I don't know about other parts of the country, but in Austin, the tea parties have been fairly spontaneous and not affiliated to any party, (no Sara Palins or other jackasses looking for a crowd). But there's a false assumption people make that if they hear something on Fox news or read it in the New York Times that its true. About all the corporate media does these days is pit one group off against another. But look, just because you got screwed by the republicans doesn't mean you're not getting screwed by the Democrats.
If I got anything for my federal taxes I wouldn't mind them being wrenched from me by threat of force, but all I've gotten is a police state and wars. I see corporations and the rich paying less and the government's only paying on the interest, its not paying down nothing.
So, if you enjoy paying higher taxes and support your government killing brown people around the world, make fun of the protesters and pay away, in fact if you enjoy it so much, pay mine too. Actually you might have to, I'm unemployed because of policies enacted by both parties, who think they work for foreign governments.