The Real Meaning of the Tea Party Movement

Certain events cause you to think about what is going on in the world today and where you came from. Well over a year ago, Jake and I created this blog as a response to the New Jersey Governor and legislature's implementation of their massive sales tax increase. Early commenters treated us with a "grow up" kind of disdain. I am sure that their reasoning said that New Jersey citizens have always been apathetic to taxes and this would never change. We always believed that if people only knew the facts, they would respond and rise up against a culture of corrupt government that only serves itself and the politically connected. And never serves the taxpayer.

Fast forward almost two years. On April 15, we are likely to see a demonstration that none of us has ever experienced. You see, the tax tea party movement is not a pack of liberal professional protestors. It also is not a bunch of hippies looking to revisit the glory days of the 60's. The movement is made up of regular people who have not responded as expected to the anti-wealth rhetoric of the current administration and their liberal colleagues in the states.

I have been getting a steady stream of emails since our first posting of the tea party locations. While the comments section shows a lot of anonymous posters, these folks send us mails looking for help, offerring to volunteer and are generally disgusted by our state and the state of the federal government.

The media is trying to paint the tea party movement as a bunch of conservative kooks. It is clear to me that there is nothing kooky about what is going on. This movement is made up of honest, hard working, normal people who don't appreaciate the "changes" that we are supposed to believe in.

I think that the issue is that Americans at heart aspire to do better than their parents and even themselves. We are always striving to work hard and make sacrifices for our families. We don't resent the guy or lady in the fancy car that drives by, we strive to be that person. And we do not appreciate a president or governor that assumes that we want someone to take care of us. Thanks Barack and John, we will take care of ourselves thank you.

We all knew who brought us to this point and many of the same people who caused the current crisis are bathing in earmarks right now as a byproduct of the president's policies. Sure, Bush played a part. However, he has left the stage. What about those who would blame Bush but carry far more of the blame than he ever did? They are still on the stage, profiting from the crisis. Dodd. Frank. Schumer. Why don't they leave the stage?

And in the end, who is left holding the bag? Us. Hence the tea party movement.

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Latest Tea Party List

From Taxdayteaparty.com:

City: Belmar
When: April 15, Noon - 3:00pm
Where: 16th Avenue boardwalk

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City: Flemington
When: April 15, Noon - 2:00pm
Where: The northwest corner of Main Street and Court Street
Contact: flemingtonteaparty@gmail.com
Other Info: http://flemingtonteaparty.blogspot.com/
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City: Hackensack
When: April 15, 4:00 pm - 6:00pm
Where: Bergen County Court House, Hackensack, NJ (Court Street Side)
Contact: rratwt@optonline.net
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City: Jersey City
When: April 15:Cancelled
Contact: adcjul@aol.com
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City: Morristown
When: April 15, Noon
Where: On The Green at the center of Morristown
Contact: jeffreymw@gmail.com
Other Info: http://morristownteaparty.blogivists.com/planning-meetings/
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City: Newark
When: April 15, 12:00 pm
Where: Gateway Center One - 782 McCarter Highway, Newark Offices of Senator Lautenberg and Menendez conveniently located in the same building.
Other Info:Parking: 66 Edison Place, Newark
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City: Piscataway
When: April 15, 5:00pm
Where: Johnson Park (River Road, Piscataway Township)
Other Info:http://www.americansforprosperity.org/032409-new-jersey-tax-day-tea-party
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City: Trenton
When: April 15, 11:30am - 4:00pm
Where: New Jersey State House, 125 W State St
Email: bkkteaparty@gmail.com
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City: Vineland
When: April 15th, 1-4PM
Where: 722 E Landis Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360
E-mail: t@thomassnow.com
Phone: 973-406-4688
Web Site: http://tomsnow.serveblog.net

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Morristown Tea Party Update 3

Two updates to the Morristown event. First is that they have a new web site for the event. You can find it at the following link:

www.MorristownTeaParty.org

They have also put out a new invite that you can send to all of your friends. The next invite reads as follows:

Are you tired of all the talk about raising your taxes by the Obama Administration and the Corzine Administration? Are you fed up with all of the corruption in government at all levels? So are we! Our group - Morristown Tea Party - will be holding a Tax Day Tea Party on April 15, 2009 at Noon on The Green in Morristown, NJ, right in the heart of the city. We will be rallying against the Obama Administration' s Porkulu$ $pending and for a return to America's core values of less spending, smaller government and self determination. We are part of a national movement which will be holding these protests on April 15.

Why did we choose The Green for this activity? Of particular importance in the history of the Green is its role in various aspects of the American Revolutionary War period, linking local history to the history of the United States as a whole. General George Washington was headquartered at the Green in Arnold's Tavern during his first encampment in Morristown (January - May, 1777), and was in town again during the winter of 1779-80. As a result, the Green was frequently the center for military and political activities related to the period, and was visited by many of the national military leaders.

We hope to see you there on April 15, 2009 at 12:00 Noon rallying for honesty, responsibility, accountability and transparency in government.

Please get in touch with myself, or our Group's point person,
Jeffrey M. Weingarten, at: 973-272-3341 or JeffreyMW@gmail.com
..
Thank you and best regards,

Remember Boston - 1773!

