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{{Short description|2009–2010 series of protests in the US}} | |||
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{{About|the 21st-century protests themselves|the Tea Party movement as an ongoing entity|Tea Party movement|protests in colonial America|Boston Tea Party{{))!}}, {{!((}}Chestertown Tea Party{{))!}}, {{!((}}Edenton Tea Party|and|Philadelphia Tea Party}} | |||
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{{Use American English|date = April 2019}} | |||
{{About|the protests themselves|the Tea Party movement as an ongoing issue|Tea Party movement}} | |||
{{ |
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2015}} | ||
{{Infobox civil conflict | |||
], on April 15, 2009.]] | |||
| title = Tea Party protests | |||
] and the ] on September 12, 2009.]] | |||
| partof = response to government social and fiscal policies | |||
| image = | |||
| caption = | |||
| date = Predominately 2009–2010 | |||
| place = United States | |||
| coordinates = | |||
| causes = Government spending and red tape, national debt, taxation, social liberalism | |||
| status = Ended | |||
| goals = Government adherence to the Constitution, reduce taxation, reduce spending and waste, social conservatism | |||
| result = | |||
| methods = | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
], on April 15, 2009]] | |||
] and the ] on September 12, 2009]] | |||
The '''Tea Party protests''' were a series of protests throughout the United States that began in early 2009. The protests were part of the larger political ].<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119045516/http://usconservatives.about.com/od/glossaryterms/a/Tea-Party.htm |date=November 19, 2012 }}, retrieved September 28, 2016.</ref> Most Tea Party activities have since been focused on opposing efforts of the ], and on recruiting, nominating, and supporting candidates for state and national elections.<ref>{{cite news |author=Brian Lockhart |url=http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/GOP-chair-welcomes-tea-party-2134030.php |title=GOP chair welcomes tea party |newspaper=NewsTimes |date=August 21, 2011 |access-date=August 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023022754/http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/GOP-chair-welcomes-tea-party-2134030.php |archive-date=October 23, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.floridateaparty.us/news-archive/01.php|title=News Archive 01|website=Florida Tea Party|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831105556/http://www.floridateaparty.us/news-archive/01.php|archive-date=August 31, 2010|url-status=dead|access-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref> | |||
The name "Tea Party" is a reference to the ], whose principal aim was to protest ].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/tea-party-convention-gives-boost-to-newcomer-politicians/| title=Tea Party Convention Gives Boost to Newcomer Politicians| publisher=FOXNews.com| date=February 5, 2010| access-date=February 23, 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209212848/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/05/tea-party-convention-gives-boost-aspiring-elected-officials/| archive-date=February 9, 2010| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Thomas, ''Townshend Duties'', 246.</ref> Tea Party protests evoked images, slogans and themes from the ], such as ] and yellow ] "Don't Tread on Me" flags.<ref name="rebel">{{cite news | first=Michael | last=Oneal | author2=Janet Hook | title=Anti-Obama rebellion poses risk for the GOP | date=April 16, 2009 | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-tax-day_thuapr16,0,2440162.story | work=] | access-date=April 21, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104100210/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-tax-day_thuapr16,0,2440162.story | archive-date=November 4, 2010 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref> . '']''. Published March 16, 2009.</ref> The letters T-E-A have been used by some protesters to form the ] "Taxed Enough Already".<ref>{{cite news|work=]|title=T.E.A. = Taxed Enough Already|author=Anne Schroeder Mullins|date=April 8, 2009|access-date=June 17, 2009|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/anneschroeder/0409/TEA__Taxed_Enough_Already.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424030633/http://www.politico.com/blogs/anneschroeder/0409/TEA__Taxed_Enough_Already.html|archive-date=April 24, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Commentators promoted Tax Day events on various blogs, ], and ], while the ] regularly featured televised programming leading into and promoting various protest activities.<ref name="fox"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416060120/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21275.html |date=April 16, 2009 }}. By Michael Calderone. '']''. Published April 15, 2009.</ref> Reaction to the tea parties included counter-protests expressing support for the Obama administration, and dismissive or mocking media coverage of both the events and their promoters.<ref name="fox" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_protest16.4024876.html|access-date=June 16, 2009|title=Demonstrators decry bailouts, taxes at Tax Day tea parties|first=Aaron|last=Burgin|work=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419162330/http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_protest16.4024876.html|archive-date=April 19, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The '''Tea Party protests''' are a series of nationally-coordinated ] across the ] beginning in early 2009.<ref name="deseret">{{cite news|first=David |last=Servatius | url=http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705289328,00.html |title=Anti-tax-and-spend group throws "tea party" at Capitol|accessdate=June 16, 2009|date=March 6, 2009|publisher= ]}}</ref><ref name="economist">{{cite news|url=http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13235069 |title=Anger management|date= 5 March 2009 |publisher=Economist|accessdate=16 June 2009}}</ref><ref name="sfexaminer">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/Tea-parties-are-flash-crowds-Obama-should-fear-41547632.html |title=Tea parties are flash crowds Obama should fear|date=March 19, 2009|publisher=]|first=Mark |last=Tapscott|accessdate=June 16, 2009}}</ref><ref name=thinkprogress>''Think Progress'', 09 April 2009, </ref> The protests are part of a nascent, larger anti-tax political movement called the ]. Among other events, protests have been held on: | |||
* February 27, 2009: to protest the ] signed by Bush, and the ] then-recently passed by Congress. | |||
* April 15, 2009: to coincide with the annual U.S. deadline for submitting tax returns, known as ],<ref name=france>{{cite news|date=April 15, 2009|publisher=] - ]|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iVPKNWGZDbu2Xzq4C14mhJqCdXwQ|title=Anti-Obama 'tea party' protests mark US tax day|accessdate=June 16, 2009}}</ref><ref name=rebel/> | |||
* July 4, 2009: to coincide with ], | |||
* September 12, 2009: to coincide with the anniversary of the day after the ]. | |||
* March 14-21: Several protests took place in ] during the final week of debate on the ].<ref></ref> | |||
* Most Tea Party activities in 2010 have been focused on opposing the efforts (supported by the Obama Administration) to enact a very broad program of changes to the health care and health insurance industries, and on recruiting, nominating, and supporting candidates for upcoming state and national elections. | |||
== List of events == | |||
The name "Tea Party" is a reference to the ], whose principal aim was to protest ].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/05/tea-party-convention-gives-boost-aspiring-elected-officials|title=Tea Party Convention Gives Boost to Newcomer Politicians|publisher=FOXNews.com}}</ref><ref>Thomas, ''Townshend Duties'', 246.</ref> Tea Party protests have sought to evoke images, slogans and themes from the ], such as tri-corner hats and "Don't Tread on Me" flags.<ref name=rebel>{{cite news | first=Michael | last=Oneal | coauthors= Janet Hook | title=Anti-Obama rebellion poses risk for the GOP | date=2009-04-16 | url =http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-tax-day_thuapr16,0,2440162.story | work =] | accessdate = 2009-04-21}}</ref><ref name="cbs">, Jonathan V. Last, ], March 4, 2009</ref><ref>. '']''. Published March 16, 2009</ref> The letters T-E-A have been used by some protesters to form the ] "Taxed Enough Already".<ref>{{cite news|publisher=]|title=T.E.A. = Taxed Enough Already|author=Anne Schroeder Mullins|date=April 8, 2009|accessdate=June 17, 2009|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/anneschroeder/0409/TEA__Taxed_Enough_Already.html}}</ref> | |||
Among other events, protests were held on: | |||
* February 27, 2009, to protest the ] (TARP) ] signed by President ] in October 2008, and the ] stimulus legislation signed by President ];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://houstonist.com/2009/02/26/tea_parties_coordinated_nationwide.php|title=Houston Joins Other Cities Nationwide in Tea Party Protest|author=Katharine Shilcutt Gleave|work=]|access-date=July 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712223407/http://houstonist.com/2009/02/26/tea_parties_coordinated_nationwide.php|archive-date=July 12, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Commentators promoted Tax Day events on ], ], and ], while the ] regularly featured televised programming leading into and promoting various protest activities.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/14/tea-party-protestors-gird-possible-backlash/ |title=Tea Party Protesters Gird for Possible Liberal Backlash |publisher=FOXNews.com |date=2009-04-14 |accessdate=2009-04-19}}</ref><ref name=fox>. By Michael Calderone. '']''. Published April 15, 2009.</ref> Reaction to the tea parties included counter-protests expressing support for the Obama administration, and dismissive or mocking media coverage of both the events and its promoters.<ref name=fox/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:8iBuFzqP6ZgJ:www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/04/16/04162009wacteaparty.html+Waco+joins+in+nationwide+%27tea+party%27+taxation+protests&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a|accessdate=June 16, 2009|first=Tim|title=Waco joins in nationwide 'tea party' taxation protests|last=Woods|publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_protest16.4024876.html|accessdate=June 16, 2009|title=Demonstrators decry bailouts, taxes at Tax Day tea parties|first=Aaron|last=Burgin|publisher='']''}}</ref> | |||
* April 15, 2009, to coincide with the annual U.S. deadline for submitting tax returns, known as ];<ref name="france">{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iVPKNWGZDbu2Xzq4C14mhJqCdXwQ|title=Anti-Obama 'tea party' protests mark US tax day|date=April 15, 2009|access-date=June 16, 2009|agency=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419105652/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iVPKNWGZDbu2Xzq4C14mhJqCdXwQ|archive-date=April 19, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="rebel" /> | |||
* July 4, 2009, to coincide with ];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.surgeusa.org/actions/july4.htm|title=Fourth of July – Independence Day Tea Party Celebrations / Protests – July 4, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704094918/http://www.surgeusa.org/actions/july4.htm|archive-date=July 4, 2010|access-date=July 19, 2010|df=mdy-all}}</ref> | |||
* September 12, 2009, to coincide with the anniversary of the day after the ];<ref name="fox-washington-by-storm" /> | |||
* November 5, 2009, in Washington, D.C., to protest health insurance reform;<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29183.html|title=Tea partiers descend on Capitol Hill|last=Allen|first=Jonathan|date=November 5, 2009|newspaper=]|access-date=July 21, 2010|author2=Meredith Shiner|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100606044312/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29183.html|archive-date=June 6, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
* March 14–21, 2010, in D.C. during the final week of debate on the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/tea-party-activists-make-last-stand-against-health-care-vote/|title=Tea Party Activists Make Last Stand Against Health Care Vote|website=]|date=March 20, 2010|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018031824/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/20/tea-party-activists-make-stand-health-care-vote/|archive-date=October 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
{{See also|List of Tea Party protests, 2009|List of Tea Party protests, 2010}} | |||
===Background=== | |||
] Tea Party on February 27, 2009.]] | |||
{{See also|Tax revolt}} | |||
{{Importance-section|date=March 2010}} | |||
] Tea Party on February 27, 2009.]] | |||
The theme of the ], an ] event of American history, has long been used by anti-tax protesters with ] and conservative viewpoints.<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref> It was part of ] protests held throughout the 1990s and earlier.<ref></ref><ref>http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2008/04/20/Boston-Tea-Party-is-protest-template/UPI-96411208726823/</ref><ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30226660/</ref> The libertarian theme of the "tea party" protest was previously used by ] Congressman ] and his supporters as a fundraising event during the primaries of the ] to emphasize Paul's fiscal conservatism, which they later claimed laid the groundwork for the modern-day Tea Party movement.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/12/ron_pauls_tea_p.html</ref><ref>http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090415005738&newsLang=en</ref><ref>http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/12/16/ron_paul_raises_millions_in_todays_boston_tea_party_event/</ref><ref>http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view.bg?articleid=1051232</ref> As home mortgage foreclosures increased, and details of the ] became known, including the provision for the AIG executive bonuses, organized protests began to emerge.<ref>http://www.middletoninv.com/fedup/Fed%20Up%20USA%20press%20release%20July%2031.pdf</ref><ref>http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=102758</ref><ref name="foxnews.com">http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/21856284/homebuyer-helper.htm</ref> | |||
{{See also|Taxation history of the United States}} | |||
The theme of the ], an ] event of American history, has long been used by anti-tax protesters with ] and conservative viewpoints.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tv4hAAAAIBAJ&pg=4622,1455570&hl=en|title=Daily News - Google News Archive Search|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702032156/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tv4hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dUcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4622,1455570&hl=en|archive-date=July 2, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cMYcAAAAIBAJ&pg=3287,2203665|title=State Republicans call for anti-tax 'tea party'}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAD8C7A6C6DACF2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=NewsBank for Statesman|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419103839/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAD8C7A6C6DACF2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|archive-date=April 19, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=esYcAAAAIBAJ&pg=7010,4383884&hl=en|title=The Victoria Advocate - Google News Archive Search|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123080606/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=esYcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=51kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7010,4383884&hl=en|archive-date=January 23, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB344E5F94DCCDC&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Miami Herald: Search Results|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123080845/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB344E5F94DCCDC&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|archive-date=January 23, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> It was part of ] protests held throughout the 1990s and earlier.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mtoPAAAAIBAJ&pg=5866,3315450|title=Boca Raton News - Google News Archive Search|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714222215/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mtoPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y4wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5866,3315450|archive-date=July 14, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2008/04/20/Boston-Tea-Party-is-protest-template/UPI-96411208726823/ |title=Boston Tea Party is protest template |publisher=UPI.com |date=April 20, 2008 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001195010/http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2008/04/20/Boston-Tea-Party-is-protest-template/UPI-96411208726823 |archive-date=October 1, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna30226660 |title='The Rachel Maddow Show' for Tuesday, April 14 – Rachel Maddow show- NBC News |publisher=NBC News |date=April 15, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010 }}</ref> The libertarian theme of the "tea party" protest has also been used by ] Congressman ] and his supporters during fundraising events in the primaries of the ] to emphasize ], which they later claimed laid the groundwork for the modern-day Tea Party movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.teaparty07.com/ |title=Tea Party 07 – Ron Paul for President Mass Donation Day |access-date=August 10, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901022339/http://www.teaparty07.com/ |archive-date=September 1, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/12/ron_pauls_tea_p.html |title=Ron Paul's tea party for dollars – 2008 Presidential Campaign Blog – Political Intelligence |publisher=Boston.com |date=December 16, 2007 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |first=James F. |last=Smith |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025063623/http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/12/ron_pauls_tea_p.html |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090415005738&newsLang=en |title=Statement on Ron Paul and "Tax Day Tea Parties" |publisher=Businesswire.com |date=April 15, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412171825/http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090415005738&newsLang=en |archive-date=April 12, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/12/16/ron_paul_raises_millions_in_todays_boston_tea_party_event/ |title=Ron Paul raises millions in today's Boston Tea Party event – The Boston Globe |publisher=Boston.com |date=December 16, 2007 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |first=Michael |last=Levenson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701084546/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/12/16/ron_paul_raises_millions_in_todays_boston_tea_party_event/ |archive-date=July 1, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view.bg?articleid=1051232 |title=Paul supporters hold Tea Party re-enactment in Boston |publisher=BostonHerald.com |date=December 17, 2007 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101203516/http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view.bg?articleid=1051232 |archive-date=November 1, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>''The Southern Avenger'', | |||
===February 1st, 2009 "tea party campaign"=== | |||
Host: Jack Hunter, Station: 1250 AM WTMA, Charleston, South Carolina, Date: February 15, 2010, {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518033910/http://www.ronpaul.com/2010-02-15/southern-avenger-dont-let-neocons-hijack-the-tea-party-movement/ |date=May 18, 2011 }}</ref> In late 2008, ], with the endorsement of Rep. Paul, organized a protest called the ] Tea Party for January 24 of the following year where participants dressing in Native American costumes and dumping soft drinks into ]'s ], as a protest of former NY Governor ]'s proposed 18% tax increase on soda.<ref>Jeff Frazee, {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722193914/http://www.yaliberty.org/posts/yal-tax-protest |date=July 22, 2011 }}, ''Young Americans for Liberty'', January 28, 2009.</ref><ref>Neil St. Clair, {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929201545/http://centralny.ynn.com/content/all_news/132356/a--tea-party--to-protest-paterson-s-taxes/ |date=September 29, 2010 }}, ''Your News Now'', January 24, 2009.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Binghamton Tea Party|url=http://www.wbng.com/closings/38276839.html|access-date=November 10, 2016|work=WBNG-TV|date=January 24, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111060716/http://www.wbng.com/closings/38276839.html|archive-date=November 11, 2016|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> As home mortgage foreclosures increased, and details of the 2009 stimulus legislation became known, more organized protests began to emerge.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.middletoninv.com/fedup/Fed%20Up%20USA%20press%20release%20July%2031.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=March 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714090906/http://www.middletoninv.com/fedup/Fed%20Up%20USA%20press%20release%20July%2031.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=JEANNINE AVERSA AP Economics Writer |url=http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=102758 |title=Washington offers no relief for savers |publisher=Readingeagle.com |access-date=April 27, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210141817/http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=102758 |archive-date=February 10, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="foxnews.com">{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/21856284/homebuyer-helper.htm |title=Homebuyer Helper |publisher=Foxnews.com |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924151807/http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/21856284/homebuyer-helper.htm |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
On January 19, 2009, Graham Makohoniuk, a part-time trader and a member of Ticker Forum, posted a casual invitation on the market-ticker.org forums to "Mail a tea bag to congress and to senate".<ref>http://tickerforum.org/cgi-ticker/akcs-www?post=79282&page=1</ref> The idea quickly caught on with others on the forum, some of whom reported being attracted to the inexpensive, easy way to reach "everyone that voted for the bailout."<ref>http://tickerforum.org/cgi-ticker/akcs-www?singlepost=950019</ref> | |||
Forum moderator, Stephanie Jasky helped organize the group and worked to "get it to ]."<ref name="tickerforum.org">http://tickerforum.org/cgi-ticker/akcs-www?singlepost=949190</ref> Jasky is also the founder and director of FedUpUSA - a ], ] ] group that describes themselves as "a group of investors" who sprung out of the market-ticker.org forums.<ref>http://fedupusa.org/about-us/#Who</ref> The group had previously held DC protests in 2008.<ref>http://www.breakthematrix.com/Economy/Update-Fed-Up-USA-Angry-Taxpayers-Protest-in-Washington-D-C-July-31st</ref><ref>http://tickerforum.org/cgi-ticker/akcs-www?post=62255&page=1</ref> On January 19, 2009, Jasky had posted a formal invitation "to a commemorative tea party."<ref> | |||
http://fedupusa.org/OldSite.html#January09</ref> She suggested they all send tea bags on the same day (February 1, 2009) in a coordinated effort.<ref name="tickerforum.org"/> | |||
The founder of market-ticker.org, Karl Denninger (stock trader and former CEO),<ref>http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&gid=58862492776</ref> published his own write-up on the proposed protest, titled "Tea Party February 1st?," which was posted in direct response to President Obama's innauguration occurring on the same day, and railed against the bailouts, the ] and "the fraud and abuse in our banking and financial system" which included the predatory lending practices currently at the center of the home mortgage foreclosure crisis.<ref>http://market-ticker.org/archives/732-TEA-PARTY-February-1st.html</ref> Karl Denninger, who helped form FedUpUSA in the wake of the March 2008 ] bail out of ], had been a guest on both ] and ] Reports.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlDIqFuH0d4&feature=player_embedded</ref><ref>http://plus.cnbc.com/rssvideosearch/action/player/id/1177173832/code/cnbcplayershare</ref> By February 1, the idea had spread among ] and ]-oriented ], forums, websites and through a ] email campaign.<ref name="huffingtonpost.com">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/a-teabagger-timeline-koch_b_187312.html</ref> | |||
On February 11, talk radio host and ] personality ] appeared on ], waving tea bags and saying "It's time for a Tea Party."<ref name="foxnews.com"/><!--citation note: quoted material is available both in the written transcript as well as the video, approx 2 minutes in--><!-- Is there a date in the video? Can't get the video to initialize, can't see it in the transcript -->{{When|date=March 2010}} He was on the show criticizing the newly confirmed Secretary of the Treasury ], who that morning had outlined his plan to use the $300 billion or so dollars remaining in the ] (TARP) funds. He intended to use $50 billion for foreclosure mitigation and use the rest to help fund private investors to buy toxic assets from banks.<ref name='Deborah Solomon'> | |||
{{cite news | title= Market Pans Bank Rescue Plan | date= February 11, 2009 | publisher= Wall Street Journal | url = http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123427167262568141.html | accessdate = February 12, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
==="Porkulus" protests and "First Tea Party" claims=== | ==="Porkulus" protests and "First Tea Party" claims=== | ||
The dominant theme seen at some of the earliest anti-stimulus protests was "pork" rather than tea.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/freedomworks-long-history-of-teabagging.php? |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090915180449/http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/freedomworks-long-history-of-teabagging.php |archive-date=September 15, 2009 |date=April 19, 2009 |title=FreedomWorks' Long History Of Teabagging |access-date=March 4, 2010 |quote="but they didn't have an explicitly tea-based theme. If they had a theme of any kind it was "pork" and government waste." |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The term "porkulus" was coined by radio talk-show host ] on his January 27, 2009, broadcast,<ref>{{cite news |author=Tom Kuntz |url=http://ideas.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/porkulus/ |title=Idea of the Day: 'Porkulus' |date=February 8, 2009 |access-date=February 8, 2009 |work=The New York Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211123705/http://ideas.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/porkulus/ |archive-date=February 11, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> in reference to both the ], which had been introduced to the House of Representatives the day before, as well as to ] spending and ].<ref>{{cite web |author=Ronald D. Utt |url=http://www.heritage.org/research/budget/wm608.cfm |title=Is Pork Barrel Spending Ready to Explode? The Anatomy of an Earmark |publisher=The Heritage Foundation |date=November 10, 2004 |access-date=November 10, 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041113041412/http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/wm608.cfm |archive-date=November 13, 2004 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The term proved very popular with conservative politicians and commentators,<ref name = McGrath>{{cite news|title=The Movement – The Rise of Tea Party Activism|author=Ben McGrath|newspaper=The New Yorker|date=February 1, 2010|url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/02/01/100201fa_fact_mcgrath?currentPage=2|access-date=March 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130112704/http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/02/01/100201fa_fact_mcgrath/?currentPage=2|archive-date=January 30, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> who began to unify in opposition against stimulus spending after the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/freedomworks-long-history-of-teabagging.php |date=April 19, 2009 |title=FreedomWorks' Long History Of Teabagging |access-date=March 4, 2010 |quote=but they didn't have an explicitly tea-based theme. If they had a theme of any kind it was 'pork' and government waste. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090915180449/http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/freedomworks-long-history-of-teabagging.php |archive-date=September 15, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<!--Regarding a series of anti-stimulus protests in mid-February 2009 which sources have since attributed to what would become The Tea Party movement--> | |||
The dominant theme seen at some of the earliest anti-stimulus protests was "pork" rather than tea.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/freedomworks-long-history-of-teabagging.php |date=4/19/09 |title=FreedomWorks' Long History Of Teabagging |accessdate=3/4/10 |quote="but they didn't have an explicitly tea-based theme. If they had a theme of any kind it was "pork" and government waste." }}</ref> The term "porkulus" was coined by radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh on his January 27, 2009, broadcast<ref>{{cite news |author=Tom Kuntz|url=http://ideas.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/porkulus/ |title=Idea of the Day: ‘Porkulus’|date=2009-02-08 |accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref> in reference to both the 2009 "stimulus" bill, which was just introduced to the House of Representatives the day before, as well as to ] spending and ].<ref>{{cite web|author=Ronald D. Utt, Ph.D.|url=http://www.heritage.org/research/budget/wm608.cfm |title=Is Pork Barrel Spending Ready to Explode? The Anatomy of an Earmark |publisher=The Heritage Foundation |date=2004-11-10 |accessdate=2004-11-10}}</ref> This proved very popular with conservative politicians and commentators,<ref name = McGrath>{{cite news |title=The Movement - The Rise of Tea Party Activism |author=Ben McGrath|newspaper=The New Yorker |date=February 1, 2010 | |||
|url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/02/01/100201fa_fact_mcgrath?currentPage=2 }}</ref> who began to unify in opposition against stimulus spending after the ]. | |||
Competing claims have emerged over which protest was actually the first to organize. According to ] state and federal campaigns director Brendan Steinhauser,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freedomworks.org/press-releases/freedomworks-members-protest-president-obama-in-fo |title=Members Protest President Obama in Fort Myers |publisher=FreedomWorks |date= |
Competing claims have emerged over which protest was actually the first to organize. According to ] state and federal campaigns director Brendan Steinhauser,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.freedomworks.org/press-releases/freedomworks-members-protest-president-obama-in-fo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210122432/http://www.freedomworks.org/press-releases/freedomworks-members-protest-president-obama-in-fo |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 10, 2009 |title=Members Protest President Obama in Fort Myers |publisher=FreedomWorks |access-date=October 18, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Steinhauser |first=Brendan |url=http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/bstein80/cape-coral-tea-party-is-on |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401203928/http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/bstein80/cape-coral-tea-party-is-on |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 1, 2009 |title=Cape Coral Tea Party is ON! |publisher=FreedomWorks |date=March 29, 2009 |access-date=October 18, 2009 }}</ref> activist Mary Rakovich<ref>{{cite web |last=Steinhauser |first=Brendan |url=http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/bstein80/freedomworks-plans-to-protest-obama-in-fort-myers- |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209212406/http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/bstein80/freedomworks-plans-to-protest-obama-in-fort-myers- |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 9, 2009 |title=plans to protest Obama in Fort Myers, Florida Tuesday! |publisher=FreedomWorks |date=February 9, 2009 |access-date=October 18, 2009 }}</ref> was the organizer of a February 10 protest in ], calling it the "first protest of President Obama's administration that we know of. It was the first protest of what became the tea party movement."<ref>{{cite news |title=One year later: Crist-Obama Fort Myers stimulus rally fueled Rubio campaign, pre-Santelli tea party protest |author=George Bennett |newspaper=Palm Beach Post |date=February 10, 2010 |url=http://www.postonpolitics.com/tag/mary-rakovich/ |access-date=March 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125151116/http://www.postonpolitics.com/tag/mary-rakovich/ |archive-date=November 25, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Rakovich, along with six to ten others, protested outside a townhall meeting featuring President Obama and Florida governor ].<ref name=Rakovich>{{cite web |url=http://www.news-press.com/article/20090211/OBAMA/90210068 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121227181128/http://www.news-press.com/article/20090211/OBAMA/90210068 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 27, 2012 |title=Those outside Harborside in Fort Myers had plenty to see, say |publisher=The News-Press |date=February 11, 2009 |access-date=April 26, 2009 }}</ref> Interviewed by a local reporter, Rakovich explained that she "thinks the government is wasting way too much money helping people receive high definition TV signals" and that "Obama promotes ], although 'he doesn't call it that'".<ref name = Rakovich/> Regarding the role ] played in the demonstration, Rakovich acknowledged they were involved "right from the start,"<ref>{{cite web |last=Beutler |first=Brian |url=http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/freedomworks-long-history-of-teabagging.php |title=FreedomWorks' Long History Of Teabagging | TPMDC |publisher=Tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com |date=April 14, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090915180449/http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/freedomworks-long-history-of-teabagging.php |archive-date=September 15, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> and said that in her 2{{frac|1|2}} hour training session, she was taught how to attract more supporters and was specifically advised not to focus on President Obama.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/womans-year-ago-protest-launched-tea-party-movement-224494.html |title=Woman's year-ago protest launched tea party movement in Florida |publisher=Palmbeachpost.com |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420202151/http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/womans-year-ago-protest-launched-tea-party-movement-224494.html |archive-date=April 20, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> | ||
'']'' journalist ] reports that some within the Tea Party credit Seattle blogger and conservative activist ] with organizing the first Tea Party on February 16, 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zernike |first=Kate |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/us/politics/28keli.html/ |title=Unlikely Activist Who Got to the Tea Party Early |work=] |date=February 27, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419001130/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/us/politics/28keli.html/ |archive-date=April 19, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> An article written by Chris Good of '']'' credits Carender as "one of the first" Tea Party organizers.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-12-30|title=The Tea Party Takes a Hit|url=https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/the-tea-party-takes-a-hit/|access-date=2020-08-25|website=Outside the Beltway|language=en}}</ref> | |||
Carendar organized what she called a "Porkulus Protest" on President's Day, a few days before Rick Santelli used the phrase "Tea Party" in what has been characterized as a "rant" broadcast from the floor of the ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Zernike |first=Kate |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/us/politics/28keli.html |title=Unlikely Activist Who Got to the Tea Party Early |work=] |date=February 27, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419001130/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/us/politics/28keli.html/ |archive-date=April 19, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://taxdayteaparty.com/2009/03/meet-keli-carender-tea-party-organizer-in-seattle-washington/ |title=Meet Keli Carender, Tea Party organizer in Seattle, Washington « Tax Day Tea Party |publisher=Taxdayteaparty.com |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430202009/http://taxdayteaparty.com/2009/03/meet-keli-carender-tea-party-organizer-in-seattle-washington/ |archive-date=April 30, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Carendar organized what she called A "Porkulus Protest" on President’s Day, before, as she says, "Rick Santelli’s rant!" referring to the CNBC reporter who called for protests after the announcement of the AIG executive bonuses in the face of increasing home mortgage foreclosures. Carender said, "Without any support from a national movement, without any support from any official in my city, I just got fed up and planned it." Carender said 120 people participated. "Which is amazing for the bluest of blue cities I live in, and on only four days notice!! This was due to me spending the entire four days calling and emailing every person, think tank, policy center, university professors (that were sympathetic), etc. in town, and not stopping until the day came." Carender held a second protest on February 27, 2009 which she claims was the first Tea Party. "We more than doubled our attendance at this one, and that is very much due to the fact that I had collected email addresses at the first one and was able to tell a couple hundred people at once about the second rally."<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/us/politics/28keli.html</ref><ref>http://taxdayteaparty.com/2009/03/meet-keli-carender-tea-party-organizer-in-seattle-washington/</ref> | |||
Carender contacted conservative author and |
Carender contacted conservative author and Fox News contributor ] in order to gain her support and publicize the event. Malkin promoted the protest in several posts on her blog, saying that "There should be one of these in every town in America", and that she would be supplying the crowd with a meal of pulled pork. The protest was held in ] on ], 2009.<ref name="Seattleprotest_KIROtv">{{cite web |author=KIRO Tv |url=http://www.kirotv.com/video/18727718/index.html |title=VIDEO: Dozens Gather At "Porkulus" Protest |date=February 16, 2009 |access-date=March 29, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425205726/http://www.kirotv.com/video/18727718/index.html |archive-date=April 25, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Malkin encouraged her readers to stage similar events in ] on the following day where President Obama was scheduled to sign the stimulus bill into law. | ||
A protest at the Denver Capitol Building was already |
A protest at the Denver Capitol Building was already scheduled to coincide with the bill signing. Malkin reported that it was organized by the conservative advocacy group ] and spearheaded by the conservative activist group ], as well as former Republican representative and presidential candidate ].<ref>{{cite web |last=Malkin |first=Michelle |url=http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/17/yes-we-care-porkulus-protesters-holler-back/ |title="Yes, we care!" Porkulus protesters holler back Updated |publisher=Michelle Malkin |date=February 17, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100422085056/http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/17/yes-we-care-porkulus-protesters-holler-back/ |archive-date=April 22, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Malkin |first=Michelle |url=http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/16/from-the-boston-tea-party-to-your-neighborhood-pork-protest/ |title=From the Boston Tea Party to your neighborhood pork protest |publisher=Michelle Malkin |date=February 16, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715154350/http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/16/from-the-boston-tea-party-to-your-neighborhood-pork-protest/ |archive-date=July 15, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedenverchannel.com/politics/18732002/detail.html |title=President Signs Massive Stimulus In Denver |date=March 17, 2009 |access-date=April 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515221902/http://www.thedenverchannel.com/politics/18732002/detail.html |archive-date=May 15, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Another protest organized by local conservative talk radio station KFYI was held in suburban ], on February 18, and brought 500 protesters.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Gary Grado |author2=Sonu Munshi |author3=Hayley Ringle |url=http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/135640/ |title=More than 500 protest Obama's arrival |date=February 18, 2009 |access-date=April 2, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315052030/http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/135640 |archive-date=March 15, 2009 }}</ref> KFYI organized the protest in reaction to Obama's visit to the local high school to hold his first public talk on elements of the stimulus bill.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wong |first=Scott |url=http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2009/02/15/20090215stim-obamavisit0216.html |title=Obama to visit Mesa high school on Wed |publisher=Azcentral.com |date=February 15, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010}}</ref> By February 20, Malkin was using her nationally syndicated column in an attempt to present these three protests as a movement to her fellow conservatives, continuing to call for more. "There's something in the air", she wrote, "It's the smell of roasted pork."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/02/rebel_yell_taxpayers_revolt_ag.html |title=Articles – Rebel Yell: Taxpayers Revolt Against Gimme-Mania |publisher=RealClearPolitics |date=February 20, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613151219/http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/02/rebel_yell_taxpayers_revolt_ag.html |archive-date=June 13, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> | ||
=== |
===Birth of the national Tea Party movement=== | ||
On February 19, 2009,<ref name = McGrath/> in a broadcast from the floor of the ], ] Business News Network editor ] loudly criticized the ] |
On February 19, 2009,<ref name = McGrath/> in a broadcast from the floor of the ], ] Business News Network editor ] loudly criticized the ] as "promoting bad behavior" by "subsidizing losers' mortgages", and raised the possibility of putting together a "Chicago Tea Party in July".<ref name="cnbc"> .]. March 2, 2009.</ref><ref name="chicagotribune2">{{cite news |date=February 23, 2009 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-santelli-cnbc-video,0,4962596.htmlstory |title=CNBC: Rick Santelli goes off |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=March 2, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316153711/http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-santelli-cnbc-video,0,4962596.htmlstory |archive-date=March 16, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> A number of the traders and brokers around him cheered on his proposal, to the apparent amusement of the hosts in the studio. It was called "the rant heard round the world".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29306760 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127093900/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29306760 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 27, 2016 |title=Answer Desk: Housing relief backlash – Answer Desk |publisher=NBC News |date=February 23, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010 }}</ref> Santelli's remarks "set the fuse to the modern anti-Obama Tea Party movement", according to journalist ].<ref name="themachine">{{Cite book |title=The Machine: A Field Guide to the Resurgent Right |last=Fang |first=Lee |page= |date=2013 |isbn=978-1-59558-639-1 |publisher=] |url=https://archive.org/details/machinefieldguid0000fang/page/27 }}</ref> | ||
], March 2, 2009</ref><ref name="chicagotribune2">{{cite web|author=February 23, 2009 |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-santelli-cnbc-video,0,4962596.htmlstory |title=CNBC: Rick Santelli goes off |publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=2009-02-23 |accessdate=2009-03-02}}</ref> A number of the stock brokers around him cheered on his proposal, to the apparent amusement of the hosts in the studio. It was called "the rant heard round the world"<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29306760</ref> and quickly went ] after it received a big "red siren headline" on the popular conservative blog, drudgereport.com.<ref>http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/data/2009/02/19/20090219_164153.htm</ref> According to '']'' writer Ben McGrath<ref name="benmcgrathtt">{{cite web|author=February 3, 2010 |url=http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/%22just-ordinary-americans%22-don%27t-underestimate-the-tea-party-movement-417569.html |title="Just Ordinary Americans": Don't Underestimate the Tea Party Movement}}</ref> and '']'' reporter Kate Zernike,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/us/politics/28keli.html|title= Unlikely Activist Who Got to the Tea Party Early|author= Kate Zernike|date= February 27, 2010|work= www.nytimes.com|publisher= The New York Times Company|accessdate= February 28, 2010}}</ref> this is where the movement was first inspired to coalesce under the collective banner of "Tea Party." By the next day, guests on Fox News had already begun to mention this new "Tea Party."<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/21911279/worst-case-scenario-no-3.htm</ref> | |||
The following day after Santelli's comments from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, 50 ] leaders, including ], ] and ], participated in a conference call that gave birth to the national Tea Party movement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usmoneytalk.com/finance/tea-party-palins-pet-or-is-there-more-to-it-underneath-910/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415112820/http://www.usmoneytalk.com/finance/tea-party-palins-pet-or-is-there-more-to-it-underneath-910/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 15, 2014|title=Tea Party: Palin's Pet, Or Is There More To It Underneath|date=April 15, 2014|access-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123080243/http://www.michaelpatrickleahy.com/teapartyfounders.html |date=January 23, 2017 }}, retrieved September 29, 2016.</ref> In response to Santelli, websites such as ChicagoTeaParty.com, registered in August 2008 by Chicago radio producer Zack Christenson, were live within twelve hours.<ref name="cbs">, Jonathan V. Last, ], March 4, 2009.</ref> About 10 hours after Santelli's remarks, reTeaParty.com was bought to coordinate Tea Parties scheduled for the 4th of July and within two weeks was reported to be receiving 11,000 visitors a day.<ref name="cbs"/> However, on the contrary, many scholars are reluctant to label Santelli's remarks the "spark" of the Tea Party considering that a "Tea Party" protest had taken place 3 days before in Seattle, Washington<ref name="Tam Cho 2012">Tam Cho, Wendy K., James G. Gimpel, and Daron R. Shaw. "The Tea Party Movement and the Geography of Collective Action." Quarterly Journal of Political Science 7.2 (2012): 105–33.</ref> In fact, this had led many opponents of the Tea Party to define this movement as "astroturfed," but it seems as if Santelli's comments did not "fall on deaf ears" considering that, "the top 50 counties in foreclosure rates played host to over 910 Tea Party protests, about one-sixth of the total"<ref name="Tam Cho 2012"/> | |||
In response to Santelli, websites such as ChicagoTeaParty.com, registered in August 2008 by Chicago radio producer Zack Christenson, were live within twelve hours.<ref name="cbs"/> About 10 hours after Santelli's remarks, reTeaParty.com was bought to coordinate Tea Parties scheduled for July 4, and as of March 4, was reported to be receiving 11,000 visitors a day.<ref name="cbs"/> | |||
According to ], a Facebook page was developed on February 20 calling for Tea Party protests across the country.<ref name="huffingtonpost.com" |
