Friday, February 27, 2009

The Tea Parties Have Begun

***UP DATE ***

Provocateur Jim says he arrived late at the party in Oklahoma City. He has a picture of the event.

Not a bad crowd for such short notice…not to mention that it’s freaking freezing February.



Gateway Pundit has his report, too:

1,500 protesters braved the cold (in the 30’s) and wind today at the St. Louis Arch for the anti-Spendulus rally.

The local television predicted 100 protesters would show up. Despite the cold and the timing (11:00 AM on Friday) the turn out was respectable.

As usual, he has great pictures.


Moving on to Denver, Slapstick says:

A raucous crowd gathered on a chilly Friday morning, and had a clear message for President Barack Obama…

The Gadsden Society will be holding a non-partisan, pro-liberty rally on Sunday on the west steps of the state capitol at 2pm.

My favorite sign at this rally: “IF YOU CAN’T DEFEND IT, DON’T SPEND IT”.


Michelle Malkin has a good cross-section of the party pictures, plus links.

Tea Party photo album: Fiscal responsibility is the new counterculture

She says:

I’ve got tons of photos and e-mails pouring in from Tea Party people across the country. I joked to a Christian Science Monitor reporter covering the events that fiscal responsibility is the new counterculture. More coverage/photos/livestreaming at TCOT Report.

There is, as the old ‘60s song goes, something happening here. And what it is, is very clear: A grass-roots revolt against the culture of entitlement. The spendzillas in Washington do not speak for us.

So far, she has pictures from:

San Diego CA
North Carolina
Nashville TN
Portland OR
Lansing MI
Cleveland OH
Houston TX
Austin TX
Atlanta GA
Washington DC
Tampa FL
Chicago IL
Hartford CT

I’ll look around for a blog that is managing to find every city. I know there’s one out there.


Rick Santelli’s rant earlier this week on the “stimulus” package has gone viral and is spreading.

It might never have happened had not the President’s press secretary felt compelled to make fun of Mr. Santelli’s impromptu speech during the press conference the next day.

This administration is proving to be quite thin-skinned. Instead of ignoring their critics, the Obama people seem compelled to attempt to bring them down with ridicule. This is not the first time they’ve become upset by media criticism. Just imagine how ballistic they’ll be when -- or if -- the national media ever starts chewing on this for real. So far, the “journalists” who sit in the White House press room are lap dogs. Obviously, they won’t risk being put out in the cold for any confrontational questions.

But there’s a large section of the U.S. media who don’t have to worry about access to the press section, so we’re going to be hearing from more people like Santelli.

First, look at Mr. Santelli’s rant from the “pit” of the trading floor. Notice when he suggests that Americans who are angry about the pork-larded “stimulus” bill ought to have another tea party.


The list below the fold of regional tea parties is from The Northshore Journal. Of all those I’ve checked it seems the most comprehensive. If you click the link, you can see the sponsors for each area. Some of these events are today, and some are tomorrow. As time goes on today, it’s my guess that the list will continue to grow.

It is also likely to generate further tea parties in the future, as the weather grows warmer and people have more time to plan larger events.

One hopes that the President's press secretary will ignore the brouhaha this time. If he doesn't, it will indicate an inability to learn from his mistakes. Not a good sign for Obama's grand strategy.
- - - - - - - - -
Northeast

* Boston - Friday, February 27, 2009 noon, The Barking Crab Restaurant, 88 Sleeper Street, Boston
* Hartford, CT - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm, State Capitol
* New York City - Saturday, February 28, 2009, 2:00pm - 3:00pm, City Hall Park, New York
* Philadelphia - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm, Independence Hall
* Washington D.C. - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 2:00pm White House on the Lafayette Square Park side
* Pittsburgh - ***May be postponed due to rain *** Friday, February 27, 2009 12 pm - 1 pm, Market Square

Southeast

* Atlanta - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm at the Georgia State Capitol Building ~ Downtown Atlanta Washington Street Exit
* Fayetteville - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm, Liberty Point Resolves Marker, downtown Fayetteville, Hay Street

* Asheville, NC - Friday, February 27 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, Pritchard Park, Corner of Haywood St. and Patton Ave.
* Columbia, SC - TBD
* Greenville, SC - Friday, February 27, 2009 6:00pm, on the banks of the Reedy River and on the walking bridge just west of Main Street
* Orlando - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm on Lake Eola across from Panera Bread
* Tampa - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm, Federal Courthouse, 801 N. Florida Ave., Tampa
* Gainesville FL - Friday, February 27, 2009 2:00pm - 6:00pm, Ale House, 3950 SW Archer Rd
* Fort Meyers Beach - Friday, February 27, 2009 11:30am - 1:00pm Bowditch Park, 50 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach
* Sarasota - Friday, February 27, 2009, 12:00pm - 1:00pm, Island Park and Marina Jacks, Bayfront Drive (41) and Ringling Blvd, Sarasota
* Nashville - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm Legislative Plaza
* Shelby County Alabama - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm, entrance to Eagle Point Neighborhood, Highway 280
* Jackson, Miss - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:30pm, On the steps of the Capital Building in Jackson