Peter Glenn, Media Liaison
MorristownTeaParty
(TeaPartyMorristown@yahoo.com)

Be seen on the GREEN on April 15!
(Morristown, NJ)

If you are in the area, this promises to be an excellent event. Be there or quit complaining about how bad New Jersey and the federal government are beign run.

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Morristown Tea Party Update 2!

A message from the organizers of the Morristown Tea Party:

A group of concerned citizens has been working together with one accord to create an opportunity for their friends, neighbors, and fellow NJ residents to meet and announce to the world with one voice that we have all had enough of fiscally irresponsibile government.

To that end, we announce and invite you to attend the Morristown Tea Party to be held at the Morristown Green, at noon on April 15, tax day.**

Attached to this email is a video clip prepared one of the team members to advertize the rally. Please send it out to your email contacts. There is more information on our website: www.MorristownTeaParty.org.

**If the weather is bad, we will still hold the rally. Please make sure that you dress appropriately.

Check out their video:

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Morristown Tea Party Update!

You have all been screaming for us to update the info on Morristown. Well, you asked and the folks who are organizing the event have responded. Please follow this link to find out the details of the event.

This is going to be a very cool event at Morristown Green. They will also have Steve Lonnegan as a speaker. Sounds like a winner to me.

April 15, 2009
High Noon - On the Green
Latest:

Permission to use the Morristown Green has been granted (pending application approval)
Organizing Meeting Appointments:

Event Director: Jeff Weingarten
Secretary: Janet Cornish
Public Official Liaison: Jeff Weingarten
Media Liaison: Peter Glenn
Steve Lonegan has accepted our invitation to speak
We have an alternate venue
Next Meeting: Thursday, March 26 (Morris County Library) 7pm

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Announcement - Another Tea Party - AFP Piscataway

Our loyal readers have been asking for more tea party info. Here is another event guaranteed to be solid turnout. From American's For Prosperity:


AFP-NJ Announces Taxpayer Tea Party to Protest Gov. Corzines’s Tax Hikes, April 15

New Jersey citizens urge Corzine to reduce spending, reject stimulus money



Join AFP-NJ along with grassroots activists across the country on April 15th at 5PM for a Taxpayer Tea Party to protest Governor Corzine’s proposed tax hikes.
NJ has the worst tax climate in the nation, and yet Governor Corzine continues to rely on tax revenues to support the state’s overgrown budget. This tradition has left us poorly positioned to deal with the economic recession.
Even with the so-called stimulus funds that are coming to New Jersey-- totaling $2 billion-- Governor Corzine has introduced a FY 2010 state budget with a $7 billion deficit, and massive tax hikes to go along with it.
Governor Corzine continues to increase taxes—it is the same mistake over and over again. Taxpayers have carried the burden of these mistakes long enough-- It’s critical to fight back against this proposed budget and its tax hikes!
Urge Governor Corzine and state legislators to take the first step in mending this $7 billion deficit by cutting the size of the state budget and planning for New Jersey’s financial future.

What: Taxpayer Tea Party
Who: Americans for Prosperity
When: Wednesday, April 15, 5:00pm
Where: Johnson Park ( River Road, Piscataway Township)

For more information or to register, click here or call 201-487-8844.

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NJ Tea Party Locations!

UPDATE: All Tea Party information will be updated on the sidebar -->
instead of being updated below. After April 15, 2009, that information will be moved to this post. If I keep on top of things, anyway.

I guess when you coin your blog NJ Tax Revolution, folks who are looking for the beginnings of the real thing look here first to find out what is going on. While we didn't come up with the Tea Party idea, we certainly support it. Several readers have inquired as to where they can attend one of these events. We will try to keep up with these events moving forward for those who would like to show up and demonstrate their feelings about the irresponsible handling of our taxpayer money.

There are currently three events of which I am aware for NJ coming up. All three events are on April 15.

Newark
At Senator Lautenberg and Menendez' office building
Gateway Center One, 782 McCarter Highway
12:00 PM

Trenton
New Jersey State House
125 W. State St.
11:30 - 4:00

Morristown
Location TBD
9:00AM to 12:00PM

We will update this list as further information develops.

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Tax Tea Party Movement Growing!

(photo from Instapundit)

I have avoided writing on this as many other bloggers have been taking the ball on organizing that advertising Tax Tea Parties all over the countrty. There have been significant events in Kansas, Denver, Seattle, Chicago and DC in the past two weeks. It has been enjoyable to watch but it really seems to be building.

From Michelle Malkin:

Seattle on Monday. Denver on Tuesday. Mesa AZ on Wednesday. Overland Park, Kansas today. What a week, huh? We got the anti-stimulus, anti-entitlement protest ball rolling — and now the movement, spurred further by CNBC host Rick Santelli’s call for a “Chicago Tea Party,” is really taking off.

David Hogberg at Investor’s Business Daily has a nice piece out today spotlighting the growing taxpayer revolt the rest of the MSM won’t cover. He interviewed our registered commenters Liberty Belle Keli Carender, who spearheaded the Seattle anti-pork protest, and HuskerGirl Amanda Grosserode, who organized today’s anti-stimulus demonstration against Democrat Rep. Dennis Moore in Overland Park, KS.

Read the entire post by Michelle here. If this thought has crossed your mind, you will not be disappointed following these links. I would also recommend Instapundit's coverage of some of these events including some awesome pics!

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