I just got back from the Tea Party Protest over at City Hall (NYC). The Facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=52722302332) has 200+ confirmed guests. I was not in the best location to gauge the turnout, but it seemed like the real number was over 300.
If this movement is going to be successful it must be focused. You will see in the videos later (uploading now) that some of the speakers were seemingly "out there" including one who suggested that Obama was Hitler and going to gas the Jews. I spoke to her later and she said that all she meant was the Obama was not going to help them (the Jews) and is not going to help Israel. Leaving aside the issue in its entirety, the Tea Party is not about Jews or Israel, it is about taxing and wasteful spending.
The opponents of this movement are going to zero in on anyone they can label a "crazy" to discredit the whole movement. Leaders of the various Tea Parties have to do a better job in controlling the message and maintaining the theme. Do not get me wrong, this group did a pretty good job, but there were a few that got through.
I generally really do not like people using kids in protest that are two young to understand what is going on. In this type of protest however, it is important to see who the decisions we make today will ultimately effect.
Update: I am not sure what is going on with the videos, but they are not uploading like they should be. I am still working on it. You should be able to see them as they upload at http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=videos&search_query=bermanpost&search_sort=video_date_uploaded. The first video is a pan shot of the crowed when it was about 1/3 of its size (as it was filling up). The second is the event creator. Each one after that is another speaker from the crowd.
Update 2: The videos are about half way done. I also just wanted to clarify my position on the Tea Parties. Simply put, I support them. I am a conservative; small government, low taxes, personal responsibility... . The critical remarks are because hiding form the problems or mishaps will not make them go away. Even if we try to ignore them, our opponents will not. We need to take an honest look at each event, figure out what went well and not so well, and then use what we learn for the next event. This event was an over all success. It was put together in less then a week, attracted hundreds of supporters, and everything went smoothly. That said, there were a few speakers who really should not have spoken or were drawn off topic. There were also a few signs there that should not have been such as one shirt which basically declared Obama was the anti-Christ. We have a message and we should not make it easy for our opponents to skew that message by focusing those distractions.
Update (3/1/2009): Here is a play list of all the videos I took from the event. After a early pan shot (of the crowd about a third full), each video is a speaker in chronological order. It starts with the host and then each speaker from the crowd. I missed one toward the end, and after getting a few more missed the last 5 minutes or so.
If you want to give the feds a tea party, work with your state lawmakers so that they repeal the 16th Amendment, the amendment that gives the feds the power to tax citizens directly. The problem with that amendment is that it makes it too easy for the corrupt federal government to lay constitutionally unauthorized taxes, in my opinion.
In fact, noting that the Founders made the federal Constitution to limit (cripple) the powers of the federal government, the 10th Amendment reserving the lion's share of government power to serve the people to the states, Chief Justice Marshall had established the following case precedent which appropriately limits the power of the feds to lay taxes.
"Congress is not empowered to tax for those purposes which are within the exclusive province of the States." --Chief Justice Marshall, GIBBONS V. OGDEN (1824)
With Justice Marshall's words in mind, consider that the stimulus package can be thought of as the federal government returning money to the states that it stole from the states in the first place.
Again, the 16th Amendment needs to be repealed ASAP!
Thank you Ted for demonstrating my point. You likely truly believe that Obama should not be president because he is not a citizen. If you believe in lower taxes as well you should know that you are hurting your second cause by invoking your first. Most people that comes across you comment will think "I do not need to listen to this guy because he is just crazy" instead of thinking about the tax issue. The Tea Party movement needs to keep the focus specifically on taxes and spending.
Anonymous... ======================== "He passed the biggest tax cut for the middle class in history." ========================
Nothing displays ignorance more thoroughly.
While you enjoy your extra cup or two of Starbucks Latte each month with the generous pittance the One has bestowed upon you loyal serfs, consider the real fact that you are going to have to repay your bounty next April.
What you say?
The One didn't reduce your taxes. The One merely reduced the withholding on your paycheck. Your taxes remain the same. When the tax man cometh you'll have to pay up. Sorry to burst your bubble but you were lied to. Like everything else about the One the supposed tax break is a fraud. Don't believe me, ask your accountant.
1. Organize ahead of time. Lots of folks I talked to today about this said they'd have gone had they heard of it. Not everyone reads blogs. A single day (say the day after the income tax deadline) that the radio of tv hosts know about would go a long way.
2. Refrain from using "socialism" and/ or "communism". He may be taking us down that road, but to mainstream folks it seems cranky and extremist.
3. If you're in NYC, why not have the event somewhere in midtown, say on sixth avenue, right outside all the cable news channel studios? They have fewer folks on the job on weekends, make it easier for them to cover you.
4. Find a focused message. Don't make it an anti-Obama rally, make it pro-something instead. This close after an election, it seems a bit sour grapish to just rail about our new President.
A sustainable movement that has credibility with independents is going to need more Gingrich/Reagan and less Coulter/Hannity.
Thanks so much for providing the information about the New York Tea Party. The "Movement" now is relatively small, but it will grow rapidly as the "Obama Depression" becomea a reality to people. Let's stick together and make some history.
