PRESCOTT - Temperatures dipping into the 30s prompted organizers to informally dub their tea party protest an "iced tea" protest, but the chill didn't stop approximately 2,000 people from covering the north side of the county courthouse plaza in Prescott Wednesday evening.
Carrying dozens of signs with slogans such as "We can't afford any more change" and "Change is what's left in your wallet," it was clear that most of those who gathered for the Taxpayer Tea Party protest on Tax Day were fearful and angry about government spending. The large banner across the courthouse read, "Who's going to bail us out?"
Vietnam veteran and former federal law officer Len Mattsen of Prescott Valley was decked out in red, white and blue and carrying a large U.S. flag.
"Obama advanced the cause of socialism more in three months than Chavez has in three years in Venezuela," Mattsen said.
"We don't have 401Ks, we have 201Ks," added Marsha Fleener of Chino Valley, who came to the rally with her husband Wayne. He said he was most concerned about losing his rights over the last few decades.
The Tax Day protests took place all over the country Wednesday, taking the tea party name from the Boston Tea Party of 1773 that protested British taxation without representation. A conservative non-profit advocacy group called FreedomWorks originally promoted the event, and it quickly expanded through social network sites and exposure on conservative media sites such as Fox News.
Most of the Prescott crowd appeared to be in the 50-and-over age category, although a half-dozen teens calling themselves the "Future Debtors of America" joined the speakers by repeating some popular sayings.
"Giving money to the government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys," one teen recited.
"Talk's cheap, except when Congress does it," another teen read.
Average local citizens such as Bagdad copper miner and veteran Jeremy Moseley were among the speakers, too. He decried federal spending as a way to get the economy back in gear.
"I think it is time for this country to get back to the basics," Moseley said.
Local business owner Tim Flanegin promoted a Constitutional amendment to limit federal spending to one-fifth of the gross domestic product.
"We are putting the federal government on an allowance, and we are cutting up its credit cards," Flanegin told the crowd. "It will stop socialism in its tracks."
Jeff Greenspan promoted a 2010 Arizona ballot measure to limit state property taxes, saying they are "out of control."
Jennifer Campbell, a local attorney who helped organize the Prescott tea party, asked attendees to sign petitions and a banner that organizers promised to send to Washington, D.C. She also asked people to leave their e-mail addresses.
The rally is meant to display opposition to increased taxes, government expansion, deficit spending, and loss of individual liberty and accountability, Campbell said.
But it's not against Democrats, she said.
"I think we can all agree that there are decades of blame to go around," she said.
Posted: Sunday, April 19, 2009
Article comment by:
tricia
If the people really wanted to protest taxation and out of control spending they can put their money where their mouth is and stop spending so much of their precious moula, stuffing mattress and burying their coins in mason jars comes to mind. How much money did they spend on gas and protest signs? When organizing a petition w/ signatures en mass online would have garnished the same results, w/o the excess cost.
Posted: Sunday, April 19, 2009
Article comment by:
trippetta
Who would have thought that Revolution would come in the form of a bunch of yuppie Republicans protesting over how they're too important to have to help pay to rebuild the economy, not in the form of the suffering of others or soldiers being killed, but over the almighty dollar. Sad.
Posted: Saturday, April 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Lt. Ritchie
"Mishyn Accomplished" gay people can get married, just not to the same sex.
Posted: Saturday, April 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Lt. Ritchie
"Shari" no matter how much money you throw at education it is never enough and the test scores remain low. I saw a show on a charter school in Oakland where they spent a lot less money than the public schools, paid their teachers better, and the kids had the best test scores. The main reason public education is a failure is the teachers union.
Posted: Saturday, April 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Lt. Ritchie
"Too much for me" it was World War II that got us out of the depression, not FDR's socialistic programs. It sounds like you are reading the wrong history books. You probably went to college in California or somewhere in the Northeast.
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
Article comment by:
S. Nicholson
Hi --
I was there but it got too cold for me so I left early. What I saw and heard were great and so were the people, like me, who don't like the out of control spending and the direction and ideology of government both past and present. That means Bush as well as Obama.
I feel sorry for the people who say this was fabricated by the far right or FOX or anyone for that matter. They just don't get it.
I've been angry at my government for the last four years but I had no voice. My senators, Kyl and McCain, are worthless and they certainly don't care what I think.
I couldn't even vote in the last presidential election because I figured both Obama and McCain were taking us to the same place, a North American Union, just by different routes.
My government isn't mine anymore. Fox and Calderone of Mexico have more say in my government than I do.
CNN feeds us the bleeding heart news from the left, illegal alien propaganda to make us cry, and in between Rick Sanchez has never met an illegal alien he didn't shed a tear for.
Maybe California wouldn't be going broke if it didn't have more illegal aliens to care for than any other state.
How can we keep printing money and giving it to Mexico and anyone who asks? How do you cure recession by spending?
I have so many questions they won't fit here but attending the tea party was good for me and for my country. It might make someone pay attention.
Sorry for the rant on illegal immigration. Is it too much for my huge government to enforce the laws?
Did you hear why Obama keeps appointing Czars? It's because they aren't answerable to congressional committees and don't have to beg for money. It's just another way around our Constitution which Bush did so well.
