Tea Party!!!!!!

[duncan]

washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2009/04/gop-hopes-build-momentum-behind-tea-parties


Duncan Philp, of Carpenter, Wyo., carried a flag in Cheyenne reading “Don’t Tread on Me” and dragged a United Nations flag on the ground. Philp said he’s a member of the Wyoming Tyranny Response Team, a group dedicated to the Bill of Rights.

He said Congress ignored Americans’ request not to bail out financially troubled banks.

“Bush and Obama have done the same thing,” Philp said. “They’ve given out loans for money they don’t have.”

Some Democrats said the tax day rallies offered little substance.

“The Republicans are going to have to do more than their standard rhetoric about taxes in order to be successful. They need some new ideas,” said Brian Schatz, chairman of the Hawaii Democratic Party. “It’s a tired old line of attack.”

[duncan]

www.trib.com/articles/2009/0...xt#blogcomments

Casper Star Tribune

Wednesday, April 15, 2009 7:19 PM MDT

Protesters gathered at the Wyoming Capitol to join other disgruntled Americans who seized upon tax day Wednesday to voice their concern over government spending and debt.

As the deadline to file income taxes drew near, about 300 people participated in the "Cheyenne Tax Day Tea Party." Similar protests held around Wyoming and nationwide were meant to echo the rebellion of the Boston Tea Party. Organizers said there were also rallies in Casper, Sheridan, Buffalo, Gillette, Jackson, Cody, Green River and Laramie.

A hearty group of about 300 protesters in Cody withstood blizzard conditions at times.

Gathered at the base of the Capitol steps, the Cheyenne protesters hoisted American flags and handmade signs as they cheered on speakers. Signs on display read "Socialized Health Care is Not Free," "No More Taxation with Lousy Representation," and "Congress: The Opposite of Progress."

Along with criticizing government debt, the protesters railed against bailouts of private banks and companies, the Federal Reserve System, spending on social programs and gun control.

"We're worried about the moral, political and economic direction of this country today," said Kirk Kolkman, a telecommunications technician from Cheyenne who helped organize the event. "We decided these events would be a forum to educate people on the Constitution, nationalization of business and industry, and federal tax-and-spend policy."

Kolkman and other organizers said they held the event independently of any political party or other group.

Duncan Philp, of Carpenter, said he was surprised at the size of the crowd Wednesday. Philp carried a Gadsden flag -- reading "Don't Tread on Me" -- and dragged a United Nations flag on the ground to display disrespect, he said.

Philp said he's a member of the Wyoming Tyranny Response Team, a group dedicated to the Bill of Rights.

He said Congress ignored Americans' request not to bail out financially troubled banks.

"Bush and Obama have done the same thing," Philp said. "They've given out loans for money they don't have."

"I just got fed up with the government and decided to get involved," said Pretty Martin, a Cheyenne resident who helped organize the rally. "Our government is spending us into oblivion and taxing us to cover it."

Rally participants also sang "God Bless America," and shouted "Amen" when speakers discussed topics of fiscal responsibility, personal sovereignty and lower taxes.

"I'm here for my kids -- the debt we're piling on them," said Neal Butler, a Laramie County resident who delivers liquid nitrogen for a living. "We're protesting the debt before it becomes taxes."

Organizers of the Cheyenne event stressed a non-partisan message, but many of those attending were clearly outraged by policies put in place by the Obama administration and the Democrat-controlled Congress.

The Obama administration's economic stimulus package, and its long-term repercussions on national debt, was a chief topic of discussion at Wednesday's rally.

"There is more to being president that playing with a new dog," said M. Leavell, a retired nurse, who said the government is selling out the American people.


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[duncan]

www.wyomingnews.com/articles...op_04-16-09.txt

Lots of anger

Tea Party protest draws hundreds

By Baylie Evans
[e-mail]
Bailee Harris of Cheyenne recites the Pledge of Allegiance in front of the Wyoming State Capitol during a Tax Day TEA Party protest Wednesday afternoon. Over 300 hundred people attended the protest. Michael Smith/staff

CHEYENNE -- Signs of protest waved under the sun Wednesday afternoon as hundreds gathered at the Wyoming State Capitol steps.

"No more taxation with lousy representation," one said.

"Socialized health care is not free," said another.

The protest was one of hundreds of organized Tax Day protests across the country, held on the day the Internal Revenue Service requires income taxes to be filed.

The goal, demonstrators said, was to send a message to politicians that there are a lot of Americans who are angry with the direction in which they feel the country is headed.

That direction: spending that they say is over the top.

"The message is that we, the people, are tired of the way things are being run, and our voice is not being heard," said a protest organizer, Larry Lone.

The protest took place on Tax Day for a reason.

