Michelle Malkin » Rebel Yell: Taxpayers Revolt Against Gimme-Mania

Rebel Yell: Taxpayers Revolt Against Gimme-Mania

By Michelle Malkin • February 20, 2009 09:01 AM

My syndicated column reports on the growing, grass-roots movement against porkulus/spending binges/the entitlement culture from Seattle to Denver to Mesa, Arizona and beyond. Why aren’t you hearing about it in the MSM? Because it doesn’t fit the victim mentality/government savior narrative. We don’t exist, remember?

Well, more of you non-existent rebels will be gathering in Overland Park, Kansas tomorrow, Saturday, at Rep. Dennis Moore’s office (D-KS) at 10 am. You heard it here first. And it’s on. Reader Amanda Grosserode (now a commenter here – her handle is Huskergirl) got the ball rolling. Talk show host Darla Jaye is on board (more details here) and I hear Kansas Americans for Prosperity is getting involved.

Louder, please!

***

Rebel yell: Taxpayers revolt against gimme-mania
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2009

There’s something in the air. It’s the smell of roasted pork. President Obama heralded the signing of the trillion-dollar “stimulus” bill in Denver and promoted his massive mortgage entitlement expansion in Mesa, Arizona at tightly-controlled campaign events. But outside the Secret Service perimeters, a raucous grass-roots rebellion against Beltway spending binges has caught fire. The new Boston Tea Party is here, baby, and it’s doused in barbecue sauce.

The first revolt took place on President’s Day in Smurf-blue Seattle, where mom-blogger Keli Carender hastily organized a downtown demonstration to oppose what they called the “stimulus rip-off.” A motley band of nearly 100 protesters — moms and their kids, college students, libertarians, taxpayer groups, GOP activists — raised their voices and dined on pulled pork (donated by yours truly). They assailed both the substance of the overstuffed stimulus package and the short-circuited, non-transparent process by which it was passed.

Some wore pig noses. Others waved Old Glory and “Don’t Tread on Me” flags. Their handmade signs read: “Say No to Generational Theft;” “Obama’$ Porkulu$ Wear$ Lip$tick;” and “I don’t want to pay for the SwindleUs! I’m only 10 years old!” The event was peaceful, save for an unhinged city-dweller who showed his tolerance by barging onto the speakers’ stage and giving a Nazi salute.

Carender, a newcomer to political activism, shared advice for other first-timers: “Basically everyone, you just have to do it. Call up your police station or parks department and ask how you can obtain a permit, and then just start advertising. The word will spread. I am only one person, but with a little hard work this protest has become the efforts of a lot of people.”

Why bother? It’s for posterity’s sake. For the historical record. And, hopefully, it will spur others to move from the phones and computers to the streets. For Carender, it’s just the beginning. She gathered all the attendees’ e-mail addresses and will keep up the pressure.

“We need to show that we exist. Second, we need to show support for the Republicans and Democrats that voted against the porkulus. If they think, for one second, that they made a bad choice, we have no chance to fight. Third, it sends a message to Obama and Pelosi that we are awake and we know what’s happening, and we are not going to take it lying down. It is a message saying ‘Expect more opposition because we’re out here.’”

The anti-pork activists turned out in Denver, too. On Tuesday, while President Obama cocooned himself at the city’s Museum of Nature and Science for the stimulus signing, a crowd of nearly 300 gathered on the steps of the Capitol on their lunch hour to flame-broil the spending bill and feast on roasted pig (also donated by yours truly). Jim Pfaff of Colorado’s fiscal conservative citizens’ group Americans for Prosperity condemned the “Ponzi scheme, Madoff style” stimulus and led the crowd in chants of “No more pork!” Free-market think tank head Jon Caldara of the Independence Institute brought oversized checks representing the $30,000 stimulus debt load for American families.

On Wednesday in Mesa, Arizona, local conservative talk station KFYI spearheaded a third large protest to welcome President Obama as he unveiled a $100-$200 billion program to bailout out banks and beleaguered borrowers having trouble paying their mortgages. The entitlement theme played well last week in Florida, where Obama played Santa Claus to enraptured supporters shamelessly seeking government presents. But nearly 500 protesters in Mesa came to reject the savior-based economy with signs mocking gimme-mania.

