Chronicles of American Politics: The Posters of the Chamomile Tea Party, 2010-2020
Introduction and Part 1: Partisanship on Overdrive
Introduction
In July 2010, as the Senate held Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Elena Kagan, news reports suggested her confirmation vote would run along party lines, with all Republicans voting against her, (as it turned out, five Republican Senators voted to confirm her). Polarization was becoming the wall dividing America. This was the beginning of the Chamomile Tea Party. Starting with old World War I and World War II propaganda posters, Jeff Gates began remixing these posters with new text and imagery into commentary on the sorry state of contemporary American political discourse.
Why would someone elected to represent the American people put their party ahead of what’s good for the country? At first, Gates believed "the greater good" would rise above party politics. But, he misjudged the game of power.
The Chamomile Tea Party was formed to comment on the bluster of the Tea Party, which began in 2009 as a protest against Barack Obama's social and fiscal agendas. In the intervening eight years, the political landscape has morphed. Tranquility and compromise, which, at the time, seemed merely difficult to obtain, now seems impossible. These posters reflect the conflicts our political system has been experiencing during this turbulent period. They are meant to encourage an exploration and a dialogue about the cultural minefield we now find ourselves in.
In 2018, you hear little about the Tea Party. Its agenda has been assimilated within conservative, populist, and libertarian movements. Its staunch opposition to more liberal and progressive public programs, and, most importantly, its obstruction of any compromise within the Republican Party, now dominate the American political landscape.
The impetus for the Chamomile Tea Party was political, but its form owes its existence to popular culture. Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, Gates was a child of commercial advertising. And, he was interested in how words and images were used to sell a product or an idea. This led to an exploration of propaganda posters which, like advertising, use images and text in economical, yet powerful ways.
This project is divided into seven exhibits that start with the rise of the Tea Party and the pressure it exerted on the GOP. It concludes with the effects and fallout of Donald Trump's presidency. Over the course of ten years, over 200 posters have been created. Following each Chamomile Tea Party poster is the original poster that inspired this remix. Some Chamomile Tea Party posters are original.
Part 1: Partisanship On Overdrive
Two things led to the meteoric rise of polarization in American politics: the assent of the Tea Party and the 2010 midterm elections. The Tea Party's influence grew with its opposition to President Obama's stimulus packages following the Great Recession and to his Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare). Its influence had a big effect on the 2010 midterm elections, which saw the Republican Party take control of the House and reduce the Senate's Democrat majority to just 53. The result was unstoppable polarization and effective governance grinding to a halt.
Stop This Bickering. Partisanship Is Hurting Us! (2010-07-05) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
Stop Stealing Tools! (1941/1945) by UnknownChamomile Tea Party
Source Poster
STOP Stealing Tools. Office for Emergency Management. Office of War Information. Domestic Operations Branch. Bureau of Special Services. 1941-1945 Source: National Archives
We're Losing Our Competitive Edge (2010-07-05) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
Underground Posters, Washington, DC Metro, Farragut West Station (2012) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
In October 2012, just before the presidential election, Jeff Gates bought advertising space in the Washington, DC Metro. This ad was on the Orange and Blue lines at the Farragut West Station.
This poster, and a second at the Gallery Place Metro Station, encouraged dialogue about the debates taking place close by on Capitol Hill. Gates would stand by these posters daily, listening to comments and engaging the public about the issues.
Designer note: To match the ratio of the horizontal backlighted signs, Gates constructed the rest of the image beyond the original vertical poster.
This Ruined Europe : Never Let It Happen Over Here (circa 1940s) by C.R. MillerChamomile Tea Party
Source Poster
This Ruined Europe : Never Let It Happen Over Here, C.R. Miller, circa 1940s, Published by Think America to counter government interference and nationalization during World War II. Source: Bugajski, Jill. Conflict, Identity, and Protest in American Art, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015, pp. 16–33.
