Tea Party Patriots Ordinary citizens reclaiming America's founding principles.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Tea Party Patriots Co-Founder makes 2010 TIME Top 100 List

From 2010 TIME --

Every revolution needs icons. The Tea Party movement may have mushroomed because of its reluctance to anoint a leader, but leaders have emerged nonetheless. In February 2009, Jenny Beth Martin was one of about 20 people who took part in the original conference call (convened via Twitter hashtag) in response to Rick Santelli's now famous rant. Her commitment to building the burgeoning movement has made her one of its breakout stars.

Martin, 39, is a co-founder and the national coordinator of the Tea Party Patriots, an umbrella organization that claims 1,800 local affiliates with some 15 million members. She serves as co-chair of her hometown Tea Party in Atlanta, and she helped lead the 9/12 movement's march on Washington in September. It was only as she watched protesters trickle down Pennsylvania Avenue to promote Tea Party principles, she says, that "the enormity of the movement hit me."

The former Republican consultant is an unlikely beacon — a mother of young twins, she blogs about clipping coupons, her household menu plans and her family's battle with bankruptcy, which had Martin cleaning houses to make ends meet when the Tea Party began brewing. "I have a tendency to raise my hand to volunteer too often," she says of the decision to launch the Tea Party Patriots. Her peers are glad she did.


Speaking as one of the local coordinator & State Coordinators -- we could not be happier! And we may be biased, but we do not believe there is a better example than Jenny Beth as to what the Tea Party movement is really about.

I recall the initial nationwide conference calls in the days immediately following the 1st Tax Day Tea Parties. Maintaining the integrity & original intent of the Tax Day Tea Parties, remaining a grass-roots, bottom up type non-partisan group has always been at the forefront in the Tea Party Patriots birth and infancy. Jenny Beth was always stressing this must be maintained as the TPP's grow.

Jenny Beth, we know you do not like the spot light, that you have shied away public recognition for your hard work you do , but-- Congratulations! In the spirit of a true American you have truly earned this.

Immigration Reform Groups Target Ohio Senators


Patriots,

Arzella (Lake/Geauga County Tea Party Patriots) has been on top of immigrations issues here in OH and on a national level. Arzella forwarded the below information on how pro-immigration groups are making targeted efforts urging our OH Senators to support "their" version of immigration reform.

We need you to contact Sen. Brown & Sen. Voinovich and let them know your feelings on any immigration reform.

From the Lake/Geauga County Tea Party Patriots --
Immigration reform advocates in OH are visiting every U.S. Senate office across the state, urging public support and immediate action on reform legislation

A diverse coalition of immigration reform supporters are touring the state, asking Senators Brown and Voinovich to publicly support comprehensive immigration reform legislation this year.

Every office of Senator Brown and Senator Voinovich needs to receive phone calls, e-mails and faxes on this issue. We do not need an Amnesty Bill passed. What we need is for our borders to be secured and our existing immigration laws to be enforced. In 1986 amnesty was given to approximately 3 million illegal immigrants. It is now 2010 and we are looking at over 20 million illegal immigrants.

Senator Sherrod Brown:

DC p (202) 224-2315 f (202) 228-6321
Cleveland p (216) 522-7272 f (216) 522-2239
Cincinnati p (513) 684-1021 f (513) 684-1029
Columbus p (614) 469-2083 f (614) 469-2171
Lorain p(440) 242-4100 f (440) 242-4108


Senator George Voinovich

DC p (202) 224-3353
Toledo p (419) 259-3895 f (419) 259-3899
Cinncinati p (513) 684-3265 f (513) 684-3269
Nelsonville p (740) 441-6410 f (740) 753-3551
Columbus p (614) 469-6697 f (614) 469-7733
Cleveland p (216) 522-7095 f (216) 522-7097



Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Protect City of Euclid voting Rights


Our Euclid Team Leader, Jason Alan, put this together for voters in Euclid.

