9/12 Tea Parties Galvanized by Health Care Reform
The confidence and the energy of the grassroots movement is growing stronger.
The massive surge of conservative and libertarian activism on September 12 was unprecedented in American history. The day’s main event was billed as the 9/12 Tea Party on the National Mall. Hundreds of thousands of everyday Americans marched on Washington, D.C., to protest the expansion of economic and social policies under the Barack Obama administration. The protest was the culmination of months of grassroots agitation against financial bailouts, economic profligacy, and government corruption and hubris. As Rick Moran wrote earlier on these pages:
This is history in the making, something the United States has never seen: a genuine grass-roots conservative mass movement, activated by the new technologies, communicating effectively using the new software and hardware — and it is growing.
Outside the nation’s capital, many unable to attend events in D.C. staged their own demonstrations at home. In Quincy, Ill., an estimated 12,000 came out for a tea party billed as “Lincoln’s Legacy: Patriots on the Prairie.” Glenn Reynolds was on hand in Quincy to report for Pajamas Media. Warning members of the party of Lincoln not to get too confident, Glenn notes that “those in the GOP who think that the tea party movement is for their benefit need to think again.”
That sentiment was reflected in Ft. Worth, Texas, where local libertarian activists staged a rain-soaked tea party demonstration. One planner dubbed the event a “Parade, Rally, Protest, and all-around Procession of the Pissed.” In Colorado, activists gathered at the state capitol to protest the “ever-accelerating runaway government spending and borrowing in Denver and D.C. alike, as well as the socialization of health care, and the irresponsibility and unaccountability of the state and federal government. Also at issue was the growth of government at all levels and the corresponding retreat of liberty before the ‘nanny state’.” As one protester tweeted: “Sign at Denver 912 rally: Lies make us angry; truth makes them angry.”
Near my home in Los Angeles, a loose coalition of Southern California tea party activists organized “912 West: A Tea Party for the West Coast.” The event was billed as “the largest tea party on the West Coast.” The roster of speakers included actors Basil Hoffman and Victoria Jackson, as well as PJTV personalities Sonja Schmidt and Bill Whittle. Some estimates put the crowd size at 3,500 people. That’s virtually nothing compared to Saturday’s turnout in Washington, but those in attendance at the Wilshire Federal Building had all the grassroots enthusiasm of their cohorts marching on Capitol Hill.
What strikes me, as one who’s reported on the tea party movement all year, is the sense of confidence and triumph among participants on Saturday. In April, when conservatives launched the first big wave of action in the Tax Day tea party events, I saw quite a bit of uncertainty about getting the message out and on what kind of impact the protests would have. Sure, back then the spirit was energetic — euphoric at times — when people realized “we can do this too.”
Page 1 of 2 Next ->
Donald Kent Douglas is an associate professor of Political Science teaching in Southern California.
 |
 |
 |
Podcasts |  PJM Home |
Pajamas Media appreciates your comments that abide by the following guidelines:
1. Avoid profanities or foul language unless it is contained in a necessary quote or is relevant to the comment.
2. Stay on topic.
3. Disagree, but avoid ad hominem attacks.
4. Threats are treated seriously and reported to law enforcement.
5. Spam and advertising are not permitted in the comments area.
The clause regarding "hate speech" has been deleted because readers criticized it as being too loosely defined. We agreed.
These guidelines are very general and cannot cover every possible situation. Please don't assume that Pajamas Media management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment. We reserve the right to filter or delete comments or to deny posting privileges entirely at our discretion. If you feel your comment was filtered inappropriately, please email us at story@pajamasmedia.com.
28 Comments
1. gg:I hope it becomes an annual event.
There should be a contest for the best sign and best costume with prize money (we’re capitalists, after all, are we not?)
How could the Democrats possibly compete with that? with their mass printed signs and purple shirts.
