What’s Brewing Next for the Tea Party Movement?
A realistic look at the grassroots activism by ordinary Americans that has swept the country.
The American tea party movement bears more resemblance to a rolling block party than a unified organized movement or cause. And that’s precisely why I love it. These people are nice. They’re smart. They come from all walks of life. And they’re sincere. I’ve met hard-hat wearing construction managers, accountants, school teachers, the unemployed, retirees, even the nicest anarchist couple who are worried about their kids’ futures.
And the numbers of protests and protesters continue to stagger, from the consistent low hundreds to the thousands — in all types of political and meteorological climates.
But I’m wondering what’s next for this two-month-old movement, born of outrage and concern at what is arguably a very sudden and very abrupt left turn in America’s moral and economic direction.
Before discussing the future of the movement, we have to make an attempt to understand and demystify it.
Contrary to more than a few conspiracy theories being floated in the left-wing blogosphere, and counter to modern media mythmaking, the American tea party movement is a very un-A.C.O.R.N.-like, decentralized, non-Rick Santelli endorsed outpouring of conservative values and libertarian ideals. I’ve witnessed no one in Indian or Revolutionary War costumes. No Rush Limbaugh grabbing the bullhorn to utter the F-word (failure). I’ve seen very little in the way of actual tea.
In fact, all the tea partyers I’ve met think astroturfing is some sort of Arena League football penalty, rather than a term for grassroots political organizing conducted by some committee of dirty tricks. It’s ridiculous to think the GOP could Astroturf these events, because that would require a coherent message, credible leadership, and a nimble organizational and technological infrastructure.
No, the tea parties reflect the greatest characteristics of Americana: passion, resourcefulness, respect, pitching-in, and commitment to our founding principles. They could just as easily turn into barn raisings or quilting bees.
And so far, they’ve worked. More than a few have gotten the attention of some local elected official. One in particular certainly played a strong role in Democratic Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill obtaining Harry Reid’s permission to vote “No” on the Omnibus Spending Bill. McCaskill rightly cited her opposition to around 9,000 earmarks contained in the bill. In defending her vote to ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos via a tweet, McCaskill failed to mention the 200 angry protesters who marched on her Kansas City office the week before, in a blinding snow storm no less, to demand an end to earmarks and other special-interest driven government spending.
Page 1 of 2 Next ->
David Vickers is a freelance writer and media producer in Kansas City.
 |
 |
 |
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.
125 Comments
1. elvis:http://strongerthandeathhq.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/the-tea-party/
People from all walks of life smell the stench of tyranny now!
Mar 18, 2009 - 2:43 am 2. Walt:Join the tea party. Washington will never be the same!
This article cites a very serious problem with our legislators: “… Sen McCaskill obtaining Harry Reid’s PERMISSION to vote “No” …”.
Since when does McCaskill work for Harry Reid?
Mar 18, 2009 - 3:14 am 3. arhooley:This is the eternal problem of large special interest groups. The more members, the harder it is to organize. This is why radical fringe minorities wield power out of all proportion to their size. Their message is loud and consistent, their leaders recognizable, their movements cohesive. The Tea-Partyers need a strong, principled leader to keep them together and focused if they’re not to tire and flame out before they can effect change.
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:31 am 4. gideon22:“Listen to any prophet and if you hear him speak of sacrifice run.. It stands to reason that where there’s sacrifice, there’s someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice , speaks of slaves on masters. And intends to be the master.” Ayn Rand
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:37 am 5. misanthropicus:Unfortunately, the “Tea Parties” won’t get too much traction, and this for two reasons:
1) Media coverage which is silent about them;
2) The left’s take-over of the education system in this country is complete and effective and simply most of the newly “educated” American are completely indifferent to the original “tea party” and its significance and inspiring symbolism.
The war is over David, and the Left won, and history is remembered as Emmanuel wants it.
How could one expect some interest for a “tea party” from people who talk (I heard this a few days ago in Los Angeles, in a restaurant) in terms like this: “… back east, in Oregon I think.”
The left won the cultural war: wasn’t Churchill’s bust returned to Britain? Wait a second, Churchill was French – to France! No, no, Churchill was Soviet, the bust was returned to Sovietia!
By the way, where is Sovietia? Near Peru – no, no, it is South America!
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:37 am 6. readerer:The “tea party” won’t get much traction because it doesn’t stand for anything except a generalized feeling of wimpish helplessness.
For example: The Tea Party isn’t advocating the election of any politicians. It isn’t advocating the elimination of any taxes. It is not urging the recall of any elected officials or the enactment of any law.
What exactly is it for? Apparently, the Tea Party wants legislators to read the nationalization bills before they sign them (at least according to the protest signs featured on Instapundit).
This is hardly a compelling message, to say the least. I don’t really need someone advocating that Stalin read the legislation before beginning the purge.
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:55 am 7. Jeff:In Chicago, I did see a kid in a Revolutionary costume. Full wig and puffy shirt-fake British accent.
To keep momentum, I would suggest sending the White House a tea bag. Enclose a tea bag with your tax return. Mail a tea bag to your legislators-state and federal. Someone somewhere will say something, and the press will have to cover it. Inevitably, the Obama stimulus package will go the way of all stimulus packages. It essentially will be a waste of money. In economics parlance, the multiplier effect on GDP will be less than 1.
Adam Smith’s classical economics always works better, and in the long run will always win out. Even the Soviet Union had a vibrant black market despite central planning and government control of everything.
SEND MORE TEA BAGS. Symbolism works.
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:58 am 8. elvis:Some of you pessimists won’t be in the tea party.
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:59 am 9. Wolla Dalbo:But by it’s very nature it does not need a leader.
The ones that keep this country going understand all too well what is going on with all the dog and pony shows in Washington.
There are several unifying issues. But the biggest is destroying freedom and the American dream. EVERYONE THAT ACUALLY WORKS FOR A LIVING IS STARTING TO COME AROUND.
Obama, the most polarizing figure in history, is the catalyst. Everytime he speaks more people JOIN the tea party.
The media is irrelevant. They miss the news on a regular basis. They will be mowed over with this.
They took themselves out of the equation along time ago. Why misanthropicus, do you give them so much credit?
Obama &Co. recruit more and more people for the next tea party every time they speak or act or vote. There is inchoate anger and power here, and if it grows and if it can be focused, it could shake the foundations of Washington. The internet is a valuable tool to get the word out, and despite studious attempts by the MSM to ignore these protests, word of these protests, their spread and increasing size, needs to be broadcast far and wide. I see Newt Gingrich is now climbing on the Bandwagon, and perhaps his organizational and political skills and direction might help, they might hurt, too.
The point of this all is that Washington and individual congressmen are not used to large demonstrations against their actions in the streets—we’ve all been too civilized and polite up till now and, obviously, too easy to ignore–but if very large demonstrations start to converge on congressmen who have betrayed their constituents by voting for Obama’s massive lurch toward Socialism and ruinous taxation and spending, if, say, several hundred thousand or a million angry constituents show up on Capitol Hill, Obama and his crew and congressmen will be much less cavalier about the actions they take and the votes they make; if they are frightened by the growth, the spread, the power and the roar of such a crowd, that is a good thing.
These politicians and this President are not our masters, they are our servants, it is not their money they spend, it is ours, it is not for them to determine our future, or to mortgage future generations to pay for their pitiful little power plays and utopian dreams, these things are not theirs to decide, and by proposing, enabling and voting for such a radical shift leftward and towards Socialism, they betray us all.
Mar 18, 2009 - 5:02 am 10. RedHeadedTexan:I am all for these Tea Parties…especially when they visit their reps or senators and show them they are not happy. When angry constituents confront their Congresscritters the brain dead morons might just get the idea that it’s not a good idea to arrogantly ignore the wishes of the people who sent you to Washington in the first place or you might just lose that cushy job. I see this as an excellent idea; some folks will decide they want to run for office and fix the mess; if enough do we might possibly see a change. I’m for term limits for EVERYONE! That way laziness, arrogance and blindly following Nancy and Harry might just stop.
And it’s good for us to see others who feel as we do. The MSM tries to paint Conservatives as these nutty people who are the only ones who don’t worship Obama. There are millions of us out here, and we need to raise our voices and complain.
Mar 18, 2009 - 5:22 am 11. elvis:Forget the tea bags.
I suggest the everyone hold on to their tax return.
Do not turn them.
That would drive THE ONE, who is the most polarizing figure in history” to his knees with all of Washington with him.
The IRS is powerless without fear!
Mar 18, 2009 - 5:22 am 12. Chuck Pelto:TO: elvis
RE: When….
“I suggest the everyone hold on to their tax return.
Do not turn them.” — elvis
….did you graduate from high school and get a REAL job? That paid enough to require taxes by the IRS?
FOOL! The government already HAS the money. The form is just to get a refund of part of it, if you’re eligible.
Sheeesh….the clueless idiots coming out of high school these days.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 5:50 am 13. mike:[There is always death and taxes; however death doesn't get worse every year.]
I fear what happens after April 15?
There are many tea parties scheduled before and after and that’s why we have them listed on http://teapartyrevolution.com .
I hope the organizers for the “other” parties get some attention. I know we’re doing our part.
I’m afraid that our leaders are not looking long-term here. We aim to keep the movement going.
Mar 18, 2009 - 5:53 am 14. Paul Hsieh:David Vickers s completely right — the Tea Party protesters need to do more than oppose bailouts and irresponsibility (although that’s a good start). They also need to articulate a positive agenda that is consonant with American values such as freedom and personal responsibility.
Hence, they need to promote a positive vision of a limited government that respects individual rights.
More here:
Mar 18, 2009 - 6:22 am 15. Pops in Vienna:“Ayn Rand and the Tea Party Protests”
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/ayn-rand-and-the-tea-party-protests/
I live in Europe but if I was in the USA, I’d be attending as many tea parties as possible. I agree with poster #5, that they probably don’t do much good but at least it would make me feel better.
Obama could snap his fingers and have a million people in Washington DC this weekend celebrating his greatness. There will even be plenty of movie stars, sport figures and perhaps a few “Republicans” like Colin Powell. No doubt CNN Europe would devote special coverage to the support Obama event.
We are going to need a lot more people turning out for these tea parties. One wonders where all the people with crashed 401Ks are. Obama’s approval rating is 60.2% today. he may have dropped a wee bit but he’s still a long way off from George Bush numbers.
Mar 18, 2009 - 6:35 am 16. SDN:Obviously readerer doesn’t know what he’s talking about. The overriding theme has been “Repeal or Retire”: repeal the damn bailout or get out. And the focus is rightly on Congress: those of us who didn’t fail basic civics (unlike readerer) know that Congress (under Demoratic management since 2006) had to pass these turkeys.
Mar 18, 2009 - 6:43 am 17. Chuck Pelto:TO: Pops in Vienna, et al.
RE: More People
It’s ain’t gonna happen as long as these latter-day kulaks don’t see the threat to themselves in a personal manner. And they probably won’t until it’s too late. Or until they start paying attention to how the plan worked in Russia after the Soviets got complete control of the system.
They’re too ‘busy’ trying to make a living.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 6:44 am 18. elvis:[History repeats itself. Especially when it was 'successful'.]
Hey Chuck,
Mar 18, 2009 - 6:46 am 19. elvis:I’m self employed!!!!! Some of us still are.
Choose your words a little more carefully!
Love ,
Elvis
also Chuck,
Mar 18, 2009 - 6:49 am 20. scoombs:anyone can change withholding….. something….. anything to mix it up.
Make your hobby a business…. make everything you do a deduction.
Sheesh Chuck… try some creativity! That’s the other side of your brain!
april 15th tea party—@YOUR LOCAL POST OFFICE–THE ONE OPEN LATE–MEDIA IS ALWAYS THERE===BRING YOUR SIGNS—3PM TILL—-IF YOU BUILD IT………………..
Mar 18, 2009 - 6:57 am 21. one of my own:Help me, please. I’m so cornfused! I, I, I just don’t feel right, you know, in my heart, way deep deep down in there where my soul lives and from which all my godly thoughts shoot forth . . . I just can’t agree with this bonus money being paid to these mean old executives. Like Mr or Ms Don’t Tread On Me says, “The outrage! The mendacity!” (I’m not sure what “mendacity” means but I think it’s kind of like spittle.)
But then when I listen to our leader, El Rushbo (I just love that name, don’t you? He’s so very clever. And with his golden microphone and his buddy Snerdly, wow, he’s just so great. We’re lucky to have him at the top of the ticket . . . Is that the right word? Ticket?) Anyhoozy (*giggle to myself*), El Rushbo says the executives deserve it . . . that they had contracts that assured them this money.
I tell you it all just makes my little girl head spin for cripe’s sake! Maybe it would all go away if we could just vote for Rush and Sarah now. Is there anyway for us TRUE conservatives to do that? I know for a fact that our founding fathers in their infinite wisdom wrote that into the Constitution, that we could replace a liberal with a conservative if more than 150 gathered for a tea bag party at any given place at any given time. (My boyfriend will be thrilled to hear that . . . *chortle, snort, with just a little gag*) I think it comes right after “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Or is that the Declaration of Independence? So, what gives? Can you help a sister out?
I sure hope so . . . XOXOXOX . . . Muah! Luv ya!
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:01 am 22. TalkinKamel:The Fullerton tea party, sponsored by John and Ken, California radio talk show hosts, was quite openly in favor of opposing Proposition 1A, and in demanding the recall of the governator, and several Republicans who supported high taxes. So some of them, at least, are focusing on specific issues.
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:06 am 23. Jenny Hatch:We don’t need any “leader” for the tea party movement to take us “to the next step”. The next step is for us to shrug. Slow down the work, close down the small business, let go of the few employees and do the work myself, homeschool the children, stay the heck away from the health care system, and get as self sufficient as possible.
Then when it all comes crashing down, and I’m thinking the crash will come in the form of a babylonian plague that wipes out a billion people, we start over with the constitution as our banner and new media as our tool.
Jenny Hatch
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:08 am 24. scoombs:THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED……..
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:28 am 25. elvis:Well Jenny Hatch,
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:32 am 26. TOhio:Maybe you have the best idea!
The next step is to vote out of office every single Democrat in 2010. This is what we should be organizing around right now.
Senator Claire McCaskill asking permission from Harry Reid to vote NO, says it all. She is to represent the will of the people of her district! Not Harry Reid. Once Sen. McCaskill is re-elected she will go back to Harry Reid and vote the way that he tells her to vote. Her NO vote was just a temporary appeasement, not real change.
How do we fix this problem? By kicking her out of office.
If we really want government that works for us, we are going to have to get rid of every single Democrat up for re-election in 2010. No one should be spared. This will bring about real change and will send a loud message to the rest of them.
2010 is our opportunity at the ballot box. Let’s not waste it.
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:36 am 27. Chuck Pelto:TO: elvis
RE: Jenny Hatch
If you think so, you’d better bone up on homeopathy and herbal medicines.
RE: You’re Self-Employed
You don’t come across as such. Or perhaps you mow lawns as a Summer job.
RE: Withhold THIS!
True. But it’s a tad late for LAST YEAR. Don’t you think?
So your suggestion won’t fly THIS YEAR. Maybe next. If there IS a ‘next year’.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:52 am 28. Jenny Hatch:[Insight is the best form of 'vision'.]
We sure as heck don’t need any “leader” of a Newt Gingrich stepping in to take over and put his world government spin on all of us. I just about barfed when I saw him stepping up to the plate to “endorse” us. Where were you two weeks ago Newt?
Oooh, this is something big, I guess I better get involved and make sure it’s RUN RIGHT. Bleech.
Career Politicians…take note…we don’t need or want you anymore. Your time is over. New Media will allow us to find out every single thing you have ever said, written, voted for and will enable us to vote for pols who are passionate about freedom and the constitution.
The long term answer for our “movement” is in fact The Constitution.
Jenny Hatch
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:52 am 29. johnmc:Let us understand something that many posters seem to miss. The press DOES NOT want to cover these events because if they do they lend credence to them. If they do then the power of their talking heads and other assorted pundits value diminishes. No paper will diminish themselves considering about half of them are going to fold anyway.
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:52 am 30. Northern Light:I think conservatives are a little out of shape when it comes to public protests.
Recently Toronto had a protest over conditions in Asia. 7000 people turned out.
David Vickers points to the success of the Missouri tea party turning out 200 protesters.
If your little protest is going to draw attention from the MSM you are going to have to get bettter numbers.
Good luck with April 15th. If the movement can attract big numbers (more than 10,000 in any one city or more than 100,000 nationally) the press will have to cover it.
At least you guys have to show you can attract more people than the anti-globalization people. Right now you aren’t even doing as well as the fur-is-murder vegans.
Mar 18, 2009 - 7:56 am 31. Chuck Pelto:TO: Jenny Hatch
RE: Heh
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before….
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:11 am 32. Delia:[Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples' liberty's teeth. -- George Washington]
Chuck and Elvis need a jello wrestling match [I'd even pay to watch that hot mess].
We’re self-employed too, Elvis, but what goes around comes around and I don’t want to risk the tax karma unless I’m living in my own private Idaho [which UNfortunately I'm NOT]. I’m stuck in the real world of survival and believe me…the hub and I ain’t wearin’ no happy faces right now and our little snouts are just above the drowning waters.
Brew some beer and screw the tea! Loud mouth soup for everyone! Viva the loud talkers!
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:20 am 33. Pops in Vienna:Amen, Chuck #17.
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:25 am 34. donttreadonme:one of my own,
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:28 am 35. donttreadonme:Have you ever ridden a really fast roller coaster with plenty of g-force and when the ride stops, you are a bit light-headed and woozy? Your body feels a bit disconnected from the ground underneath your feet? That’s what it is like reading one of your meandering posts.
one of my own,
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:30 am 36. readerer:FYI, it is MR. donttreadonme. Now, get back in the kitchen and bake me a pie.
SDN,
Bring some shotguns to your protest. It is completely legal to do so.
See what happens.
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:30 am 37. Chuck Pelto:TO: Delia
RE: Jello?
I’d prefer the mud-pit from City Phase. Preferably after breaking through the ice that formed overnight.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:32 am 38. Professor Guvinoff:P.S. Keep your jello for your kids. It’s a decent source of protein. Give me the wet and dirty.
How does a movement start, and how does it impact the world? I suppose first one has to find that he or she is not the only one around feeling the same way about the direction in which the One is trying to take us, and the tea parties are a pretty good way to do this.
“The One” has all the levers of power in his hands (and his smile), so how to harness the “power of the many” to oppose the “power of the one” when is goes bonkers?
It seems among “the many” we can see those who have read Ayn Rand, and have been moved by the thrust of her writings. When you meet those who feel as you do but have never read Ayn Rand, give them a copy of Atlas Shrugged. They will recognize their inner feelings in it, and find a good language to express them.
If you can afford it, bring a few copies of the book to your nearest tea party. Chances are the donations will cover your original investment. By the way, you can negotiate a deal with the book store if you order them in some multiple.
So how to harness all this latent energy into a cohesive force? Ladies and Gentlemen, is it not what democracy is for? It’s a question of electing those who will carry the spirit of liberty and American pride instead of sheepishly trying to emulate the mish-mash coming out of the emasculated european thinkers.
Ideas are the prime moving force. The arresting force is fear. The way to return to the basic American foundation is to champion its fundamental values and help those who have fallen into the trappings of fear to climb out of their hole, from the bottom of which they may not see the light often enough anymore.
Go ahead and advocate liberty when you meet those who have fallen in the trap of sacrifying it for some token of empty reassurance.
What happens to “ordinary folks” when life confronts them with an unexpected challenge, like finding that their child is afflicted by some condition for which there is no known cure today? Perhaps some of them fall into despair, but many of them rise up to the occasion, and dedicate themselves to the cause of their special needs child. When they do it, they are recognized as “Great people”, but remember, before the special needs of this child they were considered as “ordinary folks”, and yet they are the very same individuals!
They have not been transformed. Their greatness has been awakened by a genuine reason to call upon it. It was already inside, but it had not come to the surface, yet.
Perhaps our Plastic Messiah is performing a public service after all? If his crazy pursuit of a destructive utopia is awaking the rest of us to forgotten American values, let’s go ahead and be Americans again! The details of the plan will emerge, after the individual energies (the essence of America’s strength) are awakened. The tea parties can help, and let’s keep them up. We will discover together what the next step should be.
God bless America, and its true believers!
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:33 am 39. Delia:34. donttreadonme,
Don’t bother feeding ‘it’… -But, “mindless meandering” about sums “It’s” posts up nicely.
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:35 am 40. Chuck Pelto:TO: readerer
RE: Bring the Guns
“Bring some shotguns to your protest. It is completely legal to do so.
See what happens.” — readerer
This state is an ‘open-carry’ state, buckie.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:37 am 41. elvis:[When I was crossing the border into Canada, they asked if I had any firearms with me. I said, "Well, what do you need?" -- Stephen Wright]
Ok Chuck,
Are you liberal SNOB weenie?
Cuz people need people that mow lawns.
I’ll buy you a coffee or a drink and show you what I do…
You may be surprised….
But then again you sound like you are fat and sit on your couch.
And actually if millions change there withholding now… it will cause a lot of problems this year.
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:37 am 42. Chuck Pelto:AN example is NYC…. a few more millioaires leave and there won’t be a city.
Kind of like everyone that works leaving California… it goes bankrupt!
It’s the cash flow. Could I have a point Chuck?
TO: Delia
RE: And About the Beer….
“Brew some beer and screw the tea! Loud mouth soup for everyone! Viva the loud talkers!” — Delia
…I make my own champagne. Beer takes too much work and it doesn’t go well with Sunday Morning Brunch. Furthermore, I don’t eat pizza that often.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:41 am 43. Paul -Indiana:[I am only a beer teetotaller, not a champagne teetotaller. -- George Bernard Shaw]
If it turns out that Obama is not qualified to be president [birth, not the obvious incompetance] will that cancel out any legislation he signed?
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:45 am 44. FLMom:Republicans, Independents and Democrats are attending these tea parties.
This is about We The People asserting our right to reclaim our future as a nation. There are Republicans, Independents and Democrats who want responsible government.
We absolutely must identify candidates at the local level who are dedicated to stopping this insane spending, and who understand that government works for us. We want nothing to do with enabling a courtly class who take our money to build endless monuments in their own honor, and at the expense of our children’s prosperity.
Let me put it this way.
Have you ever driven through a blighted area of a city to get to a state or federal office compound? You drive through this blighted area and then suddenly you arrive at this gleaming white campus of buildings named after whichever politician obtained the earmark to get the thing built. Upon arriving at this stately monument to governmental spending, how would you feel? Would your heart swell with pride or would you feel sick to your stomach.
If you would feel sick, you belong at these tea parties because our current government, president and congress, is spending trillions that they do not have to build monuments to themselves.
Tea parties do not need to be centrally organized. Our next generations of state and US congress people must come from our communities, not from central planning. We may not know who will emerge to take on this challenge quite yet, but as we continue to gather and discuss ideas, new leaders will emerge.
Many of us have long since outgrown party loyalty. On the local level we must identify Individuals who care about responsible government.
We have had our fill of Party-First politicians. We are crying out for Constitution-First representatives.
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:46 am 45. Pops in Vienna:#30: 200 protestors????
Can you call that a protest? I’ve been to bigger funerals.
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:49 am 46. Chuck Pelto:TO: elvis
RE: A What???!?!
“Are you liberal SNOB weenie?” — elvis
No. I’m a retired lieutenant colonel of infantry who is airborne-ranger and a born-again Christian.
Three guesses as to my political beliefs. First two don’t count…..if you’re not a dumba–.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:50 am 47. FLMom:[God is alive, and airborne-ranger qualified. -- US Army Chaplain at the Airborne School Chapel, Benning School for Boys]
Oddly enough, the other day I broke open a fortune cookie to find a saying that sums up the movement rather well.
Indignation is the first step toward progress.
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:53 am 48. Delia:37. Chuck Pelto,
Mud? Wet and dirty? KINKY! I’d pay to watch that too.
