In the twenty months since they debuted 22,000 "don't tread on me" license plates have been  Issued according to  The Virginian-Pilot . The plates are also popular in other states that sell them like South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arizona. The sale of the plates are seen by some as an indication that support for the tea party movement
is still strong.

The plates based on the Gadsden flag from the American revolution and is seen as a symbol of resistance to big government tyranny. The report showed that tags with a prolife theme outnumber pro-abortion ones by over 3-to-1. While the democrats hold on the state has expanded it is clear that resistance to big government still has strong support.

The question is will the tea party ever be able to go from protest movement to resistance movement?
It is clear that overall majority of the population is either under the spell of the left or lacks the ability to comprehend the current danger. The only hope is for a rising resistance movement composed of a committed minority.

Such a movement has to progress from passive protest to active opposition. It is clear the current leadership of the Republican party is incapable of forsaking it's obsession with profits long enough to act in the interest of the people. Will the tea party step up to the plate? Will the "don't tread on me flag" go from being a mere symbol to a banner around which to rally committed people? Pray it will.