Tea Party Movement

2009-10-07T03:11:26Z

LibDem:

Better to be Liberal than a Tea Bagger!!!!!
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The '''Tea Party Movement''' ('''Tea''' being an acronym for '''T'''axed '''E'''nough '''A'''lready) is an ongoing, nationwide movement, locally organized with loose national coordination, of citizens rising up in protest of the [[generational theft]] of public [[tax]] monies, the tremendous extensions of [[United States]] Federal debt and authority, the apparent restructuring of the Federal government with the intent to contravene the system of checks and balances for which the [[United States Constitution]] provides, and the attempt, which some movement leaders say has been in progress for several decades, to sacrifice liberty for permanent dependency.

== Beginnings ==
On January 27, radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh criticized the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]], commenting, "This 'porkulus' bill is designed to repair the Democratic Party's power losses from the 1990s forward, and to cement the party's majority power for decades."<ref>{{cite web|last=Limbaugh |first=Rush |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123318906638926749.html |title=Rush Limbaugh: My Bipartisan Stimulus - WSJ.com |publisher=Online.wsj.com |date=2009-01-29 |accessdate=2009-04-19}}</ref>

On February 10, a [[Cape Coral]] woman named Mary Rakovich led a small protest outside President Barack Obama's townhall meeting in [[Fort Myers, Florida]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news-press.com/article/20090211/OBAMA/90210068 |title=Those outside Harborside in Fort Myers had plenty to see, say |publisher=The News-Press|date=2009-02-11 |accessdate=2009-04-26}}</ref> Then in late March of 2009, faced with the prospect of heavy fines from the city for not having the proper permitting or insurance, Mary Rakovich moved forward with future protests but with the backing of national organization ''[[Freedom Works]]''. Rakovich said ''Freedom Works'' will provide the insurance per the city's rules.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com/page/content.detail/id/504707.html?nav=5011 |title=Tea party finds new life, broadens cause |publisher=cape-coral-daily-breeze.com|date=2009-03-31 |accessdate=2009-03-31}}</ref>

The first anti-spending protest, organized by Liberty Belle, occurred in [[Seattle, Washington]] on February 16, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|author=Derek Erwin|url=http://derekerwin.blogspot.com/2009/04/dozen-ring-liberty-belles-sound-800.html |title=A 'Dozen' Ring Liberty Belle's Sound, 800 Cities Ring-Back |date=2009-02-16 |accessdate=2009-04-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Michelle Malkin |first=Glenn Reynolds |url=http://www.pjtv.com/video/Pajamas_TV/Tea_Party_Protests%3A_Mesa%2C_Seattle%2C_Denver_%28Michelle_Malkin_and_Glenn_Reynolds%29/1406/|title=Tea Party Protests: Mesa, Seattle, Denver |publisher=PJTV|date=2009-02-16 |accessdate=2009-02-16}}</ref> Another protest was held the following day, held in [[Denver]] on February 17,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedenverchannel.com/politics/18732002/detail.html |title=President Signs Massive Stimulus In Denver |date=2009-03-17 |accessdate=2009-04-02}}</ref> and a protest in [[Mesa, Arizona]] on February 18 brought 500 protesters.<ref>{{cite web|author=Gary Grado, Sonu Munshi, Hayley Ringle|url=http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/135640/ |title=More than 500 protest Obama's arrival |date=2009-02-18 |accessdate=2009-04-02}}</ref>

===Shout Heard 'Round the World===
The Tea Party Movement gained support when on February 19, on live [[Television|TV]], [[CNBC]] reporter [[Rick Santelli]] argued about the bailouts and shouted, "The government is promoting bad behavior."<ref>[http://freedomeden.blogspot.com/2009/02/rick-santelli-tea-party.html Transcript of Rick Santelli's speech], February 19, 2009</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Santelli |first=Rick |url=http://www.cnbc.com/id/29283701|title=Rick Santelli's Shout Heard 'Round the World |publisher=CNBC|date=2009-02-19 |accessdate=2009-02-22}}</ref> Standing in the middle of the [[Chicago Stock Exchange]], Santelli declared that America needed "a new kind of tea party," so that citizens can express their discontent with "the government's support of fiscal irresponsibility".<ref>{{cite web|last=Rubin |first=Jennifer |url=http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/mr-president-turn-back-while-theres-still-time/|title=Mr. President: Turn Back While There’s Still Time |publisher=Pajamas Media|date=2009-02-19 |accessdate=2009-02-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Drudge |first=Matt |url=http://www.streetinsider.com/Insiders+Blog/Rick+Santelli+-+The+Rant+Heard+Round+the+World/4419854.html|title=Rick Santelli - The Rant Heard 'Round the World' |publisher=streetinsider.com|date=2009-02-19 |accessdate=2009-02-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Roesgen |first=Andy |url=http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/TeaParty|title=Protestors Gather for Self-Styled Tea Party |publisher=myfoxchicago.com|date=2009-02-27 |accessdate=2009-02-27}}</ref> With the help of ''[[DontGo]]'', ''[[Top Conservatives on Twitter]]'' (TCOT), ''[[Smart Girl Politics]]'' (SGP), ''The American Spectator'', ''Americans for Tax Reform'', ''Freedom Works'', and ''The Heartland Institute'', the Chicago Tea Parties were scheduled to happen nationwide on February 27, 2009.<ref>[http://www.dontgomovement.com/blog/2009/02/23/the-chicago-tea-party-is-on/ The Chicago Tea Party is on!], February 23, 2009</ref>

===February 27th Tea Parties===
Americans across the country gathered in 50 cities to protest the newly-passed Stimulus Bill of 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcotreport.com/Talking_Points.htm|title=Talking Points and Theme for the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party |publisher=TCOTReport.com|date=2009-02-24 |accessdate=2009-02-24}}</ref> Over 30,000 people made it to this event.<ref>{{cite web|last=Christoph |first=Teri |url=http://smartgirlpolitics.ning.com/video/video/show?id=2488056%3AVideo%3A24070&|title=SGP.TeaParty |publisher=Smart Girl Politics|date=2009-02-27 |accessdate=2009-03-03}}</ref> Many at the event were upset over the economic stimulus packages and bailouts for [[Wall Street]] pushed through by both [[George W. Bush|President Bush]] and President Obama's administrations.<ref>[http://www.raleigh3.com/default.asp?sdetail=1849&sc=2724 Raleigh Holds 'Tea Party' To Protest Government], ''Raleigh Telegram'', March 25, 2009</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Roesgen |first=Andy |url=http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/TeaParty|title=Protestors Gather for Self-Styled Tea Party |publisher=myfoxchicago.com|date=2009-02-27 |accessdate=2009-02-27}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! Location !! Sponsors<ref>[http://www.pjtv.com/?cmd=page&page-id=68 Schedule of American Tea party Protests (with Sponsors)], February 27, 2009</ref> !! Details
|-
| [[Atlanta, Georgia]] || TCOT, SGP, Don'tGo || A reported 300 to 400 protesters gathered outside the Georgia Capitol in protest of a $787 billion recovery bill.<ref name="georgia">{{cite web|url=http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/02/27/budget-debate-launches-new-tea-party/ |title=Budget debate launches new tea party |date=2009-02-27 |accessdate=2009-02-27}}</ref><ref>[http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/71521/ Tea Party from Atlanta], February 17, 2009</ref>
|-
| [[Chicago, Illinois]] || Don'tGo<ref>[http://www.dontgomovement.com/blog/2009/02/19/chicago-tea-party/ Don'tGo Movement: Pledge to Have a Representation at Chicago Tea Party], February 19, 2009</ref> || Approximately 300 people braved the 25 degree cold and wind in Chicago.<ref name="illinios">{{cite web|url=http://www.foundingbloggers.com/wordpress/2009/02/breaking-chicago-tea-party-pictures/ |title=BREAKING - Chicago Tea Party (Pictures) UPDATED Now With Video! |accessdate=2009-02-27}}</ref><ref>[http://www.dontgomovement.com/blog/2009/02/27/the-birth-of-a-new-revolution/ The Birth of a New Revolution], February 27, 2009</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Roesgen |first=Andy |url=http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/TeaParty|title=Protestors Gather for Self-Styled Tea Party |publisher=myfoxchicago.com|date=2009-02-27 |accessdate=2009-02-27}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas]] || Americans for Prosperity,<ref>[http://www.redcounty.com/texas/2009/02/the-tea-parties-were-successfu/ The Tea Parties were successful - here's the proof], February 23, 2009</ref> TCOT, SGP, Don'tGo, Dallas County Young Republicans || A "Texas-sized Tea Party" of 300 or more Texans met in Fort Worth, protesting big government and taxes.<ref name="fortworth">{{cite web|url=http://txtcot.ning.com/video/tea-party-09-made-the-world |title=Tea Party '09 made the world news |date=2009-02-27 |accessdate=2009-03-19}}</ref> One sponsor, TCOT, collected over 800 signatures during the event.<ref>[http://txtcot.ning.com/profiles/blogs/tea-party-09 Tea Party '09], February 28, 2009</ref>
|-
| [[Denver, Colorado]] || TCOT, SGP, Don'tGo || At the East Capitol Steps, 100 "[[Atlas Shrugged]]" fans braved cold temperatures for a "Nationwide Chicago Tea Party" to protest the Obama Administration's bailout plan.<ref name="dcolorado1">[http://coloradoindependent.com/23026/ayn-rand-stars-at-denver-stimulus-tea-party-protest Ayn Rand stars at Denver stimulus ‘tea party’ protest], February 28, 2009, [[Colorado Independent]]</ref><ref name="dcolorado2">[http://colorado.newsplatoon.com/2009/02/24/denver-tea-party/ Denver Tea Party], February 24, 2009, [[colorado]]</ref>
|-
| [[Houston, Texas]] || TBD || Large groups, not entirely made up of Republicans, tried to create a modern day version of the Boston Tea Party.<ref>[http://houstontps.org/?page_id=163 Houston Tea Party Society, In the News, Audio, Video], February 27, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.khou.com/video/topstories-index.html?nvid=352345&shu=1 Houston's Tax Day tea party], February 27, 2009</ref>
|-
| [[Washington, D.C.]] || Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Tax Reform, Young Conservatives Coalition, The Heartland Institute || The American Tea Party made some noise outside the White House.<ref name="dc_examiner">[http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/New-American-Tea-Party-40442172.html DC Tea Party thrown at the White House], [[The Washington Examiner|Washington Examiner]] February 27, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.freedomworks.org/petition/iamwithrick/index.html 2009 Taxpayer Tea party], February 28, 2009</ref> Several hundred taxpayers showed up at the DC Tea Party protest in Lafayette Park,<ref name="michellemalkin">[http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/27/scenes-from-the-tea-party/ Scenes from the D.C. Tea Party], February 27, 2009, [[Michelle Malkin]]</ref><ref name="dcfreedomworks">[http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/bstein80/video-from-the-dc-tea-party Video from the DC Tea Party], February 28, 2009, [[Freedom Works]]</ref> including "[[Joe the Plumber]]".<ref name="hotair">[http://hotair.com/archives/2009/02/27/joe-the-plumber-at-dc-tea-party-no-one-on-the-hill-gives-a-rip-about-you/ Joe the Plumber at D.C. Tea Party: No one on the Hill gives a rip about you], February 27, 2009, [[Hot Air]]</ref>
|}

== Schedule ==
[[Image:Headnew.jpg|right|380px|right|Tax Day Tea Party poster]]
=== Tax Day ===
: ''Main Article: [[Tax Day Tea Party]]''

As mentioned, the [[Tax Day Tea Party|Tax Day Tea Parties]] were the first such events. The many organizations that formed in the wake of Rick Santelli's impromptu announcement made little or no effort to coordinate their planning, beyond all choosing April 15 as their target protest date, on account of its obvious association with the payment of taxes.

The event organizers made every effort to ensure the continuation of their movement, by registering attendees for mailing lists and also offering merchandise for sale. They made ''no'' effort to exclude any particular participants on account of race, color, creed, or political party affiliation. All participants expressed a shared outrage at the level of taxation and at the contempt that they felt that not only the President but also most members of [[United States Congress|Congress]], regardless of political party, appeared to be displaying for the Constitution.

=== Independence Day ===
: ''Main Article: [[Independence Day Tea Party]]''

These same organizations decided to repeat their performance on [[Independence Day]] (July 4, 2009). Even more persons attended; the largest such rally was held on the grounds of the Southfork Ranch (scene of the [[television]] series ''[[Dallas (television)|Dallas]]''), in [[Plano]], [[Texas]], which drew 37,000 attendees. The themes that organizers and participants sounded at these events were much the same as were those at the Tax Day events: advocacy of limited government, decrying of high levels of taxation, and refusal to countenance plans for [[socialism]] and especially socialized [[medicine]].

=== Labor Day ===
Several organizations also organized Tea Parties on [[Labor Day]], once again sounding the same limited-government, low-tax, and anti-socialistic themes. Those organizations that did not plan such events often referred people to those that did.

=== September 12 March on Washington ===
: ''Main Article: [[September 12 March on Washington]]''

[[File:Gadsden_snake.jpg|250px|right]]By far the largest single event thus far has been the September 12 March on [[Washington, DC]]. This was an event organized initially by the [[FreedomWorks Foundation]], but nearly all Tea Party organizations decided to participate in this event, primarily by chartering buses and registering people for transportation to Washington. FreedomWorks estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 persons attended, and base that estimate on the number of persons who responded when their Master of Ceremonies asked all attendees within earshot to send the text message "Freedom" to a designated five-digit telephone number. However, the [[London]] ''Daily Mail'' estimates attendance at as many as a million persons, on the basis of eyewitness accounts and aerial-photographic evidence.<ref name=dailymail>Gardner D, "[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1213056/Up-million-march-US-Capitol-protest-Obamas-spending-tea-party-demonstration.html A million march to US Capitol to protest against 'Obama the socialist']," ''The London Daily Mail'', September 14, 2009. Accessed September 16, 2009.</ref> Estimates of total attendance are difficult to obtain, primarily because the size of the crowd far exceeded the estimates by the event planners, with the result that many attendees were never able to get within earshot of the stage or even the sound system, and the temporary sanitary facilities were hopelessly jammed, with fifty persons standing in line to use each portable "necessary."

== Themes ==
The Tea Party Movement began with a protest against two aspects of current public policy:

# Excessive taxation
# Special privilege

Rick Santelli specifically cited the mortgage bailout policies of early 2009 as a prize example of the government doing special favors for certain classes of voters, in return for their continued support, and also of the "moral hazard" in which such policies inevitably place anyone who "buys on time," i.e., buys any sort of asset, from a home appliance to a parcel of [[real estate]], using borrowed money.

As the movement has progressed, it has begun to sound broader themes, which one may best summarize as:

# Self-responsibility
# Self-autonomy
# Limited government
# A requirement that government live within its own means, just as individuals must live within theirs
# Capitalism
# Freedom of all varieties of production and trade
# Respect for the [[United States Constitution]]

== Characteristics ==
=== Autonomy of local organizers ===
Most organization of Tea Parties and similar events is local. Typical of the movement is the Morristown Tea Party Organization ([[Morristown]], [[New Jersey]]), which has a five-member board of trustees and about fifty dedicated volunteers who handle operations, communication, and logistics without assistance or direction from any regional or other organization. State-wide co-ordinating bodies do exist (for example, New Jersey Tea Parties United), but local organizations are responsible for most of their activities, fund-raising, and legal functioning. In this regard, the Tea Party Movement is similar to the [[Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America]], which never seeks to dictate to individual churches how they must conduct their affairs.

