LibertyTeeth

With the  attention that primaries this spring have brought to the Tea Party movement (so much for AstroTurf eh?) and the potential influence that “they” are having I am not struck by the results, but more by the way the movement is still not understood by Republicans, Democrats, pundits and special interest. When you understand what the Tea Party is, you understand the power of the movement…. the power of the citizen!

The Tea Party movement is just that, a movement, an idea. It is an idea which millions of citizens have awoken too, a way to finally be HEARD as citizens. It is about the individual, not an organization with meetings and “leadership”, but a ad-hoc group of concerned citizens willing to educate themselves and work together to MAKE their voices heard on some very basic principles.

It is action, not words. It is outcomes, not rhetoric.

While some would characterize it as a “third party”, others would attempt to co-opt it and still others would attempt to describe it as some monolithic entity, few outside the movement “get it”. They sense the power, they may fear it or covet it, but they fail to respect its true nature.

A good example of this was in Nevada this week when two candidates for Senate claimed “Tea Party” support or endorsement. I am certain that some people or organizations who are participating in the “Tea Party” movement gave support or endorsements, but the media and candidates fail to understand that the Tea Party movement is people, people trying to get their voices heard and binding together with like-minded individuals. That has represented itself as different people working with different groups with little or no connection. So claiming some monolithic “organizational” support is both wrong and a disservice to the cause.

The power of the movement is that it is the individual working at the grassroots and building coalitions with other individuals. There is no Tea “Party” in the strict sense; there is no organization that we are all “members” of. It is the empowerment of the citizen and any attempt to “consolidate” it destroys it.

Some special interests groups and candidates would love to use the lack of a single voice or “command and control” to “claim” the Tea Party. Its very nature lends it to the easy claim of Tea Party affiliation, there is no roster, no dues. Politicians know it is so much easier to grab a few “leaders” endorsements instead of going to the people and working for their votes individually.

Thankfully the very people who make up the movement know this and are aware when their endorsement or “position” is being used without permission.

Here in Cowlitz County we jealously guard our Tea Party independence. We will not be consolidated or laid claim to. We will not acquiesce when some D.C. special interest group or candidate claims some authority or bestows endorsement in our name. We protested loudly when FreedomWorks tried to claim some “leadership” role for what we had accomplished of our own free will and work. We knew they had no hand in our movement, had never approached us individually and had no claim to some collective endorsement. They may be a fine organization, but the muscle of the Tea Party is the citizen, it is We the People!

Within the Cowlitz Tea Party movement the founding “members” are supporting Jaime Herrera for Congress as are many of the ardent and active “member”, but no claim can be made of “endorsement” of the Tea Party. That would be a betrayal of all the other individuals and their voices. Each individual is responsible for their vote and speaking for themselves!

I encourage the citizen to seek out candidates, ask questions and hold them to high standards. More importantly, become active in the governance and policy making process. Attend Town Halls, protest on the street, ask tough questions of the candidates, go to your city council meetings, join a board or commission – RUN FOR OFFICE. Make your voice heard.

That is the Tea Party.

We can only bring our nation, state, counties and cities back to our Constitutional foundation when each citizen takes responsibility for the process and outcome of our government.

Check out this post on Politico regarding the slow burn FreedomWorks is fanning with its actions.

Tea partiers air doubts about Dick Armey

Bullet Points:

• I have no idea how many attended, over 500 I would guess
• I estimate 65% – 70% were against ObamaCare, an easy majority
• The questions were civil, pointed and well thought-out
• I did not get to ask my question
• I knew over 30 people there and only one person I knew got to ask a question (great question Dave)

I have now personally heard Baird speak to the Health Care bill 3 times and here is what I have learned

He agrees that tort reform and background checks should be part of any health care reform out of congress, but he will support the bill even if neither are included. To him the importance of getting a bill done takes precedence over these desires.

Baird also says that he will not support a bill that is not revenue neutral, forces citizens into the government option and must be firewalled from “alternate” federal revenue.

The obvious problem with this statement is that the CBO states clearly that HR 3200 will not be revenue neutral and will in-fact add $239 billion to the deficit. It also states that the bill will force citizens out of private insurance and into the government “option”. He dismisses the CBO numbers.