It was referred to as a tea party protest, reminiscent of the Boston Tea Party of 1773. However, this was much more peaceful, Frank Smith, a local blacksmith and student of U.S. history, pointed out.

During the Boston Tea Party, colonists dressed up as American Indians and tossed tea into Boston Harbor. They were protesting a 3-cents-per-pound tax on tea without having representation in the government, Smith told the crowd.

"They believed that principles were more important than pocketbook," he said.

Later, Smith explained that he wanted to protest and speak out against the "raid on the treasury" he feels the current administration is committing.

"Unless it's reformed, we're going to have a bloody revolution," he said.

Although Americans might not have seen increased taxes yet, "with spending like this, they can't help but go up," Lone said.

He was referring to bills like the approximately $800 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, sometimes referred to as the federal stimulus package.

"They can't just keep printing money," he added.

One man stood in the middle of the peaceful crowd with a sign protesting the military presence in the Middle East.

Scott and Lauren Ridolph stopped at the Capitol Wednesday to express their support for the cause. It was their first time in Cheyenne.

They left California about seven months ago to travel the country by RV and try to find a place where they want to settle down and raise a family.

They were coming through Cheyenne and wanted to show their support for the protests that they had read about and heard about on the radio.

"American people know when their rights are being infringed upon," Lauren Ridolph said. "People are not stupid."

There were several hundred protesters at the noon event, and a second protest was scheduled for Wednesday evening.

Many of the protesters signed two petitions that were set up at the event, one intended for the state government and another for the federal government.

They are both intended to let politicians know that Americans are not happy, Lone said.

[duncan]

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090416...ax_day_protests

By SHANNON MCCAFFREY, Associated Press Writer Shannon Mccaffrey, Associated Press Writer – Thu Apr 16, 6:30 am ET
ATLANTA – Republicans have lost their grip on Congress and the White House, but they claim to have American anger over taxes and the economy on their side as tens of thousands turned out for anti-tax "tea parties" around the country.

Wednesday's rallies used the dreaded April 15 — the U.S. deadline to file income taxes — as a hook to vent about government spending and corporate bailouts in an homage to the Boston Tea Party.

The tea parties were promoted by FreedomWorks, a conservative nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington and led by former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey of Texas, who is now a lobbyist.

Organizers said the movement developed organically through online social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter and through exposure on Fox News and promotion from conservative pundits and bloggers.

While FreedomWorks insisted the rallies were nonpartisan, they have been seized on by many prominent Republicans who view them as a promising way for the party to reclaim its momentum against President Barack Obama's administration and other Democrats.

"All you have to be is a mildly awake Republican candidate for office to get in front of that parade," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.

Some Republicans considering 2012 presidential bids and others with upcoming campaigns for state and congressional offices hitched a ride with the movement.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich took the podium in front of New York's City Hall while the crowd of about 2,000 chanted, "We are America!"

He urged people to tell their lawmakers to vote against big spending or else "we're going to fire you."

As the former House speaker left after his 11-minute speech, passers-by yelled, "2012, Newt!" and "Run for president!" But when asked about a run, Gingrich shook his head emphatically and said, "I'm just part of a citizen movement."

Another possible candidate, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, sent an e-mail to his supporters, letting them know about tea parties throughout the state. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford attended two tea parties.

"This is critically important, what you're doing," Kansas Republican Sen. Sam Brownback, a likely candidate for governor in 2010, told the crowd in Topeka. "You've got to keep it up."

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, facing re-election next year, told protesters in Austin that officials in Washington have abandoned the country's founding principles of limited government. He recently rejected $550 million in federal economic stimulus money slated to help Texas' unemployment trust fund.

While the political implications of the rallies remain to be seen as Obama's administration pursues its economic recovery plan, thousands of protesters turned out in loud and colorful ways to express their frustration with Obama and Washington in general.

Indianapolis small business owners Ben and Bree Finegan brought their two children to a local rally. Two-year-old Kate held a sign from her stroller reading, "In diapers & in debt."

The crowd in Carson City, Nev., included a 5-year-old boy holding a sign that read, "My share of the national debt is $36,500." Some wore cowboy hats with tea bags dangling from them.

In Boston, a few hundred protesters gathered on the Boston Common, a short distance from the original Tea Party in 1773. Some dressed in Revolutionary garb and carried signs that said "Barney Frank, Bernie Madoff: And the Difference Is?" and "D.C.: District of Communism."

In Atlanta, thousands of people gathered outside the Capitol, where Fox News Channel conservative pundit Sean Hannity broadcast his show Wednesday night. One protester's sign read: "Hey Obama you can keep the change."

Julie Reeves, of Covington, Ga., brought her Chihuahua, Arnie, who wore a tiny anti-IRS T-shirt. "I want the government to get its hand the hell out of my wallet," Reeves said.

