Final answer:
Tea Party Republican politicians were following the tradition of supply-side economics by proposing tax cuts for the wealthy to boost the economy after the 2008 recession.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tradition that Tea Party Republican politicians were following by proposing tax cuts for the wealthy as a way to boost the economy after the 2008 economic recession is known as supply-side economics.
This economic theory argues that by reducing taxes for the wealthy, they would have more disposable income and would be incentivized to invest in businesses and create job opportunities, leading to economic growth.
However, there is ongoing debate among economists about the effectiveness of this approach in stimulating economic growth and benefiting the broader population.