What Tea Parties Are and Are Not
The Tea Party movement is so much more, and so much less, than what all the politicians and media pundits want it to be. Our system of government and those who live in that political world have drifted so far away from America that they are incapable of recognizing what is really happening.
It is simply this: a rapidly growing number of Americans are fed up. That’s it. Nothing more, and nothing less.
We’re fed up with politicians whose only answer to our problems is to try to spend our way out of them. We’re fed up with corporate fat cats who fly in individual private jets to collect billions of our dollars in bailout money. We’re fed up with this notion that we have to give up our privacy and our freedoms to feel secure.
We have had it up to here with politicians and corporations trying to run every aspect of our lives for their benefit. All we ever wanted was to run our own lives for the benefit of ourselves and our families.
We’re not just fed up. We’ve woken up. We realized that the politicians have stopped spending our money and started spending our children’s money, our grandchildren’s money, and probably even our great-grandchildren’s money. Every parent wants their child to have it better than they did. You politicians should realize that once we got wise to this, we wouldn’t like it one bit.
We’ve even gone to the trouble to find out what the Federal Reserve is. Honestly, we never paid it much mind before. But with the bailout, and then the stimulus, and now with more so-called stimulus in the works, we had to find out how you could possibly spend all this money that doesn’t really exist. And now that we’ve looked into this Federal Reserve system, we don’t like what we see at all.
We call it as we see it. This is looting, plain and simple. The politicians are handing our money and the money of future generations to their already ultra-rich corporate donor friends. And for what? Because they ran their businesses into the ground while taking nine figure bonuses and hosting lavish media-driven Super Bowl parties, all while becoming “too big to fail.”
Let them fail. Let us do our business with responsible companies who understand how to run a business instead. If the bankers demand that we keep our checkbooks balanced and positive every month, then we feel it’s only fair they hold themselves to the same standard.
Now that I’ve told you who we are, let me tell you about what this Tea Party movement is not.
We are not Republican, and we are not conservative. Sure, many individuals in the Tea Party movement are, but many of us are Democrats and many of us are liberals too. Many of us belong to third parties or none at all. And frankly, quite a large number of us reject all those labels. We’ve started to realize that labels like “liberal” and “conservative” don’t describe any reality we live in and are only used in the media to keep us fighting with each other.
Of course a lot of Republican politicians and pundits think this Tea Party movement is a parade they can get in front of. If you think that, you have another thing coming. We see what the Republican and Democratic parties have done together these last several years, and that’s exactly why we are having Tea Parties today.
If you are a politician of either party, then we’re pretty much done listening to you. Sure, you are welcome to join us, just like any American. But don’t think we’re going to fall for your false promises again. The same Republican politicians talked a big game in 1994, and we all remember how that turned out.
We are not “anti-Obama.” In fact, Barrack Obama seems like a very nice man, and generally we wish him well. Our concerns are much larger than who the President happens to be right now. It’s the whole system that’s broken. We felt this way when George Bush was President and we’d be holding Tea Parties today if he was still on the job.
We are not just against taxes. What we’re really against is being told taxes have to be raised so the politicians can spend even more of our money. It’s the spending that’s the problem, even more than the taxes. We live within our means and we expect you to do the same. Politicians talk about cutting services to the people, but they never talk about cutting all the corporate welfare out of their budgets. That upsets us more than the amount of taxes we have to pay – although it is true we aren’t exactly happy about that either.
We are not part of your silly television news wars. Sure, we appreciate the coverage and we are always happy to speak with the representatives of any media, any time. But the mainstream media lost us a long time ago. You stopped reporting the news and so we had to go elsewhere to get it.
FOX News, CNN, MSNBC, you guys go right ahead and try to use us to score points off of each other. Meanwhile, if you are looking for us, you’ll be able to find us on Facebook and Twitter.
We are not anti-American radicals. We are, for the most part, pretty normal people. We are holding these Tea Parties because we love America, or at least what America is supposed to be.
We always believed that America is the greatest country in the world because we are free. That’s what we were taught in school, after all.
We love America because here you can live your own life as you see fit, just as long as you let others do the same. We love it because you can get a job or start a business and provide for your family without much in the way of corrupt government interference. We love it because here you can say what you want, believe what you want, and live the way you want, without someone with a badge and a gun looking over your shoulder all the time.
We love America because you can become an American simply by wanting to be free and wanting to provide a better life for yourself and those around you. We love America because thousands of our men and women have fought and died for over two hundred years to preserve our freedoms and our way of life.
We’re really not that complicated. It is a mistake to read too much of some prepackaged political agenda into these Tea Parties. We simply believe in the American Dream and have finally had enough of the politicians and corporate special interests who have caused our country to stray so far away from it.
Our demands to the politicians are very simple and make perfect sense to us.
Stop making the rich even richer while putting our children in debt while telling us it’s necessary to save the economy.