I have ‘kid/child’ singular. I only opted for one more blonde, blue-eyed genius in the family. ;p
Need more protein? Chuck, I bet you tell that to all your lady/boy friends. he-he I’m teasing you, of course. You just seem like a single [metro] guy to me. I’m probably wayyyyyyyyyy off but I’m glad you have a sense of humor and can take my [sometimes] churlish needling. I have an innate ‘brat’ streak. My husband should be awarded Sainthood by now.
-And, you must have never had a very good pizza in your lifetime [understandable since very few places make a good, authentic Italian pizza]. I make my own ‘za’ because the ‘Ragu on a Ritz’ they ‘deliver’ in a cardboard box is a joke. *sigh* Champagne gives me a migraine but it’s probably the sulfites… Homemade champagne? Sounds delish. I’m jealous now. *pout* My neighbors brew their own beer and one of my husband’s clients makes his own sulfite free wine… Both are far superior than anything you could ever get in a pub or a store.
…Now…about that mud…
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:55 am 49. Nahanni:Northern Light,
The MSM will not cover them even if a million people marched on the Capitol.
But that makes no difference anymore. The MSM is no longer the gatekeeper of information and that is what has them all scared, including the Corruptocrats. In case you have not noticed if the MSM was “all that” no one would know about anything outside of Michelle Obama’s workout routine and we all would be cheering the looting of the treasury that the Corrptocrats are doing for the “common good”. They think that if they can shut down all media that is not in the Corruptocrats pocket with some rebranded and improved version of the “Fairness Doctrine” that will shut it down, it won’t. In fact all that will do is piss people off more.
They are trying their best to shut this movement down. Their MSM propaganda wing is not covering it, their nutroot moonbat blogosphere blogs and trolls are doing their arrogant snarky best to dismiss it and the Corruptocrats are trying their best to ignore it. But already you can see signs that it is frightening them. The vast majority of Corruptocrat congresscritters and senators are not automatic guarantees for reelection like Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, John Kerry and Chuckie Schumer. Already their internal polls are telling them that more then likely Harry Reid and Chris Dodd will not be reelected along with many more. They also know it will get worse for them because they know that they are going to have to raise taxes sky high in order to pay for all of this pork and that will be like throwing gasoline on a fire. Combine that with the other stupid laws they are trying to enact and they know they will have a revolution on their hands. A freedom loving American one, not the Totalitarian Marxist that they desire one and one that they will not be able to stop unless they are willing to start killing people. The question is are they willing to do that, declare martial law and turn the police and the army out on the people. In observing the behavior of the 0bamamessiah and the Corruptocrat “royalty” I would guess that they would love to. The way one treats the most helpless and innocent is a good judge of their character, the 0bamamessiah has no problems with leaving babies to die from dehydration and exposure on utility shelves in a closet, he would have no problems with ordering the deaths of a couple million.
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:04 am 50. Pat J:You get the feeling ole Chuck is into “packing mud?”
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:09 am 51. vigilant:START PICKETING YOUR LOCAL NEWS STATION INSTEAD OF THE STATEHOUSE. BETTER YET, DO BOTH, AND AT THE SAME TIME.
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:10 am 52. Nahanni:Pops in Vienna,
Unlike Europeans, most Americans have jobs, families and homes and they can not just take a day off at a whim. I would have loved to go to the tea party that was held in my city but I had to work that day and could not take the day off.
Also, the average American is not like Europeans who are constantly protesting the littlest thing. The fact that there are so many of these tea parties occurring across the country (including in some very bleu cities and states) is frightening to the Corruptocrats because they know that for every person who is there there is probably a thousand more that agree with that person.
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:13 am 53. Chuck Pelto:TO: Delia
RE: [OT] Self
Nope. I’m VERY happily married to a woman you can read ALL about in the latter part of Proverbs 31. Furthermore, she reminds me of the female lead in Life Force. Furthermore, she has the same maiden name.
Go fig….
Currently living in a relatively small city, 100K, in a 1901 four-level, three-wyth brick, 6500 sq ft house built by the VP of the first bank in what was the first city of this state. This place is an unintentional man-made fortress. It would take a .50 cal to make an impression on it. And even then it would require a bit of ‘chewing’. The guy was apparently also a member of the board of directors for one of the big brick-making companies. Got something of a ‘deal’ on the high-quality stuff. The mortar between bricks is so thin you can’t get a pencil in between them.
My hobbies are history, computers, simulations, reading, cooking, drinking, politics and cinema. I’m a commissioner on two city and two city-county panels.
My current businesses are database design and development and graphics and printing. Not to forget political ‘agitation’, which I set aside during th 27 years of my service. I guess I’m making up for lost time.
RE: Homemade Champagne
Has no sulfates. It’s easy to do.
Here’s a recipe for a ’small beer’ that comes across like champagne within 72 hours.
Ingredients:
[1] 1 ea Persian Lime
[2] 1 in of fresh ginger root
[3] 1 gallon of water
[4] 1 cup of sugar
[5] 1 ounce of champagne yeast
[6] 4 ea flip-top 32-oz German Beer bottles
Process:
[1] Sterilize the beer bottles: bleach and VERY hot water. Set aside.
[2] Peel the skin off the limes and juice the limes.
[3] Mince the lime skins.
[4] Skin and mince the ginger root.
[5] Boil the water, to sterilize it.
[6] Remove water from heat and add the sugar, ginger and lime skin to the boiled water.
[7] Cool the water-lime-ginger mixture to 100°F in an ice bath.
[8] Add the lime juice and yeast.
[9] Mix thoroughly.
[10] Pour into beer bottles and seal.
[11] Store for two-three days, depending on how warm it is. The warmer, the shorter the frementation time.
[12] REFRIGERATE!!!!
[13] Enjoy relatively quickly.
I emphasize ‘refrigeration’ because the yeast will keep converting the fluid until the bottles explode. [Note: Don't be anywhere NEAR them if they explode. The shrapnel is VERY dangerous. I was foolish enough to not refrigerate them and a week later it sounded like a grenade went off in my food storage area. The mess was unbelievable.]
The effervescence is on a par with champagne. The flavor is slightly tart from the lime and slightly tangy from the ginger.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:17 am 54. Bob in VA:[Alcohol! The last gift of the relenting gods. The simple word that makes life's crossword puzzle easier to elucidate. - Lennie Lower]
Maybe a third party could evolve – The “T” Party or maybe The “Third Rail” Party. Best bet would be to win local offices and begin to take them away from the two parties that have a lock on them. When they begin losing locally (city, county, school boards, etc.), the State office holders in both parties will start worry; and eventually up the line. Shout Term Limits!
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:22 am 55. elvis:Alright Chuck,
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:24 am 56. Chuck Pelto:So the smartest people in the country are destroying the economy and country and you pick on me mowing lawns. At least I work and don’t take
I am and undercover and can’t sound too smart … otherwise I will get fired.
I hope you understand.
I respect your qualifications.
But I do wrestle I will meet you on the mat!
P.S. Remembering all the discussion of lineage from yesterday….
…I’m three-quarters Finnish and one-quarter Danish.
Read as pure ‘Viking’. And I appreciate all the fun we used to have together when we ‘visited’ the Irish. I mean. Look at our blondes!
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:24 am 57. Rick:@Nahanni/20090318-0913:
That’s why the one thing I wish the organizers of these Tea Party protests would do differently is to have the protests either start at about 5 or 6 pm (which now that we’re in Daylight Savings Time is feasible), or have them on weekends.
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:36 am 58. Chuck Pelto:TO: elvis
RE: Wrestling
Your place or mine?
I’ve got a throwing mat in my gym. It used to be the Summer Sleeping Porch, built over the carriage-house-cum-garage. It would sleep ten people. But as we have electric ceiling fans and swamp coolers these days, we don’t need it in this semi-arid environment. So we turned it into a gym with work-out equipment, mats, bows, swords, fighting batons, etc.
By the way I don’t ‘wrestle’, except with the mistress of this household.
My sensei was Japanese-style. His assistant was kung-fu. The last half-hour of each session was barroom brawling, as ‘Combat Alley’ (Fayetteville) was just off Fort Bragg.
Aaaahhhh….
….the heady days of youth as a young paratrooper….no responsibilities….just a motorcycle, a platoon sergeant and always short of cash….