Midwest

* Cleveland - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm Public Square in Downtown Cleveland, 1 Public Square
* Chicago - Friday, February 27, 2009 11:00am - 12:20pm at
Daley Plaza Civic Center, 50 W Washington St.
* Lansing, MI - Friday, February 27, 2009 12:00pm - 1:00pm, State Capitol bldg
* St. Louis - Friday, February 27, 2009 11:00am - 12:00pm The Steps of Arch, Wharf Street
* Springfield, MO - Friday, February 27, 2009, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm, Lake Springfield Park
* Kansas City - Saturday, February 28, 2009 10:00am - 2:00pm J.C. Nichols Foundation, 47th and J.C. Nichols Parkway K.C. MO
* Wichita, Kansas - Friday, February 27, 2009, 11:30am - 12:30pm, Farm Credit Bank Building, 245 N. Waco
* Omaha - Friday, February 27, 2009, 11:00am - 12:00pm, Douglas County Courthouse, 16th and Farnam St, Omaha
* Davenport, Iowa - Saturday, February 28, 2009, 12:00pm - 1 pm, Corner of Brady & Locust Streets, Davenport

Southwest

* Austin - Friday, February 27, 2009, 11:00am - 12 pm, Capitol steps
* Dallas - Friday, February 27, 2009, 11:00am - 12 pm, Victory Plaza at the American Airlines Center
* Fort Worth - Friday, February 27, 2009 3pm to 7pm at the Cowtown Bar & Grill, 7108 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth
* Houston - Friday, February 27, 2009 11:00am - 2:00pm, Fondren Green at Discovery Green Park, in front of Amphitheatre
* San Antonio - Friday, February 27, 2009, 11:00am - 12 pm, Alamo Plaza
* Oklahoma City - Friday, February 27, 2009, 11:00am - 12:00pm, State Capitol Steps, Oklahoma City
* Tulsa - Friday, February 27, 2009 11 am to 1 pm, Veteran’s Park, 21st & Boulder
* Phoenix - Friday, February 27, 2009, 10:00am - 11:00am, State Capitol, 1700 W Washington St, Phoenix
* Tempe AZ - Friday, February 27, 2009 noon, Tempe Beach Park, west of the Mill Avenue Bridge
Rockies
* Denver - Friday, February 27, 2009 10:00am - 12:00pm Colorado State Capitol Building - West side steps 200 E. Colfax Ave.

West Coast

* Seattle - Friday, February 27, 2009, 12:15pm - 1:15pm, Westlake Park, 410 Pine St. by the big arch
* Portland - Friday, February 27, 2009 9:00am - 10:00am Pioneer Courthouse Square @ the corner of Broadway & Morrison (in front of the STARBUCKS), 715 SW Morrison St
* San Diego - Friday, February 27, 2009 9-10 am, Just north of the Star of India on San Diego Bay
* Sacramento CA - Friday, February 27, 12 Noon, California State Capitol, North Steps, L Street, Sacramento
* Los Angeles - Friday, February 27, 2009, 9:00am - 10:00am, Santa Monica Pier
* Orange County - Friday, February 27, 2009, 9:00am - 10:00am, Huntington Beach Pier

17 comments:

SIR_SER said...

Now this is the change I was looking for and the hope to fill my soul.
I am dreaming of something "velvet" here(czech it out)or even dracula`s action on `89.Ever wonder how will they react to learn that the people who elect them want respect and representation?!I want Santelli to testify in Congress, because he is the one who represents us today.
Change is coming to America...

. said...

Yeah, let's let all those deadbeat mortgage holders go under.

And then let's put their homes onto a glutted housing market.

And then let's see the housing market go down another 20-30%.

And then let's see a bunch more people deciding to walk away from their mortgages because they're suddenly (or further) "under water."

And then let's begin the whole cycle again.

Santelli wants to organize a tea party because he has some excess cash around and wants to buy up entire Chicago condo buildings at pennies on the dollar and make out like a bandit.

So he can live like a king and the rest of us can beg for his crumbs.