Baird is very well spoken and will answers questions politely  and attentively often beginning the answer with “good points” and “I agree with x”. He is very good at speaking to the other side of the critics point, he does not however complete the linear logic of questions, follow-up is necessary.

Make no mistake, despite his INCESSANT use of “center-right” buzz words,  Baird is in favor of and wants to pass health care reform that guarantees insurance to all Americans, regardless of desire, income or need.  He does want to pay for it (how???) and does want some freedom in the market, but dismisses the eventual outcome the American people are very aware of.

He dismisses any problems with the government option (like subsidization, rationing, forced participation) with the quip that all those problems exist in the current system and 45 million are uninsured.

He also dismisses the argument that government does a poor job of managing and delivering services, claiming that Medicare does a good job, as does other agencies like the CDC.  Beside, the private sector does a poor job as well, just look at AIG and GM!

Baird only claims the “Commerce Clause” (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3) as the power necessary for congress to regulate all health care and provide a tax subsidized government option, the same power that allows congress to manage and fund SS, Medicare and VA care.

I believe Baird has  blurred the lines of logic and common sense that the average American sees clearly. While not as bad as other members of Congress, Baird has lost touch with his constituents.

What is astroturf? Well, it is an artificial surface primarily used in sports complexes in place of grass.

It is touted as a more easily managed, consistent and a safer alternative to dirt and the real stuff. Some athletes like the stuff because it is a faster surface to run on, others dislike it because it is less “forgiving” making injuries more likely.

In political circles astroturf describes political groups or parties “manufacturing” grass roots participation (generally considered bottom up) to give the appearance of broad public favor/disfavor for a topic/policy/candidate.

Recent examples of events labeled as astroturf would be the Democrat group Organizing America blasting an email to its members asking them to show up at a town hall in Longview with signs and talking points or when Americans for Prosperity called its members to show up at a town hall in Oregon with the same agenda.

The problem with the astro-turf label in these examples is that this activity really IS grass roots activism. Like minded individuals tend to join together in groups and communicate information about things that matter to them.

This type of “community” organization is less like astroturf and more like a mowed and fertilized lawn. The grass may be watered, but the individual blades are real. These citizens are showing up because they care. The grass may not be wild and “free range”, it may be a little too manicured when a Presidential campaign team has to “remind” supporters to show up, but it is not “fake”.

Real astro-turf is when President Obama called on what was presented as a “random” citizen with a question during the recent Portsmouth town hall who turned out to be the daughter of a presidential campaign aide, from another state.

Or when an Obama delegate claimed to be a physician in support of ObamaCare at Congresswoman Lee’s town hall and it turned out she really just plays one at town hall meetings.

Astroturf is not a bunch of seniors emailing each other to show up at a town hall to get their voice heard; it is when unions pay “protesters” or “supporters” to show up at an event and the union handles the transportation and sign construction.

To be sure astroturf does exist, but it is usually much more deceptive and underhanded than sending out an email to a list of “members”.

So before labeling a bunch of your fellow citizen’s as astroturf, look for people getting paid to show up or lying about who they are, that type of “organization” is the foundation on which astroturf is truly built.

Congressman Baird apologizes (sort of) to ObamaCare opponents on Wednesday. Congressman Baird released an “apology” for his remarks calling the Town Hall “protesters” un-American, brown shirts (tactics) and Timothy McVeigh “like”.

You can read the apology here: http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/08/12/breaking_news/doc4a83521378f98293357175.txt

He has also announced that he will indeed hold town hall meetings of his own, stating “My hope and trust is that we can have the kinds of informative exchanges that I have valued for so long and that reveal the very best of public discourse,”

The first Town Hall will be held in Clark County:

Date: Tuesday August 18

Time: 7:00-9:30pm

Location: Skyview High School Auditorium

1300 NW 139th St Vancouver, WA 98685

Unlike many of my fellow 3rd Congressional District voters I had an opportunity to speak with Congressman Baird during this August recess.

I am a member of the Longview, WA Pioneer Lions (www.pioneerlions.org), we meet weekly for lunch and each week we have a guest speaker. This week it was Congressman Brian Baird. This was a scheduled meeting and the Congressman has visited our club often over the years.

