In 2009, three college students in Baltimore organized a Tax Day Tea Party. Today, members of tea party organizations meet around the country, stage impromptu rallies and teach members how to lobby legislators. As April 15 approaches, FreedomConnectors offers a list of the planned Tax Day events scheduled to date. The site not only lists events but gives tea party members tips on scheduling, organization and signage for upcoming Tax Day events.
People question how effective the rallies and protests are, and what the future of the tea party is. As April 15 approaches, it's a good time to look at tea party plans as well as to find out why they protest and how members view the future.
* "If the art of protest was not effective it would not be used by every activist group in the country. Protests are a show of strength, a call for action ... they rejuvenate and encourage the activists. ... After the protests (this year) tea partiers need to begin focusing on the elections of 2012. People need to channel their frustration into selecting the right candidates and learning how to win at the polls. This is the only way to bring about change. If we are to be effective, we need to win elections with the right candidates on the local, state and national level." -- Sam Hale, founder of Maryland Society of Patriots, Silver Spring, Md.
* "The protests are a great thing. It shows us that the spirit of our founding fathers, the belief in freedom and equality, are still alive. The majority of Americans want to leave a better place for their children, a place with more opportunities than we had, and they are not afraid to voice their opinions." -- Carl Zimmerman, electrical maintenance technician, Lusby, Md.
* "Cuts in government spending need to happen across the board, and I will attend a protest with my sign. The tea party is currently alive and well as it grows in members every day. ... I have been, and continue to be, grateful that tea party members are everyday Americans like myself that are willing to face America's debt problems while realizing we all have to make sacrifices to solve those problems. Cuts in government spending need to happen across the board. ... We need less government and more free enterprise." -- Holly McGarvey, wife, mother, artist, Balto, Md.
* "The tea party is the real McCoy made up of true patriots who want their country back. The current Republican leadership needs to cut the freshman loose as they are too tied to the old Washington games. They are quibbling over billions when we are spending that in deficits daily." -- John Wrightson, emergency services probation counselor, Silver Spring, Md.
* "I don't currently have any plans to (attend a Tax Day protest), but I probably will. ... The current tea party has mostly been hijacked by the neo-conservatives. The real tea party, which is now The Liberty Movement, was started from grassroots supporters of Ron Paul. It's no surprise that he and his son are the only ones in the House and Senate calling for true change to our tax code and debt problem. Abolish the income tax, the IRS, and the federal reserve and you've just solved 95 percent of America 's problems." ---Mike Davis, insurance agent, Rockville, Md.
* "I think the current state of the tea party is solid but growth is needed. The problem is that the general public is stuck in a state of mind that they can't really do anything, so just let government run its course. I am hoping that Donald Trump will open peoples' eyes and add some fuel to our fire. This current administration needs to quit giving our country away. Obama and ACORN are not vested in the interests of our country, but the destruction of our framework. Both he and ACORN need to be gone after the next election." -- Johnny Partridge, neurophysiology, Dallas
* "The tea party protests will be as prolific as dandelions being that they are a true manifestation of concerned patriots blooming. I attend these gatherings whenever I am able. I find them to be the purist expression of love and concern for this great country. The will of engaged patriots will ultimately change the atmosphere the elected politicians operate in, it already has. The ushering in of the new Congress is just the first breeze in the coming winds of real change in Washington." -- Randy Pelletier, caterer, Manchester, Conn.
* "They (protests) are the cornerstone events of our movement. The effects are re-energizing for the tea partier and making our elected officials see where the true authority is in this country. ... (We must) implement Lean Six Sigma in our government across the board. This alone is the only proven solution that has surfaced to get our fiscal spending where it should be." -- Gregg C. Cummings, founder "We the People-Tea Party of Southern Iowa," Lamoni, Iowa
* "They (pro-tea party congressmen) are doing what they can considering we still have a Democrat Senate and president, which we hope to change in 2012. Any Republicans that act like RINOs, (Republican in Name Only) we will try to get them out of office." -- Lynda Rebel, retired, Lake City , Fla.
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