DOWN EGO! DOWN!!!! BAD EGO!!!!! BAD!!!!!
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:44 am 59. Gary Ogletree:I read that at one tea party a politician was not allowed to take the mike. Change we can believe in. This will evolve naturally and is too real to be handed off to our political hacks. We are no longer dependent on the MSM to spread information. Last century media.
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:54 am 60. Kevin in OK:#7 Jeff: “Adam Smith’s classical economics always works better, and in the long run will always win out.”
Despite overwhelming historical evidence to support Adam Smith’s theory, I’m finding that many think this is a myth. This explains some of our country’s eagerness to experiment with socialism.
Mar 18, 2009 - 10:10 am 61. Delia:The testosterone in here is giving me hot flashes. lmao!
Chuck, nice recipe. I copy-pasted it. Thank you.
Regarding
56. Chuck Pelto
P.S. Remembering all the discussion of lineage from yesterday….
…I’m three-quarters Finnish and one-quarter Danish.
Read as pure ‘Viking’. And I appreciate all the fun we used to have together when we ‘visited’ the Irish. I mean. Look at our blondes!
~
Errrrrrr. -Are we on a who’s the whitest person in the room competition? You win, buddy! Yeah, the Vikings hated the Irish and killed plenty O’ ‘em and yadda yadda. Frankly I could use a little color in my Finnish/English/Irish complexion. Being white is not ‘all’ that when it comes to bikini season. Fake tanner was invented for a reason. LOL!
Mar 18, 2009 - 10:10 am 62. cubanbob:” 3. arhooley:
This is the eternal problem of large special interest groups. The more members, the harder it is to organize. This is why radical fringe minorities wield power out of all proportion to their size. Their message is loud and consistent, their leaders recognizable, their movements cohesive. The Tea-Partyers need a strong, principled leader to keep them together and focused if they’re not to tire and flame out before they can effect change.
Mar 18, 2009 – 4:31 am”
Are you saying that taxpayers are now just another special interest group?
The unifying theme should be to roll back the welfare state and lower taxes permanently.
Mar 18, 2009 - 10:19 am 63. Marie Claude:“Unlike Europeans, most Americans have jobs, families and homes and they can not just take a day off at a whim.”
once upon a time, there was some real journalist that had a clear view on the supposed unjobbed poor Europeans, and he said that the whinning rioters were those protected jobbed persons, that don’t want that little Sarko cut down their advantages… nothing like unemployeds in a few big gangterised city surburbs, that your TV screens prefer to project to make gargle the good ol Americans and feel happy to live in the land of the enlightened founding fathers.
But have a look at the real stats, NOW, unemployment rates are the same on both side of the Atlantic, even worsening on your side, and homes, certainly worst !
Mar 18, 2009 - 12:17 pm 64. readerer:If the Tea Party wanted to be meaningful, then it would walk its protest down the street to the local GM dealership and block the entrances.
“No Cars Will Be Sold Here”
GM and Chrysler are stealing your tax dollars by bribing your Congressmen with campaign donations. The way to stop them is to use the exact same union tactics that they use. Don’t let “scabs” buy cars at these dealerships.
I guarantee you will get coverage in the media when their largest advertiser is the target of your protest and no cars get sold that day. (Don’t picket Ford … they didn’t steal taxpayer bailout dollars.
Then, the next day, walk on down to your local Home Depot, and block their entrances. Don’t let scabs buy stuff there. The Home Depot is the nation’s largest supplier of illegal alien workforces in the country. They’re all standing on Home Depot property just waiting to be picked up by the building contractor scabs who won’t hire Americans. Why shouldn’t you block their entrances so that they feel an economic pinch? Throw eggs at the building contractor scabs who break the picket line.
That’s how you organize a protest. Sending tea bags to Congressmen only gets you laughed at. It’s wus.
Mar 18, 2009 - 1:30 pm 65. kto:“One wonders where all the people with crashed 401Ks are…”
Working a little longer toward retirement, right at the moment…..
Mar 18, 2009 - 3:00 pm 66. kto:“Unlike Europeans, most Americans have jobs, families and homes and they can not just take a day off at a whim.”
I’m taking the day off without pay for the April 15th Tea Party. So are a boatload of other cubedwellers I know. We have this weird idea that the country we love is worth at least that. Americans have given a lot more than a day off, if our history books and military service records are right….
I’d rather take a day off without pay to fight for my country than lose a day’s pay in taxes to this socialist administration.
Mar 18, 2009 - 3:02 pm 67. McBride:Being of Scotch-Irish descent I propose that we change the name from tea party to whiskey rebellion.Besides all the reference to tea bags gets libs lie one of my own and barney frank all excited.
Mar 18, 2009 - 3:33 pm 68. Chuck Pelto:TO: Delia
RE: [OT] Ooops….Recipe
Forgot this part of the preparation:
Strain the mixture before you pour it into the German beer bottles. Use a sterilized strainer: bleach and VERY hot water, before straining.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 3:35 pm 69. scoombs:[In brewing, cleanliness IS godliness.]
the revolution will not be televised………….
Mar 18, 2009 - 3:41 pm 70. Chuck Pelto:TO: McBride
RE: Soooo….
….make chamomille tea and add Irish to it.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 18, 2009 - 3:58 pm 71. elvis:P.S. With some honey and lemon, it makes for a GREAT treatment for a sore throat.
Your place would be fine Chuck. It looks like you have more brew then I do…:)
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:09 pm 72. Delia:68. Chuck P,
Thanks, Chuck, Chuck bo buck.
I’m clean and beautiful but…I’m wicked and wanton and full of profanity [I do try to tame myself as much as possible]. -But, I’m a bit of a wild woman at heart.
Here’s my take on you, Chuck:
You come off extremely ’superior dance’ [read church Lady]. Yes, you speak well and yes, THANK YOU for serving our country but could ya tone down the chest thumps? Sometimes I really want to like you but you have an obnoxious way of just turning me off with the way you post with distant disdain.
The RE: and P.S. crap is…frankly tiresome.
You seem intelligent and I appreciate many of your posts so what’s up with the tarded “RE:” stuff? Maybe it’s just me but it comes off really impersonal and stuffy.
~
69. scoombs:
the revolution will not be televised…
~
Of course not, scoombs…there is no more ‘news’ or ‘media’…we have the fawning, slobbering ‘joke’ of a news source ruling the news to the media. Even Fox News has Saudi ties.
Yay!
Not.
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:09 pm 73. elvis:Right on you tube and pajamas media there is <a href=” This text here is the phrase, word, whatever that you want linked/underlined.
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:14 pm 74. elvis:“> this
encouraging video.
It is happening and will gain momentum!
We are working on NH, Mass and Vermont.
Right on you tube and pajamas media there is <a href=”<a “> this
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:18 pm 75. elvis:encouraging video.
It is happening and will gain momentum!
We are working on NH, Mass and Vermont.
My html code didn’t quite work…but the title for the youtube piece is,
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:26 pm 76. Mortrey:Taxpayers Gather To Protest Spending, Taxes, Growing Debt.
Sorry for the clutter.
It NEVER changes…
Mar 18, 2009 - 4:35 pm 77. H. Coburn:The biggest critics are the ones that do NOTHING but criticize.
The only “leadership” the party NEEDS is already present: the good people showing up in the rain, snow and heat to make their voices heard.
Those of you who think this movement needs a “figurehead” are mistaken.
The people THEMSELVES are all that is needed.
I saw a woman in a wheelchair IN THE RAIN at the Atlanta protest Feb. 27th.
As far as I’m concerned, SHE puts you lazy, condescending, armchair critics to shame.
Why not try something novel? Quit criticizing and go to the “trouble” of swelling the ranks of the Tea Parties on the 15th of April.
Or….have you got something more important to do?
I think the tea parties are a great idea, and wish them success.
Mar 18, 2009 - 5:12 pm 78. Evil Otto:Now, who will stand by the rude bridge that arched the flood, where once embattled farmers stood, and fired the shot heard round the world?
Time to start thinking about it, people.
The war is over David, and the Left won, and history is remembered as Emmanuel wants it.
Over?!? Nothing is over until WE decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it’s not over now!