Duncan Philp, of Carpenter, Wyo., carried a flag in Cheyenne reading "Don't Tread on Me" and dragged a United Nations flag on the ground. Philp said he's a member of the Wyoming Tyranny Response Team, a group dedicated to the Bill of Rights.

He said Congress ignored Americans' request not to bail out financially troubled banks.

"Bush and Obama have done the same thing," Philp said. "They've given out loans for money they don't have."

In Helena, Mont., protesters stomped on boxes labeled to represent various taxes, such as income and a proposal to tax carbon dioxide output.

"It's a stepping stone to one day being able to tax you for the very air that you breathe," said event organizer Jim Walker.

There were several small counter-protests, including one that drew about a dozen people at Fountain Square in Cincinnati. A counter-protester held a sign that read, "Where were you when Bush was spending billions a month 'liberating' Iraq?" The anti-tax demonstration there, meanwhile, drew about 4,000 people.

Some Democrats said the Tax Day rallies offered little substance.

"The Republicans are going to have to do more than their standard rhetoric about taxes in order to be successful. They need some new ideas," said Brian Schatz, chairman of the Hawaii Democratic Party. "It's a tired old line of attack."

___

Associated Press writers who contributed to this report include Beth Fouhy in New York; Kelsey Abbruzzese in Boston; Terry Kinney in Cincinnati; Seanna Adcox in Columbia, S.C.; Kelley Shannon in Austin, Texas; Virginia Byrne in New York; Herbert A. Sample in Honolulu; Cathy Bussewitz in Carson City, Nev.; and Matt Joyce in Cheyenne, Wyo.

[duncan]

Duncan Philp, of Carpenter, Wyo., carried a flag in Cheyenne reading "Don't Tread on Me" and dragged a United Nations flag on the ground. Philp said he's a member of the Wyoming Tyranny Response Team, a group dedicated to the Bill of Rights.

[duncan]

Obama targets tea bags at town hall
By ALEXANDER BURNS | 4/29/09 12:25 PM EDT Updated: 4/29/09 2:57 PM EDT
Text Size:

At his 100th-day town hall meeting in St. Louis Wednesday, President Barack Obama took direct aim at the anti-tax “tea party” demonstrations that have cropped up over the last month and took a veiled shot at the Fox News Channel, the cable news network closely associated with the protests.

Asked about fiscal discipline and entitlements reform, Obama seemed to be repressing a smile as he jabbed critics of his spending plans.

"Those of you who are watching certain news channels on which I'm not very popular, and you see folks waving tea bags around, Obama said, “let me just remind them that I am happy to have a serious conversation about how we are going to cut our health care costs down over the long term, how we are going to stabilize Social Security.”

“But,” Obama continued, “let's not play games and pretend that the reason [for the deficit] is because of the Recovery Act."

It’s the president’s most direct response so far to the protests that flared up in some locations around tax day, on April 15.

In his briefing that day, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters: “I don't know if there's a specific response to protests..I think you saw the president today talk about as candidate Obama promising to bring a tax cut to 95 percent of working families in America, and as president delivering that tax cut.”


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[duncan]

More tea parties on tap; Organizers meet in Casper
Story Tools



By TOM MORTON
Star-Tribune staff writer

Sunday, June 7, 2009 2:05 AM MDT

A half-dozen community organizers gathered in Casper on Saturday to order the next round of "tea parties" this summer calling attention to the growth of the federal government.

"Each group has its own identity, focus," said David Kellett, who organized the tea -- "taxed enough already" -- party in Powell on April 15.

While they want to shun any top-down leadership, the representatives from six cities -- Casper, Powell, Lovell, Sheridan, Cheyenne and Riverton -- want to improve their communication and share resources, Kellett said.

Former Casper legislator Marvin Emrich, representing the Wyoming Family Coalition, said his group is considering starting a ballot initiative -- identical to the recent California Proposition 8 -- to add language to existing law stating, "only a marriage between a man and woman is valid in this state."

The coalition has not decided when it wants to launch this petition drive, Emrich said.

He encouraged the approximately 30 people meeting in the Crawford Room at the Natrona County Public Library to consider the coalition's goals that mesh with those sponsoring the tea parties.

"I do not see them as a bunch of nuts and kooks because I was among them," Emrich said.

Brenda Manning of the Wyoming 9/12 Project was among the organizers of the April 15 tea party in Casper, which attracted more than 1,000 participants.

"Our mission is to educate people on current legislation, state and federal," Manning said.

"We want our country back; we're losing our constitutional heritage," she said.

The Wyoming 9/12 Project will sponsor a picnic at Bear Trap Meadow on Casper Mountain on Saturday as part of a Flag Day celebration, Manning added.

Kristy Tyrney of Sheridan was an organizer of the tea party in April and will help organize one a week after the July Fourth holiday to coincide with the Sheridan rodeo, she said.

