This is NOT What Democracy Looks Like! (WI)

The residents and patriots in Wisconsin have been subjected to a two year assault from the left who are disappointed with the results of the 2010 elections.

Doing what the big union bosses and the left does best, they've learned how to use the political process to abuse the political process. This pattern of political abuse will continue across the states if we do not rise to the challenge of meeting this dangerous political trend of the left head on.

The Tea Party Patriots are amassing Tea Party members from across the U.S. to meet this challenge in Wisconsin head on! To learn more on how you can help with phone calls from your own home, or if you are interested in going to Wisconsin to be part of the Tea Party Patriots ground team, please click here.

The below is from our Tea Party Patriots State Coordinator for Wisconsin, Michael Hintze.

From Bear Witness Central --

By Michael G. Hintze, State Coordinator Wisconsin Tea Party Patriots


For the second year in a row, the people of Wisconsin are being subjected to a series of recall elections that cost money for which the State and its local communities have better uses. More importantly, the recall elections distract Wisconsin’s politicians from doing the jobs to which they were elected, create uncertainty in the business community that hinders job creation and economic growth, and increase rather than smooth over the sense of division between the people of Wisconsin and the public employee unions.

Why are the people of Wisconsin being subjected to these recalls? Because a minority of Wisconsin’s electorate has decided it does not like the results of the election of 2010, and will do anything to overturn those results, including abuse of the democratic process. Make no mistake about it that is exactly what these recall elections represent—abuse of process. Recall elections should be the people’s method of impeachment of government officials for “high crimes and misdemeanors,” not a last resort for those who have policy differences with political officeholders. Policy differences should be settled according to the regular electoral process, and should not be the subject of continual “do-overs” forced by the losing side. Nothing but anarchy lies down that path.

Those who think that a successful recall effort will lower the divisions among the people of Wisconsin and bring peace and tranquility to Wisconsin politics are engaging in self-delusion of the most flagrant kind. A successful recall effort will have precisely the opposite effect. It will heighten tensions, not relieve them. It will increase frustration, not alleviate it. It will lead to a solidification of positions that will make it impossible for anything to be accomplished by State government. And it will solve nothing.

Recent polls indicate that the recall election is becoming a referendum on job creation in Wisconsin. If that is the case, then defeat of the recall effort is an imperative pre-requisite. For business to be willing to create more jobs in Wisconsin, or anywhere else, it must know that it is dealing with a State with a long-term plan for economic growth and opportunity, and a government whose position does not change with every passing whim of political demagogues who feed on the people’s misery. Stability and predictability in a business friendly environment are the keys to job growth and economic prosperity. Neither will be the case if the recall effort is successful.

This is not just Wisconsin’s battle. This is the nation’s battle. It is a battle to ensure that the will of the majority as expressed through the normal election process will prevail, and that the United States will retain its democratic republic form of government. And it is a battle to return control of government to the taxpayers, and not leave it in the hands of the government employee unions.

If the unions win in Wisconsin, they will have created a strategy and proved it effective for the overturn of election results with which they do not agree, and they will use that strategy in every other state in the Union. The citizens of Wisconsin are fighting to take back control of their government from the greedy and arrogant union bosses. Please join us and help us help you!

Together, we all win.

Sign Up Here To Help Save Wisconsin 

Grassroots Tea Party's Derail Tea Party Express Establishment Candidate in Nebraska Senate Primary

A big congratulations to all the grassroots Tea Party groups in Nebraska for derailing the Tea Party Express establishment candidate, NE Attorney General Jon Bruning, and walking away with a big grassroots Tea Party victory!

As usual, and expecting nothing less, the Tea Party Express went into Nebraska and supported the establishment candidate - Bruning - in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate and worked against the efforts of the grassroots Tea Party groups who supported State Senator Deb Fischer.

State Senator Deb Fischer, who was also supported by Sarah Palin, will face off against former Democrat Senator Bob Kerry to replace the retiring Senator Ben Nelson.

From SF Gate -- (emphasis added)

An insurgent Republican lawmaker in Nebraska will square off against former Sen. Bob Kerrey this fall in the state's U.S. Senate race, as Democrats look to hold onto the Senate seat and control of one part of Capitol Hill.

In Tuesday's Republican primary, state Sen. Deb Fischer rode a wave of discontent with the GOP establishment to best Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, the preferred candidate of Washington, D.C.-based Republicans, and Treasurer Don Stenberg in a race that drew national attention from outside groups in its final, unpredictable weeks.

Fischer's victory marked also another win for the party's anti-establishment movement just a week after a Tea Party-supported Richard Mourdock beat Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar in that state's GOP primary.

And they said the Tea Party was dead!

How You Can Help Save Wisconsin!

The FINAL HOUR is fast approaching for the June 5th recall election in Wisconsin and EVERYTHING is at stake! 

Grassroots activists in Wisconsin have worked tirelessly over the last several years to promote fiscal responsibility, but the opposition is waging a war to tear it down!

Tea Party Patriots are mounting a massive ground operation to end the Wisconsin recall once and for all, but we can't do it without you!  With your help - we can take it to the left - and we can win!

 Wisconsin needs YOUR help now!  

From going to Wisconsin to door knock, making calls from your home, giving a financial contribution, or sharing our efforts on social media, YOU can have a huge impact! 

For Patriots with the time to go and knock doors and help in Wisconsin, Tea Party Patriots will cover your room and board. For others, you can make calls from home, help with blogging and social media efforts.  There is something everyone can do - are you ready to help save Wisconsin?

This recall election is about much more than any individual candidate. It is about protecting our representative democracy to ensure that the democratic process is allowed to work. If the opposition is successful in Wisconsin, they will replicate this abuse of recall laws in states across the country - AND you can be sure Ohio will be one of them!.

Click Here to Help Wisconsin

Tea Party tells Senator Dick Luger - "The Party's Over!"

A big congratulations to the all the Tea Party and Liberty groups in Indiana for handing Senator Dick Luger his walking papers.  Great job Indiana Tea Party Patriots! 

From Tea Party Patriots --

Today, the Tea Party Patriots, the largest tea party organization in the country, hailed the victory in the Indiana Senate primary race as State Treasurer Richard Mourdouck ousted establishment candidate Sen. Richard Lugar who had been in Congressional office for 36 years.

“Lugar’s defeat should wake up entrenched Washington,” said Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder and national coordinator of Tea Party Patriots.  ”The tea party movement continues to be the most influential force this election year.  Sen. Lugar betrayed the principles of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and free markets that must be addressed this year or the American people will choose new leaders as happened today and in 2010. This upset is no surprise to tax paying Americans in Indiana.”

We will do our best to make sure Senator Sherrod "Sluggo" Brown joins him in the unemployment line!

A Tea Party Patriots (OH) Salute to Ohio Law Enforcement

Date: 5/4/12

For Immediate Release

Contact: Ralph King

Clevelandteaparty@gmail.com

  

A Salute to Ohio Law Enforcement:

FBI deserves big Thumbs Up

Cleveland, Ohio - The Federal Bureau of Investigation earned a huge “job well done” from all Ohioans for the precise and efficient strike against a domestic terrorists group who allegedly attempted to destroy a bridge near Cleveland.

Ohio tea partiers are encouraging all citizens to praise the FBI and local law enforcement for the outstanding job they do every day. Tea Party Patriot State Co-Coordinator Ralph King said, “we have just witnessed excellence in achievement from the finest law enforcement people in the world.”

Many of us in the Cleveland area were shocked to discover on April 30th, 2012, on a typical Monday evening, the FBI arrested five men involved in a conspiracy to blow up a bridge that may have injured and killed people and would have had a destructive impact on travel and interstate commerce and therefore our struggling economy. "It's instances of violence such as this that continue to set tea party members and supporters apart as peaceful, respectful and reasonable citizens protesting an excessive and over reaching government," said Marianne Gasiecki, State Co-Coodinator for the Tea Party Patriots.

All too often, honorable institutions like the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been wrongly criticized, often for political purposes. It is time for an honest look at a great law enforcement body with important accomplishments during some of the most trying times of this great nation. For more than a hundred years the FBI has served tirelessly to fill the gaps between local laws, dealing mostly with criminal activity across State lines.

The FBI and local law enforcement personnel were on the job while the rest of us went about our business without a clue as to what the conspirators were planning. Because of the tireless efforts of honorable men and women serving in law enforcement the attackers were under surveillance from the beginning, and the public was never in danger. The FBI has once more demonstrated its expertise in carrying out the FBI mission to protect our communities, businesses and our lives. Thank you FBI and God Bless you.

# # #

An Open Letter to Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett: 2012 Elections

In response to the recent naming of former Congressman and current ORP State Central Committeeman Bob McEwen as spokesman of the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) for the 2012 election, the below letter is being sent to ORP Interim Chairman Bob Bennett voicing our concerns and objections over this intellectually vacuous and questionable appointment.

Ohio Republican Party

Chairman Bob Bennett

211 South Fifth St

Columbus, OH 43215

Dear Chairman Bennett,

In light of your recent comments in which you stated former Congressman Bob McEwen would be named as Spokesman for the Ohio Republican Party during the 2012 election cycle, accordingly, we feel the need to respond and share our concerns.

With what arguably may be the most important election many of us will ever face in our lifetime, the importance of acting soundly, smartly, and with integrity cannot be underestimated. Because Ohio is a key battleground state, decisions and actions in Ohio made during this election cycle WILL play prominently in the eventual outcome of the Presidential election

Considering his past role in the House Banking Scandal and past voting indiscretions, we believe the decision to name former Congressman and current ORP State Central Committeeman Bob McEwen as spokesman to be sorely lacking in political judgment and respectfully request this decision be rescinded or reconsidered.

While volunteers and Tea Party members across the state fan out in our GOTV efforts promoting our conservative values, voter integrity, and the need for integrity in our elected officials, the appointment of Congressman McEwen flies in the face of good judgment; an individual who can be attacked for having violated the public trust is a poor choice for a political party spokesman.

We know all too well how President Obama will do everything possible to deflect attention from his 4 years of policies that have failed this state and our country.  It is incumbent on the Ohio Republican Party to remain vigilant in making sure they do not willfully arm the left with endless political fodder with actions like this leading up to the all-important 2012 election.

In closing, we look forward to your written response to this request in a timely manner, and we want to thank you for giving our correspondence your immediate and undivided attention.

Regards,

Ralph King

Marianne Gasiecki

Tea Party Patriots

State Coordinators (OH)

After speaking with many of the Tea Party & Liberty group members and Coordinators across Ohio, we have yet to find anyone that supports the decision to name McEwen as ORP Spokesman for the 2012 election.

After learning of former Congressman McEwen's role in the House Banking Scandal, past voting scandals and, past work as a high-powered lobbyist, the reaction has ranged from disbelief to disgust.

For the record, we do believe in forgiveness and that people can change. We applaud former Congressman McEwen for acknowledging, accepting and learning from his past mistakes. And we believe that the role and work he is currently doing on the ORP State Central Committee is where his experience would best serve the conservative movement during this election cycle.

Former Congressman McEwen surely recognizes the liabilities that his being ORP spokesman would bring and, how it will surely diminish any chances of conservative success in 2012.

If former Congressman McEwen has truly learned from his past mistakes and is a changed person, and in light of what the future of our nation faces in this upcoming election, Congressman McEwen would do the right thing by putting country first and reconsider his taking on this role as ORP Spokesman.

Ken Blackwell calls Obamacare "A Clear & Present Danger"

After delivering the Invocation at the recent Tea Party Patriots "Road to Repeal Rally" in D.C., former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell delivers a rousing speech against Obamacare...

To see all the speakers and interviews at the Road to Repeal Rally click here.

Tea Party Patriots D.C. Road to Repeal Rally

 

Save the date and join us on Saturday, March 24th, 2012 at 12pm. in Washington DC as we begin our journey down the Road to Repeal.

Are you opposed to the Federal Government making medical choices for you?  Join thousands of patriots who share your views on Obamacare. Come to Washington DC and be part of the TPP Road to Repeal Rally.

A majority of Americans view government run health care as a sign of what's to come from big government. More politics, more control and less personal choice.

Recent decisions by the US Department of Health and Human Services show precisely how the government run healthcare will work. The Government will make healthcare decisions based on political consideration over the needs of individuals.

ObamaCare is set to be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States March 26-28. 

NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT!!!  

We need your help to send a strong, clear message to the big government types who are bent on trampling our personal choice and our God-Given and Constitutionally protected freedoms.

This is the first stop on the Road to Repeal. We need your help to win this fight and repeal government run health care!!!!

Patriot groups from across the U.S. are setting up buses to make this historic stand for freedom. To find out more about the Tea Party Patriots Road to Repeal Rally and to find a bus near you please click here.

NOTE: Please click here sign up for the bus to DC from Cleveland.  Deadline is Tuesday March 6, 2012.

Tea Party Patriots (OH) hosting Tele Town Hall for U.S. Senate Primary

Are you tired of the political establishment picking or anointing candidates for you?

  

 Well now is your chance!

On Monday, February 20, 2012 at 8pm EST, Tea Party Patriot groups from Ohio will be hosting a Tele Town Hall with the candidates in the GOP Primary for the U.S. Senate seat from Ohio.  The winner of this primary will face off against Senator Sherrod Brown - one of the most liberal Senators in D.C.

After each candidate has had an opportunity to participate in the forum we will be conducting a Tea Party Straw Poll. This poll will give insight to what the Tea Party members on the call think about the field of candidates in this all important Senate primary race.

Click Here to Register for the Tele Town Hall

Though a crowded field in this 5 way GOP primary it is refreshing that the conservative voters in Ohio will finally have some quality candidates from which they can choose and not have the GOP choose for them or so-called grassroot groups anointing candidates months before the election.

Click Here to Register
 

Tea Party Patriots Co-Sponsoring Presidential Debate Tonight

Tea Party Patriots, along with the SRLC and CNN, will co-sponsor a primetime Presidential debate this Thursday in Charleston, South Carolina – two days before the crucial South Carolina primary.

“The South Carolina primary is a critical contest in the march towards the Republican presidential nomination,” said Mark Preston, CNN political director. “The support of the Southern Republican Leadership Conference and the Tea Party Patriots is invaluable in helping us to provide the Republican candidates an opportunity to answer direct questions on the many challenges facing the nation.”

The debate will air live from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on CNN, CNN en Español, CNN Radio and worldwide on CNN International and CNN.com. It will re-air on CNN for the primetime West Coast audience at 8 p.m. PT/11 p.m. ET. CNN will also provide a live feed of the debate to the American Forces Network, which is seen in 175 countries and aboard naval ships around the world so that U.S. airmen, marines, sailors, soldiers and officials serving overseas can view the debate.

NYC Gun Charges Dropped on Tea Party Patriots Co-Founder Mark Meckler

Many of you have heard how there have been several cases where CCW licensed individuals have been arrested in New York while they were attempting to legally declare their weapons.

In mid December of last year (2011) one of our National Coordinators and co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, Mark Meckler, who also holds a CCW permit was arrested at LaGuardia Airport while attempting to declare his weapon that was being transported in a TSA approved travel case. 

Now that Mark has had his day in court he is finally able to speak out on the incident...

From Across the Fence --

On December 15, 2011 at approximately 5:15 a.m., I was at LaGuardia International airport preparing to check in for a flight out of the city.  During a routine check-in, I requested a firearms declaration form from the ticket agent.  It was my intent to declare and check my unloaded firearm.

I purchased this firearm legally, and I have a valid concealed carry permit for it issued in California.  The unloaded gun was locked inside a TSA-approved travel case, and the case was locked inside my checked luggage.  I carry the firearm for my personal safety, having received numerous threats due to my role in the Tea Party Patriots.  I have checked this firearm at airports dozens of times before, all across the country.
As I traveled through LaGuardia that morning, I passed TSA signs telling me I had the right to check this unloaded firearm in my luggage, and that I am required by law to declare the firearm to the ticketing agent. This is exactly what I did.

The ticketing agent provided me with the declaration form, and I signed it and returned it to her.  She advised me that she would need to call Port Authority police to inspect.  This is not unusual when traveling with a firearm.  Procedures vary from airport to airport, from airline to airline, and even from day to day, and as a law-abiding citizen, I have always been happy to cooperate.

Unfortunately, that day, I didn’t realize that I was about to cross paths with New York City’s anti-Second Amendment stance.  Upon showing my case and the weapon to the officer who arrived on the scene, and after a few brief questions, she advised me that she was placing me under arrest for violating New York City’s firearms laws.

To say that I was stunned would be an understatement.  I am from a law enforcement family.  My mother is a retired correctional officer, and I have spent my life around folks from the law enforcement community.  I have always considered myself a law-abiding citizen.  I have never been arrested before.  I have never been in police custody.  I can never say those things again.  On December 15^th, 2011, I was arrested, handcuffed at the ticket counter, and taken to a waiting squad car for transport to the Port Authority Police station at LaGuardia.

I was subsequently transferred, in handcuffs, to the Queens Central booking facility in New York City.  I was charged with felony possession of a firearm with intent to do harm.  I spent the day in Queens…in jail.

It was a nightmare that I can scarcely describe to you.  Until you have felt the handcuffs on your wrists, and until you have heard that cell door close behind you, it is impossible to understand what it means to actually lose your liberty.  And since that day, my liberty has been at stake, and because of that threat, based upon the advice of counsel, I’ve been unable to publicly speak about this case.  Today the silence ends.

I am pleased to announce that the criminal case against me has been dropped.  Although I was originally charged with a violent felony, the case against me was resolved with a plea to “disorderly conduct. ” Disorderly Conduct is not a felony or a misdemeanor, or even a crime.    The facts underlying my plea are that I declared a legally purchased, properly licensed and unloaded firearm at an airport counter.  Apparently, much to my surprise, in New York City, it is considered “disorderly conduct” to exercise your constitutionally guaranteed, Second Amendment rights.

Strangely, now that the case against me is over,  the authorities refuse to return my firearm.  There is no law that allows them to confiscate a weapon in this manner.  They simply say “no” when you ask for your weapon back.  This is apparently their “policy.”  It is done regularly in New York.  This is government robbery.  Not only is New York City anti-Second Amendment rights, but they are depriving citizens of their legally owned property.  My lawyer has advised me that I can attempt to pursue the return of my firearm, but that to do so would cost me more than the firearm is worth.  I am not alone in facing this tyranny.  It has happened to hundreds of people in the New York metro area.  My lawyer, Brian Stapleton, has handled over 400 of these cases himself, so he is an expert on the subject.

While the end of this case is the end of a horrible nightmare for my family and I, it is not the end of this fight.  It is just the beginning.  Since the original incident, I have received more emails, phone calls, texts and tweets of support than you can possibly imagine.  To those people, I want to say heart-felt thanks on behalf of my entire family.  We have come to know that we are not alone in this particular fight.  Apparently, this happens to hundreds of people per year in New York City.  And New York City is not alone in its attack on our rights.  This sort of Constitutional abuse, Second Amendment and otherwise, is taking place all over the nation.  And we as citizens must stand against it.  We must protect our rights, or we will lose them.

Many of you know me as someone who is willing to stand and fight for self-governance in this country.   I’m no politician, and I’m not from a powerful or connected family.   I’m an average American citizen.  And I stand shoulder to shoulder with millions of other Americans who, despite enormous obstacles, and despite the politicians and ruling elite who oppose us, intend to return this country to the bounds of the United States Constitution.

The politicians and ruling elite will try, but we must not let them label us Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal.  We cannot let them make us fight against each other.  Too much is at stake.  We the People are losing our sovereignty to the government.   We the People, must stand and fight for our inalienable rights.

I’m not alone in this fight.  There are so many laws, that no one can possibly know or understand them.  We are all affected.  From the inner city to the farm, from the heartland of America to the coasts, people are under pressure from a government that no longer serves them.   From my home in California, to the farmland of Kansas… from the small towns of South Carolina to the metropolis of New York, every year the legislatures pass thousands of laws and regulations that do not serve the people.

The legislators don’t read the bills they pass, and even if they did, they couldn’t understand them.  Our criminal justice system is terribly broken, and no longer serves the people and the communities it was intended to serve.  Our regulatory system is broken; small businesses and the communities that rely on them crushed under the weight of unnecessary regulation.

We are, step by step, destroying the heart of America.  And we are doing so because we are not governing ourselves according to the Constitution.  It’s up to us…the People.

It’s time to stand for self-governance.  It is time to stand for the plain meaning of the Constitution.  Every word of the Constitution is important, and we must fight for them all.  We must fight for every inch of this country, from the inner city to the smallest rural town.  We are, all of us, first and foremost, American citizens.  We’ve always governed ourselves…and we always intend to.  And we’ve always been willing to stand when freedom is at stake.   It is time to stand…time for all of us, every race, every religion, every gender, every American to stand up and fight for liberty and take responsibility for governing ourselves.

No one should ever have to go through what my family has been through, simply for exercising a fundamental right, specifically enumerated in the United States Constitution.  I am committed to making sure no one does.  And I’m willing to work with anyone…anyone, who agrees that it’s time for the people to govern themselves once again.

Will we as citizens fight for our inalienable right to govern ourselves, or will we quietly allow ourselves to be “governed” into submission by a ruling elite, disconnected from our citizens and our communities?  Only history will tell, but I intend to fight.

(Note:  Every law enforcement officer I dealt with through the process was polite and professional.  They are not to blame for NYC’s unconstitutional or tyrannical behavior.  From my experience, they seem to be good people, just doing a difficult job.).

It should be noted that during this ordeal, Mark had the unwavering support of all the TPP State Coordinators and local coordinators across the country.  While we are happy this is now past, you can rest assured we, The Tea Party Patriots, will stand with an undying resolve in working to restore a much needed respect and adherence to our God given and Constitutionally protected rights for all citizens of this great country.

Newt Gingrich Wins Tea Party Patriots Straw Poll

More the 23,000 people participated in the Tea Party Patriots Presidential Tele-Forum and Tea Party Straw Poll last night. Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum were on the call last night to answer questions that were submitted by local Tea Party leaders.

The results of the straw poll taken from the more than 23,000 participants on the call are as follows;

Newt Gingrich 31%
Michele Bachmann 28%
Mitt Romney 20%
Rick Santorum 16%
Ron Paul 3%
Rick Perry 2%
Jon Huntsman 0% (.34%)
(Results are rounded to nearest percentage point. Margin of error +/-1.59%)

(Interpretation: The following question was posed to the listeners for each candidate with 1 being Not Enthusiastic and 5 being Extremely Enthusiastic. “On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest, how enthusiastic would you be if were the nominee?” This chart shows how enthusiastic the participants would be in the event that each candidate were the nominee.)

Check the TPP website later this week for audio clips of all of the candidates and speakers

Special Thanks to:

Emery McClendon, TPP Local Coordinator, Fort Wayne, IN
Julianne Thompson, TPP Local Coordinator, Atlanta, GA
Herman Cain, Businessman / Former GOP Presidential Candidate
Steve King, Congressman from Iowa

Thank you to all of the candidates & callers who were able to participate!

-- Ohio Health Care Compact Web Site Launched -- Help Secure Health Care Freedom in Ohio

Introduced into the Ohio Senate earlier this year, efforts by Tea Party Patriot groups in Ohio to enact a Health Care Compact were put on hold so as not to confuse or undermine efforts to pass Issue 3, the Ohio Health Care Freedom Amendment.

Now that Issue 3 has passed with a mandate in all 88 counties, and the voters of our state have clearly stated their support for health care freedom in Ohio, it is time to take the second step in securing true health care freedom for Ohio -- with the Ohio Health Care Compact.

As part of a 50 state initiative between the Health Care Compact Alliance and the Tea Party Patriots, Health Care Compacts have already been passed in 4 states (TX, MO, GA & OK ) and have been introduced in 11 other states, including the Ohio Health Care Compact.

To learn more about the Ohio Health Care Compact and how you can help fight to secure a true health care freedom in Ohio go to www.ohiohealthcarecompact.com.  

Health Care Policy is about who & what is covered.
The Health Care Compact is about who decides.
And Ohio should decide what is best for Ohio!

Real Cuts vs Fake Cuts

With the deadline for the Super Committee fast approaching Tea Party Patriots have put together this little clip to explain real cuts vs fake cuts.  As witnessed in the fights over the Debt Ceiling increase and Continuing Resolutions, the definition of "spending cuts" is much different in D.C. than it is in the real world in which we live.

In D.C. a spending cut is defined as spending less than they were GOING to spend, in the real world a spending cut is defined as spending less than you ARE spending....

It’s as simple as that. So when the Super Committee (or any politician) comes out with a plan, look at the summary tables at the back of the plan, after it’s published. Look at the level of spending at the start of the timeline, and look at the level of spending at the end of the timeline (the timeline is usually ten years).  If the number they end up with is smaller than the number they started with, that’s a REAL CUT. If the number they end up with is bigger than the number they started with, that’s a fake cut, a.k.a. business as usual.  

Don’t allow the politicians to use gimmicks to lie to you. When you hear the inevitable outcry about Drastic Cuts® destroying the country, you first must look at the numbers and check to see if they increase or decrease.

Click Here for contact info on members of the Super Committee and tell them you want REAL cuts!

Tea Party Patriots Co-Founder Mark Meckler; "Occupy Wall Street is No Tea Party"

One of our National Coordinators and Co-Founder of Tea Party Patriots, Mark Meckler, offers up a rebuke of the MSM's intellectually dishonest attempts of linking the Occupy Wall Street movement with the Tea Party movement...

From Politico --

The media chorus is singing a new song this week in its anti-tea party echo chamber. It goes something like this: The law-breaking anarchists who want to tear America down are somehow just like law-abiding tea partiers — who are working tirelessly to build America back up.

This boneheaded comparison reminds me of what has now become an oft-repeated political euphemism. In 1988, during a vice presidential debate, Democratic candidate Sen. Lloyd Bentsen said to his Republican opponent, Sen. Dan Quayle, “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy; Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”

So despite the risk of sounding cliché here, I say to the small band of misfits and anarchists now occupying Wall Street: I was one of tens of thousands of patriotic Americans who were there at the beginning of the tea party movement. I stood shoulder to shoulder with tea partiers all across this country. And you, who are occupying Wall Street and trying to tear America down, are no tea partiers.

The tea party movement started spontaneously from the rant of CNBC’s Rick Santelli on Feb. 19, 2009. His words resonated with millions across the country, and his spontaneous call for a “tea party” spurred tens of thousands to action.

Within a week, in close to 50 locations across the country, almost 40,000 people turned out to protest the U.S. government’s fiscal irresponsibility. By Tax Day in April 2009, the movement had grown to millions — and there were more than 850 peaceful, lawful protests across the nation attended by more than a million people.

The movement was organic, fast moving and had a cogent message: It’s time for fiscal responsibility in government.

Tea party rallies have always felt like “parties” — and safe and clean ones at that. Unlike protesters in New York, I can find no reports of tea partiers being arrested, individually or en masse, at the thousands of tea parties across the country with millions of attendees that have taken place for years now.

We are not lawbreakers, we don’t hate the police, we don’t even litter. A quick glance at the TV reveals the sharp contrast to the Wall Street occupiers.

In recent days, I’ve been repeatedly asked by reporters, “Does the comparison now being made in the media between the tea party and the Wall Street protesters bother you?”

My answer is an unequivocal: “Hell yes, it bothers me.”

It bothers me because it groups millions of patriotic tea partiers, who want to build America back up, together with a bunch of criminals who want to tear America down.

For two years now, tea partiers have stood firmly on principle and helped shape the political debate. They believe in time-honored American values, principles and systems — including the freedom to innovate and employ people to implement and distribute your ideas to the public.

Consider the career of the late Steve Jobs. The freedom from government allowed him to try new things, see what worked and discard what didn’t. Tea partiers agree, not believing corporations like Apple are inherently evil or that bankers should be beheaded. They do not believe this country should be divided by class but united in a return to the principles that undergird success.

In fact — we want more of what made America great. More constitutional restraint on government, so the people have more freedom to achieve the good things the country offers.

In contrast, those occupying Wall Street want less of what made America great — and more of what is damaging America. They want a bigger, more powerful government to come in and take care of them, redistributing the wealth of those who innovate and create something, so they don’t have to work like the rest of us who pay their bills.

When tea partiers first took to the streets, we were ignored and then mocked by the media and those threatened by our principles. Then we were attacked with labels like “AstroTurf,” “racists,” “fringe,” “radical,” “terrorists,” “jihadis,” “hostage takers” and “Nazis.”

In just the past few weeks, we have been told by Democratic elected officials to “go to Hell,” called “the real enemy” and accused of wanting to see fellow citizens “hanging from trees.”

Meanwhile, some of the media continues to cheer for a group of law-breaking miscreants who occupied a park in New York, blocked the Brooklyn Bridge, were arrested by the hundreds and treated law enforcement with disrespect and disdain — all while trying to tear down the foundations of the greatest nation on earth.

We expect that kind of idiocy from the media. But when you compare these people with tea partiers, now you’ve got a problem with We the People.

Mark Meckler is a co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, the nation’s largest tea party organization, with more than 3,500 affiliated local groups.

Tea Party Patriots Tele-Town Hall with VA Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli

Dear Patriots,

Please Join Tea Party Patriots for a free national telephone town hall event on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 8:00 PM EDT.  We are honored to host Virginia's Attorney General and Tea Party champion, Ken Cuccinelli.  CLICK HERE to register.