PROTECT EUCLID VOTING RIGHTS

  • In Nov. of 2009 Euclid Council terms were extended from 2 to 4 yr. terms. Now if they perform poorly we have to wait possibly 4 years to VOTE them out.

  • OR another way for them to be removed is to gather signatures in the form of a petition and have it placed on the next elections ballot.

  • Issues 26 and 27 deal with this and are on the May 4th primary ballot in the form of city AMENDMENTS.

  • ISSUE 26 Article III, Section 2,
    Recall - The charter of the city of Euclid be amended to increase the number of signatures needed to file such petitions (removal of elected officials) to 25 percent of the electors voting in the most recent general election.

  • Currently, the charter requires ONLY 15% of those who voted in last years election.

  • ISSUE 27 Should Article III, Section 2,
  • Recall of the Charter of the City of Euclid be amended to require a declaration of intent to petition for the removal of any elected officer of the city; and to impose a 45 day time limit on the filing of petitions after the declaration has been filed.

  • Currently, there is NO time limit on the gathering of signatures for recall.

  • The DECLARATION to RECALL is something new.

  • If you combine the new staggered City Council terms, with the newly added 4 year terms and if ISSUES 26 and 27 pass they are further distancing themselves from us “Their Employers”.

  • This does NOTHING to benefit the residents of Euclid, and will ONLY benefit the elected officials “Our Employees”

VOTE NO! VOTE NO! VOTE NO!
On Issues 26 and 27

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Finance Reform Legislation is not over! Sen. Reid Pushing for another Cloture Vote

Well that was a temporary victory with he Finance Reform legislation in the Senate, after failing to get a Cloture vote, Senator Harry Reid is trying to ram it through again!

Thanks to Marianne from the from the Mansfield Tea Party Patriots for this below piece from Sen. McConnell's office.....
Update of where we are on the floor:

Cloture on the motion to proceed Senate Bill 3217, also known as the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 failed last night by a vote of 57-41.

· All R’s voted No
· 2 D’s voted No – Nelson (NE) and Reid (voted no for procedural reasons)
· 57 D’s voted Yes
· 2 Absent – Bennett and Bond

After the vote Sen. Reid entered a motion to reconsider the cloture vote and the cloture vote will occur today at 4:30 pm.

Also last night, Sen. Reid filed cloture again on the motion to proceed to S.3217, the Financial Reform Bill. This cloture vote will occur on Wednesday if cloture is not invoked this afternoon.

So we are back in today debating the motion to proceed to the Financial Reform Bill and have a 4:30 pm vote on cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3217, the Financial
Reform Bill.

Sens. Dodd and Shelby continue to talk in hopes of getting a bipartisan agreement.

Read
Sen. McConnell’s opening floor remarks from this morning on Financial Reform by clicking here and also a piece from the Communications Center by clicking here.

Patriots, we need to continue making the calls and making sure the Republicans Senators stand together against the Cloture vote. For more information on SB 3217, Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010, and information of which Senators to contact click here.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

ORP Chairman Kevin DeWine calls Tea Parties in OH "Liars & Noisy Distractions"


The continued battle between the Tea Party/9.12 movement and the GOP leadership in OH is continuing to heat up. The arrogance & poor leadership in the Ohio Republican Party (ORP) is simply amazing. While you read the below statement please remember ORP Chairman DeWine wants you to vote for the candidates endorsed by the Ohio Republican Party in the contested statewide GOP primary races.

Making every attempt in trying to claim the ORP shares the same values as the Tea Party groups here, like typical political hacks, the actions of the party prove different. In the below release ORP Chairman Kevin DeWine implies the Tea Party & 9.12 groups are a bunch of "ridiculous, no account, frothing at the mouth, agenda-pushing liars just trying to make noise."

H/T Matt at Weapons of Mass Discussion for this release by ORP Chairman Kevin DeWine (picture added)

Finally, I've seen and heard a lot of ridiculous accusations lately about the role of the Ohio Republican Party in this primary election. Understandably, much of it is motivated by the heightened emotions of political primaries and too often spread with little to no accountability through email, blogs, and social media sites.