Tyrney wants to promote family-friendly events because some people don't like to participate in gatherings perceived largely as protests, she said.

Representatives of the April 15 tea party in Cheyenne plan a "Cowboy Tea Party" at the Capitol from noon to 5 p.m. July 4.

"The whole purpose is to pursue state sovereignty," said organizer Lisa Ray. "The federal government is out of control."

However, what that means with specific issues ranging from civil rights to monetary policy to interpreting the Constitution remains to be seen, Ray said.

"The issues, we'll sort out later," she said.

Reach Tom Morton at [phone], or at [e-mail]. Read his blog at tribtown.trib.com/TomMorton/blog.

[duncan]

www.realclearpolitics.com/ar...tory_97836.html

Have You Heard Ken Gladney's Story?
By Andrew Breitbart

The first round of protests against the Obama administration's chaotic and rapid-fire expansion of government came in the form of grass-roots "tea parties," which were predictably met with scorn by the Democrat-Media Complex (the natural coalition of the Democratic Party and the mainstream media.)

CNN's Anderson Cooper and MSNBC's Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow led the charge, declaring concerned Americans "tea baggers," an allusion to an absurd sexual fetish beneath describing in a family newspaper. This attack on hundreds of thousands of people practicing their constitutional right to protest speaks volumes not just about the hardened sociopolitical leanings of America's journalistic elite, but about the brazenness with which they are now wielding their unprofessionalism.

Last week on the grounds of the once-venerated White House, Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, taking his cues from his allies in the media, referred to last week's health care town-hall protesters as "tea baggers."

How far we have fallen.

Stepping up the rhetoric from mockery to pure hatred, and absent any evidence, Mr. Olbermann has called the president's public protesters "worse than racists." Political activist and comedianJaneane Garofalo colored them "racist rednecks who hate blacks." And at the somewhat higher end of the food chain, liberal economist Paul Krugman in the New York Times wrote last week that they were motivated by "cultural and racial fear."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is having a hard time these days explaining the president's Israel policy to her Jewish constituents, blatantly lied and said that the protesters were wielding "swastikas and symbols like that."

Supporters of the president understand what is going on. So do his detractors.

The mainstream media and the Democratic Party are working in concert to make sure that what happened to President Bush -- sustained organized grass-roots protests ("mobs," if you will), relentless media criticism and permanent opposition-party obstructionism -- does not happen to their guy. Complicating matters, the media's fate is directly tied to the president's. Without them, Barack Obama would still be a backbencher from Illinois.

But the mockery. The recklessness. Unsupportable libel isn't working. The tea parties and, now, the health care protests at town-hall meetings have only gotten bigger and stronger. The anti-big-government movement is pure. Its participants represent something close to what used to be considered normative in this country.

Tea Party attendees and health care town-hall protesters share the common belief that the extravagant spending of President Obama and the Democratic Party -- absent any checks and balances -- will eventually lead more people into government dependency, higher taxes and, perhaps, our country's financial ruin. These are legitimate fears felt by millions of Americans.

That's why the media and the Democratic Party are scared and are throwing outrageous and hateful accusations at everyday Americans -- hoping that people stay home out of fear.

I've attended two tea parties so far. One was in Santa Ana, Calif., on April 15, where my 81-year-old father-in-law, the actor Orson Bean, joined fellow actor Gary Graham and newly naturalized American citizen Ian Mitchell, from the Scottish '70s music sensation, the Bay City Rollers.

I saw no "tea bagging." Blacks and Hispanics carried signs along with the white majority. But there was a sketchy dog dressed in a red, white and blue sweater.

Make of that what you will, Mr. Olbermann.

Last week, a black gentleman named Kenneth Gladney went to a town-hall meeting hosted by Rep. Russ Carnahan, Missouri Democrat. While passing out "Don't Tread on Me" flags, he was viciously attacked by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members. One called him a "nigger."

These union thugs were directed by the White House to go to the protests and "punch back twice as hard." And they did.

While the attack was captured on video and is available on YouTube, Mr. Gladney's horrifying story is absent from MSNBC's 24/7 media cycle. Mr. Krugman has yet to write about it. And Mr. Cooper has yet to condemn the attack.

On Sept. 12, I will be attending a tea party in Quincy, Ill., joining Instapundit professor Glenn Reynolds, Gateway Pundit's Jim Hoft, and Tucker Carlson.

With the Democratic Party in control of all branches of government and the Fourth Estate acting as the Democratic Party's protector, the tea party movement is the closest thing America has to checks and balances.

If that isn't enough to motivate you, perhaps showing your solidarity with Kenneth Gladney, a fellow patriot, is.





Andrew Breitbart is the founder of the news Web site breitbart.com and is co-author of "Hollywood Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon - the Case Against Celebrity."


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