NOMOBAMA? Come to A Tea Party

Thanks to Bill Hennessy, who organized the St. Louis Tea Party held under the Arch on Friday, February 27, 2009. They must have hit a nerve, because the St. Louis Post Disgrace fired back with an editorial aimed at those who were a part of the Tea Party.

Bill Hennessy has promptly responded with this letter to the editor that may or may not ever see the light of day in the Post Disgrace, so I am posting it here so that it may get some press.

March 4, 2009

The Editor
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

FOR PUBLICATION AS LETTER TO THE EDITOR OR GUEST EDITORIAL

Tea Party Was About People and Participation

I am not sure which Tea Party the P-D editorial is writing about in its editorial of March 4. The one I attended – and helped organize – drew people from all over the region and all over the political spectrum to express their concern and yes, sometimes, anger over the recent “stimulus” bill, the proposed housing bailout, the $410 billion earmark extravaganza, President Obama's laughable budget, and the Wall Street bailout of last year. The attendees generally worry that these bills are too large, too unfocused, and, in the case of the stimulus bill, too hurriedly passed by the Congress.

Why We Gathered

We gathered precisely because we fear what our government is doing AND has done. We worry about all of the wasteful spending – by the Obama administration, by the Congress, and yes, by the Bush Administration. Why Mr. Roth would insult us for wanting to voice our concerns is beyond me.

We object, however, to the Congress and President Obama calling a hugely expensive stimulus bill “service to those in need” when the lion's share of the bill is for pet projects in the out years. Have you told your readers that only about 20 percent of the spending will occur during President Obama's schedule for the recession?

Even more insulting about the stimulus was the irresponsible hast and secrecy in which it was passed. Members of Congress like St. Louis Congressman Russ Carnahan admit that they did not allow even 48 hours to pass for Americans to review it. Carnahan told KMOX radio that he had no idea what was in the bill that he voted on. We are objecting to a stimulus – and extended spending spree – that we believe will lead to our children and grandchildren paying for our spending spree.

Adding Insult to Injury

The focus of the editorial is about service to those in need. We honor philanthropic and charitable activity among individuals and companies. We support community organizations and even local government agencies. Many of us volunteer through our churches and community groups. And we donate generously to many, varied causes.

In the comments on-line after the editorial was posted, one Editorial Board member, Ed Roth, goes so far as to insult the attendees of the Tea Party by insinuating that our chants were about “me, me, me, me.” I would be surprised if Mr. Roth was in attendance at the Tea Party because I have no idea what that means … except that it seems pretty insulting.

A large percentage of the protesters were small business owners. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, small business owners are among the most generous group in America, On average entrepreneurs give almost 7 percent of their income to charity. More than 75 percent of all small businesses give.

The average entrepreneur with revenues of $250,000--the principal target of Mr. Obama's War on Productivity--gives $15,000 a year to charity. Compare that to Mr. Obama's charity which totaled a Scrooge-like $27,500 for 2005 and 2006 combined (New York Times, March 26, 2008). That's only 1.04 percent of Mr. Obama's $2,638,932 income in those two year.

When will the Post-Dispatch and Mr. Roth criticize Obama's stinginess?

No One Left To Give

The markets have spoken on this current and continuing wave of government spending. Since the election last November, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost 30 percent of its value. Each time the president, his Secretary of the Treasury, or the Chairman of the Federal Reserve speaks, people leave the market. They are hearing the steady rhythm of big government. Some might say, a government big enough to take everything we have.

We believe that the United States Congress, the President, and misguided people like Mr. Roth are leading this nation into a morass of stagnation, stultifying taxation, and, eventually, rampant inflation. At the same time, Mr. Obama and others are working to destroy the incentive to earn by punishing the most productive people in our economy. Moreover, Mr. Obama proposes discouraging charitable giving by capping the detectability of such donations.

If these trends continue--if the people who gathered at the Arch fail in our mission--there will soon be no one left to give.

The Tea Party Is a Ten-Round Fight

Haste makes waste, and today’s editorial is an insult in which the editorial writers rushed to judgment. I invite Mr. Roth and his fellow writers to attend our next Tea Party on April 15^th when we will protest that our taxes are too high because our elected officials pass so much wasteful “pork” in their legislation.

Sincerely,

Bill Hennessy
Co-Project Servant-Leader
St.Louis Tea Party

Conservatives tend to be a "Silent Majority". Since many conservatives tend to also be libertarian in thought, the tendency is to "live and let live." Unfortunately, the Obama Administration has shown us that the policies of this new administration are a serious threat to the very roots of the freedoms on which our country was founded. An outcome of the February 27 St. Louis Tea Party (and those all over the country) is that conservatives in attendance saw that there are lots of like minded people in their own communities. It gave many people a chance to meet and stay in touch with people that they would, otherwise, never have met. It fomented the formation of small groups who have continued to network in living rooms and chat rooms, reinforced by shared emotions and passions.

And now there is another Tea Party coming. April 15, which should be just another day in your life instead of a day to see your hard earned money being dumped down a socialist rat hole, will be "celebrated" with nationwide Tea Parties to protest the tax burdens that are being planned for small businesses, those who make more than $250K, and all of the rest of us who will see any tax advantage that we might have become nullified by the proposed increased energy costs, gasoline taxes, toll roads, mileage fees, lack of detectability for home mortgage interests and charitable giving, etc., etc., etc..... Those of you who are fed up with the whirlwind spending spree that has escalated by Robama Hood and his merry band of Chicago Thugs, grab your voice and find the Tea Party in your area. At the moment, there is a Tea Party in every one of the 50 states. If there is not one in your area, you can organize your own and there is assistance available if you feel that you need it! Get educated, connected and organized...Silent majority no more!

I Expect You to Obey

For several days, I have come home to find calls on my Caller ID from Wash DC (area code 202). Since I am sure that my Senators and Representatives are not calling me to ask my opinion about the Budget, Stimulus plans or the like, I have made a mental note and refreshed the Caller ID. They do not leave a message, so I am sure that if it was something important like Representative Clay asking me what I think about his Pro-Life voting record or Senator McCaskill wanting to know how she should vote on the next great bailout, that they would leave a message for me to get right back to them. So while I was curious, I was not THAT curious.

This morning, while I was getting ready to run some typical Saturday errands, the phone rang with another call from Wash DC and I decided to take it. It was from the Republican National Congressional Committee. A bright, polite and engaging young man proceeded to ask me what I wanted from them in the next Congressional election......I don't know if he was ready for what came next. OK, if you want my wish list of the perfect legislator, let me count the ways....
1. A REAL conservative---not a squishy RINO.
2. Someone who will restore the tenets of conservative policy.
3. Someone who wants tax cuts for all people and businesses.
4. Someone who favors smaller government.
5. Someone who favors lower government spending.
6. Someone who will fight against nationalized health care and the spread of entitlements.
7. Someone who will follow the precepts of the Constitution and not modify them to suit their needs.
8. Someone who will unflinchingly defend my Second Amendment Rights.
9. Someone who will close our borders and deal definitively with illegal immigration.
.....and as I drew a breath so that I could continue, he jumped right in and agreed with everything that I said and told me that was what the Republicans are going to do this election cycle. They were going to find and support real conservatives who would restore the trust of conservative Americans everywhere!

Since in the past I had given money to this cause, and because the need is dire right now, the young man wondered if I would like to increase my level of giving by a full $50-$100 over what I had done in the past? My response.... "Well, I'd love to do that, but since the Republicans frittered away a golden opportunity and the trust of their base, and started the ball rolling down this debt mountain that is now increasing at a mind numbing rate, I just don't have that kind of money anymore. In fact, I can't even begin to match the amount that I gave you in the past. How about this, I'll give you $25 and if you PROVE that you will do what the conservative base demands, then I'll give you more??? My contributions will be based on performance. I will keep my eye on who you get, what they have in their platforms and how the rest of the guys in Washington act in the coming days and months and you will get money on that basis. What do you think?"

Well, he agreed that we are all in this together, that my $25 contribution was welcome (was better than nothing at all) and that the RNC would have to earn back the trust of their constituents. He thanked me and sent me to the supervisor who would confirm my address and information.

The supervisor was another bright, polished and intelligent young man who politely confirmed my information and then asked if I wanted to make my contribution on a debit or credit card. He also had to bear the brunt of my irritation, because I let him know that I had spent the past three years on a self imposed debt reduction program and, having succeeded in ridding myself of all of my consumer debt except my mortgage and one car loan that is a 0% loan, I would not be using either of these methods. If they would send me a statement, I would be pleased to write a check and if not, they weren't getting my money. I then told him that this was what I expected from the future candidates who would be selected and supported and it was what I expected from the current representatives and senators who are presently in Washington. This is how I am supposed to conduct my personal finances and our government should do no less. My parting salvo was to share with the supervisor that I felt that my contributions to the NRA got me more results than my prior contributions to the RNC and its PAC's.

This weekend there were tea parties all over the country protesting the unbridled spending of the taxpayer's money. In St. Louis, the tea party attracted a large (800-1000 strong) gathering of participants of all ages and colors. Elderly people on fixed incomes mingled with young suburbanites, families of home schoolers and conservatives of color. The undercurrent of resistance is becoming more and more apparent and it is time that those who are representing us know that we expect them to fish or cut bait. They are on probation right now and their job is hanging in the balance.

So when the political fundraising organizations call, answer the phone! Don't dodge them. They want something so give them a piece of your mind and whether or not you give them money is totally up to you!!

A New Economic Proposal from Common Sense America

Some of the things that circulate around on the internet contain the simplest and most common sense ideas...This is could be one of those....

A NEW ECONOMIC PROPOSAL FOR THE GOVERNMENT

When a company falls on difficult times, one of the things that seems to happen is they reduce their staff and workers. The remaining workers need to find ways to continue to do a good job or risk that their job would be eliminated as well. Wall Street, and the media, normally congratulate the CEO for making this type of "tough decision", and his Board of Directors gives him a big bonus!

Our government should not be immune from similar risks.. Therefore:
Reduce the House of Representatives from the current 435 members to 218, and the Senate from 100 to 50. The support staff for the lost congressional members would also be gone. Also, reduce the remaining support staff by 25%. This would be accomplished over 8 years...2 steps/2 elections, and of course this would require some redistricting.

Some yearly monetary gains would include:
$44,108,400 for elimination of base pay for legislators (267 members x 165,200)
$97,175,000 for elimination of their legislative staff (estimate $1.3 M in staff per each member of the House, and $3 M in staff per each member of the Senate) per year.
$240,294 for the 25% reduction in the remaining staff.
$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork barrel earmarks each year. (Those members whose jobs are gone.) Current estimates for total government pork barrel spending is at $15B per year.

The remaining legislators would need to work smarter and would need to improve efficiencies. We may also expect that smaller committees might lead to a more efficient resolution of issues as well. It might be even easier to keep track of what your representatives are doing. Congress has more tools available to do their jobs than it had back in 1911 when the current number of representatives was established. It might even be in their best interests to work together for the good of our country!

Congress did not hesitate to head home for their holiday, when the nation needed a real fix to the economic problems. Also, we have 3 senators (McCain, Clinton and Obama) that have not been doing their jobs for the past 18+ months (on the campaign trail) and still they all have been accepting full pay. This alone supports a reduction in senators and congress.

Summary of opportunity:
$44,108,400 reduction of Congress members.
$282,100,000 for elimination of the reduced house member staff.
$150,000,000 for elimination of the reduced senate staff.
$56,675,000 for 25% reduction of remaining house member staff.
$37,500,000 for 25% reduction of remaining senate staff.
$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork added to bills by the reduction of congress members.

$8,073,383,400 per year, estimated total savings.....just to start!

Big business makes these types of cuts all the time.

If Congress were required to serve 20,25 or 30 years (like all of us at our jobs) in order to collect retirement benefits, there is no telling how much we would save. Now they can get full retirement benefits after serving only ONE term.