Also on February 19, ] NY State Chairman Trevor Leach created a Facebook page called "The Capitalist Chicago Tea Party – Rick's Revolution", in response to Santelli's call for a national Tea Party.<ref>Jeff Frazee, {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722194011/http://www.yaliberty.org/posts/traders-revolt |date=July 22, 2011 }}, ''Young Americans for Liberty, February 19, 2009.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=56760555635|title=Security Check Required|website=]|access-date=November 11, 2016}}</ref> According to ], a Facebook page was developed on February 20 calling for Tea Party protests across the country.<ref name="huffingtonpost.com">{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/a-teabagger-timeline-koch_b_187312.html |title=Jane Hamsher: A Teabagger Timeline: Koch, Coors, Newt, Dick Armey There From The Start |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date=May 16, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523033848/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/a-teabagger-timeline-koch_b_187312.html |archive-date=May 23, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Eric Odom of the conservative activist group FreedomWorks was one of the group administrators, and it was created by ] from the conservative advocacy organization ]. Soon, the "Nationwide Chicago Tea Party" protests were coordinated across over 40 different cities for February 27, 2009, establishing the first national modern Tea Party protest.<ref>{{cite news |last=Berger |first=Judson |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/09/modern-day-tea-parties-taxpayers-chance-scream-better-representation/ |title=Modern-Day Tea Parties Give Taxpayers Chance to Scream for Better Representation |publisher=FOXNews.com |date=April 9, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315144442/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/09/modern-day-tea-parties-taxpayers-chance-scream-better-representation/ |archive-date=March 15, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Roesgen |first=Andy |url=http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/TeaParty |title=Protestors Gather for Self-Styled Tea Party |publisher=myfoxchicago.com |date=February 27, 2009 |access-date=February 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302043443/http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/TeaParty |archive-date=March 2, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> | ||
==Protests== | ==Protests== | ||
=== |
===Tax day events=== | ||
] on April 15, 2009 |
], on April 15, 2009]] | ||
] | |||
April 15, 2009 is said to have been the day that had the largest number of tea party demonstrations reportedly in more than 750 cities.<ref name=met> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130000755/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/us/politics/16taxday.html?ref=your-money |date=January 30, 2017 }}. Janie Lorber and Liz Robbins. '']''. April 15, 2009.</ref> Estimates of protesters and locations varied. '']'' reported on the difficulties of calculating a cumulative turnout and said some estimates state that over half a million Americans participated in the protests, noting, "experts say the counting itself often becomes politicized as authorities, organizers, and attendees often come up with dramatically different counts."<ref name=csm> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421041942/http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0418/p25s03-usgn.html |date=April 21, 2009 }}. Patrik Jonsson. '']''. April 18, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2009.</ref><ref name=nationwide>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/15/tea.parties/index.html|title=Nationwide 'Tea Party' Protests|publisher=CNN|access-date=June 16, 2009|date=April 15, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609191152/http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/15/tea.parties/index.html|archive-date=June 9, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> ], president of Americans for Tax Reform, estimated that at least 268,000 attended in over 200 cities.<ref> . MSNBC. April 16, 2009.</ref> Statistician ], manager of ], has said that a cumulative ] from credible sources was of 311,460 attendees in 346 cities, which accounted for all capitols and major cities little noticeable or no reliable media coverage in other protests could have contributed to a lower number of attendees and locations.<ref name = ns>{{cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/tea-party-nonpartisan-attendance/|title=Tea Party Nonpartisan Attendance Estimates: Now 300,000+|date=April 16, 2009|access-date=June 16, 2009|publisher=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701104454/http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/04/tea-party-nonpartisan-attendance.html|archive-date=July 1, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> The largest event, in ], drew between an estimated 7,000 to 15,000 protesters.<ref name = ns/><ref name = ajc> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503043859/http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2009/04/27/the-myth-of-the-15000/ |date=May 3, 2009 }}. Jim Galloway. '']''. 'April 27, 2009.</ref><ref name="Thousands Attend Atlanta Tea Party">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsatlanta.com/politics/19184864/detail.html|access-date=June 16, 2009|title=Thousands Attend Atlanta Tea Party|date=April 16, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419160959/http://www.cbsatlanta.com/politics/19184864/detail.html|archive-date=April 19, 2009|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Some of the gatherings drew only dozens.<ref name=csm/> | |||
On April 15, 2009, a Tea Party protest outside the ] was moved after a box of tea bags was hurled over the White House fence. Police sealed off the area and evacuated some people. The ] brought out a bomb-detecting robot, which determined the package was not a threat.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926115924/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5160655/Tea-parties-take-place-across-US-against-tax-increases.html |date=September 26, 2018 }}. Alex Spillius. '']'' (London). April 15, 2009.</ref> Approximately one thousand people had demonstrated, several waved placards saying "Stop Big Government" and "Taxation is Piracy".<ref name=france/> | |||
April 15, 2009 was the date of the largest number of tea parties, with demonstrations reported to be occurring in more than 750 cities.<ref name=met>. By Janie Lorber and Liz Robbins. '']''. Published April 15, 2009.</ref> Estimates of numbers of protesters varied by location and source. '']'' reported on the difficulties of calculating a cumulative turnout and said some estimates state that over half a million Americans participated in the protests, noting, "experts say the counting itself often becomes politicized as authorities, organizers, and attendees often come up with dramatically different counts.".<ref name=csm/><ref name=csm>. By Patrik Jonsson. ]. Published April 18, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2009.</ref><ref name=nationwide>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/15/tea.parties/index.html |title=Nationwide 'Tea Party' Protests |publisher=CNN|accessdate=June 16, 2009|date=April 15, 2009}}</ref> ], president of Americans for Tax Reform, estimated that at least 268,000 attended in over 200 cities.<ref> MSNBC</ref> Statistician ], manager of ], has stated that the largest protests were in capitals and large cities while many others had little or no reliable media coverage and were thus not included in his estimate. He reported cumulative crowd size from credible sources to be an estimated 311,460 for 346 cities and on April 16, 2009 stated "essentially all major cities and state capitals should now be accounted for."<ref name = ns>{{cite web|url=http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/04/tea-party-nonpartisan-attendance.html |title=Tea Party Nonpartisan Attendance Estimates: Now 300,000+ Tea Party Attendance estimate|date=April 16, 2009|accessdate=June 16, 2009|publisher=]}}</ref> The largest event, in Atlanta, Georgia, drew an estimated 7,000<ref name = ajc>. By Jim Galloway. ]. Published April 27, 2009.</ref> to 15,000 people.<ref name = ns/><ref name="Thousands Attend Atlanta Tea Party">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsatlanta.com/politics/19184864/detail.html|accessdate=June 16, 2009|title=Thousands Attend Atlanta Tea Party|date=April 16, 2009}}</ref> Some of the gatherings drew only dozens.<ref name=csm/> | |||
===Spring and early summer protests=== | |||
An April 15, 2009 Tea Party protest outside the ] was moved after a box of tea bags was hurled over the White House fence. Police sealed off the area and evacuated some people. The ] brought out a bomb-detecting robot, which determined the package was not a threat.<ref>. By Alex Spillius. '']''. Published April 15, 2009.</ref> Approximately a thousand people had demonstrated, several waved placards saying "Stop Big Government," "What Would Jefferson Do," and "Taxation is Piracy".<ref name=france/> | |||
] | |||
