Join me here this afternoon for live blogging from the Atlanta Tax Day Tea Party starting at about 2:00 P.M. Hit refresh as needed for the latest updates. Feel free to leave comments here or on Twitter.
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Teabag Pride:
Showing posts with label tax day tea party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tax day tea party. Show all posts
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Taxes are the price we pay for...a civilized society?
In celebration of our favorite day of the year, the deadline for filing federal income taxes, here is a funny video from ReasonTV, showing you what you get for your taxes:
If taxes are the price we pay for civilization, do you ever get the feeling you've been cheated?
From all of us here at RightKlik, happy Tax Day!
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Details on the Atlanta Tax Day Tea Party
Details on the Tax Day Tea Party in Washington, D.C.
Another funny video: I'm proud to be a tea bagger!
Left Coast Rebel: Be Prepared for the Crashers
An Attack on the Tea Parties from the Right?
I have some good news and some bad news. First the good news: 24% of U.S. voters now say they consider themselves a part of the Tea Party movement. That’s an eight-point increase from a month ago. More good news: 58% of Mainstream voters have a favorable opinion of the Tea Party movement.
The bad news is that now that the Tea Parties are more popular than ever, one important conservative is leaving the tea party movement.
Erick Erickson, editor of RedState.com and CNN contributor, wrote today that he is giving up on the movement because it is being torn apart by attention-seeking pundits and public officials. Apparently no one told Erickson that the Tea Party movement was political.
Erick described a number of concerns on his blog. Here are a few of his thoughts:
- The birthers decided to show and gave the media a chance to claim the birthers were involved in a grand conspiracy with the Klu Klux Klan...
- The tea party movement, one year later, is descending into a self-parody of infighting, money making, claims of national leadership, protests, unions, federations, amalgamations, etc.
- It is time to stop calling yourselves tea party activists and start calling yourselves concerned Americans.
- [B]y continuing to call ourselves “tea party activists” instead of Americans we have made it easy for politicians and others who disagree with us to dismiss us.
- I would like to say goodbye...I hope the activists on the street will leave with me.
- We have moved beyond the time to protest.
- I hope you’ll leave the tea party protests behind and engage in the process.
In the comments section of his blog, Erick dialed it back a little:
- Go to the protests, but then get involved locally and nationally as an American, not as a tea party activist.
Perhaps I'm not immersed deeply enough in the Tea Party to see what Erick has described, but I certainly haven't gotten the same impression that he has gotten.
What I see, and what polls show, is a growing and popular movement full of enthusiastic political newcomers. And because of their generally optimistic atmosphere, I'm just as inclined to call Tea Party gatherings "rallies" as I am to call them "protests."
How did "Tea Party" become a dirty term for Erick Erickson? I wonder if he would advise conservative activists to stop calling themselves conservative or for Republican activists to stop calling themselves Republicans in order to avoid being "dismissed."
Via Melissa Clouthier it seems Erick Erickson is moving beyond the Tea Party movement:
"Today, RedState’s Erick Erickson has decided to leave the Tea Party movement behind–to move beyond it. He alludes to the Tea Party movement disintegrating into sects like churches."That doesn't bother me. But this condescending nonsense from Erick, excerpted below, sure does, especially as it triangulates one group of would be organizers, trainers and spokespersons, while linking to the one he seems to prefer. I say that, as he links to American Majority, complete with splash page, sign-up apparatus and whatever else. The best spokesperson for the Tea Party movement I've seen so far was Pam Stout. And she didn't need a federation, or a majority to speak her mind and reach a broad audience via Letterman's show...If Erick wants to push American Majority, by all means, he should. But running down the Tea Party movement in the effort is as insulting, as it is dumb. We need to build up, not tear down. And if that means encouraging Tea Party people to also become involved at another level, as with this, or that group, fine. But, honestly - maligning the movement as he does, when it's actually operators like Erick who now seem intent on ripping it apart, or doing it in, crosses the line, even for someone I consider a friend.
