Anniversary of a porkulus protest: The roots of the Tea Party movement
A year ago today, Seattle taxpayers organized an unprecedented protest of the pork-stuffed, generational theft stimulus bill that President Obama rammed down America’s throat. Many of the latecomers and opportunists and Beltway politicians who later glommed on to the Tea Party phenomenon don’t remember these early demonstrations. But the activists who turned out in Seattle (and Mesa, Arizona and Denver and Overland Park, Kansas) continue to focus like a laser beam on the core fiscal issues that gave rise to the movement. Remember:
The activist pictured above is Keli (“Liberty Belle”) Carender, one of the foremothers of the Tea Party movement who organized the Seattle protest. I’m reprinting an essay she sent me today commemorating the one-year anniversary of her porkulus protest. It’s an excellent reminder of where, why, and how we got here:
The consent of the governed and the roots of the Tea Party movement
by Keli Carender
Last President’s Day, about two hundred of us gathered at Westlake Park in the middle of deep blue Seattle to protest the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a.k.a. Porkulus, because Washington D.C. wasn’t listening. We had tried to tell President Bush back in 2008 that we didn’t want the Toxic Asset Relief Program (TARP), and he and Congress did not listen. Then, one of the earliest initiatives by our new President, Barack Obama, who as a Senator supported TARP and the bailouts of the banks, was to declare the worse economic crises since the Great Depression and hurry Congress into passing a giant stimulus package.
Remember the nearly 1,100 page version of Porkulus that was passed by both the House and the Senate on Friday, February 13, 2009? The final legislative language was not made publicly available by Congressional leadership until late Thursday night, giving Congressmen, Senators and the public less than 16 hours to read the more than 1,000 pages. Seventy-two pages of amendments had been added the night before the vote. Many Congressmen and Senators publicly admitted they did not have time to read it before voting on it. It was this last, final act of contempt and disrespect for the American people that was the tipping point. After my representative and my two senators, all left-wing ideologues, ignored me, refused to empty their voicemail boxes, sent back form letters, and stopped taking phone calls, I understood what taxation without representation felt like.
Representation requires that members of Congress, at minimum, read the bills. Once they stopped doing this, none of us were represented any longer, and the Tea Party Movement was born. Representative John Conyers, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee famously implied that reading the bills on which members will vote is not necessary. Regarding the healthcare bill Conyers said “I love these members, they get up and say, ‘Read the bill.’ What good is reading the bill if it’s a thousand pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?”
The Tea Party story and imagery comes from our common bond with our forefathers, taking direct action against a government that refused to represent the people, but still taxed them. What you may not know is that we share some other parts of the story with the original Tea Partiers.
The story goes like this: Parliament had passed a variety of taxation laws and then repealed most of them because of the activism of our forefathers, the first community organizers. The King left the Tea Tax in place as a petty warning to the colonists that he still reigned over them and had the power to tax them at his will. But that’s not the full story. The East India Company was failing and needed a bailout. Seriously. They persuaded Parliament that it was in England’s best interest to save the collapsing tea company. So Parliament refunded the normally imposed duties to the East India Company, dramatically decreasing the price of their tea, and gave them a monopoly in the colonies. Parliament kept the Tea Tax in place, but even with the tax, the new lower price of the East India Company’s tea was less than the smuggled tea from Holland. It was the King’s hope that the cheap price would entice the colonists to buy the tea, regardless of the Tea Tax.
However, our forefathers refused to accept this bribe of cheaper tea because it would have been an acknowledgement of Parliament’s right to impose taxes without giving the Colonies a voice. They refused. The governed revoked their consent and later determined, in a written constitution, the type of government they would embrace.
That is what our Tea Party movement is about. The American people are rising up against being governed in such a cynical, self-serving, and dishonest manner as we have witnessed. Everyday Americans have said, “Enough!” to this Congress and to this Administration…or any future politicians who hope to fill those seats of power. Everyday, hard-working Americans have found a common bond in a hunger for government truly based on the limits set out by our social contract, the U.S. Constitution. Too many of our elected officials have come to regard the public purse as their treasure trove from which to reward special interest groups and voting blocs in order to keep getting elected. Under those circumstances, who needs to read the bills?
Americans who are part of the Tea Party Movement do not agree on all issues and this is OK. The Movement is not about immigration, national security, KSM’s trial in New York City, and so on. Though these and other issues are vitally important and have extremely significant places in the realm of public debate, they are a subset of the original contract that we have with our government.
The goal of the Tea Party Movement is to free the American people, their livelihood, their property – physical and intellectual, their time, their wallets, and their families from a federal government that has, under both parties, grown to be a political phagocyte that sees individual liberty and freedom as so much debris in the body politic.
When we are free to earn a living, take care of our families, and be charitable in the manner of our choosing; when we are not regulated to the point of inaction and stagnation; when we are trusted to make our own decisions about the paths of our lives and about where to spend our money; when all of these things come to pass, it means that we will have elected representatives that finally realize that they work for us and so must listen and act responsively. When multi-millionaires like Nancy Pelosi can no longer tax us into oblivion to pay for private use of military transports for their grandchildren, and cannot use our money to pay for Johnny Walker whiskey and Courvoisier cognac, we will have succeeded.
Once we have achieved the goal of electing officials that represent all of the people and not one particular group over another group, i.e. public sector union members over non-unionized citizens, or specific race or ethnic groups over others, further issues will be easier to address. Once we have representatives that stop bribing each other with our money, stop giving kickbacks to friends, stop wasting our money on useless trips and redundancies, and stop taking our hard-earned dollars out for a night on the town, we won’t mind paying the taxes that the Founders knew would be necessary to fund a limited federal government.
This is why this movement is neither Republican or Democrat. These rules apply to all of them. This election cycle will bring out many politicians eager to use the momentum and enthusiasm of the Tea Party Movement to propel them into office. In some places in the country the candidates that Tea Party groups support may be Democrats, in other places they may Republican. I can say that here in Seattle the Democrats are so radically left that Tea Partiers will probably have to choose from those who run under the Republican banner. My state level representatives and senator are all avowed socialists, with one of them actually admitting to being a communist – and they are all Democrats. But there will be parts of the country where the more principled candidate will be a Democrat, and the Tea Partiers are not afraid to go there.
If a party or a candidate would like the support of the Tea Party Movement, they had better believe in our principles of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets. Once in office they must live up to these principles with their votes, and if they don’t, they will lose their job at the next election. It’s really quite simple.
Am I worried about the movement being “co-opted” by other causes and established political parties? No. The facts are that many citizens registered as Republicans and Democrats ARE Tea Partiers. Many others are true Independents.
Others are Libertarians. Those of us in the Movement are observant, smart, and pretty darned discerning.
We are learning better every day how to distinguish the candidates who, given the opportunity, will roll the Taxpayer like a thief in a dark alley from those who, like a few fine elected officials currently serving, embody and live the Tea Party principles.
***
Related: Porkbusters founder and Tea Party forefather Glenn Reynolds reports on grass-roots Tea Party activism and progress beyond the Beltway headlines.
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I was among the 1.7 million in the Districy of Corruption on Sept. 12, 2009. The creativity shown by the individuals making their own signs to broadcast their own issue was astounding.
The sight gave me hope that the Republic may yet be saved.
District, duh. Maybe I should use that preview thingy…….
Oh, and where is the part exactly wher she says Fox News and Rush Limbaugh were the organizers? /(sarc off)
I am linking this to every person who tells that lie.
Guard your tea bags, folks.
As could have easily been predicted, the GOP is trying to co-opt the Tea Party movement.
Hopefully, we have the strength to stand against them.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
OT – but not. Here is a link to what I believe is just one of the many results of the tea party movement.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/15/democratic-sen-bayh-seek-election-year/
Thanks Michelle … a well written and nicely presented case for returning to the principles of the founding fathers …
I was especially glad to see the references to the fact that this is not a “D” or “R” issue and that the Tea Party movement is a true “people” movement …
I am tired of the talking heads on TV always trying to push the idea that it is a Republican group when in fact it is not affiliated with nor aligned to any political party …
Personally I am offended by those that brag of “voting a straight party ticket” .. I have voted for people of various parties over the years … I have always voted for the person and not a party … which is what voters are supposed to do …
The tea party people aren’t organizers or rabble rousers, they are just citizens who see what our politicians are doing to them and their families. This is why no matter what the parties and the pundits try, the people are going to vote the rascals out. Of course the parties are trying to co-opt them, but watch the elections that are happening. The people can’t be co-opted, because they aren’t a top down group. This year is a precursor year leading to a revolution of one form or another in 2012. Just do your part and go vote in your primaries, and your elections for the candidates you believe will do the right thing for you and your family. Leave the spin to b.s. artists on tv.
Looking back at the start of this movement I’ll never forget the comments by various trolls that the movement was tiny, pathetic, insignificant, handful of losers, etc… One year later these “pathetic losers” are sending liberal pols into early retirement, causing massive heartburn for others and teaching Republicans how to heel. How ’bout them tea bags?
Happy Anniversary to Liberty Belle and all of the Michelle Malkin fans who helped to grow the Tea Party movement!
You woke up a sleeping giant (in the nick of time)!
Thank you!
That is true here in central VA too. And we know about other areas like NC and LA. At this point, I believe the Democrat party to be unsalvagable.
As RedPill and myself have been trying to illustrate for a long time, there is no difference between the platforms of the Democrat Party and the Communist Party.
Here is another wonderful example of the tidal wave the Tea Party movement has caused:
Red army galvanizing in our bluest towns
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1232740
If this is happening in Massachusetts, then incumbent liberals should be very afraid!
Keep up the great work fellow Patriots!
Keli Carender re-states her case very well. But I won’t hold my breath waiting for the Tea Party movement to unearth any Demoncraps worthy of our support. She may be right – they may be out there. But I have yet to see one.
Remember when this was first being discussed on these threads? We talked about putting tea bags in envelopes and inundating our Senator’s offices with them. The Tea Party Movement grew from that kind of talk and I am proud to have been part of it!!
JD Hayworth officially kicked off his campaign in the primary against uber-RINO McCain!!
Here’s his website:
http://www.jdforsenate.com/
McCain has already been running several radio ads against him, so JD has some ground to make up. Please help the great state of Arizona elect a tea party supporter and true conservative. Even if you don’t live here, you can still send him a few dollars. Please help!!
Isn’t it amazing how the trolls disappeared?
Nice profile shot of me in the second photo. Of course I got a good laugh from the caption on the last photo in this article.
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2009/02/protesporkulus_package.php
“Liberty Belle” scored a direct hit with that one. She is bright, articulate and a true patriot. I am honored to be part of the same movement as her. Thank you for bringing this to our attention Michele.
I can’t believe it’s been a year! Good times.
Boy howdy, that’s right.
This is an excellent post. But I would say that the roots of the Tea Party movement go back even further… to the “Texas Tea Party” that was held for five weeks on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
(Called by some the “Texas Tea Party” not because of a location in Texas, but rather because “Texas Tea” is a nickname for oil).
Here are some posts from HotAir at the time…
For me personally, the first time I ever travelled to Washington, D.C. to join a protest was not September 12, 2009… It was in August 2008.
Here’s a post I wrote:
Tea Partiers and those who support less government intrusion/regulation/theft from our wallets hopefully are keeping focus on the local statehouse as well as the one in DC.
The essay alludes to it, but much of the press/blogging seems to focus on those sent to Washington, DC as opposed to focusing on both DC and locally.
The local statehouse is just as important. Having a local legislature willing to tell the feds where to go is as important as keeping the feds from going their in the first place.
The media has tried to make the tea party movement into a Republican Party movement to confuse those in the public who don’t pay much attention. The truth is that the tea party movement is driven by independents, disaffected conservatives, and an occasional Democrat who has begun to understand that the nation is at risk from dangerous and overbearing government at all levels.
The coverage (or non-coverage), of that rally in Seattle was appalling. No surprise there.
Now the left likes to say that the tea party (or the “other” disgusting term they like to use), is all white people. Especially after Sarah at NASCAR. Leave it to the left to bring up race once again.
Her use of the term “political phagocyte” sent me scurrying for the dictionary. Then, find out she has a degree in Biology and Math with a minor in Chem, which explains it. Keli knows how to drive home a point – she rocks!!
Thank you Michelle for all you have done on this topic.
GO “Liberty Belle”…great job she does…thank you “Liberty” a true patriot.
Won’t work. The true Teaparty folks are probably more angry at the GOP than the Dems. We expect the Dems to tax and spend – that’s their thing. We expected the GOP to stand for limited government and fiscal responsibility. They betrayed us.
Be immediately skeptical of any politician or group who claim to be a “Teaparty Candidate” or organization, including the clowns in Nashville.
A little common sense goes a long way too. The so-called teaparty candidate for governor in my state turns out to be, at the very least, sympathetic to the “truther” cause. And a couple of states away a real conservative announced his candidacy against a RINO today and yet there is a wall of silence – here, on most blogs, on talk radio. What gives?
This is a fledgling government founding a nation:
Declaration of Independence — less than 1,500 words
U.S. Constitution — less than 5,000 words
This is big government micromanaging a nation:
2009 stimulus bill — in the area of 175,000 words
Senate version of health care bill — almost 400,000 words
Great essay, Keli. Less than 1,500 words. (If I used emoticons, I would insert a smiley face here.)
Here’s your chance to break that wall. What’s his/her name and state?
JD Hayworth in Arizona
Running against John McCain
On February 15th, 2010 at 4:28 pm, CO2 Producer said:
Excellent point.
For those who want to, but don’t know how, see this:
Pat Buchanan recently wrote a good article on the Tea Party. Link Here
I attended the Republican meeting to select our city council candidates. Also attended the local Tea Party meeting. Was interested to see the response of the candidates when asked if they would be interested in discussing their platforms before the Tea Partiers. The TP’s are getting a new respect. It is not a joke anymore to anyone who wants to hold office. It is amazing what a little “community organizing” can do.
I…don’t…use ‘em ‘cuz I…don’t…like ‘em!
Like several other commenters have pointed out, we need to guard against the GOP, Fox News and the MSM in their current attempt to co-opt the narrative and assign a leader (Palin, Armey, Gingrich, etc..) as the leader or spokesman for the Tea Party. I am more anti-Republican than ever yet I will never be a Democrat.
We are winning despite having both parties and all cultural elites at war with us. We must be doing something very right to have them quivering in their boots.
It’s great being us.
Just got back from a tea party in Olympia. We had about 1500-2000 people there. Not bad for a cold, foggy day in February.
They bussed in astroturf, however, to counter us. Green shirted union workers crowded the capital building so we had a hard time trying to meet with our reps to oppose their tax increases and to respect our proposition to impose a 2/3 vote necessary to pass any tax increases. I’m still glad I went, though I couldn’t make it to see my rep.
On February 15th, 2010 at 12:00 pm, b-cat said:
Indeed.
Watch The B-Cast Interview of Dr. John C. Drew as he discusses his impressions of college-aged Barack Obama and their discussions of Marxism and the coming revolution.
Yup …
So much for Palin and Brown being Tea-partiers, eh?
Both are stumping for McCain in the upcoming weeks.
RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
This is fantastic! Hot Air is reporting that Joe the Plumber will not support Sarah Palin if she insists on endorsing and campaigning for McCain.
As someone who mocked Joe the Plumber as a childish “cartoon character” device invented by the McCain campaign, I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to hear him say that. I can now appreciate him as a real person.
Yes, thanks for your concern, troll.
Somehow, Jeanne Garofalo will figure out a way to construe that as racist.
NICE!!
I was not very impressed that Palin spoke at the so called tea party convention either, as soon as I heard that she was a speaker I did not consider it real. Politicians need to keep away. If I was a politician I would watch and listen and keep my distance. Anyone who comes sniffing around hoping to score points may find themselves in a toxic career ending environment. The tea party voice is strong and I want it to stay that way.
I caught the drift today that less than 1/3 of the TARP funds have been spent, ant that these funds were being held back to fund the Democratic Parties 2010 bid. We need to ensure that every penny of the TARP monies are accounted for, and designated for what they were intended for.
The TEA Party Movement is big. And it has people who will invariably weave in and out of the good graces of the majority of those who make up the movement. Palin may certainly learn this if she vigorously stumps for McCain in the Arizona primary. Dick Armey may have stumbled into this last week as he defended McCain. But, I think the movement is too large to be easily co-opted by the GOP. And I believe the movement is sufficiently displeased with the GOP to make such co-opting difficult.
When the TEA Party Movement has a centralized HQ on K Street then you can bet it will have become co-opted. Until then, keep your powder and your tea bags dry! We have a lot of work to do to run the statists out of government and reclaim the Republic.
Tell everyone you know about a Tea Party in your area….encourage them to show up and see for themselves what is really going on. I’ve been to three so far and looking forward to any coming up here. As the weather warms, I believe citizens will form their own groups. And, yes, there are many minorities who attend, regardless of what Keith Obergag says.
Mr. Beck:
You will never guess what I heard on the Jon-David Wells program on my drive home today. J.D. played a clip from an interview you conducted in February 2009 with the Jersey Girls. It was very interesting. It was amazing to hear you say the same things that Debra Medina said to you last week! That’s right, you were saying what she said to you last week! It begs the question why have you now changed your tune? Further why have you taken to slandering Debra Medina because of what she said on your radio show? You espoused the exact same concerns she did?
Why Glenn? Why are you such a staunch supporter of Sarah Palin who is campaigning in Texas for the corrupt RINO Rick Perry? Why did you slander Ms. Medina after saying the same things she said on your show? I think you need to beg Ms. Medina to come back on your show, and you have a lot of explaining to do to her.
Paul Surratt
Glad to see that Keli was again recognized for her role to take the lead in the push back against a government that is determined to push their own agenda and ignore the people.
It is time to stop claiming the tea party is about this, that, or the other thing however. The individual is free to decide for themselves if they are or are not true to our founding principles.
The big picture is made up of many elements- including national security concerns like the KSM trials.
This is another case were the government is ignoring what the people want.
Nobody is going to co-opt the person who understands this fight by any name.
The fight is Government directing the citizens vs citizens directing the government. Our nation was founded on the latter.
Last night the People of Washington State were once again ignored- and those “who know better than the people” decided to ignore the Peoples Initiative 960 giving themselves license to raise taxes by a simple majority to cover their excessive spending habits.
It is time for people to focus on organizing locally to remove the politicians that lack integrity and ignore the limits imposed in our system of government for their delegated power.