Sep 14, 2009 - 1:33 am 2. Poor Citizen:True, the cons, libertarians, tea bagger.s and big insurance companies..have been galvanized. They are almost violently opposed to progress and change in our health care system. Not sure about the others, but big insurance figures they would lose billions in the coming years if these changes come about, hence, they are (rightly) frothing at the mouth, which is understandable. Unfortunately, I believe, they are on the wrong side of history. Change is coming but I will agree with their insistence of a personal “opt out” clause and the two-tier public/private system advocated by moderate republicans and conservative democrats. Both sides have drawn their lines in the sand, now the rest of us are looking forward to action on this soon.
Sep 14, 2009 - 2:50 am 3. tc:The paradigm has shifted. Patriots have seized, once again, upon the God given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They sense these rights are being tread upon and are rising up in firm opposition. They are diverse, amorphous and enormous. They come from every direction, every state, every neighborhood and work right next to you. They are not silent, they are not still, they are Americans and they are going to steamroll this congress and this president because they own this country. Barack Obama stated, “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” Well, on that one, he was right….
912 is now indelibly etched into history as the largest movement in DC.
Historic..
Massive…
Epic…
Far reaching…
Momentum
and nonviolent…
and patriotic.
and ominous for the misrepresentatives in congress and the white house.
their days are over.
Sep 14, 2009 - 4:05 am 4. Brian:I have no doubt all those people are on the insurance companies payrole… yeah right…
Sep 14, 2009 - 4:19 am 5. logdon:No one has more reason to dislike health care insurance companies than I, yet I do not see reform as putting control into the hands of the government. Not to mention the power isnt even granted to the Congress in the Constitution. If you think Congress should have that power, amend the Constitution first. It clearly states the powers of Congress and the formation of national healthcare wasn’t one of them.
Has anyone seen the clip of Jeremiah Wright being asked about the tea party’s?
Sure enough the old revulsive, race divisive pastor comes up with his, racist whites trying to keep poor folk down, comment.
We all know exactly which ‘poor folk’ he’s refering to, of course and it isn’t an impoverished blonde haired citizen on Ohio whose just lost his low pay job.
And this is the man who helped forge the career of the current President of the United States? The man who that president idolised until even his heat proved too hot for public opinion.
You know, had the US founding fathers been of the ilk of these two characters you could forget about the united part, rather, divided states of America.
A bit like Africa. Or Pakistan. Or the Middle East. Those places the Wrights of this world adore and ramp up for their own hypocritical purpose.
Sep 14, 2009 - 4:59 am 6. Tina Ann:It was glorious! The marchers had to start early due to the enormous size of the crowd. We were at the head of the crowd, as volunteers, we needed to get to the Lawn ahead of the crowd.
From our vantage point next to the stage (working at the handicap section cordoned off up front) we had the advantage of being able to see the crowd gathering on the lawn and on the mall as well as coming up Pennsylvania Ave. (We did not have a permit for the mall, which is why there are not shots of a crowd filling the National Mall)
They kept coming and coming and coming. For 3 hours the crowds marched until we heard that the metro and highways were closed down due to the crowds streaming in.
There were young and old, black and white, Repubs and Dem, southerners and cowboys, new englanders and midwesterners. All 50 states were represented.
The crowd was described by the local police as “the happiest protesters ever to converge” without a single violent incident or arrest for the day.
Just your everyday Americans there to fight for their country, their freedom, to insure that the rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness are not just words written in a forgotten document.
And by the way, just a comment on the difference between this crowd and the crowd present at the inauguration. Take a look at this…..just sayin’
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/09/clean-conservatives-filthy-liberals.html
Sep 14, 2009 - 8:00 am 7. Sapwolf:This is a PERMANENT movement now. It is NOT part of either political party (I think that is a good thing). They love Sarah Palin, mainly because she believes and represents what they do and she FIGHTS.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Do not be discouraged by the recent bump up in Rasmussen for Obamacare. That is more a reaction to Joe Wilson’s timing of his “You Lie” during O-man’s speech on Wed. and the MSM’s piling on him. That will die down and as the focus returns to what is IN the bill, support for it will slowly go down again.
