Tax Day Tea Party Over…What Next?
After an impressive nationwide grass roots effort to motivate people to show their feelings of the direction of our government and our economy (an estimated 186,564 attendees today and counting, according to PJTV), organizers (what few number of them there are) are left trying to figure out what is next.
Tax Day San Antonio, TX
I unfortunately wasn’t able to make it to my local Columbus party…work got in the way. I am pretty disappointed about it, but life is not perfect. Paying the tax man is hard work.
Columbus, OH; credit: Justin Higgins
Columbus. Credit: Justin Higgins
I was not an organizer of any of these events, though I have friends that were. I did help publicize these events, and kept in close contact with many of the leaders. I will say that in some ways this enthusiasm surprised them as much as it surprised the rest of the country. There was no vast right wing conspiracy to guide this movement, it was just a ground swell of activism.
Lansing, MI
So what next? Well, I have a few suggestions.
First, don’t have too broad a message. Grass roots movements ultimately have a focus that is narrow and has strong enthusiasm. In our case, I would focus on limiting tax increases, both on the federal and state level, in lieu of avoiding spending cuts. The public generally agrees with us on this issue, and this can be used as a political sledgehammer, especially against moderate and vulnerable Democrats in the upcoming 2010 election.
Our focus should especially go after broad based tax increases. The most significant target, IMHO, would be cap-and-trade, which is the broadest tax increase in U.S. history. No one would be exempt from such a tax.
Second, we should go after any program that is growing the size of the government that doesn’t directly respond to the financial crisis. We shouldn’t waste our time on funding of such things as infrastructure, unemployment benefits, welfare, etc., which are at least some what necessary during an economic downturn and that even if we don’t necessarily approve of them, the public generally does. But increased spending on earmarks, health care? Issues that don’t directly have stimulative effects should be attacked, both for their wastefulness and their long term effects on the deficit.
Third and most important, we must convince the Republican minority to fight for what is right. I like many are angry at Republicans for their utter failure to follow conservative principles. But we also have to be realistic; it is easier to transform the Republican Party than create any new party. And unlike many, I think we can take back the party of Lincoln and Reagan. Remember that before Reagan, the party was lost as well; history repeats itself.
Clearly Democrats, Liberals, and especially the Barack Obama White House see an Achilles heel here. Mr. Obama gave a ‘tax day’ talk today, basically saying it was patriotic to pay taxes; a statement that the Vice President also made last fall. Again, you have to ask yourself what do they think about the half of the population that doesn’t pay income taxes? Obama was trying to distract the media in to not paying as much attention on the Tea Parties, a strategy that certainly did not work.
Democrats see the narrowing poll numbers between themselves and Republicans on every front. On the economy, a big advantage for Obama in the fall, the Democrats only lead the pathetic Republican Party by 3 points in a new Rasmussen poll. Nothing proves the Democratic weakening more than that.
Liberals continue to be dismissive of the whole movement. The mainstream media (especially in the north east) barely talked about the protest. The White House was so dismissive of the Tea Party movement that Press Secretary stated that the President didn’t even know the existence of these protests. Robert Gibbs responded that their Administration passed the largest tax cut in history, so the tax day revolt is unnecessary. I am sure all of you out there are feeling that tax burden off your shoulders now, huh? What, you aren’t feeling the free flow of cash in your pockets?
There is clearly no intent from the Obama Administration to be bipartisan. Thus, if Mr. Obama agrees with us we should support him. Otherwise, we and Republicans should fight tooth and nail. Let the Senate try to find 60 votes to pass their spending bills. If Republican RINOs like Arlen Specter continue to defect, then they will suffer the consequences in next year election. We may lose most of these battles, but ultimately we must fight for the establishment of a new conservative Republican Party somewhere and at some time; it might as well start here and now.
Folks.
The lack of network coverage, except FOX of course should tell one that the networks are feeding Americans a news diet of what they believe the population needs to hear, not the true sentiment.
