April 15, 2009: Tea Party Day (Updated)
While most of my updates will be via Twitter today, this posting will get things started for commentary on my blog RE: tea parties.
From Michelle Malkin, she presents a “cheat sheet” on what this thing’s been all about:
It’s here!
For the Johnny-Come-Latelys in the MSM who will be dispatched by their editors to file obligatory stories about the hundreds of Tax Day Tea Party protests across the country today, here is a cheat sheet to get you up to speed.
As I originally reported here, the following is the video that started it all:
More from Ms. Malkin’s post, especially #TCOT on Twitter:
On Feb. 21, the grass-roots Internet group, Top Conservatives on Twitter, founded by Michael Patrick Leahy and powered by Rob Neppell, announced “simultaneous local tea parties around the country, beginning in Chicago, and including Washington DC, Fayetteville NC, San Diego CA, Omaha Nebraska, and dozens of other locations” on Feb. 27. Patrik Jonsson of the Christian Science Monitor was one of the rare national MSM reporters who attended one of the tea parties (Atlanta) and provided a fair and balanced look at protesters mad at both parties:
To be sure, the federal spending package includes tax cuts for most Americans, and Obama has promised to eventually halve a US deficit the Democrats have largely blamed on the Bush administration.
But protesters like Kevin Tanner of South Dakota said deficit spending by both parties has unnerved Americans. “The Republicans have their own problems because we elected them and they didn’t do what we wanted,” says Mr. Tanner.
Many protesters expressed a sense that basic American freedoms of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are threatened by new Washington policies seen by many as more socialistic than capitalistic. The proposed taxpayer bailout of homeowners who may have inflated their earnings in order to secure mortgages is one example, says Jeff Crawford, a protester from Dacula, Ga.
“The first year after the Mayflower arrived, the colonists tried a communal method of storing and sharing food and it failed miserably,” says Mr. Crawford. “Why are things any different now?”
Eighteenth-century symbolism was rife at the Atlanta event as speakers drew comparisons with the Boston patriots who dumped the King’s tea in Boston Harbor to protest taxation without representation, an act that began the American Revolution and the founding of the United States.Some kids at the Atlanta protest wore tri-cornered hats, and one held a sign that said, “When I grow up I want to be free.”
In Tampa, two dozen protesters held handwritten signs with slogans like “Keep Your Bailout; I’ll Keep My Freedom.” About 300 people showed up in 25-degree weather in Wichita, Kansas, and someone brought a pig.
In St. Louis, local media expected about 50 people to show up while actual turnout surged to over 1,000 people.
An Internet-based coalition spearheaded by TCOT, Smart Girl Politics, and the DontGoMovement formed to coordinate today’s Tax Day Tea Party. It is a totally unprecedented phenomenon that no Beltway GOP guru or elected leader can claim credit for. The grass-roots coalition has held open planning meetings on BlogTalkRadio every week and maintained the transparency that Washington abandoned during TARP/porkulus/budget process. They’ve spent weeks helping first-time political activists get connected, obtain permits, and learn the ropes.
Along the way, many different taxpayers’ groups, talk show hosts, individuals, and websites have stepped up to the plate to pitch in.
And along the way, detractors have fumbled and bumbled over how to discredit the Tea Party organizers — first blaming a cabal tied to CNBC, then jeering at the amateurishness of the participants before crying “astroturf,” then claiming the events were “financed by Fox News” or (fill-in-the-blank) conservative conspiracy, then smearing the protesters as crazed gun nuts (FNC’s Bob Beckel) and racists (FNC’s Geraldo Rivera).
Wouldn’t it be refreshing if MSM coverage refrained from parroting all the lazy, groundless, uninformed canards and reported the simple truth?
Update: Blogger Kevin Jackson @ TheBlackSphere is similarly chiming in:
In honor of Tax Day and the Tea Parties happening all over the nation today, I thought I would give my take on taxes.
Being from a poor family, taxes were not much of a problem as my grandparents always seemed to get a little something back. That’s what happens when your combined income is little more than $15,000 a year.
But they raised their little rugrat in the capitalist tradition, so I grew up to become moderately successful, at least in the eyes of the government. So when I owned my own company I was rudely introduced to the tax system, learning quickly that ambition in America is indeed rewarded…with high taxes.
Yes, America is indeed the land of opportunity, if you want the opportunity to pay outrageous taxes to help illegal aliens, terrorists, and better yet…other lazy Americans. How I long for the good old days when Uncle Sam lived within his income and without most of mine….ahhh. It has almost reached the point in America where, if you take a day off, you fall behind in your income-tax payments.
Update: Online resources for the tea party:
I’m also stoked over this DM from Twitter:
Fred Thompson via Twitter to phil
Hi Phil and wife. Thanks for your help!! F&J
Fred Thompson / fredthompson
-Phil
Phil,
I attended the Valdosta Tea Party at 6:30pm at our Court House. We had about 300+. I have photos up at my blog and my wife has others up on her site.
http://estelpowell.com/word/?p=493
http://memoriestolast.smugmug.com/gallery/7924161_cFqMH#514099918_KyNdo
As always enjoy reading
Sue,
Nope. You could check out their site; see the top of this posting for the relevant link. They may have this posted somewhere.
-Phil
Phil,
“Pajamas TV was at a number of the tea parties yesterday,”
What was the number of tea parties they were at yesterday? Do you have the numbers?
Sue,
Pajamas TV was at a number of the tea parties yesterday, and among their questions were, “Are you part of an organization? Why are you protesting today? Who are you?”