Baird was given about 20 minutes to give the Lions an update on congressional business. He of course discussed his recent comments on the Town Hall “protesters”, his decision not to hold Town Halls of his own and his observations regarding the “lies” about the health care plan.

He also talked about his work on environmental issues (specifically the oceans) and the tax payer funded trips he took educating himself on the subject.

Briefly he covered the topic of the TARP and Stimulus monies.

Assuming that others would raise questions regarding health care and that I would try to speak to him privately about his and Pelosi’s comments, I quickly began formulating a stimulus question as Baird began his presentation. (Confession: had I read the Pioneer Lions newsletter I would have known well in advance that Baird would be our guest speaker today)

For the highlights of his comments read the piece written by Tony Lystra of The Daily News, it includes some additional comments made during an interview after the meeting:

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/08/11/area_news/doc4a82259ac6a41777658939.txt

Baird did little to distance himself from his earlier comments about Town Hall “protesters” such as their use of “Brown Shirt tactics”, being “un-American” , “hearing comments like that of Timothy McVeigh before the bombing” and domestic terrorists. Instead he “clarified” by stating that “he never would characterize opponents of health care as “Nazis or something like that.” But that those who would disrupt the Town Halls and shout down others are un-American.

He went on to complain that “web-sites” are encouraging and giving direction to people on how to disrupt and shout down others at Town Halls. These web-sites “say such things as, ‘Don’t let there be any intelligent discussions. … Try to intimidate as early as you can,’ Baird said.

He told the audience that his staff had received death threats and that at some Town Halls effigies of Congressmen were being hung.

He then went right into his defense of the Health Care plan, after prefacing his comments with “I am not sure how I’ll vote on a final health care bill after the August recess”.

He tried to assure the audience that there would be no “death panels” just (paid for) end of life discussions between a doctor and patient. That the Health Care bill would be revenue neutral and that nobody making less than $250,000 would be taxed to pay for the program. He disavowed any plan that would implement a “single-payer” system or any system like Canada (with waiting periods) and stated that citizens would have the same “menu” options as congress when choosing health care.

He said that nobody would be “forced into the government option”, that everyone would have a choice and that the competition would be good for lowering the cost of health care.

He said the rationing argument is a straw man and that the only rationing that would happen would be the same as what goes on in private insurance.

He said that the most important thing that the bill does is prevent any insurance company from denying coverage to any American for any reason.

He made no mention that I heard of how he would pay for the health care plan, other than that businesses that make over $250,000 (gross) that did not provide health care for employees would be required to pay into the “health care exchange” program. He did however mention that “small” businesses that did provide health coverage to employees would receive a tax credit to help cover the cost.

I was fairly underwhelmed with the DNC talking points and I had hoped that he would open up with some details such as the $500 billion in cuts to Medicare, the astronomical CBO (Congressional Budget Office) cost projections, the funding plan and the proposed bureaucratic nightmare of the plan.

During the question and answer period Baird fielded a couple of question from the audience regarding the health care plan, mostly referring back to his previous comments and again bristling at the “lies” and misinformation being spread via “chain-emails”.

My question was in regard to the prevailing wage requirements any time stimulus dollars are spent on infrastructure projects (effectively doubling the wage of many workers on these projects). My example was the increase from ~$20/hr (County average) for truck drivers to over $40/hr on stimulus jobs. My point was that if these drivers were paid more in line with the normal or average wages of our county we could effectively put twice as many workers to work on stimulus projects. He said that Congress was “working on the problem”, but that prevailing wage requirements on Federal projects dictated the huge wage increases.

Once the meeting was adjourned I took the opportunity to approach Mr. Baird privately on the health care issue and more directly with his comments regarding Town Hall “protesters”. I told him that I agreed with him that the shouting down tactics at town halls and effigies were inappropriate, but that Democrats had little credibility when for 6 years they never stood against all the same behavior by left wing groups on issues like the war, immigration, social security reform and prescription drug reform in Medicare. (The fact of the matter is that they resorted to riots and destruction of property.)

I told him that I had video of being attacked in Pioneer Court House Square by “anti-war” protesters, that I received threats in the mail and harassing phone calls after letters to the editor. I reminded him of town halls and speeches that were disrupted by code pink, anti-war and other groups including unions every time a Republicans had a town hall during the Bush years, evidence that he saw for himself after taking a stance on Iraq that the “left” despised.