Unfortunately, most of it is flat out false, and it's typically generated by people who find the truth just too inconvenient for their agenda. I want you to know you can always contact my office or email me directly if you want answers to any rumor or accusation about something we're doing. This election is too important to let "noise" distract us from the real goal of winning in November.


First, we find it comical the Chairman DeWine talks about the Tea Parties having little or no accountability through email, blogs, and social media sites after his Frat Boys controlling the ORP Face Book page launched a full-frontal Elephant Clan attack on a long time supporter that disagreed with them. This member was pretty much told, "shut up, your stupid, and just make campaigns calls like you are told." You can read this exchange for yourself by clicking here.

Addressing the rest of the nonsensical comments from Chairman DeWine, not only do we challenge him -- but dare him -- to dispute one iota of information posted on this blog, our website or our Face Book page regarding him, the Ohio Republican Party and/or the actions of his ORP State Central Committee leading up to this years primary races.

Take your pick Mr. Chairman -- the Tea Parties & 9.12 groups are nothing without the GOP, the Ohio Republican Party called the police on Patriots protesting at their HQ over the sham state endorsements given out or the false claims you share our values. (click the red links to read more)

Patriots, besides being upset many Tea Party members are running for the State Central Committee as individuals, this is nothing short of an inept, self-serving, arrogant party chairman who's stepped in a pile of elephant dung created by none other then himself and his sheep-like State Central Committee feebly trying to calm the fears and growing anger from within his party ranks by trying to demonize the Tea Party movement in Ohio through some grand old party propaganda. Pretty much like the liberal left and MSM does on a daily basis.

Summing it all up... in reality it appears it is the Tea Partys & 9.12 groups in OH that are becoming an inconvenient truth for the agenda of ORP Chairman DeWine, his State Central Committee and his handpicked, party endorsed, non-Tea Party type candidates.

The floor is yours Mr. Chairman....

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Lessons from an old man, my boy, and the American flag


Photo courtesy of Ted Linczak

Life was a lot simpler when I didn’t know what I know now. Before I started paying attention, before I spent my nights reading and educating myself, and certainly before I became one of millions accused of being a racist and a homophobe because I sought to protect the Constitution.

It gets exhausting having to defend yourself of something you’re not. To deal with the emails, calls and texts with veiled and not so veiled threats because of your participation in a movement. Some of which you discover, are from your very own family and friends. Then to add insult to injury, your own government comes out and calls soldiers, and tea partiers, right wing extremists. It’s easy to want to stick your head in the sand and hope it all goes away. That’s how I felt this morning. That is, before I watched the innocent exchange between my toddler, and an old man at Home Depot that put everything back into perspective again…

My three year old is obsessed with the American flag. After I recorded the song “Freedom”, he would insist on watching the video over and over again. I think that’s where my boy fell in love with Old Glory…

My son knows where all the American flags are in town and points them all out when we pass one by. I’ve endured many meltdowns in the car because I wouldn’t turn around so he could “hold the flag.” And no amount of reasoning can convince him that he can’t hold a flag that rests on a 50 foot flagpole. Many times he’s had tantrums in stores because he wants to a take all the flags home. He sleeps with his collection at night, and then carts them around all day. My neighbors have to wonder about this kid of mine, who spends hours moving his flags in and out of every garden bed we have, and cheers when the wind kicks up and they flap around.

I'm learning to pick my battles. So a couple weeks ago, I told him he could take ONE of his flags in the stores. Who knew that a little boy walking around a store carrying an American flag on a stick could get so many double-takes, odd looks, and lots of smiles.

Today we headed into Home Depot, my son following behind me like a little duckling, with his American flag in hand. We're in an aisle when I noticed a very old man that kept staring at us. My son was running up and down the aisle saying “Look Mom, I have a beautiful American flag.” He’d raise it above his head and scream “Weeeeeeeee” as it flapped around as he ran. Finally the old man says to me “That boy of yours is a sight for sore eyes.”