There is NO WAY there will be any government-option. The Dems will pass something watered down simply to assist Obama to look good. The 2010 campaign will focus on whether you voted for Obamacare and Pelosi/Reid.
The important thing though is that ALL must make this activism your HOBBY and for the rest of your life. The enemy never sleeps, and we shouldn’t either. And if we let them grow government, it’s OUR FAULT.
Sep 14, 2009 - 10:17 am 8. Professor Guvinoff:Health care reform was not the primary reason for the huge march, it was only the proximate cause. The mistargeted and irresponsiible porkulus, the eagerness with which the house passed the monstruous cap-and-trade hidden tax, the takeover of the financial and automotive industries have not been forgotten, nor forgiven, and using the need for reasonable health care policy improvements as an excuse for another massive government takeover only added to the heap of discontent.
So it’s not just “read the bill!”, it’s also “read the constitution first!”.
My three favorite slogans: “What do we need hope for, we already have freedom!”, “The lies make us angry, the truth makes them angry”, and “I’m a citizen, not a subject!”.
Sep 14, 2009 - 10:29 am 9. MERPSALOT:I was there in L.A. on 9-12, what a great day… I brought and 18 yr old riding buddy of mine to his second rally this year. My hope is to educate the younger gen in civics to counteract the brain washing they receive in school.
Check out my take on “The Obama Song” on YouTube “MERPSALOT”. People need the truth.
Sep 14, 2009 - 3:45 pm 10. Joanne:I believe you caught the essence of this movement we are people from many different backgrounds but one thing we have in common is that we love our country. For too long we let them spit,curse,and defame this country no more
Sep 14, 2009 - 4:13 pm 11. Warren Bonesteel:We are tired of them tearing us apart trying to divide us and defaming our military. I decided after my son went to Irag that it was time for me to fight for his freedom at home while he was for the Iraqs freedom. That is something that has not been done since ww11. I made a promise along time ago that I would not let happen to these brave men and woman that happen to the brave men and women at Vietnam. So freedom was my main gol when I went to DC Saturday along with 2million other like minded people and two hundred teaparty that did it at home Thank you For giving me faith back in the people of America May God Bless
Health care ‘reform’ was merely the final straw.
This little ‘movement’ is just getting started.
Sep 14, 2009 - 5:02 pm 12. Delia:The scary part is part of the ‘healthcare’ crappola was already passed via the ’stimulus’ turd sammich…
http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/janda.asp
Sep 14, 2009 - 5:13 pm 13. Now and Then:No doctors in the crowd, eh?
A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) study published in Monday’s New England Journal of Medicine shows that 63 percent of physicians support a health reform proposal that includes both a public option and traditional private insurance. If the additional 10 percent of doctors who support an entirely public health system are included, then approximately three out of four physicians nationwide support inclusion of a public option. (HP)
Meanwhile, you guys are busy doing this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/14/912-tea-party-photo-false_n_286082.html
There you go, the way most of America sees the issue – the real versus the made up or imagined.
Sep 14, 2009 - 5:17 pm 14. Praetorian:The vast majority of teabaggers are simply racists using issues such as health care reform as a pretext for their hatred of a black president. The sea of white faces is an explicit indication that they’re not interested in a detailed discussion of policy or what will really benefit hard working American families, especially the mediocre 60,000 or so who showed up to fan the false fires of their overheated minds on 09/12. This is going to be a very difficult eight years for them. Mostly because they understand quite well that this is the last nail in their coffin and that America is moving on without them.
There is no reasoning with these people. They literally need to be beaten down because that’s all they understand.
Sep 14, 2009 - 6:09 pm 15. Praetorian:Sapwolf wrote: “There is NO WAY there will be any government-option. The Dems will pass something watered down simply to assist Obama to look good. The 2010 campaign will focus on whether you voted for Obamacare and Pelosi/Reid.”
I hope your not taking bets on that. There WILL BE a government option. However, they may call it something else like ice-cream-cone just to make you knuckle draggers think that you won something. Personally, I think that’s far too kind. I’d rather see you people bludgeoned and steamrolled politically. i want this one to hurt really deep. You deserve it after having practically destroyed our great nation with your destructive policies. You are anything but patriots. You are the enemy within and a clear and present danger.
