Thousands vent anger at Tax Day Tea Party
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Voices from a tea party
Several thousand people rallied in downtown Richmond protesting the federal government's handling of the economy and their tax dollars.
JOE MAHONEY/TIMES-DISPATCH
The rain did not dampen the spirits of the Richmond gathering of the Tax Day Tea Party.
Published: April 16, 2009
Updated: April 17, 2009
It rained on the Richmond Tax Day Tea Party, but that didn't dampen the enthusiasm of several thousand chanting, sign-waving Virginians.
They crowded into the Kanawha Plaza tonight to vent their anger at what they consider a big-spending government that they fear is taking away their freedoms.
The signs told the story:
"The Real Pirates are in Congress."
"Stop Toxic Spending!"
"Tea Party Today. Tar and Feathers Tomorrow!"
"Unrepentant Capitalist!"
"Obamanomics. Trickle Up Poverty."
"Obama Wants Your Dollars. Do You Want His Change?"
"Who Will Bail Out the Bailout?"
Across the nation today, tens of thousands of protesters staged hundreds of "tea parties," from Boston to Salt Lake City, from Kentucky to Alaska to rail against the nation's mounting debt and spending they think is out of control.
Protesters even threw what appeared to be a box of tea bags toward the White House, causing a brief lockdown at the compound.
At the Richmond tea party, some wore tea bags as earrings.
A series of speakers, many from radio station WRVA, railed against the government and the growing federal debt. But the loudspeakers weren't strong enough to carry the speeches to the rear of the crowd. Many shouted their disapproval with the sound system.
A Patrick Henry impersonator drew the biggest applause with a recitation of his famous "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech, made just a few blocks away in 1775.
Robert Bruce came up from Aylett to hold an American flag upside down, a symbol of distress.
"America is going in the wrong direction," he said.
Nessa Park of Richmond, attending her first political rally, checked a reporter's identity before talking to him.
"I don't want socialism," she said.
The speakers sounded an anti-government theme. Matt Whitworth, a student at Virginia Commonwealth University, said, "The best way to fix the economy is to cut taxes . . . and get the government out of our lives."
Jamie Radtke, a member of the group Restoring the Founders' Vision, brought her young children with her to emphasize her point that the growing debt is "embezzling and pillaging our children's future."
Sarah Halsey wore red, white and blue ribbons in her hair and a sandwich board that proclaimed, "I am only 8 years old and I'm already $36,000 in debt." On the back, it read "Keep your Marxist hands out of my piggy bank."
Her father, Stephen Halsey, 40, of Henrico County held a sign that said, "Government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem."
On the outskirts of the crowd, Charles Jones, 46, of Henrico County held a giant wooden pitchfork that impaled large dollar bills labeled "earmarks" and "waste."
Ashley Farley, 14, and Ivy Williamson, 13, both of Mechanicsville, stood atop a wall leading into the park and waved to passing vehicles. They held homemade signs that read "Stop spending our future" and "Party like it's 1773."
Hari Sevugan, press secretary for the Democratic National Committee, issued a statement in response to the tea party rallies:
"While we support the right of Americans to petition their government, what's clear is that the overwhelming majority of folks support President [Barack] Obama's plan to get the economy back on track and provide 95 percent of working families with tax relief, because they are no longer going to accept 'more of the same' as an answer."
Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or .
Contact Melodie N. Martin at (000) 649-6290 or .
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Reader Reactions
Tell them like it is RVAMAN…
Preach on brother.
Just do not be suprized if they are confused… The truth often has that effect on the tree huggin liberals.
12steprevenge, I agree no one will win an argument on this posting but I don’t think it will stop anyone from their venting because that’s basically all it is. But I sort of feel your comparing it to winning a medal at the Special Olympics as a little crude. You know like when Obama made that Special Olympics remark on that talk show? I don’t believe that great organization needs to be pulled into this.
<<I think that a few of the posters with 15-20 replies in this thread have a delusional sense of the efficacy of their words on the internet.>>
Put your money where your mouth is, 12step.
Present a FACT- OR DATA-BASED ARGUMENT that spells out why these insane levels of spending are necessary or good for the country.
If you don’t, then you prove yourself to be nothing but a faith-based ideologue, parroting the dogma that your Leftist high priests in academia preach and goose-stepping to the beat of the Leftist media and the DNC.
eegake: How did you run into Rove? Were you attending a function where you met him? Was he a personal friend? You seem to know his deepest thoughts regarding the sheep, et. al. You’re pretty evasive on the successcful S.E. Asia engagement thing too. Which side were you on or were you just running guns to the highest bidder then too? If I were you I would keep the gun running thing under wraps. Obama and the Mexican government might want to spend some quality time with you—after you fork over the 7 digits of course.