As you may already know, Mr. Cuccinelli championed a Virginia lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the individual mandate clause in ObamaCare. Many experts believe that this lawsuit poses the single best opportunity to repeal ObamaCare. However, earlier this month, the Fourth Circuit Court in Virginia decided unanimously to throw out the case on standing and did not address the merits of the constitutional arguments. Next stop: the Supreme Court.

Attorney General Cuccinelli will be joining Tea Party Patriots from around the country to talk about:

• The court's ruling that Virginia lacks standing to bring the lawsuit
• The implications of the court's standing ruling for state sovereignty
• And the extraordinary position of the court as compared with Federalist 51 (you know, written by that radical guy by the name of James Madison...)

This is a FREE tele-townhall event, but register today as space is limited!  CLICK HERE to register.  Please forward this information to all your Tea Party friends. We want as many Patriots to join us as possible.

Constitution Day Celebration (Medina, OH)

Constitution Day Celebration

In an effort to energize and educate citizens about the Constitution and its importance, the Medina Tea Party Patriots are hosting a Constitution Day Celebration on Saturday, September 17th. We invite you to join us as we reclaim the truths and liberties that are found within this extraordinary document.

• What: Constitution Day Celebration
• Date: Saturday Sept. 17, 2011
• Time: 4pm - 6:30pm
• Location: Medina City Square (Map / Directions) (Parking Map Click here)

Speakers for the event include:

• Sheriff Richard Mack – One of Arizona’s renowned sheriffs who is a strong advocate of states' rights and individual freedoms (bio)
• Bill Federer – Nationally known author and historian who recently penned Change to Chains – The 6000 Year Quest for Control (bio)
• Dr. Michael Schwarz – Assistant professor of history at Ashland University and a fellow of the Ashbrook Center (bio)
• Chris Long – President of Ohio Christian Alliance who has been instrumental in getting the American Founding Documents Bill introduced in the Ohio Legislature (bio)
• Ken Hammontree – Historical reenactor who will be portraying Thomas Jefferson

Daniel Shy and the John Hancock Ad Hoc Band will be performing patriotic music. Other speakers and musical performers will be added…

On September 17, 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia for the last time to sign the Constitution. Their desire to “form a more perfect union” changed the course of history, putting the power of government into the hands of “We the People.”

What was a significant moment for our nation has sadly become an afterthought for many in our culture today. It seems Americans have forgotten the significance and meaning of the Constitution, which grants us freedom and liberty, and our elected officials have forsaken the very document our founders masterfully created.

What is a significant moment now is how the U.S. Constitution is under constant attack by the left.  It is important, now more than ever, that we as Americans, embrace and hold dear the the document protecting our God-given rights and assuring our freedoms & libertys as citizens of the United States.

TPP Co-Founders tell John Boehner: "Get a Backbone"

We know actions speak louder than words. So far, causing many to question his integrity, leadership skills and intestinal fortitude, Speaker John Boehner has been long on words and short on action . 

In the below op-ed, Tea Party Patriots co-founders, Jenny Beth Martin & Mark Meckler, challenge Speaker Boehner to grow a backbone and do the job he was elected to do...

From The Hill --

America’s debt ceiling was quietly raised 10 times over the past 10 years. Only now has it become a national debate. The elephant in this room is not the GOP. It is the millions of Tea Party activists who have shifted the national debate to government overspending — a debate that was long overdue.

But a debate is just a debate. Words are just words. We saw how worthless words can be earlier this year.

The GOP said all the right words leading up to the 2010 midterm elections, but once the new leadership was sworn in this year, their promised spending cuts dropped from $100 billion to $31 billion and eventually to nothing.

Now it is time to back up those words with backbone.

We believe in Ronald Reagan’s adage, “Trust but verify” — but with a new twist: “You go first.”

If the president wants the debt ceiling raised and the GOP wants spending cuts, you must say: “You go first. Spending cuts first, then we’ll talk.”

The same goes for the GOP leadership. Show the millions of Tea Party Patriots you are serious about putting an end to overspending, then We the People will consider trusting you.

It has been more than six months since this Congress was sworn in. That’s half a year that could have been used to stop this government overspending. Half a year that could have been spent living within our means. Politicians from both sides have found the time to debate this issue around the clock, across all media and even on the golf course. But they have still not found a single moment to find a wasteful government program to cut?

What did our leaders find time to do these past six months?

The American people know there’s waste in the government. They see it every day from their local post office to the observance of Nancy Pelosi’s taxpayer funded jet. Just recently, we found out the National Institutes of Health is spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on studies of toenails.

The Washington Post reported in February that Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) , the one in charge of the funds, has a community college student commons center, a fire training center, a water park, a boulevard, a drive and a parkway named after him in his district in gratitude for $40 million he had brought to the area.  Were those all legitimate government spending or a way to keep his 30-year career in Congress secured?

The president and his administration can’t look through their departments and find anywhere to cut. Congress can’t put a moratorium on nonessential programs until a review of the entire budget is completed? Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) seems to be the only one capable of coming up with real cuts.

