Tea Party Thoughts

I've never been to a political rally or protest of any kind before, but I went to the St. Louis downtown Tea Party tonight in order to see for myself the mood and manners of the crowd. There were several thousand in attendance - many more (again) than anticipated. Holding signs both historical ( Don't tread on me ), humorous, and clever. There were parents with children both young and old. Children who brought their parents ( like my son did). The organizers invited all local politicians to attend, but not speak , in order to keep from making it a partisian event. Only one - Todd Akin (R - Mo) choose to attend under this restriction. Which seems to show that most of them would rather we be seen and not heard. The crowd was large, vocal, passionate and well-behaved.

As I returned home, I wondered how it would be presented on the news. One station seemed to have a balanced report on what was said and the mood of the evening. A second report was similar, but with an obligatory rebuttal from someone far from the event and using a personal insult that was first used on cable news - calling the protesters "teabaggers" and asking where they were for the last 8 years. My question for him would be: what happened to the liberals who complained for the last 8 years about the climbing deficit and national debt? Suddenly tripiling the Bush deficit is a good thing.

The cable coverage of events around the country was far worse on CNN. A CNN reporter at the Chicago event asked a question of a father holding his child and then would not let him answer before challenging him - apparently hoping to provoke an incident which would be used as an example of the "violent" protesters. And of course the use of the "teabagger" sexual slang innuendo.

One thing is clear - insults, threats and other bully tactics will not stop the movement. I quit cowering to bullies a long time ago. This is strikingly similar to the Clinton administration, who overreached early and lost the Congress at the first midterm election. The liberal leaders and their media support system know it, and will use any means necessary to smear and defame anyone who dares to speak in dissent. Of course, just a few years ago it was Patriotic to disagree with the administration. Now, it's Treason.

Taxes and Tea

Yesterday was "tax freedom day", the point in the year where the wages you have earned since January 1st equal the taxes you will pay for the entire year. Tomorrow is April 15th, tax day. And it is a fitting day for the next wave of "Tea Parties" across the country. These tea parties are grass-root efforts to get the attention of members of both parties that many Americans are fed up with the increasing tax burden. While they have a strong conservative base, there are people from all over. Democrats, Libertarians, Republicans and Independents. Speaking out in hope that some of our leaders will break their addiction to the opium of politics - OPM - Other People's Money.

It's a good life when you can spend billions, or now even trillions, without a second thought of where it comes from or if it's spent wisely. Lobbyist will lavish them with money and favors if some of that cash comes to their project or cause. Their fellow legislators will vote for your earmarks, and you vote for theirs in kind. The longer their in office, the larger their fortune. And to top it off, they retire with a pension worth more than the salary they earned while in office! Yet, they won't even try to fix the impending Social Security trainwreck. That would involve making tough choices, and some might get kicked off the gravy train.

The "Tea Parties" are a threat to that gravy train, and some in the press are already trying to smear those who attend. One cable news commentator referred to the protesters as "teabaggers". Another former cable news correspondent now working in local news in St. Louis did a report trying to link the organizers of a local tea party to the radical Constitution Party. He interviewed several people including a spokesperson from the Anti-Defamation League, but failed to even try to talk to the organizers themselves !! Maybee if this local news gig fizzles out, he can use this tape to apply for a job even lower on the totem pole of TV news - MSNBC

Free speech and public protest are fine with the press, as long as it's for a cause they support. Anti-fur groups who throw blood on women wearing real (or fake) furs, OK. Gay rights groups disrupting church services and hunting down Californians who supported the gay marriage ban - great. Protesting the death penalty fine. Thousands of illegal aliens marching through the streets waving Mexican flags demanding immediate citizenship over those legal immigrants who have been working hard for years? March on !! But a peaceful gathering to express concern and outrage over taxes?? No. These people must be silenced by any means necessary.

So go to a Tea Party if you can. Walk the crowd, listen to the speakers, talk to others around you. Then go home and watch the news coverage. And keep this in mind :

Those whose mantra is "Choice and Tolerance" are the most Intolerant when your choice isin't the same as theirs.