TPM Compares the Tea Party to the Godfather

Thomas Lane at TPM has an article comparing the Tea Party to the Godfather. Specifically, Lane alludes to the scene in which Woltz wakes up with his racehorse's head in his bed after he refuses to do a favor for the Don. (Relevant video here.) Basically, I guess Lane's point is that the Tea Party was so extreme, they were willing to default (cut off the racehorse's head) if they didn't get less government (Johnny Fontane's movie deal). The movie producer - Woltz (the Democrats) first refuses to deal, but after he sees the extent the other side is willing to go to, he relents. As someone with a PhD in movie metaphors, I analyze below the jump: