Video: New tea parties already being planned for July 4
posted at 7:05 pm on April 15, 2009 by Allahpundit
Via HuffPo, an early answer from D.C. party organizer Rebecca Wales to the question of whether the tea party movement has legs. She’s a trooper to be looking ahead after today’s ordeal: Not only did it rain in D.C. but their shipment of tea bags was turned away and their rally in front of the Treasury building was canceled, both for want of a permit. The cops had to clear Lafayette Park too after someone threw a tea bag onto the White House grounds. No matter — 3,000 people turned out and Wales is hearing rumbles about a Million Person March. Who’s ready for a July 4 march to the Capitol in D.C.’s 100+ degree summer heat?
Below the interview you’ll find highlights from the party courtesy of Politico. If there’s a protest happening and cameras on the scene, Code Pink can’t be far away…
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I am there, this time.
blatantblue on April 15, 2009 at 7:05 PM
No doubt it was a disgruntled Iraq war veteran. He probably had a U-Haul truck loaded with tea bags.
Mark1971 on April 15, 2009 at 7:08 PM
ROTFL….tea bags need a permit? Dear gawd almighty what is next, granola fees?
Limerick on April 15, 2009 at 7:08 PM
I went to the one in February and the guys with the orange jumpsuits were having a counter-protest. There were no other protesters with them. It was just the guys in the orange jumpsuits. That one got spoiled by rain as well.
jimmy the notable on April 15, 2009 at 7:10 PM
Tea Parties must smell so much better than the
Leftist Hairmonic Convergences.
ronsfi on April 15, 2009 at 7:10 PM
Much as I’d like to, I could neither afford the trip, nor the time off.
I don’t think many others would be able to, either.
Perhaps more events in individual cities?
MadisonConservative on April 15, 2009 at 7:10 PM
more hilarity, yey!
sesquipedalian on April 15, 2009 at 7:13 PM
I thought there was one coming this Memorial Day as well?
Anyone else hear that?
upinak on April 15, 2009 at 7:14 PM
There was talk of a July 4th party at my Tea Party today also. Unfortunately, I’m in a shore town, and no way would they give us a permit for July 4.
DC sounds great to me. I
love toneed to get away from here when all the Bennies come down anyway. And even 100 humid degrees in DC is better than the Nor’easter we suffered through today.I’ll be there!
IrishEi on April 15, 2009 at 7:15 PM
Individual cities are the way to go with these things. State representatives need to know they’re being held accountable also.
BadgerHawk on April 15, 2009 at 7:17 PM
You need a solicitor permit. Sad and true.
upinak on April 15, 2009 at 7:17 PM
Even though I’d been planning to go, a personal issue kept me from going today, but I’ll be there on July 4. I’m so proud of my fellow Americans.
haikusrock on April 15, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Why schedule it during a holiday..?
originalpechanga on April 15, 2009 at 7:20 PM
I’ve always thought that 7/4 was a better date anyway, because this whole thing is bigger than “taxes”. Plus I suspect more people will be able to attend in the summer. Plus, widespread tea parties aren’t as good as a massive march on Washington. We need to shut that city down, right in the faces of the weasels.
BTW, if the total for today’s tea parties doesn’t break at least a million, I think it will be a failure. A couple hundred thousand total people doesn’t show enough support for the massive overhaul that this country needs.
RightWinged on April 15, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Sad and true is that it took a Mr Potter to reach into the 10,000 pages of regulations to find a line that required tea bag permits. George Bailey is now left…well…holding the bag.
Limerick on April 15, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Forget the permits! That’s part of the problem! Some idiot bureaucrat’s entire job is handing out permits for this and that. And who pays his salary? Us! Tell him to shove his permits up his you-know-what.
jimmy the notable on April 15, 2009 at 7:21 PM
But April 15th made more sense. Paying taxes? Government spending?
Let’s face it. This had a month+ to be planned and to garner support, etc. yet people for the most part didn’t get on board.
The 2003 anti-war protests were way bigger and didn’t have a network like Fox News (or any MSM) behind it.
I DO believe the protests were legitimate but the message just wasn’t (and still isn’t) clear.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 7:24 PM
I agree with you, upinak. If this movement has momentum, we shouldn’t let it fizzle out by waiting too long for the next Tea Parties.
We should probably do Memorial Day AND Independence Day.
If you’re up in AK, could you send Sarah Palin to a Tea Party?
Steve Z on April 15, 2009 at 7:26 PM
connecticut tea party photos from norwitch and new haven.
eh on April 15, 2009 at 7:27 PM
A Million-Person-Tea Party in DC on the 4th of July… Not when the Smithsonian’s Festival of American Folk Life is going on. Sorry.
newton on April 15, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Not IMO. We need a revolution of some sort. Independence Day is the best day to let Washington know we won’t tolerate this fascist BS. Taxes and spending are only part of the problem. A big part? Yes. But still, only part. The problem is, the government doesn’t fear us, we fear them. We need to send a message that they work for us, not the other way around, and whining about taxes doesn’t exactly accomplish that. I’m not poo-pooing (wow, first time I’ve ever used that phrase) the tea parties, just saying I think 7/4 makes more sense.
RightWinged on April 15, 2009 at 7:29 PM
I asked everyone that I met at the TEA party if they had ever done anything like this before.
Every single person said that this was their first protest.
What a crowd, too. They were thoroughly enjoying the event, and seemed eager to do it again.
Saltysam on April 15, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Tax day was the perfect day for these protests. But, so is Independence Day, and this year July 4th is on a Saturday. The people who couldn’t attend today will be able to attend on a Saturday.
kakypat on April 15, 2009 at 7:32 PM
On face value, yes. But who wants to protest on a vacation day?
Think about it realistically. You get a few nice days off from work and you go out and protest in the heat?
Fourth of July people spend with their family and watch fireworks.
The message needs to be worked on first. The protests need to be CLEAR. All other protests focus on something specific like the 2003 antiwar protests or the G20 summit.
The protests now are WAY too vague and that is why the turnout was low.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Because actual taxpayers have to work…
karl9000 on April 15, 2009 at 7:33 PM
I agree. I think the focus should be more on the spending and the debt and less on the taxes. The coming tax raises are certainly important, but we’ve had high tax rates in the past. What’s happening to our debt is unprecedented in American history and is leading to a scenario where the next generation, for the first time, will have a lower quality of life than their parents.
BadgerHawk on April 15, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Next time, instead of a tea party, lets have a pitchfork party.
The Wall on April 15, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Because actual taxpayers have to work…
karl9000 on April 15, 2009 at 7:34 PM
I’m guessing you don’t get out much. My small town of 4,000 managed to turn out about 300 people in a Nor’easter.
IrishEi on April 15, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Where at?
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 7:35 PM
This grassroots political action has the potential to become as widespread and influential as the Birther and Freedom Fries Movements!
benny shakar on April 15, 2009 at 7:36 PM
I’m guessing you don’t feel very strongly about this.
kakypat on April 15, 2009 at 7:38 PM
benny shakar on April 15, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Worried?
hahahahahahahaha
IrishEi on April 15, 2009 at 7:38 PM
I always wonder that, 1000 people that have no affiliation to each other show up at some park or steet corner. Who do they give the fine too. Everyone or the one guy with the megaphone.
tjexcite on April 15, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Progressive posters are having multiple hemorrhages, all caps multiple hemorrhages.
Its a beautiful thing.
Speakup on April 15, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Holy cow, you had some folks at your rally. Have you seen the pictures at Instapundit?
Cindy Munford on April 15, 2009 at 7:39 PM
I was at ‘ours’ today in Savannah, Ga. (gosh what a beautiful city!) on “River Street.” If there is one on the “4th”…I’ll be there or be ‘square’. (ha ha) If you’ve ever been to “Savannah” you’ll get my feeble attempt at humor.
P.S. Lot’s of young kids there (with signs)…do ya think they’re waking-up?
JoeySlippers on April 15, 2009 at 7:40 PM
benny:
Yeah right. Nice. Be a dick.