It is also interesting to note that a number of the people who tweeted Erickson's Tea Party breakup letter (including Dana Loesch, Anita MonCrief, Ned Ryun, Brett Farley and Jessica Wood) are also involved with American Majority, which is offering "Post Party" Summits and other products for your "end of the Tea Party era" needs.
Riehl apparently holds Erick Erickson in high regard, and so do I. Erickson is a solid conservative who tirelessly promotes conservative ideals and solidly conservative politicians. But by this notion that we have to choose between the Tea Party movement and other forms of political involvement is simply nonsensical.
I have recently blogged about my concern for the need for Tea Partiers to add to their repertoire of political skills and to get involved in this year's primary elections. But as many others (including Melissa Clouthier) have pointed out, it doesn’t have to be "either/or."
There are so many ways to make a difference. Many Tea Party organizations are doing many of these things. Most aren’t just showing up and complaining. Most are turning their words into action.
Do I think the time for the Tea Party is over? No. I’ll be at a Tea Party event this week and why not? It’s inspiring to be with like minded folks and to hear the stories of triumph. We need that.
I agree.
The Tea Parties are attracting new people. And as one of Erickson's readers notes, "...there is some appeal in protesting so that you can surround yourselves with people of like minds and know that you are not alone. Do we want to abondon that entirely?"
There appears to be some concern that Tea Partiers aren’t projecting a slick image. But let's remember that conservatives comprise a huge plurality of the electorate (about 40%). Inevitably, we're going to discover that many of those right-thinking people aren't particularly beautiful, sophisticated or erudite. Let’s encourage them to speak their minds and show their faces anyway.
Tea Partiers don’t need to get out of the way or "move on." They need to keep rolling.
Keep rolling through the primaries to help small-government fiscal conservatives win GOP nominations. Keep rolling through the general election to help the GOP take back Congress. Keep rolling afterward to hold the new leaders accountable.
Update (9.24.10):
Tea Party candidates defeated or drove out the establishment Republican candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Florida, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Alaska ... and now Delaware. Most of those insurgent challengers will be senators in January 2011...
Uhler and Erickson describe the power of the Tea Party movement as it cut a swath through the modern Republican Party.
Erick Erickson (9.22.10):
"Orrin Hatch Embraces His Future as a Scalp Collected by the Tea Party Movement... Time to train our sights on Orrin for a 2012 defeat. The Senate GOP will learn even if we have to defeat them all."
Good to have you back on board, Erick.
American Majority NC (9.24.10):
The Tea Party isn't a political party - it’s far more powerful. It's an idea whose time has come and terrifies ruling class.
Here we go again (11.30.10):
“Defective” Tea Party Leaders?
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Adding To The Tea Party Movement
Discussion: Memeorandum
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Go AHEAD punks, make our day!
Who let the dorks out?
Jason Levin, creator of crashtheteaparty.org, said Monday the group has 65 leaders in major cities across the country who are trying to recruit members to infiltrate tea party events for April 15—tax filing day, when tea party groups across the country are planning to gather and protest high taxes...
Levin says they want to exaggerate the group's least appealing qualities, further distance the tea party from mainstream America and damage the public's opinion of them."Do I think every member of the tea party is a homophobe, racist or a moron? No, absolutely not," Levin said. "Do I think most of them are homophobes, racists or morons? Absolutely."
Go ahead punks, make our day! Cameras will be rolling; police will be standing by.
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Crash course: Your illustrated guide to the Tea Party saboteurs
I will keep harping on this until the end of time: a camera is an indispensable tool for these things.
Check this out from Ruby Slippers: 58% Support Repeal of ObamaCare - We need to make that happen!
Friday, April 24, 2009
What's Next?
In the wake of the Nationwide Tax Day Tea Parties, conservative groups and the GOP are asking, "What's next?"
Here's my answer: It's time to reform the Republican Party so that it is more convincingly responsive to the concerns of those who were at the Tea Parties.