Stop taxing us to death and then saying you have to raise taxes even more because you failed so miserably at the things you taxed us for in the first place.
Stop spying on us and stop intruding on our fundamental rights. Give us back habeas corpus and stop even thinking secret tribunals and prisons have any place in America.
Open up the system and let the average citizen participate in how this government is run. Stop putting up barriers to getting on the ballot just so you can stay in office forever and stop keeping any of what you are doing secret from us.
Read the bills that you pass and have some kind of idea of what you are doing to us before you do it.
And while you’re at it, go back and read the Constitution again. We did, and when we did we realized we’d much rather have that system of government than what we have now.
It is time for the current crop of failed politicians to get out of the way and let the people run this country again, the way it was originally intended.
ReTeaParty.com and Free & Equal will be coordinating a nationwide protest on July 4, 2009.
On the anniversary of our independence, together, we will be asking Americans across the country to stand up and re-declare their independence from political favoritism and partisan politics. On July 4th, 2009, we will be re-declaring our independence by registering as Independent, Non-Partisan, Unaffiliated, or into a party that is more representative of our independent political tendencies. The American people understand our inalienable rights: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. On July 4th, let’s re-declare them!
Will you Join Us?
By: Sean Haugh
Jackie said:
This is beautifully written and sums everything up perfectly for me. I was very frusterated by the fox news fair-tax-love-fest that hijacked the Atlanta tea party. I hope that this message is spread far and wide. I will participate in further tea parties only if they are organized by a group like this one. Well done.
April 17th, 2009 at 10:13 am
udarrell said:
My major was broadcasting & that is where we have a major problem. We the people could go to work at saving energy usage & doing things that help each other survive; we need information from experts in various fields on What to do, & How to do it.
We need test instruments available for rent at the most local levels so we can test our homes air infiltration rate. Half the heat/gain heat/loss comes from excessive air infiltration.
We need access to simple instruments to test ductwork, & ductwork airflow so it can be optimized.
We need to be informed on how to do a home load-calculation. This knowledge should be taught in every school as part of science & math curriculum.
When these easy steps are performed in the proper sequence Home energy use could probably be cut in half. This would free up a lot of money to pay home mortgages, etc.
Yes, we can do terrific positive things for ourselves & our country but we have to know What to do & How to do it. Public Broadcasting should deliver that information!
Darrell Udelhoven - Retired HVAC/R Contractor & Tech
April 17th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Karen Chakerian said:
This is the best written piece I’ve read in who knows how long. You’ve hit the nail directly on the head and I hope our ‘leadership’ have the intelligence to read and learn. Thanks for verbalizing my thoughts!!!!!
April 17th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Susan Ritz said:
I was hoping to find exactly this sentiment. Bravo.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Terra said:
Good artical, but don’t forget to mention all the lies they tell us about the illegal’s in this country. They are not paying income tax,they are braking the law by being here and they are takeing an honest american’s job.
Why isn’t the media all over this? And why is it so hush hush in government.
why isn’t the media all over the government for not listening to the people, when the people were approx. 10,000. to 10 against the bail out.
It seems to me all we get from the media is poor little dog stories that go on every day for 10 days.
April 17th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Lake Charles said:
I agree with Jackie in Atlanta - our Lake Charles (Lousiana) April 15 Tea Party had many liberty supporters there, but was organized by self-professed Christian, conservative, Republican, anti-Obama’s whose agenda was apparent to me. That’s why I’m here. I want to see the July 4 Tea Party speak more to small, limited government that follows the rule of law; whose only purpose is to protect the property of those it serves. Leave agendas at the door!
April 18th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Zildjian35 said:
Thank you for posting this explanation. Many people, including the media, wants to spin what this movement is about. Beautifully written and extremely accurate.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Anthony Astolfi said:
Incredible post… I am very proud to be a part of this movement and I look forward to more thought provoking articles such as this one.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Ed Sarlls III said:
Our Tea Party in Houston was organized by a Republican Pct. Chair. But she refused to allow local Republican officials to use it for grandstanding. Of course many of them found other Tea Party events where they could use the stage for their partisan benefit.
Of the ~10000 people in Houston the large majority were caucasion 30-50 yr old middle class Americans.
That’s nice but for this to be successful we must attract a broader demographic group. This requires not just ignoring those with partisan agendas but perhaps excluding them. Perhaps directly recruiting Democrat party members as co-leaders.
It also needs to include exposing those in both parties who have sold out to lobbyists. Here is an example of a group who did this successfully in Utah: http://www.OurCaucus.org/
April 18th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Cathy Owens said:
Beautifully written! You’ve voiced my thoughts and what I’ve been trying to explain to friends and family (albeit not quite as eloquently)
But I’d like to write a P.S. to your awesome article - I (we) are not unamerican to demand immigration policies and that they be upheld and I (we) are not extremists because we uphold the Constitution and all it stands for.
thanks for verbalizing what so many of us are thinking and believing.
April 19th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Kirstin Smith said:
I agree that this is not a party issue. This is a movement focusing on our desire to realign ourselves with our Founding Fathers’ principals and the amazing document called the Constitution.
April 20th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Joe Day said:
This is as close to a Tea Party Manifesto as I’ve seen. The rest of America should know that although some local parties may have been co-opted by rightward leaning groups, we managed to have a largely non-partisan tea party here in Portland, OR, and it was a stunning success. We gathered anywhere from five to seven thousand pissed off taxpayers in Pioneer Courthouse Square - a mammoth achievment in the People’s Republic of Portland. If we can do that here - my God, the sky’s the limit!
Of course, next morning’s Oregonian pegged attendance at “over a thousand.” Media bias is now a confirmed fact of life in my mind.
April 20th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
ben frank said:
Is the ultimate goal to hope they listen, then go back to DC and change their voting patterns? Does anyone really think that is going to happen?
How about if the goal is the actual restoration of the public, achieved peacefully, and quickly. Waiting for another ‘election’ is not good enough.
http://angrymob101.wordpress.com
April 20th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Maury D. said:
“We felt this way when George Bush was President and we’d be holding Tea Parties today if he was still on the job.”
Um, really? Because he was president for pretty much eight years and there were (hang on while I add ‘em up) zero tea parties. The non-partisan tone here is manipulative and wildly disingenuous.
April 20th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Derrick said:
Great Job! Nicely written piece. I joined this movement because I am disgusted in the way our politicians are are handling our affairs. They do not represent us and do not protect us. I am an immigrant from India, came here in 1980 after waiting for 7 years to be called. I had to go through a process. I did not ask for hand outs but worked my work to where i am today, yet our government does not respect our laws, does reward legal behavior, pays illegal our tax dollars in welfare and then want to increase our taxes. To add to this they want to remove law enforcers that enforce the law of this land. This is absurd and we have to grow this movement till we have a major influence on who represents us both in Washington and in the state we live. We need government to cut spending and get rid of the non functioning jobs thus reducing its size and scope. Get rid of the waste and corruption. After all we are the people.
April 21st, 2009 at 9:23 am
Derrick said:
In my last comments I mentioned “does reward legal behavior” it should read “does not reward legal behavior” Also “state we live” should read “state we live in”. Sorry for the errors.
April 21st, 2009 at 9:27 am
Sean Haugh said:
Thanks so much to all for your very kind comments. Please feel free to pass this along or reprint it anywhere. All I ask is when you do, please include a link back to reteaparty.com.
To Maury, the Ron Paul campaign is evidence of my assertion. I believe the movement would be growing and progressing the same way regardless of the changes at the top.
On immigration, I’m rather careful because it’s a complicated issue. Immigration has always been the strength of this country and needs to continue. People who believe in the American Dream and want to be productive should always be welcome, and this describes the vast majority of immigrants. Derrick’s comments above are a fine illustration - no one is more frustrated by this issue than those who have diligently followed all the rules to become citizens. Government has made such a mess of immigration, and then used that mess to set us against each other, when it’s the policy makers who merit our negative attention. If we took away any incentives for immigrants to get on welfare, got out of treaties that restrict free trade such as NAFTA and GATT, and removed the regulatory burdens on American business so we can more easily compete in the world marketplace, I believe we would solve not only most of our immigration problems, we would also keep more quality jobs here in America instead of exporting them to other countries. Immigrants are not the enemy. The problem is government policy that give immigrants the rights and benefits of citizens without the responsibilities that go with them, and which make legal immigration such an arduous task that people have a strong incentive to bypass that process.
April 21st, 2009 at 10:16 am
Gary Fincher said:
This is not only very poorly written (it’s basically a red-herring thrown out to throw people off the track of the REAL problem) but it’s written by a criminal who has committed election law fraud time and time again, and is actually currently the defrocked political director of a minor U.S. political party. He is actually wanted in Massachusetts for attempted theft related to election law scams:
http://libertycrusader.wordpress.com/political-consulting/prosecuting-enemies-of-liberty-spotlight-on-sean-haugh/
April 21st, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Cathy Owens said:
Sean:
I think my comment regarding immigration being un-american was misinterpreted. I should have been clearer in stating it was my reaction to Nancy Pelosi’s comment “enforcement actions by ICE are “un-American.” I have a visceral dislike of this woman and as such most of what she says puts my blood pressure over the top. Immigration is a complex issue and I applaud those who come here and embrace the life that can be achieved. My issue is those who wish to ignore procedures and as you have indicated expect the rights and benefits without the responsibilities.
My apologies to anyone I may have offended with my earlier comment.
And again, thank you for such a beautifully written article.
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:01 am
Updated: Unrevolutionary tea at Our Daily Train | A blog by Jeremy Styron said:
[...] a fuller account of what they stand for, you may read this post, to which Peace referred me and to which I will attempt to respond in a later post. I will say, [...]
April 24th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Randy said:
Alright I’ll bring my Hiltler getup and get ready for some Obama bashing sounds like fun.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
scott wilson said:
The tea parties represent a popular feeling amongst the populous on how we all feel about the things the goverment is doing or not doing. Its not about Oboma, its about goverment trying to steel our rights away from us, use California as an example. They are trying to cutt spending by cuttimg wages as well as union wages. Know congress is saying if they do this congress will pull back there stimulous funding. What this is ,is unconstatutional and a federal takeover of state and local goverment, and if it starts in our biggest and largest economic state where will it end? This is just the begining people. We need to defind our constitutional wrights as indivduals and as states, the tenth amendment gives states the right to seperate themselves from over bearing federal goverment when it violates our constitional rights. Remember the Constition starts out with WE THE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFICT UNION, NOT WE THE FEDERAL GOVERMENT. SO WITH OUR VOICES WE NEED TO VIOCE OUR OUTRAGE ON THE WAY OUR GOVERMENT IS TREATING US. Its not about party any more,its about the Constition and how congress is disregarding everthing our four fathers faught and died for so yell luod and beleive in the constition and everything it stands for.sumach
May 11th, 2009 at 10:00 am
May Trieg said:
Non-Partisan? Then why all the Obama hate? I honestly could not stay at the one I attended due to the outrageousness of it all. I will sit it out and see how things develop.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Edee said:
Very nicely written Mr. Haugh! Keep up all your hard and honest work. I appreciate all you do.
May 14th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
leslie said:
when did the issue of the “rights” of terrorists get included in the tea party concept? you guys have lost me with inclusion of this issue.
June 19th, 2009 at 5:35 am
Patrick C. Kansoer Sr said:
A few observations;
1.While I generally agree with most of what you’ve written, I cannot agree that the system is broken. Coming from the home area of our current White House occupant, I can tell you that the system is “fixed”, (as in the “fix” is in). It’s good, old-fashioned Chicago machine-style politics. Nothing more, nothing less… and it comes from both political parties.
2. Regarding the immigration issue, it is not LEGAL immigrants that are the issue here… it is those who would “break and enter”, then eat the food from the fridge, help themselves to your beer or whatever else belonged to you and then act offended if you complained. There are those who prefer to call these criminals “undocumented immigrants”… that would be the equivalent of calling drug dealers “undocumented pharmacists”. The law is the law, and in a Republic, the law should apply equally to every one.
3. As to “bashing” Obama and going with the tired old “Bush was worse” consider this. Both major political parties are full of what makes the roses grow. Politicians of both parties will tell each other, and potential new candidates that your first duty is to get re-elected… NOT SERVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS…TO GET RE-ELECTED! As it happens, Obama and his crew happen to be driving the train right now, and, as such, they are fair game for criticism… just a Bush and his crew were fair game when THEY were in power. The argument that there were no TEA parties during the last administration is crap… pure and simple. It was on Bushes watch that the destruction of our financial system started with TARP, (pushed to the max by the way by Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid). BOTH PARTIES ARE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ROBBER BARONS.
4. Having said all of that, it has been rightly said that you get the type of government that you deserve. As a people we have lost our way… our sense of right and wrong. Politicians create crises so they can come up with “solutions” that they then misapply while spending money that doesn’t exist to enrich a small cadre of chosen participants. Our Forefathers had it right… but we have sought and easier, softer way. That way does not exist. Freedom is difficult to keep, Liberty is a hard and narrow path to travel and there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch, (thank you Robert Heinlein).
5. The truth is we can’t have it both ways. Until the “entitlement” mindset is broken, (that means no subsidies for farmers; no universal health care for senior A.K.A. Medicare; no “bailouts” for banks “too big to fail”;no government control of private industry) until we as a society are ready once again to take personal responsibility instead of decrying “pork programs” for others while snuffling at the trough ourselves… unless and until that happens, this is all a nice pipe dream to keep the “Proles” thinking that what they believe really matters to the ruling class.
6. George Washington laid it all out in detain in his farewell address. I will not quote it here. It is readily available for your research in many places. The answers have been provided to us by Forefathers with almost supernal wisdom… problem is it ain’t easy. As a matter of fact, it’s hard work.
The first American Revolution was basically supported by only 3% of the population until the outcome was pretty much decided. The bad news is that it means a hell of a lot of work for a small group of people… The good news is that it once again proves that a small number of dedicated partisans can change the world. Many times victory comes to those who show up.
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:45 am
Steve NM said:
I note wisdom from Maury D:
“Um, really? Because he was president for pretty much eight years and there were (hang on while I add ‘em up) zero tea parties. The non-partisan tone here is manipulative and wildly disingenuous.”
WE allowed the Bridge to Nowhere. WE allowed wasteful Federal Spending to irreparably ruin our economic situation over the last 2009.
These sort of movements usually fail due to hubris. We look for the idiots responsible for bankrupting the country. We have met the enemy….
but we will not admit it.
There is no regret in the movement, and that will kill it. WE allowed this to happen to OURSELVES. If we want a different path, we have to admit that WE are the cause of our troubles.
Otherwise, we become puppets. “How do we fix it? First, you vote Republican….” and the game is over, we have sold out.
June 24th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Rev. Christie Egge said:
Steve MN, I couldn’t agree with you more, and I couldn’t disagree more. OF course, there in lies the problem. We are the makers of our own demise. We are a culture of “Instant Gratification”. More, now, and no forsight applied at all to the decisions of our parents and their parents elected officials. Let’s face it, when times were good, we did not want to hear about the raping of the American taxpayer. I still beleive in Meicare/Medicaid, but only if becomes again what it was meant to be. A hand up, not a hand out FOR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS AND CITIZENS ONLY. I could not beleive it when I saw, with my own two eyes, a notice posted in a local hospital that read; Social Security number not required for treatment”. Ok, I can go along with “emergency care” for any and every one, but my curiosity was peaked. I visited my local Health Department and found these same notices, prominently and repeadedly, displayed there as well. With less pork and more regulation on services provided to illegals, I feel we could save these very important programs (medicare/medicaid). We as American citizens need to learn what living within our means, means. We as American taxpayers need to rovoke our governments right to spend our tax dollars however they please. We have, once again become a people who are victims of “Taxation without Representation”. I read of states not paying state refunds this tax season because they had no money for it. Well, maybe we should not pay our taxes if we can’t afford them. I don’t think that would be accepted quite as redily now would it? If I become delinquent on my taxes, the federal government can take my paycheck, can I take my Govenors’ paycheck if I don’t get my state refund? Can I seize the assents of my Congresswoman if I don’t receive my Social Security check? Can I apply for a visa to work here for 7 years and not pay taxes?
I have only been introduced to this movement recently by a fellow Minister. I plan to attend a tea party, but I agree with previous statements, I will leave promptly if I feel that any party is prvalent, as I don’t feel the future of our country can be found within any of the existing parties of our government.
June 26th, 2009 at 5:59 am
Glen said said:
I believe a lot of what I have read from all the comments before mine here on this websight were of genuine heart-felt concern for our nation, a few comments maybe just a little anger felt ones that just want to make this into a personal battle of political (he said/she said) retoric. However, my wish to attend a Tea Party is simply to see what kind of organization and what type of spin will come of it. It is a growing and sad fact that our nation is in peril but it cannot be changed at the level of one person (such as a president). We keep putting our faith into party leaders and politician’s promises. I am an American that has always been proud to do my part for patriotism. I served my country, I am honest and forthright with my neighbors and friends, I go to church, teach Sunday School, married and have children, pay my taxes, follow the laws and rules of the land, but I am also very opinionated. It’s true, we all have an opinion but what is an opinion? Is your opinion from your family, one you have developed from years of living life, one your great grandad had? If we really get down to the nuts and bolts of it: our Constitution was written to stand the test of time and it did until we took God out of the equasion. My opinionated beliefs are not of my own but from Gods law. I want to join the fight and fight we should (verbally, at the polls, and one-on-one with all who will listen)but we need to turn back to God. Some would say and I feel their criticism that I am one of those rightous biggots who does no wrong. No, I am not perfect and I may not be the best witness of this is howyou should do it. I am not a preacher or a rightious person but I can planely see when we “the people” went wrong. We seperated God from man and I see societies rapid and moral decline. I fear for my children and what hardships will be bestowed upon them. I still believe this country can be salvaged. The comments before mine that said we have become a nation waiting on a handout; is true! There is also a mentality that says: “lets ride the free-train until the wheels fall off then we will (reluctantly) find another free ride. Many in this nation would drown their best friend to save themselves. We need to be like the bird found in California that firefighters found after a fire. The bird was (as I heard the story) in the middle of the road burned nearly to a crisp. Someone kicked the bird out of their way and out from under the bird came several unharmed baby birds. Many people today want to take flight to a place where there are no fires and let someone else do the work. What we must be willing to do is stand and fight. Some of us may get burned up and not get any glory or Earthly reward but we may just save our children or the children of others. I am attending a Tea Party but I hope that we have others who see the real need for a repentant heart not a jugemental heart in which we blame others for our own personal sins. I am a sinner and I have repented but let us all join in Gods fight and allow him to go before us and soften hearts, minds, and He will see us through. If you are a critic of Jesus and His opinions please seriously reflect upon the majestic world and country we live in and know that it was Judeau Christian values and beliefs in a Supreme Savior that the Constitution was based and founded. I do not appologize for my opinions because they are not based upon personal subjectation but from the Lord himself. God Bless America!
June 30th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Clint Brothers said:
I’m ready for a teaparty after Hannity 101 waste. I’m mad as hell at stimulus waste, especially since microsoft gets 11 million of taxpayer dollars? My friends and family use LINUX for the FREEDOM, SECURITY, STABILITY and we hate microsoft.
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Robert(Bear River,WY) said:
Where is Obama birth certificate and his lies he made to americans at his pres. election that he turn away the way of americans. Thesleeping gianet has woken up and now it is going forward. The gianthas awaken the american people. The above statments speaks the truth and a learning for what is liberty.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Graniteback said:
It is nice to see some support and push for at least the restoration of how America used to be before the betrayal by the traitor Woodrow Wilson in 1913 in exchange for the money for him to purchase the presidency. However. . .
1.) Actions speak louder than words, especially mostly empty words. If you do not like the taxation then refuse to subject yourself to it regardless of Ohio being a territory but counted as a state in the ratification of the 16th Amendment or that the income tax is not apportioned as clearly required in the Constitution or whatever your reasons. REFUSE TO PAY INCOME TAX AND FILE NO RETURNS EVER AGAIN. Even just 50 million Americans doing this will ensure a true revolution and freedom for our brothers and sisters wrongly imprisoned with the courage to be the first to stand up and be true patriots having done this necessary act of revolution against a too corrupt and too powerful government. They cannot put all of us in jail. It is time for us to unite again as *Americans* second but human beings first. Boycott the military before they ask you to slaughter your brother or your sister or your mother or your father for disagreeing with your federal overlords. Pull everything you have out of the fake “market” and invest it instead into knowledge and temper that knowledge with action such as inventing or improving technology.
2.) It is the entire monetary system that is a perpetual source of corruption here, not just it’s latest tumor of the central banks pushing fractional banking practices and dire consequences. The monetary system is an ancient and archaic system no longer needed as we have the technology and the resources to eliminate the scarcity created and forced upon humans to fuel a market powering a fake but still failing economy. This system teaches and encourages and rewards immoral and unethical and corrupt and violent and brutal behaviors that are a trademark of uncivilized barbarians. If you have any doubts or need proof of that look no further than D.C. or any other business. Technology is the sole provider of every single improvement upon human life as well as a solid foundation of true solutions. Technology is fueled by knowledge and communication which are key separators between us and the rest of the animals here. These are things of true value, not any piece of paper or number in a database. Stop choosing money above and beyond any life or progress; the correct choice is not money or life & progress but to choose to remove this profoundly sick question from our mentality completely. Unchain the potential of our minds and we will be truly amazed by unrestricted growth of knowledge and technology. Where knowledge reigns, the plagues of ignorance such as war and violence cannot thrive.
3.) There is no such thing as democracy and there never will be in a world enslaved by any monetary system. There is only the dog and pony show election while the rich and wealthy elites continue their cycles in and out of big government and big corporations all the while keeping things the way they are which benefit those few exclusively. This is why fragmentation through labels does not matter, any politicians are all cut from the same cloth with the same mission. If you ever want to see true freedom then we must overthrow the entire monetary system; if there is any inequality between humans there will be conflict and those poor enough to hand deliver an explosive objection to selfish greed.
4.)Stop being lazy and fat Americans and open your eyes and your minds to think for yourselves and take action past a passing voiced objection. If you are tired of partisan bickering, then do not add fuel to that fire taking the bait yet one more time. There is all the new buzzword of socialism and the resurrection once again of communism with people becoming lazy and expecting things handed to them. News flash. You are already like that but with your blinders you only focus on the baits dangled in front of you and things that sparkle. You just expect things to be, with no effort on your part or anybody else as long as it is on a store shelf. You just expect there to be change with no action upon your part. Stand up and unite. Think for yourself and do your own research from a broad number of sources. You are a human being with a beautiful and powerful mind, not just cattle.
5.) Non-violence is the key to the future. Any mind would do well to learn from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in regards to this. Civil disobedience: remember, they cannot put all of us in jail.
No words have ever rang more true than the following: When the people fear the government there is tyranny, but when the government fears the people there is liberty. The same man also said when your house is on fire ask not if it started inside or outside, extinguish the fire. It is time to topple this federal government and all others like it right down to the community level and restore liberty. Patriots are not silent nor sedentary.
I am a human and an American, this is my Declaration of Independence.
September 13th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Ashley said:
sounds good
“We love America because here you can live your own life as you see fit, just as long as you let others do the same. ”
so your pro-choice
“We love America because you can become an American simply by wanting to be free and wanting to provide a better life for yourself and those around you. We love America because thousands of our men and women have fought and died for over two hundred years to preserve our freedoms and our way of life.”
your pro-illegal being considered legal just by wanting to be free
“Stop spying on us and stop intruding on our fundamental rights. Give us back habeas corpus and stop even thinking secret tribunals and prisons have any place in America.”
your against the the patriot act
“We are not just against taxes. What we’re really against is being told taxes have to be raised so the politicians can spend even more of our money. It’s the spending that’s the problem, even more than the taxes. We live within our means and we expect you to do the same. Politicians talk about cutting services to the people, but they never talk about cutting all the corporate welfare out of their budgets. That upsets us more than the amount of taxes we have to pay – although it is true we aren’t exactly happy about that either.”
your against corporate welfare like the Bush tax cuts for the rich
“We are not “anti-Obama.” In fact, Barrack Obama seems like a very nice man, and generally we wish him well. Our concerns are much larger than who the President happens to be right now. It’s the whole system that’s broken. We felt this way when George Bush was President and we’d be holding Tea Parties today if he was still on the job.”
why did you only start protesting right after Obama was elected, why no years ago under Bush when the damage was done, rather then now when we must spent to rebuild this nation
“We have had it up to here with politicians and corporations trying to run every aspect of our lives for their benefit. All we ever wanted was to run our own lives for the benefit of ourselves and our families.”
this has been happening for 8 years, now finally we have a president working for the people? now you start complaining? doesn’t make sense really….
from reading this, sounds like your not anti-Obama, so why so many in your protests seem to be just that, anti-Obama?
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Robert Cooper said:
This sounds like my cup of tea (no pun intended!). I am currently looking at the political parties out there, and it seems like they all have an agenda, rather than just looking at what is best for the country.
I am upset with the fact that I can’t vote unless I agree with the few candidates the government deems reasonable to put on a ballot, and here in NC can’t even write in candidates unless allowed to do so by the state; and they decide ia eligible on an individual basis.
I expect to drop my affiliation with any party on my registration card as the tea was dumped in Boston Harbor, as I feel a need to be allowed to vote in a nonpartisan manner as our Founding Fathers suggested with admonishing against political parties.
Originally representation was for a person to represent people and their beliefs rather than a “party line or platform”.
I hope this is what I am looking for and to be a part what I believe might be a necessary standing up for all Americans.
While unable to make much of a monetary contribution, I would like to learn more about what you all feel can be done, and try to participate and assist in getting the ballots open to giving voters all their options of voting that can be reasonably done.
My contact information is as follows:
Robert Cooper
robertcooper@nc.rr.com
130 Deerfield Dr, Spring Lake, NC, 28390-1541
phone 910-496-1673 alternate 910-977-2339
October 25th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
rob adams said:
i have been reading comments with interest.
One question: which four fathers are our real four fathers?
January 14th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Independent Military Spouse said:
I read the mission statement and comments. I agree totally with the mission statement and appreciate the majority of these heartfelt comments. The problem is that there is something about the Tea Party groups which cause the Obama haters and right wing Republicans who put their party affliation about all else to feel at home.
I think the challenge for the Tea Party groups will be to keep their focus on the ideals contained in this mission statement. They also will have to work hard to keep their independence and prevent their groups from being manipulated by other groups, get talked into pushing ideals other than those in this mission statement.
Currently, there is a huge test to see if the Tea Party movement can accomplish these goals. The test is whether the tea Party groups will come out against the recent Supreme Ct decision, United Citizens vs. FEC. Let me be clear this case is not one of first amendment rights or business vs. unions as many Republicans are trying to claim. Rather this case is about whether the Supreme Ct should have ruled that corporations, unions, and other associations should be treated as persons under the constitution, entitled to free speech rights, and able to spend money from their general funds to exercise those free speech rights to target or support individual candidates right up to the day of the election/primary. This decision expands the rights of these entities and I think adversely affects the rights of individuals(overshadows them). As Stephen Colbert states - Now his banker Morgan Stanley will have the same rights as his barber, Stanley Morgan. Both can spedn 100 Million for or against a candidate.
As a movement named after an event which was aimed at opposing a corporation, East India Company, I would think that the Tea Party would come out against this decision. I guess we’ll see.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Jeff said:
Arm chair complainers seems to be the rule here. Lets quote history and how they did it back then, let’s blame recent or current political figures for all our woes. Let’s find the multitude of smoking guns to blame the problems of our country on! We do this all while we sit back in our nice warm homes drinking our favorite beverage and wondering what we’ll watch on tv after we go out and eat or raid our overflowing refrigerator’s for something that appeals to us and then complain about our lack of variety. The only time humans as a species make any progress or great change in the way we do things and live is when we’re hungry just like the rest of the animal kingdom. Hunger for a thing be it food, money, sex, power, morality, or even politcal change will only go as far as our appetites will carry it. Most species don’t continue to consume once they are full which is the natural order of things, we as a people have overcome this natural order. We continue to consume and desire more when our plates and bellies are already full.
March 2nd, 2010 at 9:33 am
Derek said:
I agree to a great degree with what Sean Haugh wrote here. These are many thoughts I have had for years. However, and many will not agree with me or decry me as grossly uneducated, I see things more minute than ideas of taxes, color of the presidents skin, and health-care issues. The thing that sickens me most, is not just how the government is taking away our basic freedoms, basic freedoms, but more that we are standing by, and not just allowing it to happen, but helping it to happen, agreeing with the bureaucrats when they explain why this freedom was taken, the cause of this freedom to be wiped away, and that we pat them on the back after they pass the law to remove the freedom. Three quick samples of my gripe here:
1. Seat-belts: It’s no ones business if I choose to wear or not wear a seat-belt, my life, my risk! Sure, super idea for children, but when they are 18, their choice.
2. Auto Insurance: You know, before auto insurance was mandatory, in an accident, many people just settled the accidents on their own, since auto insurance has become mandatory, there more claims, higher penalties, more cases of insurance fraud…spend spend spend! Insurance? Payments to a large company for a promise, nothing material, and is often a promise they diligently attempt to back out on.
3. Smokers: Leave them alone! All this nonsense over smoking. Hey, like seat-belts, my life, my risk, and we smokers HAVE been paying more in taxes than most any other demographic in this country. Keep it fair, split the public places in each town, 1/2 non-smoking, 1/2 smoking.
Telling me it is mandatory to wear a seat-belt, that is a small step towards Communism. The proverbial “big-brother big finger” being stuck in my business. One small step, leads to giant leaps…just ask the astronauts!
We, as a whole, vehemently need to be more protective of our freedoms, it is our right, it is our duty. If we don’t protect them, especially the small ones, how can we be taken seriously when we fight for the bigger freedoms and rights? It seems we are beginning to let the government tell us what to do, (and how to live), when it needs to be the other way around.
March 4th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Derek said:
Apologies. Let me clarify a point from my previous statement concerning smoking. When I stated 1/2 and 1/2, I meant to specify, for example, a town with 6 restaurants, 3 would allow smoking, and 3 would be non-smoking.
March 4th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
David Hollin said:
A cause I feel the Tea Party should pick up is term limits. When this country was founded there where no career politicians, they where farmers and lawyers…they had real jobs and came together to make a change and then went home. We have 80 year old senators that can barely walk who have been congressmen since before I was born, and we are suppose to look to them to guide our country.
We get stuck with incumbents who spend half their time raising money so they can get re-elected and the other half gerrymandering the elections so that they stay in power. This has got to stop and it is up to the Tea Party movement to get the ball rolling. This will be the hardest fight for our government since it was conceived. Thank you
March 8th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Tea Party Concept Still Not Understood By Many « Where Angels Fear To Tread said:
[...] is an awesome article on what the Tea Party is about and not about. Forget what you think. Forget what you’ve [...]
March 12th, 2010 at 6:48 am
Tea Party Concept Still Not Understood By Many - Where Angels Fear To Tread said:
[...] is an awesome article on what the Tea Party is about and not about. Forget what you think. Forget what you’ve [...]
March 12th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Justin said:
I have the say to this I agree. I have not been to a Tea Party but I can honestly say I have considered throwing 1 for a long time but I was considered crazy and involuntary comitted to mental facility who really wants to go to one is this part of mandatory healthcare. Anyway due to the facts of life that have been a factor to the reign of political power I have always been unaffiliated to either party jackass or elephant due to they are both stubborn animals and do not represent me a Human that is just as hard working and also stubborn. I can say that due to the technology is more available in households it has made it more readily easier and more availabe to organize a Tea Party. For my reason of a wanting to throw one was the Constitution and my understanding of it if you read it which I am sure you have, policeing the people, tyrany, treason, many of this I have seen for some time. I remember textbook teachings in school that the ones we broke away from to form our country made a statement that they planned to infiltrate our government some 250 years ago. Well I can say that I think this is true wether it is or not its my opinion I can not prove this. Due to Laws of how to get into the government positions may still be upheld due to campaign fund raising or the way I see it as M.O.P Mail Order Politics you pay a politician to go to school his meals and his house you are in office wether you are American or not in more cases not. Sure local government does not have the same citizen requirements look at California maybe this is why they are negative in standings Caution Californias Politicians Caused Cancer To America let alone to every thing else but I am not hating on California there are other places also. For this M.O.P is trying to turn US into what we sought out to get away from. What brings US the TEA PARTY it is the Simplest of proving That
WE THE PEOPLE have came to the conclusion together that we are FREE and are exercising The Rights That have been bestowed upon US and this is no fairy tale. We came from Change and We The People have not seen no Change except in our pockets so does this answer Obamas Change he is offering the can for Us to hold. We have been long for an overhaul back to the Constituion and the Bill of Rights and Our Declaration of Independence it is that more households are connected with the information highway technology and this is the way of exercising free speech and free press. Cause I pledged allegience to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisable with liberty and justice for all. The supreme court overrid californias decision to take god out of our pledege of allegiance this is freedom of religion which if you do not have a religion you should not worry about god then. America God Blessed Us All with Freedom,Life,Libety,Justice and the Pursuit of Happiness. May We STAND TALL amongst them All.
March 13th, 2010 at 12:45 pm