The opinions expressed below are not an endorsement by Vision FW or the Fort Worth Chamber.
Whether it was getting your taxes prepared and mailed or attending a Tea Party, everyone had taxes on the brain this week.
Do you think the Tea Parties made their point? What are your thoughts?
- Original photo from @PuterPrsn
Fort Worth Tea Party
On Wednesday, an estimated 3,000 protesters attended the Fort Worth Tea Party held at The Cats’ La Grave Field. Texas Governor Rick Perry was there with other featured speakers including Kelly Shackleford, Honorable Bill Zedler, Jim & Vickie Middleton, Mark Christopher Frimmel, Marshall Sherman, Congressman Joe Barton, Adrian Murray, Eric Wey, Brenda Silcox, and Stephanie Klick.
Texas Tea Parties
Here’s the estimated turnout for some of our neighbors: Burleson-900; Dallas-7,000; Denton-1,000; Plano-200; Rowlett-200.
Source: http://tinyurl.com/d59j25
Nation-wide Tea Parties
Check out the party break-down of the electoral college map from the 2008 election compared to the recent Tea Party events.
- CNN's Electoral College results map for the '08 election
- US Tea Parties on GoogleMaps.com
I left shortly after Governor Perry’s speech and while I was leaving, there were droves of people walking up. The stands were full and there were people stacked eight deep up in the concession area. Cars were lined up from both directions on Main Street, and as far back as the court house. Most were turning in to go to the rally. There had to be more than 3,000 people there. LaGrave will hold somewhere around 12,000 according to their website.
Did the Tea Parties make their point? This is a groundswell similar to what preceded the 1994 election so politicians will ignor it to their peril. Governor Perry may have been grand-standing for his next re-election but he will be remembered for taking a stand.
I feel like the greatest visible impact was on the national media. Many reports made the attendees out to be extremists or violent and their disdain was obvious. They have to be scared to be that venomous.
We either take a stand now or face a progression toward tyrany. Even if politicians didn’t get the point one point is very obvious: there were 300 Tea Parties in February, there were over 2,000 this past Wednesday, and more will be hosted on July 4th. The nation is attaching itself to this movement as conservatives, libertarians, moderates, and even Obama supporters realize the crushing debt we face and the urgent need to make our voices heard. This is not a conservative issue, it’s an American issue. Sweeping cultural and political change resulted from the movements of the 50’s and 60’s. It’s time we took advantage of this peaceful method of changing our nation for the better!
Dalton Vann
April 17th, 2009