It really is amazing. A journalistic outfit that actually asks reasonable, straightforward, non-loaded questions. That’s the way journalism used to be.
-Phil
Phil,
“Considering that virtually all of the attendees had never protested anything in their lives”
What information do you base your above statement on? How do you know that virtually all of the attendees had never protested anything in their lives? Can you provide verification of your above statement?
Phil re: 500 liberals = big event
You know the truth about events like this is the sponsors always inflate the number of attendees and are annoyed when fire and police, park officials estimate a lower number. Either way, it looks like people came out. Based on the signs I saw on various networks, it was a mixed bag (teabag!) what people were protesting. Looked to me like it was mostly anti-Obama. Or anti-tax. And every April 15 there are tax protests.
Anyways, everyone has the right to assemble peacefully and express themselves, so good on those who did, even people who had never protested before. Especially those who went out in bad weather. I don’t agree with you, but I salute you for expressing yourselves.
Jenni,
Unfortunately, I was unable to leave work for the tea party, which was only a few blocks away. Alas, My family and children go without as my income is not given by the federal government to protest, or vote, or anti-blog. ACORN has a significant advantage there over the Tea Party people. BTW, I have no problem paying taxes, I just don’t think the US government is giving WE THE PEOPLE 4 trillion dollars worth.
Jenni,
Considering that virtually all of the attendees had never protested anything in their lives (they have actual jobs and families to deal with), I thought it was a resounding success.
Then again, when liberal/leftist groups get, say, 500 people to show up at a singular event, that’s major, breaking news, right?
-Phil
Phil
Just because I do not write much any more…that banging my head against the wall thing, you know…doesn’t mean that I do not check back every now and then. As I was reading Pete’s comment, I was watching coverage of the tea party on MSNBC and had seen it on CNN the hour before. Just want to keep your regulars honest, you know!
I would say that your tea parties were a minimal success. People showed up here and there, some crowds larger than others, but in general nowhere near what they expected in crowds and in the DC area, pretty poor planning; i.e. not securing proper permits. You got a fair amount of mainstream media coverage. I personally think that was by design, knowing that you would not draw anywhere near the crowds that you expected, and by covering it throughout the day, only the true liars and exaggerators could claim that they were snubbed by the dreaded MSM!!!!
Better luck next time. It must suck to be a Republican right now
That’s it for a while… Good Night! Jenni
[unneeded verbiage] Were there really 2000 teabaggings? [unneeded verbiage]
Jenni,
And all this time I thought you weren’t going to give my “radical right-wing” and “fringe” blog the time of day any more.
Obviously, I was wrong
-Phil
tea Party pictures from Hartford CT
http://yedies.blogspot.com/2009/04/hartford-tea-party-photos-april-15-2009.html
Phil,
CNN finally picked up the story. One quote was disturbing
“I think it’s only a matter of time before these people quit carrying signs and start doing something else,” said Ed McQueen, an Ohio resident who attended the Chicago rally. “What that is I don’t know. Quit paying taxes? Are they going to start carrying sticks and clubs? I don’t know.”
This is what I have been concerned about, and I got the feeling now that I am not alone. Before I see “something else”, I think WE THE PEOPLE need to see a certified long form birth certificate(with footprints), passports, college admission forms, student loan information. POTUS come, POTUS go…follow the Constitution.
Here’s what my sign for the tea party in Vegas says:
Over-rated orator
Buried birth certificate
Arrogant A-hole
Money maniac
Anti-American Arab
What’s that spell???
TROUBLE
in our
USA!!!!
Pete…You obviously did not watch CNN this morning for more than a few seconds, as they have covered the tea parties each hour. They even had a camera and reporter at the Washington DC party. So you are, once again, spreading “untruths”. It was also covered by MSNBC and of course, round the clock coverage on FOX. I am right this second watching a live report from Lansing, MI on MSNBC. You are correct that they are not covering this all day long, like FOX is, and that is simply because it is not that big of a story. So far the turnout (admittedly, it is early) has been less than impressive. I have to give kudos to MSNBC and CNN for sending their cameras out so that they cannot be accused of under-reporting.
It is what it is, Pete…..nothing extra-ordinary going on, a moderate turnout, at this point, nowhere near what was predicted. FOX has put a lot of money into this coverage and are stuck with a bunch of very boring airtime. I bet they are regretting it
Instead of sitting on your computer, get out there and protest. This is your moment!!!!
Phil,
Why is there no reference to tea party day on CNN? Your not just making this stuff up, how can thousands or even hundred of thousands of people protest tax and spend economics and CNN not notice. Perhaps others have noticed the silence.
http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/04/14/deseno_tea_party_media/
The media and freedom of speech is guardian of democracy, have we lost something here? Perhaps I’m just a “right wing extremist”.
http://theobamafile.com/ObamaLatest.htm
I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore.
Time to call your senators and congressmen and/or women and tell them to sign on to the idea of the HR 450 Bill being introduced by Congressman Shakegg from Arizona. It is the “Enumerated Power Act” that will require our governemnt representives to actially site the US Constitution language that will allow the Bill to be acted on by our federal governemnt. (What a concept) Without the language from the US Contitution allowing the government to pass the bill it cannot be considered. START MAKING OUR REPSENTATIVES FOLLOW THE US CONSTITUTION. The federal government has a very LIMITED row in the lives of WE THE PEOPLE.
Get the federal governement out of our lives except for what the US Constitution allows it to do.