And the suckers at Gates of Vienna and elsewhere are lapping up the act.

. said...

Oh, and I forgot. Let's let the banks and credit companies holding the mortgages go under as they pile more and more houses onto the glutted market, getting hosed on their investments.

And then let's abolish the FDIC, which is nothing but more socialism taking the healthy risk out of our lives (the risk of putting your money into a savings account with a bank that's hiding the ball and is about to go under).

Whoop whoop!

Dymphna said...

Fomer Gordon--

Good to see you.

And multiple comments, too!

My heavens, you might turn into a "current" instead of a "former"...that would make you a real live wire, hey?

Jason Pappas said...

If we had a national law that enabled mortgage lenders to seize and sell homes that are 90 days delinquent, we would have been through the housing crisis by now. A swift liquidation of mal-investment would have minimized the damage to the housing market, as most home owners would have held out during the short fire sale. It’s the prolonged liquidation that is killing the market, destroying investments, prolonging economic misery, and adding to the total integrated number of defaults.

SIR_SER said...

Formerly Known Gordon`s rant feels and sounds like Obama defending the stimulus package...We are writing to each other here.There is nobody who can hear you...Give Santelli the minimum credit he deserves for voicing our disgust and disaproval.
It`s THEM - not me, you, or Santelli

SIR_SER said...

Here are some lines from my precious book:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government....

spackle said...

I say the "Tea Party" would be a great name for a NEW party. "The Tea party party". Or "The Tea's" for short.

Joanne said...

......Gordon....they can go back to renting. They probably have little or no equity in their houses, so they've probably been paying, in essence, low rent/mortgage payments until this point. Housing prices going down? Welcome to life. Because banks in America were forced to give mortgages to those who could not afford them, it has caused a negative ripple effect throughout the globe. It is unfortunate the democrats won't take credit for creating this problem but continue to push all the blame on the republicans - disgusting cowards and liars, the lot of those democrats. The housing bubble has burst; everyone has known and been warned about this bubble for years, and just because so many have been caught with their pants down doesn't mean the rest of the people should bail their sorry backsides out.

filthykafir said...

Why, yes, "Formerly known as..", I suggest we undertake all the proposals you suggest -- and take the medicine the doctor orders for a nasty combination of over-spenditis, and credit-abusitosis, and Multicultural-Mardi-Gras-How-Much-Can-I-Give-You-Today Syndrome. If we do those things and undergo the severe fevers, shakes, and convulsions that were the natural, inevitable, and predictable consequences of our (nearly all our)fiscal stupidity for the past 40 years, we have a chance of complete recovery of rosy health.

As an alternative, we can all applaud the Messiah from Chicaga and attend his short-cut faith-and-hope magical revival service -- and defer the gigantic and unpayable (as in to-be-defaulted-on) bill to my 13-year-old son and his classmates. We'll eat and drink and make Mary or Kathleen or Ashley; they get to starve (literally).

I really think you're onto something, "Formerly Known... ." My hat's off to ya.

CNB said...

I was at the Chicago event, very nice. I've got 164 photos in a slideshow for your political entertainment:
http://tinyurl.com/teaparty022709
Cheers!

Afonso Henriques said...

I know all this is great and stuff BUT, isn't the United States an enormous Country?
Aren't these demonstrations, insignificant?

Because, I have not heard a thing about it here. The only thing I heard about the U.S. in the mass media was a report on Russia Today about a Republican Caucus or something of the sort with a candidate to presidency saying that Americans risk wake up one day and be forced to say: "Wow, where did my country go?".

Anyway, what is the true magnitude of this???

spackle said...

Afonso,

Every movement starts somewhere. Hopefully this will morph into something larger.

Afonso Henriques said...

Of course Spackle, but I just really do not know nothing about it. The MSM did not report it and Gates of Vienna and other blogs gave it a lot of attention.
I whish you the best with these "parties".

Dymphna said...

Tom Mannis--

I looked at some of the pictures on the link. Not all 167, though!

My favorite sign: "We're all serfs now"

Yes, indeed.

Thanks for supplying the photos. After all, Santelli started it in Chicago, didn't he?

I'll be waiting to see what happens as the weather turns warm. The serfs are making their plans even now.

Henrik R Clausen said...

Most interesting things start out small. I expect the idea to resurface over and over whenever goverment does something stupid.

Like banning the use of tea at Tea Parties! I read at one of them that the demonstrators had requested permission to dump a crate of tea into a river. The government (don't remember which stated) turned it down on the grounds that tea would colour the water, which would be considered 'environmental damage'.

Overregulation, anyone? I thought this kind of thing would happen only in Europe...

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