Mar 18, 2009 - 6:17 pm 79. Ole Miss Rebel:I am so glad that our founding fathers weren’t the naysayers that many today are. I have been called lots of names for my believe that obama is going to destroy our nation if we don’t do something. I hope and pray that it never comes to having to fight and die as our founding fathers did but if it has to be then so be it. I can say like Patrick Henry, “Give me liberty or give me death.” I can’t imagine not being the country that I have grown up in and love with a passion.
I am going to send a box of tea bags to obama. I am getting everyone I know involved and informed. We are not going to stand by while our country is torn apart and dismantled.
Mar 18, 2009 - 6:53 pm 80. Angry White Dude:The Tea Parties are sponsored currently by TCOT (Top Conservatives on Twitter). The writer was too lazy to research that, I guess. I put on the first tea party in Dallas on 4 days time and we had over 350 patriots with very little marketing. We expect 5,000 for the Tax Day Tea Party in Dallas which will run in conjunction with protests in nearly 200 US cities.
We are organizing and growing. We conservative are new at this. You can see our objectives at http://www.dallasteaparty.org. For those of you who sit back and tell us how tea parties won’t work, I ask you to read the link from Angry White Dude, “Are You A Tea Party Conservative or a Wussypants Republican?” Time to decide!
http://angrywhitedude.com/?p=1286
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:15 pm 81. Ron Silver:35. donttreadonme: writes back: “one of my own, FYI, it is MR. donttreadonme. Now, get back in the kitchen and bake me a pie.”
Is that how you treat all your wives?
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:21 pm 82. Jerry:May I suggest a goal for the Tea-Party movement. On the Federal level support only candidates who were not present in Washington from 2006, the point where oversight of the mortgage and banking system was rejected by Congress, until now. Republican or Democrat – no difference. Though there are disadvantages to the governance system if a House and Senate washing were to take place regularly, it would be appropriate for such an event to occur at this point in our history.
I am outraged, as outraged as I ever get, that legislation has been passed by Congress without it having been read and properly considered. If the legislative process is too complicated for humans – even ivy league humans – then it should be simplified so that errors can be detected. If errors cannot be detected, then don’t legislate. Same for the executive branch. Obama promised a line by line consideration of expeditures. We got “that’s old business.” What a crock!
Mar 18, 2009 - 8:22 pm 83. Insufficiently Sensitive:The press DOES NOT want to cover these events because if they do they lend credence to them. If they do then the power of their talking heads and other assorted pundits value diminishes.
The press since the 60s has used street protests consistently as ‘evidence’ of the moral rectitude of the yowling ‘protesters’ with which it fills our TV screens. Only now, with an actual cross section of the folks who work for a living out doing the picketing and waving the signs, the MSM has reversed its former position: these tea activists aint lefties, they don’t break windows or stone the cops, they have no moral standing whatsoever and they SHALL NOT be portrayed on the evening news.
Numbers count for very little in this game. When the MSM was using Cindy Sheehan (remember her?) as a club against the Bush administration, several photos made it onto the Web (but not the news) which showed that la Sheehan frequently held ‘protests’ at which the TV cameras far outnumbered the ‘protesters’ whom she was haranguing. Only careful camera placement enabled the evening news to fill screens with her ‘demonstrations’. Again, the MSM accorded her some phony moral superiority, and onto the evening news she went despite the tiny crowds she addressed.
I’ll be more interested in MSM behavior after the lefties spend some resources to gin up an ACORN or ANSWER rent-a-mob with which to outnumber and oppose one of these tea parties. It’s predictable that if said rent-a-mob scores some violence, the tea party will be all over the news, with the lefties as the heroes and the no longer cheerful, witty tea activists as the demons.
Mar 18, 2009 - 9:48 pm 84. The big picture:Quit doubting what you feel is right
Show up on the 16th
the next step will be obvious…
Mar 18, 2009 - 10:29 pm 85. Bruce:How about one million plus protesters led by a convoy of a few thousand truckers descending on Washington on April 15th and demanding real change in government?
Mar 18, 2009 - 11:44 pm 86. ealopez:TERM LIMITS
Mar 18, 2009 - 11:51 pm 87. Meryl:Based on what we’ve heard from Barney Frank this week, I would guess “what is brewing next for the tea party movement” is the following:
Congress will authorize its newly formed (uniformed and uninformed) local chapters of Stop the Tea Bags to:
1. Start using existing public security cameras to examine photos of those attending tea parties.
2. Scan parking lots for license plate numbers.
3. Identify those in attendance by name.
4. Publish their names along with home addresses.
5. Devise new tax legislation designed to take 85% of their income by withholding.
6. Have their neighbors come and knock on their doors and tell them they had better not go to any more tea parties because big ears doesn’t want them to.
I have never in my life understood McCarthyism like I do now, courtesy of the democrats in Congress.
These people have brought taxpayer supported “politics of personal destruction” to a new level. We’re approaching threat level red.
Mar 19, 2009 - 5:25 am 88. one of my own:87. Meryl: . . . “I have never in my life understood McCarthyism like I do now, courtesy of the democrats in Congress.”
Meryl van Winkle wakes up after napping since 1994 to discover the Republican slide of ethics and mounting greed have pushed the entire country to the brink. And she’s scared and upset.
Mar 19, 2009 - 7:27 am 89. sickofit:Unless people are all deciding to not pay taxes, I don’t see much point in this.
Mar 19, 2009 - 11:44 am 90. Chuck Pelto:TO: sickofit
RE: Well….
….there’s more than one way to skin this particular ‘cat’.
Not paying taxes is one technique. And one not to be discounted, as it IS a biggie. But it’s not the ONLY ONE.
Others range from the Tea Party activities through what people at the Tea Party activities are suggesting vis-a-vis John Galt techniques. Then there are still others, to include publicly villianizing the wrong doings of these characters, via the web sites. Belittling the people who voted for them, via the web sites and in person. Getting MORE active in your local political party.
And even thinks beyond that….
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[All of us who are concerned for peace and the triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field. -- Albert Einstein]
P.S. I witnessed the truth of that in a ‘discussion’ with the local Democratic Party Chair and a professor from the local university last night.
My take was they are both violent-prone Bolsheviks. The shrill harpy’s only ‘force of argument’ was the volume at which she screeched. The Democrat Party Chair was all for violence. And neither of them were inclined towards any form of compromise on the issue under discussion.
Mar 19, 2009 - 3:12 pm 91. Chuck Pelto:P.P.S. And, additionally, neither was willing to disclose the details of the ‘plan’ they had allegedly worked out over the previous few years on the complex matter. Let alone DISCUSS it in a rational manner with an organization set up to evaluate such plans.
This is not, repeat NOT, the activity I would expect of an ‘open and honest’ political group.
But then we say that sort of ‘program’ in the run-up to the last General Election. And look what THAT got US…..
Mar 19, 2009 - 3:16 pm 92. elvis:FROM CHUCK :
# 90 P.S. I witnessed the truth of that in a ‘discussion’ with the local Democratic Party Chair and a professor from the local university last night.
# 90 P.S. I witnessed the truth of that in a ‘discussion’ with the local Democratic Party Chair and a professor from the local university last night.
#91…..neither was willing to disclose the details of the ‘plan’ they had allegedly worked out over the previous few years on the complex matter. Let alone DISCUSS it in a rational manner
I work right in the middle of these elitist professors. That’s why I’m undercover. They are shrill, that’s for sure. But, the worst thing is that in almost every meeting there is a discussion on converting the students to their left of Marx ideology, which usually ramps up to how can we further dismantle the USA.
Their attitude is worse about entitlements, then the riff raff that doesn’t want to work.
So come on down and check it out.
Mar 19, 2009 - 3:54 pm 93. Chuck Pelto:TO: elvis
RE: The Profs
I recommend getting an iPod with voice recording capabilities.
It could prove quite ‘productive’.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 19, 2009 - 6:08 pm 94. Smorgasbord:[The Truth will out....]