I told him that if he wanted credibility when discussing the “appropriate” way to engage in Town Halls he needed to point his finger at all of the offenders on either side (like the Democrat thugs beating people up in Tampa last week).

I also asked him to stop using the actions of a few people across the nation as an excuse to not engage his constituents on the important issues and that I thought that this gets to a deeper problem where we can’t have dialog and that I believe that some of his party insiders don’t want this dialog to happen.

He of course responded that “Your point is well-taken,”, “Whether it’s on the Left or the Right, it’s not acceptable.”

He went on to say that people like Rush Limbaugh are stoking the fires, making things worse. To which I responded that I did not care what Rush has to say, he is not an elected U.S. Congressman, that I hold him (Baird) to a higher standard.

I suggested to him that he choose his words carefully. That a majority of voters in my circles are against the health care plan, but that they are angry that their elected officials will not answer their questions and even angrier that their Congressman is calling them Brown Shirts, the Speaker of the House is calling them un-American and the President is telling them to shut up. However he meant the comments, they should not have been made.

At this point a good friend grabbed my shirt collar and suggested that I give others a chance.. so I walked away.. my point was made.

I was passionate but cordial, I did not raise my voice, but I am sure he knew my anger.

I can only hope that every voter in the 3^rd CD will have an opportunity to have a frank and direct conversation with their Congressman. Please email, call or write Congressman Baird and remind him of his duty to face his constituents.

Be blunt, be forceful, and be respectful.

http://www.baird.house.gov/

Is there a new class of Americans and are we at war with them?

Dianna Cotter thinks so, Read Here.

Wednesday April 22 saw a very interesting poll released by Rasmussen. This poll shows that 60% of Americans believe that the Government has too much power. 60% also say they believe that tax cuts help the economy. 51% have a favorable view on the Tax Day Tea Parties that were held last week. Clearly, more than half of Americans are at the very least concerned with what the government is doing, and how much power it has………..Read More Here.

April 15th, 2009 Portland, OR Tea Party Report

By Joe Day

So the first thing I see when I get home from the Portland Tax Day Tea Party is an AP story that says that “tens of thousands” showed up for various tea parties nationwide. Yeah, maybe as of early this afternoon in the eastern time zone. There were damn near that many at this one, and there were over five hundred more just like it across the nation today, in all fifty states (maybe even in the seven extra ones that exist in Obama’s mind). According to the early estimates, at least ten thousand showed up in Oregon alone – a sparsely populated, not-terribly-conservative state. Two thousand showed up in Medford. If they had two thousand in Medford, I can only imagine how many showed up in, say, Tuscaloosa.

And let me tell you, when I rounded the corner to enter Pioneer Courthouse Square, I was absolutely gobsmacked by the mass of humanity that I saw – not just the number, which was staggering, but the variety. I saw families with young children. I saw professionals in suits and good ol’ boys in Carhartts. I saw grizzled old veterans and twentysomething hipsters in skinny jeans. I saw every race and ethnicity of people, and I saw every rung of the economic ladder represented. I saw horrified and regretful Obama voters, carrying signs begging our forgiveness. I saw individuals who were all there for their own reasons, but with a common purpose. I saw a cross-section of America that could not have been cast any better by Hollywood. (I also saw a grossly outnumbered cadre of counter-protestors who looked stunned, if not horrified, by the turnout.)

You may have heard that this was some nationally organized, well-funded operation. I can only speak for the one I attended, and it was sincerely a grassroots effort. I saw very few manufactured signs, and few of the speakers were affiliated with any large organization. I know I was not recruited to participate by any organization, and I damn sure wasn’t one of the “paid protestors” the left literally employs for their pet causes. I am one single, solitary, pissed-off taxpayer looking for some way to channel my disgust at what I see happening in the halls of power in this nation. I went looking for this tea party, and if I hadn’t found one, I’d have thrown my own. As it turned out, I was far from alone, and someone was way ahead of me.