I was one of those people with a child there, and respectfully, I was not "using" my child to make a cheap political point. My son is very well informed on all sides of this issue, and it was a great opportunity to teach him, in practice, what the first amendment is all about. If we don't teach our children why this is important and why we must fight against it, the future of the country is bleak indeed.
If you son is old enough to be "very well informed on all sides of this issue" then he would not be included in my gripe about "people using kids in protest that are two young to understand what is going on". I also mentioned that for this type of protest seeing young children is more appropriate because it is the young lives who will be most effected by these decisions.
I agree that we should not only teach children what is important but show them how and why. To that end I think it was wonderful that you brought your son to the protest.
Thanks for coming out Andrew - definitely agree with you re the children with signs - my two cents:
ReplyDeletehttp://retakeeducation.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/nyc-tea-party-report/
Thank you for protesting . . we need to do a lot more of this.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to give the feds a tea party, work with your state lawmakers so that they repeal the 16th Amendment, the amendment that gives the feds the power to tax citizens directly. The problem with that amendment is that it makes it too easy for the corrupt federal government to lay constitutionally unauthorized taxes, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, noting that the Founders made the federal Constitution to limit (cripple) the powers of the federal government, the 10th Amendment reserving the lion's share of government power to serve the people to the states, Chief Justice Marshall had established the following case precedent which appropriately limits the power of the feds to lay taxes.
"Congress is not empowered to tax for those purposes which are within the exclusive province of the States." --Chief Justice Marshall, GIBBONS V. OGDEN (1824)
With Justice Marshall's words in mind, consider that the stimulus package can be thought of as the federal government returning money to the states that it stole from the states in the first place.
Again, the 16th Amendment needs to be repealed ASAP!
TAXATION BY AN INELIGIBLE PRESIDENT IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
ReplyDeleteNO BIRTH CERTIFICATE -- WHO IS HE TO TAKE LAYERS AND LAYERS OF NEW TAXES FROM HARD WORKING AMERICANS?
Thank you Ted for demonstrating my point. You likely truly believe that Obama should not be president because he is not a citizen. If you believe in lower taxes as well you should know that you are hurting your second cause by invoking your first. Most people that comes across you comment will think "I do not need to listen to this guy because he is just crazy" instead of thinking about the tax issue. The Tea Party movement needs to keep the focus specifically on taxes and spending.
ReplyDeleteHe passed the biggest tax cut for the middle class in history.
ReplyDeleteI guess the only people who would have a problem with that are the rich.
So all of you who posted are rich and don't need the tax cut.
If your not rich why do you hate yourself so much.
Anonymous...
ReplyDelete========================
"He passed the biggest tax cut for the middle class in history."
========================
Nothing displays ignorance more thoroughly.
While you enjoy your extra cup or two of Starbucks Latte each month with the generous pittance the One has bestowed upon you loyal serfs, consider the real fact that you are going to have to repay your bounty next April.
What you say?
The One didn't reduce your taxes.
The One merely reduced the withholding on your paycheck.
Your taxes remain the same.
When the tax man cometh you'll have to pay up.
Sorry to burst your bubble but you were lied to.
Like everything else about the One the supposed tax break is a fraud.
Don't believe me, ask your accountant.
Wake up and smell the coffee.
DanNY
Suggestions:
ReplyDelete1. Organize ahead of time. Lots of folks I talked to today about this said they'd have gone had they heard of it. Not everyone reads blogs. A single day (say the day after the income tax deadline) that the radio of tv hosts know about would go a long way.
2. Refrain from using "socialism" and/ or "communism". He may be taking us down that road, but to mainstream folks it seems cranky and extremist.
3. If you're in NYC, why not have the event somewhere in midtown, say on sixth avenue, right outside all the cable news channel studios? They have fewer folks on the job on weekends, make it easier for them to cover you.
4. Find a focused message. Don't make it an anti-Obama rally, make it pro-something instead. This close after an election, it seems a bit sour grapish to just rail about our new President.
A sustainable movement that has credibility with independents is going to need more Gingrich/Reagan and less Coulter/Hannity.
Thanks so much for providing the information about the New York Tea Party. The "Movement" now is relatively small, but it will grow rapidly as the "Obama Depression" becomea a reality to people. Let's stick together and make some history.
ReplyDeletesteve maloney
ambridge, pa
I was one of those people with a child there, and respectfully, I was not "using" my child to make a cheap political point. My son is very well informed on all sides of this issue, and it was a great opportunity to teach him, in practice, what the first amendment is all about. If we don't teach our children why this is important and why we must fight against it, the future of the country is bleak indeed.
ReplyDeleteIf you son is old enough to be "very well informed on all sides of this issue" then he would not be included in my gripe about "people using kids in protest that are two young to understand what is going on". I also mentioned that for this type of protest seeing young children is more appropriate because it is the young lives who will be most effected by these decisions.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we should not only teach children what is important but show them how and why. To that end I think it was wonderful that you brought your son to the protest.