As far as 2010 is concerned, I suspect once implementation of health care reform is in full swing the Democrats will be rewarded by those who are benefiting from it. It will be the Republicans who will have to explain why they believe extending life saving treatments to hard working American families is wrong. Once people have the health care that they need you won’t be able to pry that vote out of their hand with a crow bar. But that’s what your really afraid of, huh?
Sep 14, 2009 - 6:18 pm 16. Eric:@ 2. Poor Citizen:
The one thing we have on our side that the pro-socialists don’t is the US Constitution. Nowhere in the Constitution is the federal government authorized to create an Obamacare or any manifestation thereof. Nowhere. It doesn’t really matter what the Left thinks or wants, if it isn’t in the Constitution, it isn’t allowed.
Sep 14, 2009 - 6:49 pm 17. Praetorian:Eric wrote: “The one thing we have on our side that the pro-socialists don’t is the US Constitution. Nowhere in the Constitution is the federal government authorized to create an Obamacare or any manifestation thereof. Nowhere. It doesn’t really matter what the Left thinks or wants, if it isn’t in the Constitution, it isn’t allowed.”
Let me see, last time I checked Article 1 Section 8 Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution “provides for the general welfare.” That comes before any mention of “Liberty,” the notion of which you feel is so threatened. That’s no accident on the part of the founders. Health Care Reform can most certainly be seen as providing for the general welfare. You may interpret that clause differently (actually, I’m sure you do) but the point is that Health care Reform is not unconstitutional and I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a court, ANY COURT, to overturn it. Reconstruction would be a better approach for your side (and we’ll beat you again if you try).
Sep 14, 2009 - 7:05 pm 18. Delia:@14. Praetorian,
Why would black/brown people who overwhelmingly vote Democrat and who overwhelmingly voted for 0bama show up at a tea party protest in any great numbers?
Idjit.
Sep 14, 2009 - 7:24 pm 19. Praetorian:Delia wrote: “Why would black/brown people who overwhelmingly vote Democrat and who overwhelmingly voted for 0bama show up at a tea party protest in any great numbers?”
ROFLMAO!
Sep 14, 2009 - 7:32 pm 20. ETAB:No, Praetorian, your attempt to deny the validity of the Tea Party protests by stating, without any evidence, that all such protests are racist, is pure nonsense.
Most people are indifferent to Obama’s skin colour and his parentage (white skinned mother; black-skinned father). After all, most people voted him in as President.
However, all presidential and Congressional actions are open to debate, analysis, criticism and support. That’s because this is a republic, not a totalitarian state. Obama’s actions are open to a LOT of criticism, from his pork-filled ’stimulus’,his actions with the banks, and the auto companies, his insults to foreign heads of state, his constant denigration of America – and – his denigration of Congress by insisting that they pass bills without reading or debating them.
Could you tell me what is particularly ‘black-skinned’ or ‘white-skinned’ about any of his actions? I’m afraid I can’t see any relation. I can’t see that his skin color makes him behave or act as he does. Therefore, we have every right to crticize him.
Oh – and you are missing a vital, a key point in your reference to the Constitution. The vital point is a colon. You see, after the colon, the exact nature of ‘what is understood as the general welfare’ is listed. Specifically.
Do you seriously assume that the Founding Fathers, who worked very hard to separate powers and to limit government, would insert a clause that was OPEN rather than Limited?
Why, if you had a clause that set up the federal govt as having the power to do anything ‘for the general welfare’…that could include anything that any sophist could dream up. But..there’s that fact, that colon: and after that colon:…is listed, specifically, the nature of the actions that constitute this ‘general Welfare. And guess what..health care isn’t among them. After that colon:
So, try again. Try understand that Obama is not immune to criticism; that we have the right and duty to observe, examine, analyze.and critique his actions. For you to say that such is ‘racist’ on our part is boneheaded.
