are no more naive than those on the left who think they can make this system work by regulation.
We have ever increasing numbers of old folk, sick folk, unemployed folk and an ever decreasing number of people contributing to the revenue pot.
Govt actually encouraged deregulation, not primarily to make the rich richer(although this did happen and is still happening), but to boost growth and provide revenue to replace what we have lost since becoming uncompetitive globally.

The balance has gone, we are bust.
If we believe in Capitalism, we must accept what is happening as a natural progression of the system. It will survive and prosper in the "underdeveloped" East.

At least the Tea Party are promoting the idea that govt doesn't always know best what is good for us .....Their goals might be different in some respects from yours and mine, but if the capitalist model is not shaken to the core, we might as well lie down and let the bastards cover us up.

All protest is Progressive the goals can only be achieved when the obstruction has been removed.