Wednesday, April 8, 2009

TEA Parties Will Accomplish WHAT Exactly??

Thousands of communities across this nation are organizing TEA Party Tax Revolt events for April 15th. These T.E.A. (Taxed Enough Already) parties, being billed as a grassroot movement designed to send a message to the elected officials in Washington, appear to be a recipe for clashes and civil unrest.

Understanding that these TEA party events, which have been internet driven and dubbed "peaceful-protest-rallies", are well organized and part of a nationwide movement to demonstrate middle-class Americans furor against increased spending and the need to stop these bailouts with taxpayer money. But, what will prohibit rabble-rousers, and anti-TEA Party zealots, or just-plain-nut-cases from infiltrating these peaceful events and causing trouble or inciting violence? Just asking.

What? With an unusually high degree of anger in the air because so many have lost jobs, homes, 401k and retirement investments... plus a noticed ratcheting of fury and vitriolic feelings across political, cultural and racial lines since the election of President Barack Obama, I must beg the question: are these 'TEA Parties' really a good idea at this time in history? Is any and everyone invited to join in these 'fed-up-with-government-and-ain't-taking-no-more-rallies", i.e., gang members, young angry whites and Blacks, KKK members, skin-heads?

These suburban organizers need to realize that America is not Mayberry anymore. No, our nation is more reflective of that movie: "New Jack City" these days.

My skepticism lies more in "who is in charge and what is to be accomplished"? And recent articles such as Scott Kraus', of themorningcall.com are not reassuring whatsoever:

"No one's sure how big the movement, fueled by politically conservative bloggers and talk radio hosts, and backed by conservative groups headed by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, really is.

Previous rallies in Orlando, Fla., and Cincinnati have drawn several thousand. Others have been smaller. Organizers say there are 500 rallies scheduled in all 50 states on tax day.

The rumblings of unrest reflect genuine angst among fiscal conservatives who value individual responsibility, abhor government spending and suddenly find themselves completely out of power in Washington, said Harrisburg-based Republican political consultant Charlie Gerow."
Maybe it's my old-age showing... but I hope each city has an advanced security plan in place––just in case.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Vivian what do you suggest people do who are fed up with spending, multi trillion dollar budgets, pork barrell projects, banks bailouts, insurance company bailouts, auto industry bails, etc? If you say vote these people out of office, then I say "get real." These folks either just got elected or they are well financed by the lobbyest who run congress and the White House. If this was a private business I would say stop patronizing the business if you don't like what they are doing. However, we don't have that option with the US Government. If we don't pay our taxes they put us in jail.

I say hold the rallies as long as you can. This new Congress and new President may take away that right since they seem to be on a roll firing company CEOs and legislating employee pay.

You ask what will be accomplished? Ask the people who marched for Civil Rights if you don't know the answer?

You said previous rallies in Orlando and Cincinnati drew thousands. I don't remember reading that they were unruly or violent. Although not my favorite people, KKK members, skin heads and gang members have rights and they are expected to pay taxes too.