Conservatives understand that government is inherently greedy, that big government is destructive, and that redistribution is unfair. On these key issues, the Republican Party is out of touch with mainstream conservatives and out of step with most voters. The Democratic Party simply ignores our demands for fiscal responsibility or uses the issue as pretense to cut spending on national defense and to increase taxes on those who are already bearing most of the burden. This is why the Tea Party Protests came to be.
If the GOP does not quickly align itself with those who are serious about fiscal responsibility, it will find itself walking down the path to extinction. This will open the door for the growth of right-of-center third parties who will splinter the conservative vote. As a result, the Democratic Party will solidify its power, move further to the left and impose socialism on this nation.
If we do not act decisively, future generations will pay a great price.
What do you think?
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After the April 15th Tea Parties...what's next?
Afterburner: The Cost of Media Bias
Read This: Obama muddles torture message.
One Hundred Million Dollars! Is Obama watching Austin Powers movies?
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Atlanta Tea Party: 15,000 Plus
Atlanta Tea Party Winding Down (10:15 p.m.)
I'm proud to count myself among the 15,000 people present at the Atlanta Tea Party. Attendance estimates range from 10,000 to 20,000, but most reliable estimates seem to center around 15,000. Some initial impressions:
- The event was extremely well organized, and it ran very smoothly.
- The energy and enthusiasm of the crowds was impressive.
- The overwhelming majority in attendance were very friendly and very civil.
- The entire demographic spectrum was well represented.
- Counter-protesters had almost no impact.
- Contrary to strange internet rumors, the event was not scaled back and did not end at 9:00 p.m.
- The back of my protest sign was pretty popular with the crowd:
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Obama maniac
Just a few seconds of an outburst that must have lasted at least two solid minutes.
Atlanta Police Estimate
Atlanta Police Department officers on the scene at the Georgia State Capitol are confirming that their estimate is 15,000 people present at the Atlanta Tea Party.
Massive: Tax Day Tea Party USA
I just have one word: Wow. More than 800 tea parties across the country.
Unreal: CNN reporter openly contemptuous of tea parties
A tour de force of bias, from her sarcasm to her Fox-bashing to her badgering a guy who’ll be paying off Obama’s monstrous deficits for decades about why he isn’t satisfied with a $400 tax break this year. The title of the clip is “CNN Reporter Roughed Up at Chicago Tea-Party,” which, as you’ll see, is a transparent lie unless you consider the crowd yelling at her to stop cutting off the people she’s interviewing as “rough.”
Thousands turn out for tax protest at Capitol
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Party Like It's 1773!
The original Boston Tea Party was on December 16, 1773. The incident remains an iconic event of American history, and has often been referenced in other political protests.
On April 15, 2009, through their participation in the nationwide tax day tea parties, taxpayers all over the country will be protesting our new era of unfettered government greed. What do the tax day tea parties represent? Glad you asked — here are some statements from those who are leading the way:
While bailing out the irresponsible parties, the government is pushing hard-working Americans to the brink of another revolution. As the government works to redistribute wealth, taxpayers work more for less — and the government takes more and more.
This is truly a non-partisan and grass-roots event. Anyone in elected office, at whatever level, cannot afford to ignore this many unhappy voters. We want to send the message that these elected officials work for us. We hired them, and we can fire them. If they don't want to listen to the American people and their constituents, we will work tirelessly to retire them when they are up for re-election.
We are proud of our country and will do everything we can to stand shoulder to shoulder and protect the constitution and this great land. It is our responsibility as free citizens to speak up when we are deeply concerned about actions which will affect so many people — including our children and grandchildren. We are not subjects; we are citizens.
There will be even more tea parties on July 4. This is just the beginning!
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Why I tea party like it’s 2099
I attend the tea parties as a way of showing that it saddens me to know that people who might have otherwise cured a horrible disease, designed grand buildings, created art and music, invented a car that runs on kumquats that people actually want to buy...are now spending most of their energy trying to figure out a way to write off their lawnmowers as dependents.
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