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Shari
To independent: I agree with you. You do have a right to express your opinions, and I feel a lot of people in this country have forgotten that, whether right or left. Personally, I'm Democratic. And I have some Republican friends that agree with me on certain aspects (while I agree with them on others). I thank you for being reasonable and at least having some faith in our president and giving him a chance, even if you don't agree with everything he's doing (because if he fails, we all fail). My personal problem comes when people begin screaming "Rebellion" or "Succession," then wave an American Flag (not saying that's you, just saying that really gets me and I saw some of that yesterday). Everyone please realize, you don't have to be with one camp or the other to be PATRIOTIC. I hate it when I'm labeled a "dirty liberal" or when I spoke out against Bush was labeled "anti-American." I liked those labels as much as Republicans enjoy "racist" or "tea baggers." Did I agree with the reasons for the protests? Mostly no, but I will not resort to name calling.
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Christopher
Socialism, good ! (BTW; this country went socialistic in the 1930's: Veterans Admin, Fed Highway, unemployment insurance, Food and Drug, Social Security and any other public good that socializes the cost is 'socialism'.)! Like the majority of voters in the last election, I was real tired of the having our representatives owned by the billionaires and Corporate CEO's and who only served those big campaign supporters issues, and the economic and social havoc that wrought. When your government is owned by the wealthy and the large corporations combined with a belligerent foreign policy and who used our military as an instrument of multi-national corporate police and war profiteering that follows, and the insane neo-conservative concept of preemptive war, then that is the definition of 'Fascism'! And to those trying to explain this Teabag thing as not partisan, you only need to look at who sponsored and promoted these event. This type of faux populism is necessary, if the rich are going to maintain their privilege and shift the tax burden on to the rest. They need the populous support and will lie or say anything to maintain it (however the swamp is quickly being draining for the conservatives with the old dying and the young having better educations). What part of 95 percent of working people tax cut did you not understand?
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Parker Anderson
I love the way the conservatives say they and their views are being censored. Do they even know what REAL censorship is? Under REAL censorship, you would not be hearing one word they want to say. There would ne no radio shows, Fox News, or blogs. Censored, my eye!!!
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Independent
I find it really interesting how so many people think that just because we happen to be white and don't support the president that we are some how "racist"... I find it VERY sad to see so many close minded people spouting off at the mouth about how if you are registered as a Republican or even voted against the Democrats in the last election you are somehow "racist" and a comunist... Last I checked we are still in the United States right??? We have this little document that is called the Constitution, that I realize all you Democrats use only when it benifits you, but regardless it protect EVERYONE'S opinion! My Granddad and Dad did not fight in wars just for the fun and to see the world, they fought to keep us FREE!! I disagree with anyone who tells me I cannot speak my mind if I do not agree with the President or for that fact ANYONE in his party.That's called free speach people not "racism". Get a grip and get with the times! Bush may have screwed things up, but I don't see Obama fixing it anytime soon. How long are you left-wingers going to be blaming Bush? It can only last for a little while till the "Change" you all wanted so desperatly starts to affect us. You say FOX is a "racist" network. Well the rest the News outlets out there are equally "racist" only toward anyone who isn't supporting the "savior" Obama! I support our President even though I do not agree with a lot of what he has done. I truly hope that all this money he is spending gets us out of the resession we are in, but I just don't see it happening anytime soon. You know if John McCain would have won the election there would have been a whole bunch of you Liberals on the square protesting him, so get a grip no one is right in this world and regardless of what you think we are all in the same boat!
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Tom G
This is what you get when you allow GOVERNMENT to demonize other citizens: When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. Then they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat. Then they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, I did not speak out; I was not a Jew. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
Article comment by:
K.C.
I have to say that after reading all of these I am truly disgusted at the ignorance of the liberals. We're the bitter ones, that's why were using terms like "teabagging" huh. Maturity at it's best. Bottom line you don't want to take your blinders off to see that your President is ruining our country. Oh but I suppose I'm a racist for saying that right? The difference between conservatives and liberals is that we can admit that Bush did not do everything right during his Presidency, but you guys will defend Obama until the end of time. You never took the time to study this guy because if you did you would have found that he got away with things that a Republican never could have....and still does. Hmmm where do I start....Jeremiah Wright..Bill Ayers....His entire cabinet (enough said)..birthplace. All things that you guys tend to ignore the rest of pick up on. Your boy has been lying through his teeth to you since day one and you bought it. You bought into his lovely speeches instead of asking the tough questions, and if we asked them you as well as Obama had an excuse and brushed it under the carpet. You sat here and criticized Bush for 8 frickin' years did you ever hear him whine and cry about your liberal commentators on every other channel but Fox...no you didn't. Oh but now we have to censor anyone who doesn't agree with Obama. Interesting how the tide changes when it's your boy in the white house and not ours. Just a little lesson, democrats ALWAYS increase taxes, and cut the military in half. Oh but he's been promising tax cuts since day one....are you seeing any yet liberals? No you're not, and you never will. When will everyone realize that Obama nor his administration give a crap about any of us? they care about themselves and that's where it ends.
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
Article comment by:
What the?
Dear Mishyn Accomplishd, the reason the "Republicans" are trying to defeat the whole "gay marriage" thing is because it isn,t Biblical for the same sex to be "together" or marry... ever wonder why God created man and woman? Not man and man or woman and woman? Duh, if we were created to marry the same sex, we would look like trolls, not man and woman.
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Gregory
Hundreds of Thousands of Americans protest in cities and towns across this great nation, and not one brick is thrown thru a window, not one police car flipped over, nor one can of tear gas tossed into a crowd. My kind of people. Go ahead and keep telling yourselves it's just a fraud.
Posted: Thursday, April 16, 2009
Article comment by:
What's another 10 Trillion Dollars?
I love how liberals paint anyone that objects to adding $10 TRILLION to the National debt over the next ten years (that number from the Democratically controlled Congressional Budget Office) as "right wing extremists". Just reminds me that Winston Churchill was right, anyone over the age of 30 that is a liberal has no brains.