Again, what have these “leaders” been doing?

Our president found time to characterize his opponents as wanting to put “a gun against the heads of the American people to extract tax breaks for corporate jet owners.” This is a strange thing to hear in this new era of civility. Then Obama threatened to push Grandma off a cliff unless he got a deal to raise the debt ceiling so he can overspend even more, saying, “I cannot guarantee that those [Social Security] checks go out on Aug. 3.”

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) found time to commend the president for making the case to raise the debt ceiling, saying on July 11: “I would agree with the president that the national debt limit must be raised. I’m glad he made the case for it today.”

It is clear they are not serious about cutting wasteful spending or they would have found a way to do it. When a family is on the brink of bankruptcy and can’t make ends meet, what do they do? They cut back on their spending. It’s very simple.

No, we’re not sophisticated Washington power players. We’re just Tea Party Patriots. But it seems to us that, in a debate over raising the debt ceiling, perhaps the best opening position is not to commend the person across the table for wanting to raise it.

Try our “you go first” method. If the president wants the debt ceiling raised, tell him “you go first” on cuts. If the GOP wants the Tea Party Patriots to believe they have backbone, show it to us first. 

If you can’t find your backbone, you can borrow some of ours. We the People have plenty.

Meckler and Martin are the co-founders and national coordinators of America’s largest Tea Party group, the Tea Party Patriots.

Sign the No Debt Increase Petition

It is time to cut up Washington’s credit card and get federal spending under control.

In 1917, Congress created the debt limit to control spending. Instead every time they “hit” the limit they’ve raised it. Like irresponsible teenagers they’re at it again for the 11th time in as many years.

Since 2000, the National debt has increased three fold to $14.3 trillion or $130,000 per household. A recent CBO report indicates at the current rate of spending the budget deficit is projected to eclipse our total gross GDP in 2021.

Federal government spending has skyrocketed to nearly one quarter of the economy. The U.S. Department of Labor alone will spend approximately $1,250 per household this year!

Washington must stop overspending. If we can’t stop them now when will we?

Congress needs to quit making promises for how they will deal with problems in the future and deal with the crisis we have today.

Say NO to another debt ceiling increase. Say NO to more government spending. 

To sign the Tea Party Patriots No Debt Ceiling Increase petition click here.



Americans Deserve Better

Fellow Patriots,

We've already told you the Four Big Lies you will hear in connection with raising the debt limit and over the coming days we will show you the reasons why we don't have to increase the debt limit.

At what point do we say enough is enough? At what point of government borrowing will our liberty be encroached upon enough that Americans will demand REAL change in Washington? The time may very well be upon us.

Five Reasons

Why Not To Increase the Debt Ceiling 

1. We won't default if we prioritize our spending.

The federal government takes in enough revenue to cover our debt obligations. The real problem is the spending. We must act now to control our spending for the sake of America's future.

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can't pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies."  - Senator Barack Obama, March 16, 2006*

2. If they raise it they will spend it.

Since the debt ceiling was first put into place, Congress has not failed to raise it when the debt was critically close to reaching and exceeding the limit. The debt ceiling has been raised 10 times in the last 11 years and we are on the verge of raising it yet again. What makes this time any different? What is to stop them from raising it the next time we reach the limit? Isn't that the point of the debt ceiling, to prevent the borrowing of more money?   

"If Washington were serious about honest tax relief in this country, we would see an effort to reduce our national debt by returning to responsible fiscal policies. But we are not doing that..."   - Senator Barack Obama, March 16, 2006* 

3. We have been warned to stop the reckless spending.

Moody's, Standard & Poor's, economists, and even China have warned us to stop our reckless spending. Increasing the debt ceiling is an enabler to our spending problem. If the government is not able to borrow anymore money, they will be forced to start prioritizing spending. 

"[T]he more we depend on foreign nations to lend us money, the more our economic security is tied to the whims of foreign leaders whose interests might not be aligned with ours. Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that ''the buck stops here.'' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt limit." - Senator Barack Obama, March 16, 2006*

   

4. We don't have to reinvent the wheel on spending.

If we go back to 2003 spending levels we can begin to pull ourselves out of this fiscal crisis that we are in. If we went a step further back to the spending levels at the end of the Clinton administration, we could balance our budget. It is true that sacrifices will have to be made but if we don't make those sacrifices now, just imagine how much harder it will be in the future.

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure."  - Senator Barack Obama, March 16, 2006*    

5. A rising national debt hinders jobs and the economy. 

As the government continues to borrow money, confidence in the economy dwindles, business owners worry about how the government will pay its debts, and the talks of increasing government revenues by raising taxes causes businesses to save capital and plan for survival rather than planning for growth.  

"[T]he cost of our debt is one of the fastest growing expenses in the Federal budget. This rising debt is a hidden domestic enemy... interest payments are a significant tax on all Americans-a debt tax that Washington doesn't want to talk about." - Senator Barack Obama, March 16, 2006*

Enough is enough.

America deserves better.