Obama, left as he is, will, without attaching himself to it of course, eliminate any opinion that opposes his agenda. This is the only way that such an agenda can be put through to the people. It has to be broadcast many times, from many different viewpoints, without an opposing view. This is his goal.
Finally, after many hearings of the same propaganda, this tyranny will make sense to the populous. Because there is apparently no opposition to it. Where have the opponents gone? Well, they have been taken off the air, they may be in shallow graves somewhere. At that point who knows and who will be left to care. He said He would make fundamental change to this country – - – were you not listening when you voted?
I disagree with you. What’s next should be the formation of a new political party. We know we can’t count on any of the politicians currently on office to do the right. In this movement, Republicans and Democrats are one in the same: outsiders. The worst thing we could do would be to allow politicians to ride this wave for their own benefit.
Is it any surprise to any conservative that the networks barely covered this, and when they did, they showed maybe a few hundred people? They are the ones who got BHO elected. They are the ones that did the hit-job on Sara Palin. They are the ones who run infomercials like 20/20 and 60 minutes all coddling to the Messiah, BHO. They couldn’t even get it right. The protests were never about taxation. They are about EXCESSIVE taxation and a wasteful SPENDING spree, just like the original tea party was. They are about the complete and total disregard for the Constitution. Now, I’m apparently on some nazi-DHS list because of this response. I must be a dangerous individual. I can’t stand all this spending. If BHO were actually doing one thing for the love of this country, I would support him as my president. Instead, I guess I’m on a watchlist now, because I disagree with his socialistic ideas for our country.
What needs to happen next is for the tea partiers to articulate more on a solution. The FairTax is that solution. Not a flat tax. The Fair Tax. If you are not fimiliar with the fairtax goto fairtax.org and read up on it. The idea of getting taxed on 23% of every dollar you SPEND,instead of 30%+ of every dollar you make should excite any and everyone, unless you are a politician that depends on the current tax code to play class warfare to get reelected. The FairTax also abolishes the IRS. Simply, the fairtax must be the engineer that drives the tea party train up the ass of politicans and Washington DC.
I attended a small tax protest in Wausau, WI. Although the crowd was not large it was very vocal.It was very anti-government. The speakers were clear in their oppositaion to Obamba’s excessive spending plans. The main topics were taxes and bailouts. Also mentioned was the puzzeling question of why Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Officials have not
been investigated by Congress or the Justice Dept. They bankrupted these companies took huge bonuses and bailout monies the same as AIG.
Ed Abendroth
Wausau, WI
I wouldn’t mind that, but I am being realistic. Look at the failed third parties over the last century or so. It is extremely difficult. I would argue that it is easier to kick out ‘bad’ republicans and take over the party (ala Reagan) then build a new party from the ground up.
What we need to do next is protest the propagandist leftist media before it is too late. The demise of free press in this country and the misinformation and ignorance of the majority (still) of Americans who are not paying attention is the single most important issue facing us at this time. Without free press, no revolution can take place in a nonviolent manner. And what we need–make no mistake–is a revolution. But I would much prefer the Gandhi type.
Here’s one movement to keep an eye on… A bunch of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have quietly built what is deemed by some media outlets as the “fastest growing mainstream political movement in the nation.” In just a few months that are reported to have grown to something like 25,000 members from people of all political stripes. A drop in the bucket, but they are not all fringy and actually make a lot of sense.
Check out the Modern Whig Party.
Interesting…I will check it out.
We are Americans and if we love our Country we must fight for what we love. The fight is not physical but a devotion toward our hard work and our respect for our neighbors. Alot of the politions in our Government do not share this same devotion. They do not consider us their neighbor and they do not love thy neighbor as thy self. They are devoted to greed. Most Americans are angered by this.
Agree totally.
Nothing will change until we can get the term limts set again for congress and the senate. Also take away their ability to give themselves pay raises and bonsus. I feel that all should be required to repost for their positions and at a new pay rate to help out this country. As they are the idiots that make up this crap. Obama is nothing more than a puppet figure in this.