Terrye on April 15, 2009 at 7:40 PM
I think I’ll go with a cutie on each arm, so I give the appearance of being a cool person.
So Esthier on my right and Cindy on my left
blatantblue on April 15, 2009 at 7:41 PM
We were talking about May 1st for the illegal alien marches, we can ‘counter’ their illegality. We are going to gather for July 4th, November this year and then do it all over again next year. This is the beginning.
BTW-Benny, you better stay in your momma’s basement.
HornetSting on April 15, 2009 at 7:41 PM
You’re a troll, but holy hell, I hated the Freedom Fries
blatantblue on April 15, 2009 at 7:42 PM
I would do a July 4th Pitchforks on Washington vacation. Although I wouldn’t look forward to the hot and muggy weather.
myrenovations on April 15, 2009 at 7:42 PM
I am not bashing your protest but let’s face it; overall around the country the turnout was far smaller than anticipated giving that you had a major news network pushing it.
Most rallies don’t get that.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 7:42 PM
I was at the DC Tea Party. Around noon the crowd really started to grow. All ages. All colors. All parties, though more right leaning (no surprise).
It was unfortunate that the PA system was underpowered. Many of the speakers messages did not make it to the back of the crowd, who for lack of anything to hear carried on their own conversations. The crowd was very responsive to speakers who were able to involve them not just talk at them. Remember, we are all in this together.
As for me, this was my first protest too. Not my last by a long shot.
ej_pez on April 15, 2009 at 7:43 PM
Not at all. I am being realistic. The whole point of a protest is to get your voices heard. For that you need to get people on board.
As I said in other postings the work needs to happen with the message first. Then you come up with dates.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 7:45 PM
I went to a TEA Party in a little town called Pasadena Texas. It’s where the original Gilley’s dance hall was from the movie Urban Cowboy. I stumbled across this one because it wasn’t listed anywhere on the internet that I could identify. Also it was during the lunch hour and I knew I couldn’t make it to any of the evening events in Houston.
The weather was great, about 75 and breezy. There were 100+ people there mostly older people but some young families. There were also a couple of embarrassing glitches (but nothing that couldn’t be magnified and mocked without mercy by the media ad nausium). But then, we’re not professional protestors.
The Mayor of Pasadena spoke as well as a veteran (gave the best speech in my opinion.) There was local media and a couple of what could have been curious liberals. I couldn’t stay longer than about 45 minutes due to other obligations but it was quite respectful and for all I know it stayed that way until it ended.
Glad I was there.
rihar on April 15, 2009 at 7:45 PM
Except the illegal alien march on Mayday, the anti-war rallies, the anti-AIG rallies, hell they get a bus for their efforts, paid for by Obama’s former employer….don’t kid yourself, choober. This was grass roots. Americans standing up, together.
HornetSting on April 15, 2009 at 7:45 PM
I agree with you there… But a “vacation” day is a good day, because most of the people who would like to attend are working people. BTW, 7/4 is a Saturday this year, even better!
RightWinged on April 15, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Yes, perhaps they confused the etiquette of a ladies tea party with the Boston Tea Party?
Saltysam on April 15, 2009 at 7:46 PM
I was in the DC rally too! Too bad the rain slowed it up a bit and the Secret Service pulled a fast one on the Treasury Dept. building.
Overall pretty festive.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 7:47 PM
True. Most “rallies” in this country are filled with paid “protesters” from ACORN and MoveOn(dot)org. The rest of us have real jobs.
IrishEi on April 15, 2009 at 7:47 PM
BTW, what’s with all the whining about hot weather in July? Maybe it’s just because I come from the frigid state of VT, but enjoy all the overwhelming heat I can get in our 3 months of summer, and am all for going to hot locations whenever possible. Today, for example, was one of the “warmest” days we’ve had here since like October… it was in the upper 50s, with a windchill of more like 50. It’s a lot tougher to get me motivated to go out when I have to wear warm clothing and coats, than shorts a polo shirt and sandals.
RightWinged on April 15, 2009 at 7:48 PM
True, but there’s usually a clear leader with the message. We don’t have one yet. This was really a “from the ground up” grassroots protest.
BTW, Cavuto said that the crowd in Sacramento was about twice what they expected.
kakypat on April 15, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Wow. I’d hate to imagine what the cops would have done if someone had thrown, say, someone else’s Vietnam medals onto the grounds.
Really, a tea bag?!? I think that was just an excuse to do something the police/secret service were under pressure to do anyway.
JohnTant on April 15, 2009 at 7:49 PM
At the end of the day, can I get a report on the following matters:
Number of arrests of tea party attendees:
Number of buildings damaged by tea party attendees:
Number of effigies of Barack Obama burned:
Number of high powered assault weapons brandished:
etc…
Dead Hand Control on April 15, 2009 at 7:50 PM
ckoeber, I live in the ‘burbs of Portland, OR. I’ve seen the kind of protests that the left has They are chock full of “messages” and “leaders”, even though the leaders are paid and many of the protesters are bused in.
Maybe one day our side can have that, too. ;o)
kakypat on April 15, 2009 at 7:52 PM
I never said it wasn’t grassroots. But compare all of the protests you mentioned (which had a day or two of coverage by the MSM) to the daily coverage by Fox News for this one.
The protests today was a success to get people who otherwise wouldn’t come out to do something that they never done before.
But as far at comparing this to other protests and you have by a wide margin a mild protest at best.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 7:52 PM
Haha, good point… That’s one reason the tea parties won’t get much press – conservatives protest peacefully. The media lives and dies by “if it bleeds it leads”, so hundreds of thousands of people talking sense in a peaceful way isn’t “newsworthy”.
RightWinged on April 15, 2009 at 7:54 PM
I was at the one in Tucson Arizona today and it was pretty cool. Everybody seemed fired up and there were no disturbances that I saw, looked like about 2k people or more. One little kid had a shirt on that said “don’t steal my lego money” awesome! Had what looked like some under cover law (earpieces, suits, buzzcuts, dark shades) along with some uniformed officers milling about peeping out everything. I am definately hitting the 4th O’ July if we have one, try and drag a few friends along with me.
GlocknRoll on April 15, 2009 at 7:54 PM
“Madison Conservative”… I hate how money constrains us! I think Hussein and Algore are working on a ‘transporter’…you know, like the one on “Star Trek.” It comes with a ‘teleprompter’! We’ll have twice the freedom and only ten times the debt.
Yes, I’m poor….you’re probably not. I’m on Web TV…but the “Messiah” is gonna send me a’puter. All bow to Hussein.
JoeySlippers on April 15, 2009 at 7:54 PM
Forgot to mention we had tons of WW2, Korean war and Viet vets there also, what a great bunch of heros. One WW2 sailor saw my U.S.S. Mt. Hood cap along with my PO2 insignia and chatted me up about the “new” Navy, had a blast swapping sea stories as both of us are Shellbacks! He thanked me for my service and I did the same, what a great Man!
GlocknRoll on April 15, 2009 at 7:58 PM
I get the underlying point. :)
But if you want real policy change you need to unify on something? I hate to say it but the need is to pick one think and focus on that.
Why don’t people solidify around the fair or flat tax?
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 7:59 PM
I did see a few surprises myself at the DC rally. For all the talk of extremism this protest was by far more calm then other protests that happen.
As a university student I see my fair share of rallies, etc.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Two homeless people bad-mouthing the conservatives who keep them homeless gets better and more press the teabag scheme. Going to take something better than this to get attention or it is all over. No old media support there is no show folks just embarrassment preaching to the choir isn’t going a change a thing. Do stupid things like throw tea bags at White House now you’re goofy. Bad day a Black Rock friends.
rsl775 on April 15, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Seriously, what are you talking about?
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 8:03 PM
This is about more than just taxes.
This is about our government committing generational theft, about sinking into forced socialism. It’s about fundamentally changing the country…for the worse.