If any of you go to a Tea Party, I suggest you take along some tea bags and hand them to people and ask them to send one to Obama and each of their Federal officials. Send one yourself. I wrote the letter below and included a tea bag with each one I sent it to:
Mar 19, 2009 - 11:04 pm 95. Peg C.:_________________________________
As the early colonists of the USA did on December 16, 1773 I am starting a Washington DC Tea Party for the same reason as they did: TOO MANY TAXES. THE STIMULUS TAX INCREASE is the straw that broke the taxpayers back.
This is my token way of tossing YOUR TEA into Boston Harbor. I will be contacting as many people as I can to do the same thing if they feel the government is overtaxing us. We need TAX RELIEF, not a bunch of NEW TAXES. No reply necessary, except to start putting the taxpayer first.
Northern Light, Insufficiently Sensitive as usual is right. Numbers don’t matter to the Drive-Bys, only lefty agendas matters. And as for numbers, check out the Cincinatti Tea Party from last Saturday. Estimates of up to 15,000 in one place, all protesting basically one thing. I very much doubt all of Sheehan’s protests together equaled 15K.
The Drive-Bys have decided that, obvious evidence to the contrary (tons of independent websites and Facebook sites), these tea parties are the evil brainchild of conservative radio show hosts and deserve to be ignored. I hope they stick with this while tens of thousands of us run over them and render them not only irrelevant but wrong on one of the biggest grassroots movements in decades. As the saying goes, I think “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
The Recovery Begins When Obama Loses His Job
Mar 20, 2009 - 4:06 am 96. elvis:From chuck #93
I recommend getting an iPod with voice recording capabilities.
It could prove quite ‘productive’.
DONE! I could start another blog with those transcriptions.
Mar 20, 2009 - 4:36 am 97. gary:Is there a central website listing all the upcoming tea parties which also provides a way for us, the usually silent majority, to communicate with each other and organize to combat the blatant over reaching of the Obamanians? I understand Obama has “asked” for volunteers to canvas their local neighborhoods for supporters of his economic programs and have them fill out “information cards”. These “volunteers” he is referring to are obviously ACORN members who just received a $2.5 Billion(?) earmark in the PORKULOUS Bill thereby using our own money to organize against us. We need to combat this. This is supposed to happen this weekend. We need to flood the talk radio air waves with this information to let our side know what is going on. We need volunteers, email lists and phone numbers. Do not forget, Obama and the democrats will soon begin their strategy for ending talk radio as we know it, no national talk radio – their plan is to restrict talk radio to local issues – issues to be determined by local boards. Those local boards will be run by ACORN volunteers because they already have people in place in every large population center across the country and they know how to organize – they’ve been doing it for over 30 years in the name of “voter registration” , but we all know they register only democrat voters – living and dead.
I am not a skilled organizer, we have a long way to go to catch up to the other side. Let’s get off our duffs and get started.
Any volunteers?
ynpz51@gmail.com
Mar 20, 2009 - 5:46 am 98. elvis:Right on Peg C. #95
The media is the first real problem. We will run over them!!
Mar 20, 2009 - 6:57 am 99. marymcl:@81″Ron Silver” aka one of its own
It’s one thing to be an obnoxious pest. Every village must have its idiot.
But now you’re being obscene. Get off that man’s grave and stay off it.
Mar 20, 2009 - 7:09 am 100. Middleman:Tea Party movement? How self-absorbed. And to top it off, basically started from some rant from a CNBC chump. Nothing more but another still-born pop culture movement. You might as well get Paris Hilton to dress as a trampy Son(Daughter) of Liberty
Mar 20, 2009 - 7:39 am 101. one of my own:99. marymcl:
@81″Ron Silver” aka one of its own . . . It’s one thing to be an obnoxious pest. Every village must have its idiot. . . . But now you’re being obscene. Get off that man’s grave and stay off it.
Nonsense. There’s nothing more obscene than a bunch of people appropriating another man’s life (and death) for a chance to offer feigned condolences and grief in return for smug self-righteousness. I’m not on his grave. You’re trying to hitch a ride on his cloud.
But hey, what does that matter when you can squeeze a couple more days of weeping out of it? Nice guy, pretty good actor, smart and articulate, and now he’s dead. It happens every day. Quit wrapping yourself in the legacy of a stranger.
Mar 20, 2009 - 7:41 am 102. Donald Rae:TEA PARTY II is the way to start a grass-roots revolution against “taxation with Democrat Representation.” The assault on every single American must be met with firmness and principle. Our money is going into Obama’s campaign contributions, to Nancy Pelosi’s friends, family, and illegal aliens, to foreign banks etc. Obama has lied again and again. No lobbyists, transparency, hiring of tax cheats, “didn’t know anything about the bonuses”, no additional taxes on 95% of Americans (check out the utility tax in the federal budget). Every day since he took office there has been a lie or a scandal or both. We need the TEA PARTY II. Organize one in your community. Send tea bags to offending politicians (empty, of course, so they don’t accuse you of trying to send poison). Write Tea Party on all your mail. This Federal assault on the people must stop.
Mar 20, 2009 - 7:48 am 103. Navas de Tolosa:Chuck Pelto:
TO: readerer
RE: Bring the Guns
“Bring some shotguns to your protest. It is completely legal to do so.
See what happens.” — readerer
This state is an ‘open-carry’ state, buckie.
–I think the point was to make these gatherings more than guys (M & F) with teabags but into guys with guns. That would undoubtedly get attention. There is a downside, unfortunately. If, however, you get a LOT of guys (~100k, say) with guns, that’s a different matter entirely. High attendance is self-validating.
Mar 20, 2009 - 12:58 pm 104. Navas de Tolosa:PS: Have to make sure all the pieces are unloaded and publicize that fact.
Mar 20, 2009 - 1:07 pm 105. Northern Light:#95 Peg, 15,000? That’s a bit more like it.
Mar 20, 2009 - 4:41 pm 106. William Blake:#78 Evil Otto, you were kidding right? I really hope so.
a href=”http://strongerthandeathhq.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/the-big-squeeze/”> It sucks once you fill up your credit cards then the taxman puts the squeeze on… that really sucks
Mar 20, 2009 - 6:53 pm 107. digby:Interesting piece, but sad to see Vickers succumbing to the knee jerk knock at Limbaugh. Does Vickers really think that there would be any tea parties without Rush and the other conservative talk show hosts articulating conservative values and principles? Does he think we learned about Ayn Rand in our left-leaning public schools? Does he think our “civics” teachers emphasized the Founders’ belief in a decentralized and small national government, with limited powers, or did they pimp for big government? For the last 30 years have the schools been encouraging individual responsibility and respect for individuality, or have they been propagandizing about multiculturalism and communitarianism?
Knocking what we learn from real conservatives will get Vickers invited to a lot of cocktail parties, but he is selling his soul and saying nice things about the tea parties does not buy it back.
Mar 20, 2009 - 7:20 pm 108. Iris:I’ve attended every “Tea Party” (4 total in the last 30 days with more planned) in our area (Kansas City, MO/Overland Park/Olathe/Leawood, KS) except 1 (in bed sick with a bad cold) or I would have been there.
Have I ever been involved in a protest, no! Have I been involved at the grassroots level of the political process (yes for 20+ years) because it is my duty as an American, Christian, wife, self-employed sole proprietor, daughter and aunt to hold those we elected to be accountable to, WE THE PEOPLE.
Though on the surface it may appear the Tea Party “movement” is solely about runaway spending/poor fiscal policy, etc. (and it may have germinated from this), Tea Parties are really a response to bad policy as a whole.
Why do we have so much bad policy? Indifference, apathy, laziness, sheer ignorance, gullibility, etc. by the citizenry at large. Taking for granted the privilege that is voting and electing the wrong people.
Why is this?
Because it takes time and effort to dig deep and find out what each political candidate running for office really stands for; don’t believe the rhetoric without fact checking. Not voting in a primary or not voting at all, what a shame!
When we vote, we elect unqualified people (as evidenced by the sheer number of buffoons in Congress, both state and federal). But the election booth is where real CHANGE can take place. Again, voting is a privilege and should not be entered into lightly nor uninformed. Taking for granted the rights our Founding Fathers fought so hard for; rights we don’t seem to hold so cherish and hold dear anymore, that is until taken away.