If you are happy with how Congress spends our taxes, you just need to sit back and let the good times roll, HOWEVER, if you are NOT happy, then you know what to do......

How To Wrap Your Head Around Our Government's Spending

Since I have had the Federal Debt widget running at the top of my blog (less than one month!), MY portion of the debt has grown to $198,000! As the Porkulus funds are "Spread Around" these numbers will escalate dramatically. The numbers being bandied about with Porkulus, TARP,TARP II, Automotive Bailout, Banking CRISIS Bailout, and the threat that this is "just the beginning" are numbers that are incomprehensible to most common folk. Of course, this may be the goal...make things so "out there" that people just cave because they can't wrap their heads around the concept.

With that in mind it is no wonder that there is a growing resentment bubbling under the surface and beginning to rise to the top, where common people are saying ENOUGH! Rick Santelli's rant at the Chicago Board of Trade was one salvo in the call for some kind of revolution against the nationalization of OUR tax dollars to give to people and causes that have no right to them. This little video is an attempt at pointing you to the enormity of the financial problem the Obama administraton has just put on the backs of generations of taxpayers.

Now that you have that accomplished, get active, put your mouth in action and spread the word. Go to www.Americanissuesproject.org and see how you can join the groundswell of voices letting our government that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

On February 27, 2009, there are going to be "Chicago" Tea Parties in cities all over the country sponsored by a coordinated Netroots consortium of conservative activist groups. If you want to add your voice to this effort, visit this site and RSVP to the Party! It is unfortunate that it takes the British press to actually pick up this idea and publicize it...

We Want a Divorce!

We have a little local conservative group that was founded via talk radio and we have found our selves on the internet. It is fledgling at best and is just starting to hit its stride with exchange of information and ideas among people who have never met each other! That said, I wish to credit Margaret, one of the members of our group for this little internet exchange that was sent to all of the group. While it is sent in fun, there is a kernel of truth present and so I share it.

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists,Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950s, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right, so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile, chalk it up to irreconcilable differences, and go our own ways.

Here is a model dissolution agreement:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by land mass each taking a portion. That will be the difficult part, but we must come to a friendly agreement. After that it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes. We don't like re-distributive taxes so you can keep them. You will take all liberal judges and the ACLU.

Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA, and the military. You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore, and Rosie O'Donnell (you are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move them). We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart, and Wall Street. You can have your beloved homeless, homeboys, hippies, and illegal aliens. We'll keep the hot Alaskan Hockey Moms, greedy CEOs, and Rednecks. We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood.

You can make nice with Iran , Palestine , and France , and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us. You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or way of life are under assault, we'll provide them job security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian Values. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology,Humanism, and Shirley McClain. You can have the U.N. but we will no longer be paying the bill. We'll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks, and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Saturn, Prius & Subaru Station Wagon you can find. You can give everyone healthcare, if you can find any practicing doctors (that is practicing, Howard Dean) who will follow to your turf. We'll continue to believe health care is a luxury and not a right.

We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and The National Anthem. I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute Imagine, I'd Like to Teach The World To Sing, Kum Ba Ya, Give Peace a Chance or We Are the World.

We'll practice trickle down economics, and you can give trickle up poverty its best shot. Since it often so offends you. we'll keep our History, our Name, and our Flag.

Would you agree to this? In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you ANWAR on who will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely,

P.S. Please take Barbara Streisand

Thought for the Day

"It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." ---Samuel Adams

Keep this thought in front of your eyes as we, as the minority opposition, work our way through the next two years. While many people are rightfully irate as the Porkulus package has been stuffed down our throats, to be followed by a soup course of Auto Bail Out Deux, and a dessert of TARP II and III, followed by what will likely be a second helping of Porkulus to follow, we have to be tireless in our opposition to programs that are irresponsible and reprehensible. So keep it up and keep the pressure on whenever and wherever the chance arises.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

This young girl makes the case for Pro-Life positions better than almost any adult I have heard.






Thank you.