And from what I could tell by the general spirit of the thing, as well as the conversations I had with other people, I was seeing thousands upon thousands of people who, like myself, had probably never been to a protest before. In my case, it took thirty-seven years for something to make me angry enough to make a handmade sign and petition for a redress of grievances. That is the lesson to take away from this, America: people who don’t normally have time to join a socio-political rally are pissed off enough to get together and make one happen – big ones – all across the fruited plain.

So laugh all you want, if you’re one of those who likes to poke fun at “teabagging,” and believe the condescending media coverage if you dare. But remember – this was not in some conservative enclave, but in one of the most politically and socially liberal major cities in America. If this many people showed up for such an event in The People’s Republic Of Portland, don’t be surprised by anything that happens in your town.

Check out a video of the Portland Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a direct action protest by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government. On December 16, 1773, after officials in Boston refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, a group of colonists boarded the ships and destroyed the tea by throwing it into Boston Harbor. The incident remains an iconic event of American history, and has often been referenced in other political protests.

The Tea Party was the culmination of a resistance movement throughout British America against the Tea Act, which had been passed by the British Parliament in 1773. Colonists objected to the Tea Act for a variety of reasons, especially because they believed that it violated their constitutional right to be taxed only by their own elected representatives.

This original Tea Party was instigated by 168 protestors and was a turning point in the Colonial attitude toward action against the tyranny of the British Government.

Fast forward to April 15th 2009 and more than half of a million tax payers have come out to protest the out of control, maniacal spending and borrowing of the U.S. Government.

Certainly the original Tea Party participants were lambasted by the British “media” and Government as “Radicals” and “Malcontents”, as our Tea Party brethren are today.

They were seen as a small percentage of the otherwise content population, ranting against fair taxes used for fair purposes.

That underestimation lead to the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence.

Today, I see members of the media, politicians and partisans either ignoring the Tea Parties or dismissing them as “Republicans” upset about the 2008 election.

That too would be a grave underestimation.

These Tea Parties are the physical manifestation of a populace movement that originated in the intra-webs and social networks, feed by the fustration and shock of ever increasing spending, taxation, borrowing, earmarks and government interference in the free markets.

As one of the original organizers of the February 2009 Tea Party in Portland, OR I can say without question that the group was a cross section of America. We had in attendance families, working class, middle class and upper middle class, we had Republicans, Independents and Democrats.

The event was sponsored by two groups you may never have heard of, TCOT (Top Conservatives on Twitter) & Oregonians for Prosperity. It was organized by Libertarians, Republicans and Independents. We used Facebook, Twitter and other electronic media to spread the word.

At that time we got little attention, Hannity and Fox News were not reporting much and the other news outlets ignored us completely. Only a few local Radio stations, radio hosts and bloggers made an attempt to report on our little group of 200.

Since then of course Fox News and others have seen the news worthy nature of more than 800 of these Tea Parties springing up with over 500,000 people attending (the February Tea Party day had 50 cities and 30,000 people). Other so-called interest groups and political activist have join forces with us. All realizing that there is something to this, and that not long can it be simply ignored or dismissed.

Make no mistake, this is a non-partisan, grassroots movement, regardless of who jumps on the bandwagon, and it is significant.

The people of this nation are not going to sit on their hands while the White House & Congress borrows 11 trillion dollars and counting, spends that money on Bank & Corporate bailouts, spend $19.6 billion on pork, fires employees of privately held corporations and limits pay to private citizens.

Keep your eye and ears open, this movement will continue, and you must add your voice.

And Congress (Republicans & Democrats) will listen and will reign in spending, borrowing and the power grab or they will be looking for new jobs in the next few years.

http://taxdayteaparty.com/

Update: cap and trade
Ed Orcutt
State Representative, 18th District

The governor’s cap and trade proposal, House Bill 1819, passed the House Ecology and Parks Committee this week. Here are a couple things that I like to keep in mind as I talk to my colleagues about why we don’t need this job-killing legislation:

* Washington is one of the lowest producers of CO2 in the nation with only three-tenths of one percent of global emissions. Of that total amount, a majority of our emissions are due to automobiles on the highways. Trying to place punitive and costly restrictions on manufacturing and energy-producing businesses makes no sense.

* It would take just 50 days for China’s growth in CO2 emissions to equal Washington’s emission for an entire year.

* Now is not the time to add costs and burdens to Washington businesses. Doing so will force companies out of business or to move to other states.