The “golden years” were been a mirage that led to apathy and here we are. It is time to take back what we have so easily given away over the last 40+ decades but there has to be a powerful willingness to sacrifice our time and treasures if we are going to change the course of our Republic.
When any government ignores the people you can be certain apathy is aider and abettor in their abuse of power.
My bottom line is this: Public Policy that Promotes
o Upholding the Constitution
o Limited Government
o Free Markets
o Individual Liberty
Wake up America!
Socialism in our country is not new; its seeds were planted long ago. Like a patient farmer that plants, and nurtures his crop until harvest time, the nurturers of this failed creed have been propagating their “crop” vigilantly for many decades. They’ve been toiling away prodigiously to dismantle our Constitution and erode our rights, right under our noses. The “harvest” is here and what we have been witness to in the last 60 days is nothing compared to whole agenda planned for us. It is not too late but time is of the essence!
We must get off our duffs and take action. Watch less of the “boob-tube” (what value does American Idol and its ilk give back to society anyway), put away your gaming toys for a time, reduce the amount of time you devote to texting about nothing (unless it’s a matter of life or death), get engaged and take action!
Contribute meaningfully in defense of your rights and freedoms, or you will have neither. When was the last time you wrote a letter (or sent email or made a call) to one of your elected officials because you did not agree with their representation of your views/values. When was the last time you read our Constitution, if ever? Go buy “The 5000 Year Leap”, read it now. It will do you much good to know the principles of our Constitution. Stop being naysayers and attend a Tea Party or rally in your city.
We must hold elected “servants” accountable or “un-elect” them! They have been “let of the hook” for far too long. Without accountability to the people these unrepresentative representatives will continue to ignore the wishes of their constituents. We are the ones who voted for them and we can vote them out.
This is what Tea Parties are all about; making sure American taxpayers retain their liberty!
Thank you for allowing me to express my views.
“Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.”
Mar 20, 2009 - 10:54 pm 109. kosta karvounis:Thomas Jefferson
It’s time we as citizens make the government fear us, instead of us fearing government.Unfortunately,the average person is too caught up in their life to get involved. They rely on conventional media sources to provide their information. As a result they get no information only liberal double speak.
While all of us lose our life savings President Obama spends his time on Leno and picking the final four in the ncaa tournament. I guess he feels were in good hands with Frank,Pelosi,Dodd and Geithner.
Wake up America elections have consequences.
kostakarvounis.blogspot.com
Mar 21, 2009 - 7:00 am 110. kosta karvounis:I write a conservative blog. It’s called Common Sense an Uncommon virtue. Please take a look at it. Feel free to leave comments. I’m just one voice trying to get the word out. I’d appreciate any input or ideas from people who are like minded. We have to get beyond preaching to the choir.
kostakarvounis.blogspot.com
Mar 21, 2009 - 7:09 am 111. Chuck Pelto:TO: All
RE: An Interesting Thought
Someone suggested that we bring shotguns to events.
I would suggest another approach…..
….wear a handgun holster and fill that holster with tea bags.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 21, 2009 - 9:22 am 112. Chuck Pelto:[Try to be 'subtle'....in communicating a possible threat.]
P.S. Have a friend or associate at the event bring a camcorder to capture the ‘response’ of the local ‘authorities’.
P.P.S. Have another friend with a camcorder capture the ‘response’ of the local ‘authorities’ to being captured on the first camcorder…..
Mar 21, 2009 - 10:12 am 113. one of my own:111. Chuck Pelto: . . . “Someone suggested that we bring shotguns to events. I would suggest another approach……wear a handgun holster and fill that holster with tea bags.”
THIS IS WHY THERE ARE NO CONSERVATIVE MOVIES.
Mar 21, 2009 - 1:55 pm 114. Chuck Pelto:TO: All
RE: one on her own
This person wouldn’t know a ‘conservative movie’ if it bit her on her ass.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 21, 2009 - 7:27 pm 115. Ayn R. Key:[Watership Down: You've read the book. You've seen the movie. Now, eat the stew!]
The best thing about these Tea Parties is they’re filled with Ron Paul supporters, the very same people that Pajamas Media doesn’t want to have anything to do with.
Mar 21, 2009 - 9:24 pm 116. Chuck Pelto:TO: Ayn R. Key
RE: [OT] Really?
They why is YOUR post visible to me?
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 22, 2009 - 4:04 am 117. Chuck Pelto:[The Truth will out....]
TO: All
RE: 4000 In Orlando….
….and not a peep from the so-called ‘main-stream’ media.
Not even Fox News.
How very ‘indicative’.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
Mar 22, 2009 - 9:13 am 118. deguello:[If you don't like the news, go out and make some of your own.]
How about,giant paper mache turds with the names of prominent demlibs, carried by mummers and pickpocketing the demonstrators? Or maybe an Obama impersonator complete with accompanying teleprompter mugging men and women? How about a dwarf wearing A Robert Reich disguise carrying a sign reading “No Jobs for White Men?? I think the best idea is to don hazmat suits and gloves, and fling pounds of raw sewage at IRS,and local tax offices, and the leeches within.The scope for meaningful guerilla theater is infinite.
Mar 23, 2009 - 10:40 am 119. deguello:We could celebrate Kennedy’s death,outside the church/cementery with skits,showing the senator,raping his secretaries,drowning Mary Jo Kopechne, drinking himself into a stupor,and pickpocketing an uncle Sam figure!
Mar 24, 2009 - 9:46 am 120. deguello:How about a Michael Moore style harassment of Ted Kennedy,with decomposed simulacra of the drowned Mary Kopechne and screams of “coward “, and murderer;we can also do a death watch outside his hospital and yell “Die Already”!
Mar 26, 2009 - 10:33 am 121. Jay Seville Arlington Clarendon Condos:All the details of the Washington DC tea party on April 15 can be found here and updated regularly:
http://www.justnewlistings.com/dc-tea-party.html
Mar 29, 2009 - 8:57 pm 122. Rockin roll:Dear “one of my own”-stifle it you maroon.
Apr 5, 2009 - 6:55 pm 123. rockin roll:re-deguello-I get the feeling you don’t care for Ted Kennedy. I don’t either but geez let the old sot die in peace. I believe in god and I wouldn’t want to be in Teddy’s shoes when he has to explain himself. It would be nice however to get Jane Fonda to keynote one of these so everyone could line up to spit on her.
Apr 5, 2009 - 8:08 pm 124. lojo:For what its worth, I would like to suggest that we consider having more formal private meetings of those who gathered publically for the TEA PARTYs April 15th– to discuss together what steps to take next. Again, these should be organized seperately at the grass roots level for now. I think some, though willing to gather publically, were unwilling to talk publically, knowing the media was present, and might misquote them, or take what they might say out of context. However, we are more than an angry mob–we are hard-working, intelligent people, who know enough about how our country is supposed to work to be able to stand up and say, it is NOT being run the way it was supposed to be run. Therefore, I would like the opportunity for those who attended to come together again for a cup of tea (literally) in order to hear each other out on how we can make some positive changes in the current system–apart from merely holding more public rallies which the media will only continue to deliberately poo–poo as insignificant. This would involve gathering in a large room somewhere, say in hotels–perhaps even have a luncheon, with each paying so much a head to attend. We ought not to have ANY official speakers. And NO elected officials, unless they are willing to come as just another citizen like the rest of us. Then we should pass the mike around from person to person and LISTEN to each other’s ideas. I think by actually discussing together, not merely our frustrations, but the ideas we all must have semi-formulated in our heads, we can come up with a kind of corporate plan of action which will be OF the people for a change–not merely something told TO the people. I believe this is how our forefathers came up with their brilliant ideas. It was more than merely one or two—the ideas that form our Constitution and Bill of Rights came after many discussions, and even arguments with other patriots, until they were fine-tuned, and honed down into the wonderful foundation for our country that they are today. However, it all started with conversations between fellow patriots……Let those who have the email addresses of those attending the TEA Partys forward this around, and see if others are interested in this. then let me know what you think.
Apr 16, 2009 - 7:01 pm 125. Jeanine Lane:Are there no more scheduled tea parties? We can’t stop now. They are objecting to the Iran government for doing just what they want to do to us! Let’s not let it happen!
Jun 22, 2009 - 10:29 am