Your Animosity Hurts the Country (2010-07-05) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
Stolen Equipment is cutting your lifeline! (1943/1945) by UnknownChamomile Tea Party
Source Poster
Stolen Equipment is Cutting Your Lifeline!, Artist Unknown, 1943-1945, Office for Emergency Management. Office of War Information. Domestic Operations Branch. Bureau of Special Services. Source: National Archives
Bipartisan Reform: DOA (2010-07-13) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
Stop Breakage! (1942/1945) by UnknownChamomile Tea Party
Source Poster
Stop Breakage!; 1942-1945; Unknown; Office for Emergency Management, Office of War Information, Domestic Operations Branch, Bureau of Special Services; Source: National Archives
Exaggerated Hyperbole Will Sink Important Legislation (2010-07-13) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
Closed for the Duration : Loose Talk Can Cost Lives (1942) by Howard ScottChamomile Tea Party
Source Poster
Closed For the Duration. Loose Talk Can Cost Lives, 1942, Howard Scott, British and American Ambulance Corps, Source: Gettysburg College Digital Collections
Bottom of the original poster: DISTRIBUTED IN THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL DEFENCE, AND AS A MEANS OF OBTAINING FUNDS FOR AMBULANCES WHEREVER NEEDED, BRITISH AND AMERICAN AMBULANCE CORPS, INC., 420 LEXINGTON AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY' 'ART' 'LITHO IN U.S.A.'
Let 'Em Have It: It's the Republican Way (2010-07-13) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
Let 'Em Have It : It's the American Way, 2010
After major Democrat victories in the 2008 presidential and congressional elections, the Republican Party was left for dead. It had no strategy and no leader. But rather than propose its own agenda, the party obstructed almost every proposal put forth by President Obama and the Democrats, even if the GOP once supported them. They became The Party of No. And the filibuster became its "go-to" strategy.
Let 'Em Have It : Buy Extra Bonds (1943) by Bernard PerlinChamomile Tea Party
Source Poster
Let 'Em Have It : Buy Extra Bonds, 1943, Bernard Perlin, United States War Finance Division and United States Department of the Treasury, Source: University of North Texas Digital Library"
Mothers of Democrats (2010-07-13) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
Mothers of Men – Build strong bodies (1941-1945) by American Red CrossChamomile Tea Party
Source Poster
Mothers of Men : Build Strong Bodies; 1941-1945; Office for Emergency Management, Office of War Information, Domestic Operations Branch, Bureau of Special Services; Source: National Archives
Sanity for All: Coverage of the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear (2010-10-30) by Huffington PostChamomile Tea Party
Huffington Post
On October 30, 2010, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert hosted The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear on the National Mall. People printed and brought Chamomile Tea Party posters to the event as evidenced by the front page of the Huffington Post on October 31, 2010.
Name Calling Has Gotten to Be a Nasty Habit (2010-10-28) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
I'm Counting On You! (1943) by Leon HelgueraChamomile Tea Party
Source Poster
I'm counting on you! : Don't Discuss: Troop Movements, Ship Sailings, War Equipment; 1943; Leon Helguera; United States Office of War Information, Division of Public Inquiries; Source: University of North Texas Digital Library
Call Congress! Tell Them To Stop This Partisan Shit! (2010-07-05) by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
Report Fault Wiring (1941/1945) by UnknownChamomile Tea Party
Source Poster
Report Faulty Wiring : Electrical Fires Are Hard To Control; 1941-1945; Office for Emergency Management, Office of War Information, Domestic Operations Branch, Bureau of Special Services; Source: National Archives
Don't Let Politics Trump Governance by Jeff GatesChamomile Tea Party
You have reached the end of Part 1: Partisanship on Overdrive. Use the table of contents below to view Part 2: The Electorate or to return to any other section of this series.
Chronicles of American Politics: The Posters of the Chamomile Tea Party
Table of Contents
Part 1: Partisanship on Overdrive
Next:
Part 2: The Electorate
Part 3: Politicians and Our Political Process
Part 4: The Issues
Part 5: Post-Truth: The Contentious 2016 Election
Part 6: Post Election: Post-Truth Reaches New Heights
Part 7: Immigration, Obstruction, Redaction, Oh My!
Download a brief bibliography of topics covered in this exhibit.
Next, Part 2: The Electorate
Jeff Gates is an artist and writer. He formed the Chamomile Tea Party in 2010 to comment on the sad state of American political dialogue. Compromise, which, at the time, seemed merely difficult to obtain, now seems impossible. These posters reflect our political conflicts during this turbulent period and are meant to encourage exploration of our society’s cultural minefield.
Gates has a BA in political science from Michigan State and an MFA in graphic design and photography from UCLA. He’s the recipient of two Photography Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. His work is in museum collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the International Center for Photography. He has written for publications such as The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and National Public Radio.
These posters are free to download and distribute with attribution, providing they are unaltered and for non-commercial purposes only.
Contact the artist.
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