<<For all of you individuals that are complaining about the current administrations ‘spending’..have you ever seriously thought the reason behind the spending?>>
Yes, we have, but quite obviously…
<<it is because the economy is simply awful right now. they are spending to get the country out of the hole that the past administration put us in.>>
...you haven’t. Just more DNC soundbites.
Please—enlighten us—what was that the past administration did that put us in this “hole”? PLEASE—present an argument in which you cite economic data, govt policy, etc. PLEASE!!!
And a warning, Lefty: I HAVE the verifiable facts, numbers, and statistics. And I will bury you with them.
<<i am sure that you are the same group of people that thought that bush won the presidency fair and square lol.(and i have a bridge to sell you for a great low price too lol)>>
Provide us links to information that proves otherwise.
Not that anyone expects you too, because it’s a lie…just like 99% of Leftist drivel.
<<too long the government has been spending on the private sector, giving tax breaks,allowing businesses to outsource overseas all because they(the government under the bush administration)plundered the government to the point where we have national landmarks under lien because WE owe other countries money. and all the while, the american people have been losing more jobs with nothing to supplement them…..basically, the people, not those making 250k a year,but the masses have have suffered long enough. stop being greedy.>>
Yawn.
I noticed someone mentioned the 250 thous income mark and taxes going down. Well as stated before the election to do what Obama wanted to do the tax burden would have to below the 100 thous mark. They were right I make less that 250 thous but over 110 thous and my taxes are going up.
I want to see a flat tax of 17% with no deductions. I am currently paying over one quarter of what I make to the government. What am I getting for it. The likes of ACORN becoming a goverment sponsored section of the census bureau. Read the news they are putting out people, YES ACORN WILL “”“ASSIST”“” WITH COLLECTING DATA FOR THE CENSUS…. Why you may ask are they doing this??? It is time for the congressional lines to be re-done. The more people in certain areas the more seats at the pork-festing table. So now they will get liberals in congress because for some reason the number of people in the heavy liberal areas doubled over the last 8 years…. Wake up smell the coffee, and for gods sake do not .....DO NOT DRINK THE KOOL-AID….
rvaman, your post is dead-on correct. Thanks for saying it better than anyone else! A friend sent me an email with an easy, palatable solution to our economic problems, and it could just work. Give all WORKING people aged 50 and over (approximately 40 million people) one million dollars with the following requirements - 1. Buy a NEW American car within 6 months. 2. Buy a new home, or improve the one you’re in by $150,000. 3. you don’t get social security or medicare-medicaid, so invest in your own health. This way, unemployment will be solved with 40,000,000 jobs for the unemployed, and no more outlays to that end. The US automakers will be made whole. The building and banking industries will get the jump start necessary for good times again. And, Social Security can build up its reserves for new retirees that won’t hit for 12-15 years.
I know it would be expensive $4 trillion dollars… but what is Obama’s gift package going to cost, and we all know it won’t cure anything.
eegake - By running into Karl Rove, you happen to know for a fact that he’s the puppet master that conservatives are following?
My sensibilities and discontent are informed by many things - Rove’s not one of them. F.A. Hayek, Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman, Barry Goldwater and Ron Paul - Rove just isn’t in that class and rodeo clowns like Sean Hannity and Keith Olbermann are so far out of their collective depth, they can’t be taken seriously by anyone who bothers to do their homework.
I would have liked to have been able to vote democrat at some point, but, I was given the choice between George W. Bush (who, by liberal estimations was not too bright) and Gore and Kerry who were even more wrongheaded and out in left field. This is what liberals forget about people who voted for Bush twice - the two choices democrats offered were much worse.
Congratulations on your financial success. It’s too bad you have to hand it over to the government.
datony - I’ve read your post and have a quick question:
When in history has a government successfully increased tax burdens, increased government spending and bailed out private sector businesses simultaneously, making it’s way back to prosperity using those means?
Dave, I ran into Rove during his travels as an activist for the College Republicans not long after my return from a successful engagement in Southeast Asia.
Over the years I’ve done so many things for a buck I guess that makes my business being an entrepreneur. Last year’s big mover category for me was small arms. This continues to please, my operating costs are ultra low and my margins are high, it’s a seller’s market at the moment.
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