Next steps? Dump all the politicians, yep all of them. Only elect non-lawyers…we need common folk with commonsense. The next candidates need to get in and start eliminating laws and regulations. Leading to chaos? No, rather return us to a country that supports our constitution and John Q Public…not special interests- right or left. Try opening a business? Horrible. Taxes? Way too many. But don’t you like roads and a fire department? Sure, but that’s about all government can do. The government is here only for national defense and infrastructure. Sure we need to be good stewards of the earth but, again, we need to dump the special interest BS. Yes, I’m getting off topic but these guys are only looking out for themselves and their $$$ supporters.
DUMP THEM ALL!
contemplating what we can do next, how about doing a “hit job” on those organizations that advertise on CNN, MSNBC, ABC and all the left wing juvinile reporting media groups. Not only we boycot the products, but we write the companies telling them we are boycotting and why. In addition we also tell these companies we are going to do gras root campains within our own communities to get others to stop using the products.. This will hit the broadcasting groups right in their financial pocket books. The brodcasts depend on the national ratings to be able to charge for their advertising spots.
Thinking back on the stories of what a Super Bowl ad cost, if the left wing stations start loosing those kind of financial support they will either have to change their ways, their broad cast people/attitudes or go out of business.
I don’t think it is a bad idea. If they want to be so biased and unfair as to treat us as american-hating extremists, I am all for a boycott. Let them think whatever they want…but let there be consequences as well.
I agree with Rhonda9080 in that we need to next protest the
biased media. They may attack Fox, but Fox shows both sides even
if they have strong opinions on one side in particular. They don’t
even report on anything they disagree with except to try to mold it
into something it is not to brainwash their viewers. With liberals
controlling ALL the other TV networks, many of the radio stations and
all the major newspapers, there is ZERO journalistic integrity. Journalism
has become a joke and sadly, IT alone will destroy America. Whether it was
Bush or Obama, when people tell you what to think on the news, on talk shows on TV sitcoms -all showing only one side or if representing both, then demonizing the other, that is no longer the country our fathers, and forefathers fought to establish.
Again, Fox is #1 for a good reason, they show both sides, THEN express what they think. They don’t just use puppets to back up what they believe and
have kool aid drinking, non-tax paying, idealists and children watching brainlessly.
When I said:
“They”
don’t even report on anything they disagree with except to try to mold it
into something it is not to brainwash their viewers.
I meant all nearly ALL NON Fox journalists
I have sent this out to the local “Tea Party Organizers” in San Diego a couple of times.The third try is the charmed…Hopefully…..I don’t know about the rest of the cities in the country,but here in San Diego,I’m pretty sure we have topped ourselves,and if we don’t take it to the next level,it will be repetitive,and the movement will just fizzle out.Now that the media (liberal) has shown their true colors…YELLOW….attention: Anderson Cooper,we need to march on these media outlets that have turned their backsides to us.We have made our point,with a couple of trips to the harbor,with our simulated tea-bags…..It’s time for the next step.The Media will not come to us,and when they do,they ridicule,slander,and belittle the individuals in our groups.We must stage MASSIVE protests AT THE STUDIO OFFICES OF THESE MEDIA OUTLETS.All of the alphabet networks,whoever may be guilty of the crap demonstrated by the “Roesgens”,Olbermanns,etc.All of these pissed off,taxpaying,law-abiding patriots,of all colors,and national origins,that we saw across the country,need to MOB the local Network Affiliate Office of their choice,in each city,simultaneously…CNN preferrably,but you get my drift.Make it,so they can’t even get their newsvans out of the parking lot,to cover the story about the rabid dog down the street.They will have no choice,when the party has been moved to THEIR HOUSE,and it WILL BE NOISY…..The truck drivers are doing this in some cities in Europe,Blockading main thoroughfares with their delivery trucks,once every month,to make their point.Let’s git er done!
The “Fair Tax” idea is a big loser. The Democrats in charge will be glad to “compromise” by keeping the same high income tax plus assessing everyone an additional hefty national sales tax.
Pushing the “Fair Tax” is simply a vote for more taxes. Don’t be fooled. Nothing “fair” about that.