You need to think about the big picture.
kakypat on April 15, 2009 at 8:12 PM
Ha! The worst I’ve seen the Republicans do was during the FL recount in 2000. In Miami the so-called penny loafered brigade stormed the counting room when they were locked out. ;o)
Believe me, the protests I’ve seen aren’t “rallies.” They are ELF, ALF, and the anarchists from U of O. They cover their faces with scarves and ski masks so they can’t be identified. Then they proceed to tear the downtown area up.
I think even the police are afraid of them. For some reason, many times they aren’t required to get a permit…not that that would stop them.
kakypat on April 15, 2009 at 8:17 PM
OK, but you need to get people on board so that policy can change.
How can you have policy change when the majority of people don’t even know what’s going on?
Build support first. What’s the solution? And how do you get the majority of America on board with that solution?
That’s what you need to be thinking out first.
Then the protests come.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 8:18 PM
I’d go to Washington on the 4th. We really ought to shoot for a Memorial Day Weekend one though … just not hold it on Memorial Day, ’cause it’s special and not for politics.
Dusty on April 15, 2009 at 8:18 PM
Hey, but you have something to talk about afterwards when you are drunk with your friends :)
Depends on the crowd you are appealing to. Anti-war rallies tend to pick up the younger and more energetic crowds.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 8:20 PM
IMO July 4th in DC is a bad idea…. there’s already a big celebration on the mall, so it would be hard to get permits and people’s attention would be directed elsewhere.
I think it would be smarter to plan a DC protest for a random Saturday in the summer… possibly the Sat before Memorial day, or maybe toward the end of June.
dead-duck on April 15, 2009 at 8:34 PM
The worse the economy gets, and the more people lose their jobs, the more people will get on board. By the end of Carter’s term, college grads were having a hard time finding jobs as burger flippers. Obama is Carter’s second term on steriods.
Be patient…it’s going to take time. But, if things stay on the track they are now, the protests will grow.
kakypat on April 15, 2009 at 8:36 PM
LOL! That’s true.
The people who “rally” here don’t seem to need much encouragement. They just like to break things. ;o)
kakypat on April 15, 2009 at 8:38 PM
heh, pitchfork party in DC on the 4th of July! That’s too good.
I was at the Tulsa Fair Tax gathering early and the TEA Party later at the park.
One thing I noticed was the relative absence of people of color at both. I saw one black guy with a back slanted black beret taking pics of the crowd and their signs. WUWT?
Don’t people of color pay taxes?
Or, do they not understand the idea? How do we reach them?
Also, if you are perplexed as to why a bunch of “idiot white folk” would gather together, many of them never before participating in a rally to show their displeasure over the way their homeland is being devoured by REAL PIRATES, then I suggest the following:
1.) buy a medium sized dog, but not from the shelter, they’re spayed i.e. can’t have puppies. Better- a puppy mill type dog. A bitch. She can get knocked up by anything, and, so assure yourself of a veritable litter machine.
2.) build some rabbit wire pens with open bottoms and covered top and sides (in case your factory gets drafty- you may have to place these on a rooftop if a basement isn’t available). Keep em clean and don’t hurt them.
3.) sit back while your factory cranks out doggies. Never mind that you are becoming a capitalist pig, pretty soon you will have the last laugh. Now, you are almost ready.
4.) when all city services cease because the investment by income/job/tax generating individuals comes to a grinding halt, You’ll be set. People can only stand rat meat so long.
Shrink government, pass the Fair Tax and:
SINK THE PIRATES OF THE POTOMAC!
OkieDoc on April 15, 2009 at 8:40 PM
Whaaa?? CNN is saying ‘maybe 500′ folks turned out for DC. Where the #3&% are you getting 3000-4000 ??
CAN’T BE RIGHT!! SOMEBODY’s LYING !!!
/sarc
CaveatEmpty on April 15, 2009 at 8:47 PM
Depends on the count. I was there and I am not a professional but I can say with confidence that there were more than 500.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 8:50 PM
I like it!!!
kakypat on April 15, 2009 at 8:54 PM
The wife and I took our four munchkins to the Lafayette Park TEA party in DC today. We were there around noon and it was wet, rainy and windy. We’re btwn homes (just moved from California to DC) so we were seriously unprepared for the weather, as far as the kids were concerned.
We stayed about an hour, but had to leave to get the kids’ body core temperatures back up. We noted that there were plenty of people there (in the 100s), especially considering the weather and the fact that conservatives generally work for a living, as opposed to the nutbag liberals who make a career (with mommy and daddy’s money) out of being outraged. As we were leaving, more folks were showing up, so that probably swelled the numbers.
When we got back to our temp home, we saw on Fox News that unfortunately we just missed Laura Ingraham (sp?) AND the probable nutjob who threw a box of tea bags over the White House fence and ruined the party for everyone else.
My wife writes much more elegantly about our adventure today: http://tiny.cc/CfCuB
Happy Tea Party to all. See you in DC on the 4th!
mjtyson on April 15, 2009 at 8:56 PM
It was John Kerry. Although, later on in an interview with MSNBC he denied it saying that he threw a packet of Sanka over the fence. 10 minutes later in an interview with CNN, Kerry admitted to holding onto the packet of Sanka but instead threw Senator Byrd’s tea bag over the fence.
/sarc
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on April 15, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Me. I need to set aside the plane fair now.
Theworldisnotenough on April 15, 2009 at 9:13 PM
*fare
Theworldisnotenough on April 15, 2009 at 9:30 PM
I like the symbolism of July 4, but really, this next tea party, if it is going to be massive, needs to happen when CONGRESS IS IN SESSION!
Let’s do it the first day they come back from Summer break. Sometime in Sept.!!
Yeah?
JAM on April 15, 2009 at 9:34 PM
Let’s remember that a 1773 “grassroots” political Tea Party in Boston lead the way to America’s independence! :)
sarahpalinfan99 on April 15, 2009 at 9:41 PM
A Flat Tax would be a great rallying point and would put those on the left on the defensive. They would be forced to defend the large and complicated tax code that few support. By making the Flat Tax and the National DEBT the two pillars we can rally around a common cause that will unite both conservatives, independents and libertarians. The populist sentiment that Ross Perot tapped into is still out there. What we need is a popular figure head with deep pockets that can take this to the next level. Preferably somebody sane.
Stickeehands on April 15, 2009 at 9:43 PM
Our new Prez and Congress are barely three months on in. Just give it some time and be patient. Today’s Tea Parties are a great first step! The turnouts were amazing!
sarahpalinfan99 on April 15, 2009 at 9:49 PM
I booked my hotel my hotel two weeks ago at the Arlington Holiday Inn.
amend2 on April 15, 2009 at 9:53 PM
Just got back from the Richmond Tea Party (I live half way between Richmond and DC, so the choice for me was easy). It was awesome, we had somewhere between 1000-1500 people according to a cop I spoke with, and no freakazoids from Code Pink or ACORN. Then I did a phone interview with Breitbart TV…yay!
flipflop on April 15, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Around 5,000 showed up at Kanawha Plaza in Richmond today, in spite of the weather. I’m guessing that a fairly large percentage wouldn’t mind going about 90 miles north up I-95.
Physics Geek on April 15, 2009 at 10:16 PM
What the hell were they afraid Bo the dog was going to become a convert already or one of Husseins’ kids was going to defect?
dhunter on April 15, 2009 at 10:18 PM
My small town had 500. Good turnout for a workday, if there is one on Sat. the 4th I will have two more with me and the crowds will be larger. Many people couldn’t take off work, but were there in spirit.
dhunter on April 15, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Let me put my 2 cents in about the Tea Party in Madison Wi.
First, for those who don’t know, Madison is a very left wing town. They have had protests by the dozens and are used to crowd control for the unruly and unwashed.
Word got out that the local union workers (state and office workers) AFSCME were going to take as much of the public parking as possible around the Capitol square, so tea partiers were urged to park at the Aliant Center, approx. 2 miles from the Capitol, and be picked up by shuttle busses.
Which I did. However, charter busses were dropping off far more people than the four shuttle busses could handle, and many including myself and friends, decided to walk. If there is a next time, organizers should err on the side of over booking busses and charging a buck, rather than being caught short.
But what the hell, Madison is a beautiful city, nestled between and around five lakes, and the weather was spectacular, so the walk was good exercise, if one wore the right shoes, and not army boots, like I did.
The rally area was organized underneath the governor’s office, and that space was filled to excess. Organizers were hoping for about 3 thousand protestors, and almost got twice that! The Capitol Police were out in force, and had absolutely nothing to do, except to remark at how well behaved everyone was.
Rep. Paul Ryan spoke, and I imagine he did rather well from the reception he recieved, but the speakers at the far ends of the area were very quiet during his speach. The best speech of the day came from a very impassioned 17 year old girl, who got the crowd truly pumped. I didn’t get her name, but there is a star in the making.
Afterwards, the crowd disbursed neatly and quietly, leaving the cleanup crews that were on standby nothing to do but clean up after the mounted police horses, which were also on standby with nothing to do. Several hundred went into the capitol building (one of the classic beauties of its genre) to drop off tea bags and short notes at the offices of their elected reps.
All in all, we showed up in force, behaved ourselves, and left on time as scheduled. Just what you would expect from law abiding ,tax paying citizens.
WHICH IS WHY I SUSPECT IT WILL HAVE NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER!!!
These arrogant pricks scheduled committee meetings for the afternoon, so that they wouldn’t be in their offices to face their constituents! They need to be made to understand that we aren’t unemployed for the most part, don’t want to keep taking time off from work to make them understand our concerns, and that if we have to come back again and again, HAPPY FACES and good manners won’t come back with us.
OneEyedJack on April 15, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Medea Benjamin — ever the imbecile.
And that dork running around screaming…. what a tool. He must be trying to get a job in the One’s administration. What a dolt!
ToddonCapeCod on April 15, 2009 at 10:34 PM
Perhaps my first post was too long, so here’s a shorter version of the tx day tea party in Madison WI.
Weather was beautiful, the crowd was larger than anticipated, approx 5500 and very well behaved. Rep. Paul Ryan spoke, but the best speech of the day came from a very impassioned 17 year old girl, who really stoked the crowd.
When it was over, the clean up crews who were on standby had nothing to clean up after except the capitol police horses, who were also on standby with nothing to do.
OneEyedJack on April 15, 2009 at 10:45 PM
I heard it was Homeland Security. They’re trying to drum up support for their ‘right-wing/veterans terrorist’ alerts.
TN Mom on April 15, 2009 at 10:51 PM
I wasn’t able to make it to the one near me today, so I’ll have to check that out.
Ryan Gandy on April 15, 2009 at 11:12 PM
Let’s face it. This had a month+ to be planned and to garner support, etc. yet people for the most part didn’t get on board.
ckoeber on April 15, 2009 at 7:24 PM
I see a lot of these comments and something tells me this is planted stuff. My sister-in-law in Covington LA told me in her small town there hundreds, shoulder-to-shoulder. In New Orleans there were thousands.
This thing has a hold and doesn’t need an arbitrary line of numbers to make a success. Instead it has grabbed real people, unlike the fake protests like the ACORN bus. This will not be held down and no poor mouthing will stop it. This is built on the frustration of both Democrats and Republicans who believe their elected officials are not listening. Who knows where this will lead? Despite the best efforts of the press, with their ever-present sneer, to belittle this movement, this thing has legs and will continue.
itsspideyman on April 15, 2009 at 11:27 PM
itsspideyman on April 15, 2009:
What you said!! I had the same feeling about the comments. I think the fact that there were numbers in the hundreds of thousands out today in different types of conditions speaking their minds (ESPECIALLY since they were average Americans of all kinds of ideologies) about what they perceive as the death of a beautiful and unique way of life is a testament to just how serious they are about the situation. WE are, I should say. I had a standing appointment today-plans to stand in intercessory prayer for this nation and the direction we take as a people from here on out. July 4th is a Saturday? I think that one I’ll be able to make. God Bless America!
Driefromseattle on April 16, 2009 at 12:38 AM
When blacks come out in droves to protest, then Obama is done. Lets be careful and not make this a racial divide.
johnnyU on April 16, 2009 at 4:59 AM
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