We are nine eight days away from the nationwide Tax Day Tea Party protest. Participation is beyond the wildest expectations of any of the grass-roots organizers who helped get this movement started. Just a reminder round-up of all the links you need to find a tea party near you:

Tax Day Tea Party
TCOT Report
DontGoMovement
Smart Girl Politics

Check out the full list of TDTP sponsors and supporting organizations here. Get some Tax Day Tea Party gear here. Track #teaparty tweeters here.

You can watch a Tax Day Tea Party coalition broadcast here.

Map:

Bob Beckel appeared on Fox News this morning to sneer at the nationwide event. He derided tax revolters in Montana, joking that “It was a good thing it wasn’t a vodka party, because I guarantee you they all had guns.” Bigoted Beltway jerk. Beckel also claimed the Tea Parties were “nothing new” and recycled the debunked Playboy website report (deleted from the site) spreading false and illogical rumors that the grass-roots movement is directed from the GOP, national tax groups, and CNBC.

Oh, they wish. The truth is that thousands of people across the country who have never participated in local activism before have driven this phenomenon which started well before Rick Santelli’s now-famous rant. Without the legions of folks who are involved with TCOT Report, DontGoMovement, and Smart Girl Politics, this phenomenon wouldn’t exist. Untold numbers of protesters are as sick of GOP capitulation and Beltway Republican cravenness as they are of Democrat wealth redistributionism. The left-wing conspiracy theorists give Beltway GOP swamp creatures far too much credit. They couldn’t have pulled off hundreds of protests over the past month and hundreds more to come if they tried. There are individual fiscal conservatives in Washington who have carried the torch. But tax protesters have been very vocal that the Republican party establishment is in so many ways a part of the problem, not the solution.

This is every bit as much about Obama as it is about the GOP lemmings who voted for endless bailouts, who demonized their fiscal conservative colleagues who had their heads on straight, and who continue to sponsor and vote for massive government expansions like the $6 billion national service boondoggle.

For the next 9 days, the left-wing blogosphere and left-wing clueless pundits will hammer away with their unreality-based Tea Party smears.

And on the ground, the tax-subsidized and Soros-subsidized troops are going to try and wreak havoc every way they can. Many readers and fellow bloggers have seen signs that ACORN may send in ringers and saboteurs to usurp the anti-tax, anti-reckless spending, anti-bailout message.

It’s already happened once before — at the Denver anti-porkulus rally last month, when the Media Matters/Daily Kos crowd shifted media attention away from the policy message by manufacturing fake outrage about some stunt-puller who showed up with a sign comparing Obama to Hitler that I didn’t see and asked for a picture. The local newspaper, the Rocky Mountain News, took the bait.

The Rocky Mountain News, incidentally, no longer exists. But the Tea Party movement has flourished despite the best efforts of national media outlets to ignore it, belittle it, and debase it.

Another tack: As Beckel signaled, leftists are going to use fear-mongering to paint mainstream taxpayers who believe in the Second Amendment, the Constitution, limited government, low taxes, and fiscal responsibility as fringe wackos. They have already exploited the Binghamton and Pittsburgh shooting sprees for political gain. They have no shame. Be prepared. Confront them with their own rank hypocrisy and unhingedness. Don’t get distracted. And don’t let your local media get away with lazily recycling their smears.

Shockingly, a purportedly conservative website, Culture11, is disseminating yet another Tea Party smear — that the movement is racist:

When Are White People Going To Stop Waiting For A Handout?
By Kris Broughton

They revolt. Secede. Take other people’s property and rename it as their own. Shoot a few folks if they get in the way. Which is how you get British colonies that become the United States of America.

Or, in its most recent incarnation, “We Surround Them”, or these infamous “Tea Parties” that are supposed to be taking place all over the country, a small but determined fragment of America’s white population, along with their favorite token minority self hate monger, Michelle Malkin, have decided that they are tired of their values and their way of life being rejected by the government, and the rest of the public that doesn’t agree with them. They are ready to “take back the country.”

When, oh when are these white people going to stop waiting for somebody to give them something?

Oh well. I guess I’ll be turning on the TV in a few minutes to see yet another privileged group of white men, who insist they they and they alone are entitled to hold the opinions that count on the economy, the government, and the president.

It’s only a matter of time before this bunch starts whining about losing its lack of influence.

Lack of influence? Project much?

I leave you with what Culture11’s Kris Broughton would no doubt call more expressions of “minority self hate mongering” — from Tea Party Anthem singer Lloyd Marcus. When they smear, sing louder. Get a fellow tax revolter to register to vote. Then sign up 10 more. Don’t get mad. Get active. If you sit on the sidelines, they win.

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Four hundred people turned out in Naples Fl this weekend to raise their voices.

Reader Marie e-mails me that Hawaii’s joining in, too: Hilo Hawaii Tea Party – April 15 Kamehameha Statue, Kamehameha Avenue – Hilo Bayfront 4:30 PM-6:00 PM.

Reader Linda e-mail: “The Chicago Young Republicans have organized a truly spectacular event later in the day on April 15th that’s complementary to the earlier Daley Plaza protest. The afternoon protest ends at 2pm on Michigan Avenue, after a march from Daley Plaza through the city to the plaza by the Tribune Building. At 430pm, the Chicago Young Republicans have scheduled an event at Navy Pier, which is a short walk from the Tribune building east to the lake….The Chicago Young Republicans have pulled out all stops to actually recreate the Boston Tea Party on Lake Michigan with the largest tall ship in the country, and a rally at Navy Pier at the Billy Goat Tavern from 430pm – 9pm on April 15th (including an adventure onto Lake Michigan with the Tall Ship, and both a big sendoff for the ship and a cheer for its return to the dock, all replicating the actual Boston Tea Party).”

From reader msb: “Bucks County Pa. Tea Party, Sat. April 18th; See, www.tea4change.com for more information and details!”

Info on the Burleson Tx Tea Party and reported attempts to “shut it down.”

Corrected info from McAllen Tx Tea Party organizers.

Glenn Reynolds interviewed Tea Party organizers here.

College kids organize a UC Merced Tea Party.

And another campus tea party in colonial Willamsburg VA:

William and Mary Students Plan Colonial Area Tea Party

WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia—Residents and students will rally at The College of William and Mary, on April 11 at 1:00 pm, to protest ballooning government spending.

The rally is being planned as part of a nationwide movement of everyday citizens voicing their opposition to out of control spending by the federal government. The event will take place at the Crim Dell Amphitheater on campus at The College of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, the colonial capital of Virginia.

“We need to send a message to our government that people are fed up with excessive spending and programs that jeopardize the American dream. We are tired of the waste.” stated sophomore Amanda Russell.

All area residents are invited to attend the Colonial Area Tea Party at William and Mary on April 11 starting at 1:00 pm. Attendees should bring own signs and posters, and are encouraged to invite their neighbors and friends. This event will be non-partisan and is open to all political persuasions. More information on speakers and itinerary will be released as confirmed.

Still one of my favorite signs from all the Tea Party protests so far — simple, clear, non-partisan, positive, and fundamental:

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Update: Cassy Fiano emails that the Jacksonville FL Tea Party website is up. Go here.

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