=== Individual comportment and deportment ===
Event participants, and especially event planners, are urged to comport themselves in a manner respectful of the rights and feelings of others. Organizational leaders consciously endeavor to distinguish their movement from many [[liberal]] protest movements, which often characterize themselves by rude behavior, [[vandalism]], and even physical assaults against their opponents. Any person who persistently suggests that Tea Party Movement participants engage in activities remotely similar to this may usually consider themselves excluded, and in some cases organizers have summoned law-enforcement authorities to deal with provocative behavior by attendees at planning and other meetings.

=== Symbols ===
[[File:Gadsden_flag.png|200px|right]]By far the most prominent symbol at Tea Parties today is the [[Rattlesnake (American symbol)|Gadsden Rattlesnake Flag]].<ref>''Heraldric'': Or a rattlesnake sable and or coiled as to strike, facing sinister, on a bed of grass vert; motto "Don't Tread On Me"</ref> The ''[[American historical flags|Come And Take It]]'' Flag has also appeared, most notably at the [[September 12 March on Washington]].

Aside from this, Tea Party participants almost always use home-made and home-decorated signs and other artifacts, in sharp contrast to the uniform, professionally printed signs carried at [[liberal]] demonstrations. Some of the signs that have been seen and photographed at these events have provoked cries of outrage from Tea Party Movement opponents, alleging bad taste, e.g. a picture of Barack Obama with the square mustache affected by [[Adolf Hitler]] and bearing the caption "I've Changed," and a sign bearing the message "Bury ObamaCare with [[Edward M. Kennedy|Kennedy]]." But most of the signs bear lampoons of the most highly publicized Obama Administration policies, from "Czars" to socialized medicine. Nor is Barack Obama the only target of criticism; the [[Mainstream Media]] also receive a share of criticism, both for their failings in their coverage of the Tea Party Movement and what most participants regard as a collective decision by Mainstream Media organs to function as ''de facto'' government and/or [[Democratic Party]] organs rather than the objective and disinterested commentators on events that they pretend to be.

== News coverage ==
=== Mainstream media ===
[[File:MSMbyTEA.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Attitude of Tea Party Movement participants toward four MSM outlets]]
Coverage by the [[Mainstream Media]] of the Tea Party events has been noticeably lacking, both in quantity and in quality. The three traditional broadcast networks ([[ABC]], [[CBS]], [[NBC]]) have attempted repeatedly to discredit these events as corporate-sponsored or sponsored by the [[Republican Party]] and other conservative or reactionary groups.<ref name=baker>Baker B, "[http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-baker/2009/04/16/abc-cbs-nbc-try-discredit-tea-party-protests ABC, CBS and NBC Try to Discredit 'Tea Party' Protests]," ''NewsBusters'', 16 April 2009. Accessed September 16, 2009. Baker does a side-by-side comparison of coverage of the Tax Day Tea Parties and of several pro-immigration rallies held on 1 May 2006.</ref> Furthermore, several news anchors working for [[CNN]] and [[MSNBC]] coined the phrase "tea-baggers," a term that has an off-color connotation, to refer to Tea Party Movement leaders and participants.

In fact, Tea Party organizers are ''not'' affiliated with the Republican Party, nor do they accept any funding or especially any advice, let alone orders, from the Republican Party, the United States Chamber of Commerce, or any industry trade association or similar group.<ref name=personal>Personal voucher by [[User:TerryH]], who is a member of the Morristown Tea Party Organization, Morristown, New Jersey. <http://themorristownteaparty.org/></ref>

=== Alternative media ===
By far the most industrious news organ that has covered the Tea Party Movement since its inception has not been CNBC Business News, but [[Fox News Channel]], and especially its commentators [[Neil Cavuto]] and [[Glenn Beck]]. As the movement has progressed, participants have returned the favor by singling out Fox News Channel as one of the few outlets that they can trust.

==See Also==
* [[Tax Day Tea Party]]
* [[Independence Day Tea Party]]
* [[9/12 March on Washington D.C.]]
* [[Boston Tea Party]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Taxation]]
[[Category:Obama Presidency]]

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Tea Party Movement