The April 15, 2009 National Tax Day TEA Parties confused me, but my confusion is nothing new when it comes to politics. I understand that groups of American citizens gathered in various cities around the county from Oklahoma City, OK to Rochester, NY, from Texas to Washington, DC, from Atlanta to Tulsa and there was even an Alabama “Sweet” TEA Party. Media reports vary on the number of attendees at these demonstrations ranging from thousands to millions, depending on who's talking. FOX News personalities, Newt Gingrich and even "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher spoke to attendees at various locations.
What is “TEA” you ask. Well, try Taxed Enough Already. Get it? Yes, this is the Conservative Republican Right Wing answer to the current economic situation, a demonstration “to protest tax increases”. I guess it doesn’t matter that 95% of American tax payers will receive a reduction in taxes, in fact, they’ll receive a tax refund. Hey, don’t confuse us with the facts. There’s a TEA Party we have to attend.
I’m trying to understand the lack of response to a downward spiraling economy, high unemployment, pending bank failures, the financial crisis on Wall Street, massive home foreclosures, and all the other issues facing our country. Republican, Conservatives, and Right Wingers have proposed no solutions and have settled for a policy of “just say NO”.
It’s strange that for the past eight years, we had a President and his administration that usurped individual rights of American citizens and subjected them to cruelty, imprisonment, and torture, who sanctioned illegal spying on American citizens, and violated individual Constitutional rights at will. No Republican or Conservative demonstrations…no TEA Parties. When we went to war in Iraq, we’d been told of the Weapons of Mass Destruction, then later we found out we’d been lied to and there were no WMD. No Republican or Conservative demonstrations…No TEA Parties. When the Bush Administration took a financially sound America left by the Clinton Administration and buried us in national debt, I didn’t see any TEA Parties. Did I miss something? When oil prices sky-rocketed and oil companies got richer on the backs of working Americans…guess what…no TEA Parties.
As we stand facing the most troubling times since the Great Depression, as we wait for meaningful dialogue between Republicans and Democrats which doesn’t seem forthcoming, as we desperately plead for workable solutions to the nation’s problems, Republican input is nonexistent. All we hear is banter about socialism, fascism, questionable birth certificates, and other meaningless trash. Obviously, nothing matters to Republicans, Conservatives and Right Wing factions other than “increases in taxes”. Mind you, they aren’t worried about their taxes, but rather, the taxes of the rich. Remember, the wealth of the rich “trickles down” when they are allowed to pay minimal taxes.
Well, this is America, land of the free and home of the brave. Isn’t it great that we live in a country that gives citizens the right to assemble, to protest, to disrespect their national leader, and “Teabag” until their hearts are content? In case you missed the hoopla of April 15, get ready for the follow-up on July 4th. In the meantime, thank God our President continues to work diligently with everyone willing to make a contribution, to solve today’s problems while planning for the nation’s future. Keep your head up Mr. President. Remind the naysayers that we voted for you and your platform for change. We still believe…”Yes, we can”.
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