Oh..and read the Constitution. Remember what a Colon means: it is used to introduce a list. And that list, which outlines the specific actions understood to contribute to the ‘general welfare’..is finite. Specific. Closed. And no health care. Sucks, doesn’t it?
Sep 14, 2009 - 8:22 pm 21. Doc:OK, ‘Praetorian’, a little history lesson. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Sound familiar? That would be the 10th Amendment. Now, let’s try to think clearly (difficult for a leftist, I know, but…): if the ‘general welfare’ wording meant that Congress could do any durnfool thing they thought was good for the citizens of the US, then what does this amendment mean? Nothing.
We have to read the Constitution as it was meant to be read by the Framers, not bringing our own modern prejudices to it. At the time of its writing, the United States was a new, separate entity, a union of theoretically independent nation-states. The general welfare wording meant that if there was something Congress saw fit to do that benefitted that union qua union, they could do it, not to interfere with the personal lives of the people, or the proper functioning of the states.
And, give us a couple more Scalias, Roberts, or Thomases on the SCOTUS, and who knows? Maybe we’ll see a substantial dismantling of the monstrous bureaucracy of federal gov’t we have now, built substantially by gross misreading of the Constitution, like yours.
Sep 14, 2009 - 8:25 pm 22. Doc:Actually (after a little more research), the ‘general welfare’ wording had to do with the authority to levy taxes such that Congress could carry out the specific powers it was given authority for in the Constitution, not to do any durnfool thing it wanted to. Either way, sticking its nose into health care ain’t part of Congress’ powers.
Sep 14, 2009 - 8:34 pm 23. myth buster:Praetorian, you’re projecting again. Please put the cool aid down, sleep it off, and start drinking water.
Sep 14, 2009 - 9:59 pm 24. Now and Then:18 Delia . . . That;s not the issue. Here’s the issue . . .
“It’s a populist movement . . . young, old, liberal, conservative, white, black . . . etc.”
Well, no, it’s not. You want people to believe it is, but when people start asking, “OK, but I don’t see any black people” you say, “Well of course not. Why would there be black people?”
Why indeed. Or Hispanics. Or Jews. Come to think of it, I didn’t see any independents, either. Of course they’re easier to claim, ain’t that right . . . far right.
Sep 14, 2009 - 10:03 pm 25. Inrptrn:“There is no reasoning with these people. They literally need to be beaten down because that’s all they understand.”
Sums up race-baiting, wards of the state, leftists perfectly. Who do you suppose will do your dirty work because I know you ninnies would just as soon piss yourselves before handing out any beatdowns.
Sep 14, 2009 - 10:21 pm 26. Delia:N&T, just how many ‘black’ people are ‘independents’ and didn’t vote for 0bama?
How many Jews are ‘Liberals’?
The Dem’s are having their wet dreams so the idea of hard-line Democrats showing up protesting the crap that 0bama is doing is st00pid to even expect it.
You sure are obsessed with skin color. Don’t forget your prezzie poo is have white-devil.
Sep 15, 2009 - 12:32 am 27. deguello:Praetorian:Good handle;you named yourself after the armed thugs who enforced the psychotic fantasies of criminally-demented Roman Emperors.These thugs sold out their and their countrymen’s liberty for loot:sort of like you and your welfare checks.Oh, and leave the constitution alone,it wasn’t meant for welfare parasites, but for free men.We are going to neuter you,same as we are neutering your Caligula of a president.
Sep 15, 2009 - 4:12 pm 28. deguello:24:NOW AND THEN:Oh I see, if it doesn’t have affirmative action tokens to make you feel good,and patronize, a political movement lacks legitimacy.Very deep! Last time I looked, there were few if any,nonwhite faces when we wrote the constitution,won our independence, or freed the slaves during the civil war.I guess these efforts weren’t worthy because they didn’t meet your minority quotas.What crap! We are creating a resistance infrastructure that will utterly crush you.Enjoy your libtard fantasy while you can.
Sep 15, 2009 - 4:19 pm