I was listening to the debate and heard the "Yes" and the laughter. That attitude is NOT what the Tea Party that I am familiar with is all about. No one that I personally know would have done either of those.
The Tea Party is about: individual freedom, individual responsibility, fewer taxes, fewer makework and giveaway programs, less government.
Remember the Liberal philosophy: "No government program has ever failed because of its lack of merit. It failed because (1) it wasn't adequately funded, or, (2) Republican meanies wanted to give tax breaks to millionaires instead, or, (3) Bush did it."