Their posters jeered: “Give me Pelosi’s Plane;” “Annual Passes to Disneyland;” “Fund Bikini Wax Now;” “Stimulate the Economy: Give me a tummy tuck;” “Free Beer for My Horses.”

And my favorite: “Give me liberty or at least a big screen TV.”

Plans are underway for anti-stimulus-palooza protests in Overland Park, Kansas, Nashville, and New York — home of smug Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer. Schumer’s derisive comment on the Senate floor about the “chattering classes” who oppose reckless spending has not been forgotten or forgiven. The insult spurred central Kentucky talk show host Leland Conway to organize a pork rind drive. Angry taxpayers bombarded the senator’s office with 1,500 bags of cracklins.

Disgraced Democrat Sen. John Edwards was right about one thing: There are two Americas. One America is full of moochers, big and small, corporate and individual, trampling over themselves with their hands out demanding endless bailouts. The other America is full of disgusted, hard-working citizens getting sick of getting played for chumps and punished for practicing personal responsibility.

Now is the time for all good taxpayers to turn the tables on free-lunching countrymen and their enablers in Washington. Community organizing helped propel Barack Obama to the White House. It can work for fiscal conservatism, too.

Posted in: fiscal stimulus

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#629068

On February 20th, 2009 at 4:56 pm, DanGrantTx said:

We ALWAYS appreciate a good pork barbecue in Texas.

Maybe even add in a javelina shot from a helicopter for good measure.
#629095

On February 20th, 2009 at 5:10 pm, Misscheryl said:

Rick Santelli’s Shout Heard ‘Round the World
Topics:Barack Obama | Housing | Economy (U.S.) | Economy (Global)By: CNBC.com | 20 Feb 2009 | 12:07 PM ET Text Size CNBC’s Rick Santelli called for a “Chicago Tea Party” Thursday, leading the charge for calls to revolt against the Obama Administration’s mortgage bailout plan (see video below).

The clip has gone viral on the Internet, bringing with it loads of opinions, both pro and con.
You can share yours here.

And CNBC.com’s The Heat is back for the occasion, asking “Should America Join Santelli’s Tea Party?”

Santelli was back in action Friday (watch the video), and even the White House mentioned him directly in response to questions about the bailout — not once, not twice, but NINE times … and even invited Rick to the White House for coffee. Not tea, mind you.

Watch the original shout heard ’round the world in the following video clip. Then read below what others are saying about it.

Why am I not surprised the White House mentioned this guy 9 times and then invited him to the White House for tea. Obama is the quintessential schmoozer. Whoever wants to meet Obama for tea…raise your hand!
#629103

On February 20th, 2009 at 5:19 pm, granite said:

On February 20th, 2009 at 5:10 pm, Misscheryl said:

…the White House mentioned him directly in response to questions about the bailout — not once, not twice, but NINE times … and even invited Rick to the White House for coffee. Not tea, mind you.

Hmmm…

“If you sup with the devil, use a long spoon,” counseled Machiavelli,….

Link:

http://www.meridianstar.com/editorials/local_story_031235136.html

Somebody somewhere must be able to come up with a corresponding one-liner regarding having coffee (or tea) with B. Hussein Obama.
#629107

On February 20th, 2009 at 5:23 pm, maurelius said:

He’s a very naughty boy! LOL!
#629109

On February 20th, 2009 at 5:25 pm, maurelius said:

There’s no messiah in here, a mess alright, but no messiah! ahahahahahahahahahahaha!
#629208

On February 20th, 2009 at 8:06 pm, Helene said:

I can’t make the rallies, but I am sending postcards and e-mails to the White House.

Address 1600 PA Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Just be respectful.
#629252

On February 20th, 2009 at 9:37 pm, TXGator said:

I’m all for spending money to end prostitution.
Didn’t really need Congress anyway.
#629259

On February 20th, 2009 at 9:55 pm, Mainah said:

http://www.carrollspaper.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=7451&TM=55111.9

ok, so this is just military role-playing, but the timing is a little too coincidental for me.
“Who’s got guns?”

Troops will spend Thursday, April 2, staging at a forward operations base at Carroll. The next day company leaders will conduct reconnaissance and begin patrolling the streets of Arcadia to identify possible locations of the weapons dealer.