He told me how kids aren’t taught to love our country and respect the flag anymore and that seeing my son made his day. He told me he never imagined our Country would be hijacked by socialism and corruption. All the while he keeps looking over at my sweet boy who by that time had stuck his flag in a display box, and was yelling, “Look Mom, my beautiful American flag is standing up all by itself.” The old man smiled and said that he hoped I kept up the fight because America was worth it.

As he started to walk away, he hesitated, turned back around and pulled his arm out of his jacket pocket to reveal a hook where his hand used to be and said very simply, “I was in Korea.” As soon as I saw that, tears weld in my eyes. All I could say was “Thank you for serving our country,” he said nothing, just quietly turned and walked away.

I sat in the parking lot for a few moments thinking about that old man, and I’m not ashamed to say that I wept. This man, a Korean War veteran, no doubt saw and experienced and sacrificed more than I can ever comprehend. 36,000 American soldiers died in Korea, with another 8,000 MIA. After surviving that, burying friends, and losing a limb, how he must feel to live to witness the undoing of the Freedoms so valiantly fought for. Which is why, I know now, he couldn't take his eyes of the sweet sight of an innocent boy so enamored with the flag he fought so bravely for.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Senate Trying to Ram Through Another Bad Bill . . . Surprised?

Dear Fellow Tea Party Patriots,

This Friday Senate Bill 3217, also known as the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010, introduced by Democrat Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut, is scheduled to hit the floor of the US Senate where it must wait 72 hours before it comes up for a full vote.
CLICK HERE to read the actual 1,421 page bill.

The vast majority of Tea Party Patriots' Local Coordinators from all over the country agreed on our most recent weekly conference call that this is a bad bill and we oppose it.

In short it grants permanent, unlimited bailout authority to the Federal Reserve. It's like TARP forever without the nasty, unpopular debates and votes in Congress. Beyond that it gives the Fed the power to takeover vaguely defined "nonbank financial companies". And the Fed has the power to decide what constitutes a "nonbank financial company" on a case by case basis.

Here are some links to a few articles that give a bit more insight into this very, very bad piece of legislation which must be stopped:

How To Create Bailouts Forever

Hidden Danger in Dodd Financial "Reform" Bill

Dodd Bill Creates Permanent TARP and You Can Quote That

Connecting the Dots: Does Wall St. Want Dodd Bill?

Obama: Read My Lips, No More Bailouts (But Let's Keep $50 Billion Around Just in Case)

So, what are we asking you to do?

Four things:

1.) Please contact your own Senators first and voice your opposition to this bill. If possible, physically go in person to the local home offices of your two Senators and speak to someone there who will take note of your opinion and pass it on. If you're not able to go in person, please call, email, and fax the offices of both Senators from your state. (
Find Your Senators by State on the Senate Website)

2.) Call, email, and fax these 8 Republican Senators who are not yet 100% opposed to this bill:

Bob Bennett of Utah (202) 224-5444
http://bennett.senate.gov/public/

Susan Collins of Maine (202) 224-2523
http://collins.senate.gov/public/

Christopher Bond of Missouri (202) 224-5721
http://bond.senate.gov/public/

Saxby Chambliss of Georgia (202) 224-3521
http://chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm

Bob Corker of Tennessee (202) 224-3344
http://corker.senate.gov/public/

John McCain of Arizona (202) 224-2235
http://mccain.senate.gov/public/

Olympia Snowe of Maine (202) 224-5344
http://snowe.senate.gov/public/

Scott Brown of Massachusetts (202) 224-4543
http://scottbrown.senate.gov/public/

3.) Write Letters about this issue to your local paper for publication on or before Sunday. Also leave comments on as many news blogs and websites related to this subject as you can find.

4.) Forward this message to as many people as you can and ask them to take these same 4 steps as soon as possible. Use the full power of your circle of influence to move others (at least 1 more person) to take action.

Once again it's up to us, you and your fellow Tea Party Patriots, to defend America from out of control government.