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.

The Obamas Open the Way For African Americans

by Princella Smith - Guest blogger; Washington, DC

Bill Cosby portrayed it: an upper middle-class, successfully educated African-American family. Dr. King dreamed of it, spoke of it, and gave his life for it. Slaves and then civil rights activists were jailed, beaten, and died for it: for the day when not only would a person of color be allowed into the White House but would run the White House.

It’s been a long time coming, but the American minority has officially reached the highest American ceiling, and that’s a testament to the maturity of this country.

I say this as someone who disagrees with Obama ideologically. I believe in the notion that less is more when it comes to government. I believe in individual responsibility and ownership. I believe that more funding to schools will not replace the need for school reform and teacher accountability. I believe that people should be allowed to invest in their own individual social security accounts and that any extra money in the account can be left to family members at death. I believe in a comprehensive energy plan that includes drilling for American resources while developing alternative forms of energy. My official trek into politics was jumpstarted by Republicans. I have held true to most of party’s ideals, BUT I AM American enough to see the patriotism in celebrating the history of this moment.

An Obama Presidency doesn’t mean that bigotry is over. For as long as there is diversity in America, there will be prejudice, racism, and ignorance. No longer do we have to wonder: “Is it really true that I can be anything I want to be?” My grandmother says that her first reaction to seeing “President-Elect Barack Obama” on the screen was to remember about 37 years ago when my father was 11 years old. She was waiting with him for my grandfather to arrive from work, and as my grandfather approached them, he had to stop, stoop over, and wipe the dirt from a white man’s shoes before he got into his car. My grandmother took her hand, and turned my then 11 year-old father’s head away so that he would not see his father have to wipe dirt from the white man’s shoes. “That’s what I thought about when I saw ‘President-Elect Barack Obama’ on my television screen,” she said.

The difference today is that African Americans, now more than ever, must follow through on King’s dream. Before Obama’s election, to many, those words were empty because there had been no evidence that America would take a step as huge as electing a person of color to the most powerful position in the entire world, but they did.

And so, my dear African-American brothers and sisters: for each one of you who live in poverty; for each one of you who are surrounded on a vast island of depraved neighborhoods and less than adequate school systems; for each one of you who look for miles but cannot see an example of an educated successful African-American couple with a stable family, just turn on your television, pick up a book, read a magazine, check a newspaper or click on the internet, and realize that THERE IS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT with an African-American wife... occupying the White House.

You don’t have to pattern your life after President-elect and Michelle Obama’s, but Obama’s election is an example of what you can have in life if you work hard, discover your personal abilities, and capitalize on them. Men... pull your pants up, tuck your shirts in, and walk upright. Exercise restraint and sexual responsibility. Do not support entertainment that degrades you, your culture, or black women. Cease use of the “N” word. Saying that it “empowers” you is ignorant and shows your lack of knowledge on the origin of the word’s usage.

No doubt, you will face discrimination in your lives. When people say the phrase: “Well now, they have no excuses”, I want to ask them: “So, you thought this entire time that when minorities—particularly African-Americans—have expressed frustration with discrimination that it was just whining??” Clearly, those people just don’t get it. However, Obama’s election should always serve as a testament to ALL Americans that no matter how much discrimination presents itself as a hurdle in the race of life, you can still get to the finish line in America. We live in a great country.

So, aim. Make your own waves, and aim at the highest goals. Surely one of them, you will achieve.

Princella Smith is a political activist. During the day, she is the Chief Advocate at American Solutions, a non-partisan political organization founded by former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich.

Republican Brand In Tatters...

The aftermath of a grueling 2008 election finds the Republican party in tatters... and teeter-tottering on the edge of the abyss. Not only did Republicans lose key House and Senate seats, but the thumping they received on November 4th, were voters soundly rejecting the broken brand of the Grand Old Party.

The expected finger pointing and blame-game antics are running amuck amongst the party rank and file. Unfortunately, there is very 'little' time for such futile Monday morning quarterback exercises, as the 2010 mid-term elections are literally 'around the corner'. Realizing that reality... the Republican VIPs and party leaders are busy holding meetings across this nation in an effort to re-tool or reinvent their brand... and find the new face of the party. Voters in this election cycle seemed to overwhelmingly repudiate the image of the older White-gray-haired-men's club that the Republican party continues to promote... and are demanding more diversity.

To that end, former Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele, an African American, is being batted around as the potential RNC Chairman. Other names being considered include Vice Presidential nominee and Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, who proved to be quite a fund-raising, base galvanizing force, and also Mrs. Renee Amoore, Pennsylvania State Deputy Chair, a powerful African American woman.

According to Mrs. Amoore, in order for the Republican party to move forward and reconnect with the American people, it first has some deep soul-searching to do, and will need to begin the process by addressing the following questions:

"Who is the real Republican party? Where are we now? Where do go from here and how do we get there? [Renee Amoore, Nov. 12, 2008]

That President-elect Barack Obama and the Democrats were able to syphon off a sizeable number of Evangelical electorates, and quite a large block of the Hispanic/Latino voters during this historic race, is an indication the Republican's message has been muted and is no longer resonating with those groups that have long made up the party's base.

These eye-opening losses which occurred this year should open the door for new party leaders such as Governors Jindal of Louisiana and Sarah Palin, and Jewish American Eric Cantor, a Congressman from Virginia, emerging to the forefront to help shape the party's agenda for the future. If not... then it will be a long drought before Republicans can see any meaningful change in the grim picture being presented today.

The people have spoken. And, it would be wise for those in Red State America to adhere to GOP presidential nominee John McCain's words, as he clearly and appropriately explained this year's massacre during a recent visit to the Jay Leno Show:

"...our party has a lot of work to do. We just got back from the woodshed". [John McCain, Nov 11, 2008]

Hmmm... GOP in Hemorrhage Mode

Say what you will about former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, but when it comes to having a finger on the pulse for modern-day politics... they don't get any better than him.

Talking heads, pundits, and some GOP leaders were highly critical of Mr. Gingrich last week as he warned that the Republican party could witness "decisive losses this November” if they didn't change course immediately. Proving once again that he was "spot-on"... the Republicans lost yet another Congressional seat that had long been an established Republican seat. And this loss is so significant because it happened in north Mississippi.

What? With $1.3 million dollars spent by the national Republican Congressional Committee on negative advertisements on behalf of the GOP contender; endorsements by Mississippi's senior Senator Thad Cochran, and Mississippi's governor and former RNC Chairman Haley Barbour ... plus a drop-in visit to north Mississippi by Vice President Dick Cheney to inspire the party faithful. It is obvious that the Republican message ain't working.

According to Mr. Gingrich, "... the Republican brand has been so badly damaged that if Republicans try to run an anti-Obama, anti-Rev. Wright or, if Sen. Clinton wins, anti-Clinton campaign, they are simply going to fail. This model has already been tested with disastrous results."

Republicans are in hemorrhage mode... and need better find a way to broaden the GOP tent; shape a message that tells the American people "what's good about the Republican candidate as opposed to what's bad about their opponent"; and, lastly... get to raising money, money, and more money––quick!

Newt Gingrich Speaks:

“The Republican loss in the special election for Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District last Saturday should be a sharp wake-up call for Republicans,” Gingrich wrote. “Either congressional Republicans are going to chart a bold course of real change or they are going to suffer decisive losses this November.” (from My Plea to Republicans: It's Time for Real Change to Avoid Real Disaster - Newt Gingrich; http://www.humanevents.com )
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And this warning is from the man who crafted the "Contract With America".