The primary phase will be done Saturday, April 4, when convoys will be deployed from Carroll to Arcadia. Pictures of the arms dealer will be shown in Arcadia, and soldiers will go door to door asking if residents have seen the suspect.

Soldiers will knock only at households that have agreed to participate in the drill, Kots noted.

“Once credible intelligence has been gathered,” said Kots, “portions of the town will be road-blocked and more in-depth searches of homes and vehicles will be conducted in accordance with the residents’ wishes.

“One of the techniques we use in today’s political environment is cordon and knock,” Kots explained. “We ask for the head of the household, get permission to search, then have them open doors and cupboards. The homeowner maintains control. We peer over their shoulder, and the soldier uses the homeowner’s body language and position to protect him.”

During this phase of the operation, troops will interact with residents and media while implementing crowd-control measures and possibly treating and evacuating injured persons.

The unit will use a Blackhawk helicopter for overhead command and control, and to simulate medevacs.

The drill will culminate in the apprehension of the suspected arms dealer.

…

…

In addition to surveillance, searching and apprehension, the exercise will also give the troops valuable experience in stability, support, patrol, traffic control, vehicle searches and other skills needed for deployment in an urban environment.
…

“It will be important for us to gain the trust and confidence of the residents of Arcadia,” said Kots. “We will need to identify individuals that are willing to assist us in training by allowing us to search their homes and vehicles and to participate in role-playing.”
#629265

On February 20th, 2009 at 10:22 pm, zorro said:

Great column (again) Michelle. I’m starting to feel our side is making some headway.

The other America is full of disgusted, hard-working citizens getting sick of getting played for chumps and punished for practicing personal responsibility.

Count me as member of this group!
#629271

On February 20th, 2009 at 10:37 pm, jangar said:

I’m Barak Obama, the leader of my people in captivity, the giver of reparations, and I approve this ad.

Oh, and I’m a sock puppet too.
#629272

On February 20th, 2009 at 10:43 pm, jangar said:

Just be respectful

What the heck for? That road is supposed to run both directions. *sigh*

Okay.
#629275

On February 20th, 2009 at 10:55 pm, FireBlogger said:

Here is some irony- Feds, (Obama) is shutting off water to Central California farmers. The net result is a loss of 75,000 jobs and 600,000 acres to go fallow.
All this to protect the “Delta Shrimp” upstream.

Read it here.

75,000 jobs taken from a region with an unemployment rate in double digits already.

Change alright.

The ultimate irony is many of the unemployed will be forced into foreclosure. They will surely get unemployment and a mortgage modification offers.

Wouldn’t it make more sense to take a chance the fish would survive with less water.
#629281

On February 20th, 2009 at 11:07 pm, FireBlogger said:

On February 20th, 2009 at 9:55 pm, Mainah said:

This has to be a joke.
#629327

On February 21st, 2009 at 4:00 am, USpace said:

.
Eventually all this money will get back into the general economy. Money is like water, it doesn’t go away it just changes shape and moves from place to place.

For example, the ACORN people will buy new cars and cloths and pay off their CCs so they can take on more debt. The people getting money for their mortgage will spend their savings on more pork and beer and toys and so on. Obama should should stop talking all gloom and doom, he’s just making it worse and prolonging the bad economy.

Where’s all the hope and possibilities he promised? Change your tune Mr. President. Learn to control the Far Left freaks in your party. Don’t let them ruin you, or you’ll not only be gone in 4 years, you’ll go down as being much, much worse than Bush. And so then according to some of your insane friends on the Left, you’ll have to be considered even more worse than Hitler.

If A=B and B=C then A=C.
.
absurd thought –
God of the Universe loves
Presidents spreading bad news

repeat it every day
just beat the people down

.
communism -
by any other name
is fine by many

.
absurd thought –
God of the Universe says
throw good money after bad

feed failing social programs
keep the poor people poor

.
absurd thought –
God of the Universe says
Obama’s worse than Stalin

and Chavez and Carter
and the Devil combined
.
USpace
.
All real freedom starts with freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech there can be no real freedom.
.
Philosophy of Liberty Cartoon
.
Help STOP Terrorism Today!
.

.
#629909

On February 22nd, 2009 at 3:17 pm, MichaelO said:

PERPs of America Unite! We need to be heard!