A well-kept secret is that protests are generally awful, depressing affairs if you agree with the protesters. I attended the very large anti-war rally in DC in 2007, and was myself anti-war. The problem was, these people were out of their minds. There were constant, loud chants of "9/11 was an inside job", completely random anti-Israel signs, and the obligatory BUSH = HITLER banners. When the march reached the steps of the Capitol building, it was stopped by barricades, because the police didn't think it was a good idea to let a bunch of crazies into the legislative body. Then the chants became anti-cop.
So, the participants have changed in these tea party rallies. Little else has. As
Yglesias points out, these protests should absolutely not be encouraged or promoted by mainstream or even borderline sane individuals, and this is perhaps the difference on the right. I guess I can't get worked up over it, because I always saw Stephen Moore, that tax buffoon, as a clown anyway.
As a note though, this sign from that Iraq War protest is awesome:
