We get a lot of questions about why FreeAndEqual.org would be so involved in supporting ReTeaParty.com and the Tea Party movement in general.  What does ballot access reform have to do with these Tea Parties?

Our main mission at Free and Equal is to break down ballot access barriers by any peaceful means available.  Whether it is by petitioning to get candidates and parties on the ballot, supporting initiatives which reduce barriers to participation, lobbying state legislatures to reform their laws, filing and supporting lawsuits to strike these barriers down, or mobilizing public opinion to bring electoral reform to the forefront of the political debate, Free and Equal intends to be there.

However, ballot access is not an end unto itself.  Electoral reform is just one important way to achieve a much more fundamental goal.  Constitutional government can happen only when every citizen has an equal share of the rights and responsibilities to run it.

That’s where the Tea Parties come in.  The achievement of this goal becomes possible when educated people are willing to rise up and take back their government.  The Tea Party movement is the strongest outpouring of this activity in America today.  We are excited to be able to help it along any way we can.  Everything we do is a reflection of our independence and our desire to return political power to its rightful owners. (more…)

The political pundits keep insisting that the Tea Party movement doesn’t really stand for anything. Some Tea Party organizers insist that our economic and patriotic ills are a result of high taxes and our new President.

From day one, ReTeaParty.com has insisted that our grievances go well beyond an administration, a few policies, specific politicians, or a particular political party. The fuel behind our passion derives from the bipartisan destruction of our individual liberties, disrespect for our private property, and the shredding of our Constitution.

As such, ReTeaParty.com and FreeAndEqual.org offer the following statement of principles:

Corporatism: We believe that the role of the federal government is to uphold voluntary contracts executed by and between all individuals and entities within the bounds of the legal authority set forth in the Constitution of the United States. In no event, shall the federal government use its legal authority to alter the cost of production and/or service of one individual, set of individuals, entity, or set of entities relative to any other competing individual or entity.

The Federal Reserve: We seek a thorough investigation, evaluation and audit of the Federal Reserve System and its cozy relationships with the banking, corporate, and other financial institutions. The arbitrary power to create money and credit out of thin air behind closed doors for the benefit of commercial interests must be ended. There should be no taxpayer bailouts of corporations and no corporate subsidies. Corporations should be aggressively prosecuted for their crimes and frauds.

Privacy: We must protect the privacy and civil liberties of all persons under US jurisdiction. We must repeal or radically change the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and the FISA legislation. We must reject the notion and practice of torture, eliminations of habeas corpus, secret tribunals, and secret prisons. We must deny immunity for corporations that spy willingly on the people for the benefit of the government. We must reject the unitary presidency, the illegal use of signing statements and excessive use of executive orders.

The National Debt: We believe that there should be no increase in the national debt. The burden of debt placed on the next generation is unjust and already threatening our economy and the value of our dollar. We must pay our bills as we go along and not unfairly place this burden on a future generation.

ReTeaParty.com announces that FreeandEqual.org will be joining us in our fight to coordinate a nationwide protest on July 4, 2009. FreeandEqual.org is a nonpartisan organization that has been instrumental in obtaining ballot access, providing legal assistance, and promoting awareness of candidates of all parties as well as independents. 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.

Many of us have chosen to register as Democrats. Many as Republican. Others as one of the third parties or not at all. 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.

Stay tuned as ReTeaParty.com will soon unveil a new interactive website so that individuals like you can take charge of your local event coordination. Let’s stop looking to Washington DC and partisan political players to save our freedoms. More than anyone else in the world, Americans independently understand the principles of self-responsibility and respect for individual rights. On July 4th, 2009, let’s re-declare them.

Will you Join Us?

A Tea Party is the demonstrated collection of our concerns over the increase in government intervention in our lives, our freedoms, and our pocket books.  Our goal is to coordinate a truly non-partisan nationwide Tea Party event on July 4th in to one easy to navigate and user friendly place on the web. We are not all Republicans, we are not all part of the 912 project, we are not all Libertarians.  Some of us are Democrats, many of us work with TaxDayTeaParty.com, others with TaxDayCoalition.com, Independence Caucus, America Again!, TeaPartyRevolution.com or a host of other well intentioned movements, political parties, and/or organizations. However, we are all here as individuals concerned with the direction of our country and distraught over the destruction of our Constitution.  We have our own ideas, political tendencies, and personal desires, and we must respect them among one another.  In order to take on the trend toward tyranny, we must organize ourselves across many groups to inform, encourage and cooperate with one another, setting aside our relatively minute disagreements. If you are an organizer or would like to be, let us know if you are ready to take an active stand.

“I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.” - Thomas Jefferson

With the increasing attacks from reputable new sources like the New York Times and ThinkProgress.org, challenging the non-partisan and grassroots nature of the various Tea Parties, ReTeaParty.com and Free and Equal would like to both stress our commitment to non-partisanship and our independence from organizations under question.  The following is a post written last month, following TaxDayTeaParties.com official partnership with Newt Gingriche’s organization:

In 1994, Newt Gingrich, along with several other prominent Republicans introduced their “Contract with America” after taking a majority control of Congress for the first time in 40 years. The Contract called for a renewed faith in Washington D.C., namely in the Republican Party, asking for Americans across the country to put their faith in partisan politicians.

Since 1994, America has witnessed an unprecedented increase in the size, scope, and power of the federal government. By 2000, 95 government programs that the Republicans contracted with America to reduce or eliminate were actually increased in size by 13%.

By 2008, following 8 years of a Republican administration, Americans had lost habeas corpus, deficits had ballooned, representatives continued to hand over authority to bureaucratic bodies not accountable to the American people, and messages from our political leadership had been reduced to partisan talking points.

With a new Democratic administration now at the wheel, Americans hoped for real change, and got it. Instead of a leadership that preaches about limited government, lower taxes, and balanced budgets, we have leaders that are more direct. The new administration openly calls for an expansion of government, increases in taxes, and deficit spending. In other words, the message changed. But the direction remains the same.
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DIGG IT

Today, $9.7 TRILLION in taxpayer dollars in bailouts and loans have been agreed to by Congress, the Bush and Obama Treasury Departments, and the Federal Reserve.

Poll after poll shows the American people are fed up and are ready for fresh leadership to make their voices heard in Washington.

Please complete this petition urging your Congressman to cosponsor and a seek roll-call vote on the Audit the Fed Bill — the first step toward ENDING THE FEDERAL RESERVE once and for all!

From The Petition:

Whereas, the Federal Reserve refuses to give a public accounting of the trillions in recent taxpayer-backed loans; and

Whereas, Congress has the responsibility to force a public audit of the Federal Reserve, and the American people deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent and the currency inflated; and

Whereas, allowing the Fed to remain out of control and shrouded in secrecy clearly allows for abuse and the continued stealing of our tax dollars; and (more…)

The Boston Tea Party was an act of direct protest by American Colonists demanding representation in the British Government. They became known as the original patriots.

America’s Tea Party of 2009 will reinvigorate that American and Patriotic spirit; one that demands respect for individual rights and property. As the bailouts spiral out of control, we are forced to fund failed banks. With foreclosures on the rise, we are made the collateral of reckless spending. And, when the bills come due, the IRS knocks on the door of “self-responsibility”.

ENOUGH!

America is the land of opportunity. To succeed AND to Fail. Without consequences, what is our incentive to learn? What is our incentive to produce? On July 4, 2009, those that ask nothing from the government but the protection of our inalienable right to succeed, will gather in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston , and everywhere in between across the country in an historic act of direct protest.

Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism. - Thomas Paine

Submitted by Paul Williams, this video characterizes the sentiments and desire for self-responsibility. It’s time to break the silence!

Taxpayers from the Greater Houston region gathered to protest massive government spending on February 27th. Listen to their thoughts and opinions - get inspired and get involved to overturn out of control government spending.

Next, they are holding a Tax Day Revolt on Houston, April 15, at 4pm, in support of the growing Tax Day Tea Parties across the country.  Let the momentum build and patriots unite!