Tea Party rallies continued in various locales around the nation. Many of these events were focused on opposition to state or local taxes and spending, rather than with national issues. Late April saw Tea Parties in Annapolis, Maryland, ],<ref name="WhitePlains">{{Cite web|url=http://westchester.news12.com/story/34908593/tea-party-rally-held-in-white-plains|title=Tea party rally held in White Plains|website=westchester.news12.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219205922/http://westchester.news12.com/story/34908593/tea-party-rally-held-in-white-plains|archive-date=Feb 19, 2020}}</ref> ],{{cn|date=August 2024}} and ].<ref name="monroe3">{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090426/NEWS01/704269890|title=Tea Party supporters protest taxes in Monroe - HeraldNet.com - Everett and Snohomish County news|date=April 25, 2009|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414050418/http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090426/NEWS01/704269890|archive-date=April 14, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In May, there were six more Tea Party events in Tennessee,{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} New York,<ref>{{cite web | title = Hundreds attend rally downtown | publisher = WIVB-TV | url = http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/Hundreds_attend_rally_downtown_20090509 | date = May 9, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090514005944/http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/Hundreds_attend_rally_downtown_20090509 | archive-date = May 14, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref> Idaho,<ref>{{cite news|title=Crapo meets with Tea Party organizers |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=10422719 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530043120/http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=10422719 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 30, 2009 |date=May 26, 2009 |access-date=June 29, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
Ohio,<ref>{{cite web | title = Tea Party 'grass-roots politics at its best' | publisher = Dayton Daily News | url = http://mobile.journal-news.com/rss.jsp?rssid=12387431&item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.journal-news.com%2fmobile-article-rss.do%3fsource%3d140149&cid=12387321 | date = May 29, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160127093900/http://mobile.journal-news.com/rss.jsp?rssid=12387431&item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.journal-news.com%2fmobile-article-rss.do%3fsource%3d140149&cid=12387321 | archive-date = January 27, 2016 | url-status = live }}</ref> Nevada,<ref>{{cite web | title = Gov. Gibbons joins tax opponents at rally | publisher = Reno Gazette-Journal | url = http://www.rgj.com/article/20090529/NEWS/90529051/1321/NEWS | date = May 29, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> and North Carolina.<ref>{{cite web | title = Kernersville Taxpayers Hold Tea Party Protest | publisher = WFMY News 2 | url = http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=124945&catid=57 | date = May 31, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090601072400/http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=124945&catid=57 | archive-date = June 1, 2009 | url-status = dead }}</ref> During June 2009, another dozen events were held in North Carolina,<ref>{{cite news|title=Hundreds turn out for local "Tea Party" rally |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/jun/06/hundreds-turn-out-local-tea-party-rally/news/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090610161422/http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/jun/06/hundreds-turn-out-local-tea-party-rally/news/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 10, 2009 |date=June 6, 2009 |access-date=June 29, 2009 }}</ref> California,<ref>{{cite web | title = 'An amazing, patriotic event' | publisher = The Union | url = http://www.theunion.com/article/20090608/NEWS/906079988/1053/NONE&parentprofile=1053 | date = June 8, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090612102738/http://www.theunion.com/article/20090608/NEWS/906079988/1053/NONE%26parentprofile%3D1053 | archive-date = June 12, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref> Rhode Island,<ref>{{cite web | title = Protesters prepare to parade through State House | publisher = The Providence Journal | url = http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/06/tea-party-prote.html | date = June 10, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100209065147/http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/06/tea-party-prote.html | archive-date = February 9, 2010 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Texas,<ref>{{cite web | title = 600 protest Pelosi in Houston | publisher = Politico | url = http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0609/600_protest_Pelosi_in_Houston.html | date = June 15, 2009 | access-date = June 30, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090618102031/http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0609/600_protest_Pelosi_in_Houston.html | archive-date = June 18, 2009 | url-status = live }}</ref> Ohio,<ref>{{cite web | title = Flag Day Attracts Patriotism, Political Activism | publisher = WLWT-TV | url = http://www.wlwt.com/news/19750209/detail.html | date = June 14, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716225545/http://www.wlwt.com/news/19750209/detail.html | archive-date = July 16, 2011 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
Michigan,<ref>{{cite web|title=Fair Tax plan wins big at convention |publisher=Detroit Free Press |url=http://www.freep.com/article/20090614/NEWS15/906140540/Fair+Tax+plan+wins+big+at+convention+ |date=June 14, 2009 |access-date=June 29, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617061008/http://www.freep.com/article/20090614/NEWS15/906140540/Fair+Tax+plan+wins+big+at+convention+ |archive-date=June 17, 2009 }}</ref> Montana,<ref>{{cite web | title = Ravalli Co. 'Tea Party' organizers deliver petitions | publisher = KPAX | url = http://www.kpax.com/Global/story.asp?S=10244349 | date = June 16, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Florida,<ref>{{cite web | title = Tea Party: 'Give me liberty, not debt' | publisher = Bradenton Herald | url = http://www.bradenton.com/847/story/1540693.html | date = June 29, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091019185603/http://www.bradenton.com/847/story/1540693.html | archive-date = October 19, 2009 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
New York,<ref>{{cite web | title = Tea Party part II | publisher = Troy Record | url = http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2009/06/17/news/doc4a38fc1ae9eed243312894.txt | date = June 16, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120220121440/http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2009/06/17/news/doc4a38fc1ae9eed243312894.txt | archive-date = February 20, 2012 | url-status = live }}</ref> and Washington State.<ref name="Olympian2"> {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130104235235/http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/894731.html |date=January 4, 2013 }}, ], June 28, 2009.</ref> On June 29, 2009, in ], four thousand people rallied against proposed ] in Congress and ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Thousands Protest Obama Policies In Nashville | publisher = WTVF | url = http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=10614208 | date = June 29, 2009 | access-date = June 29, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090703211542/http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=10614208 | archive-date = July 3, 2009 | url-status = dead }}</ref> | |||
===Independence Day rallies=== | |||
According to an April 20, 2009 ] poll, 51% of Americans polled viewed the protests favorably and 32% of these viewed them "very favorably." About one in four people polled knew someone who had attended a Tea Party protest.<ref name=ras>. ]. Published April 20, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2009.</ref> Those results, however, stand in contrast to a ]/] survey in March found that 62% said that they approved how Obama is handling tax policy.<ref name="nationwide"/> An April '']''/] also found that a majority of Americans favor the expansion of government economic intervention, at least for now.<ref name=france/> | |||
A number of Tea Party protests were held the weekend of July 4, 2009, coinciding with Independence Day.<ref>{{cite web |last=Teachout |first=Woden |url=http://www.hnn.us/articles/94858.html |title="The Tea Party in Politics: Why the Event in Boston Harbor Keeps on Appealing to Conservatives", History News Network, June 29, 2009 |publisher=Hnn.us |access-date=October 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703195801/http://hnn.us/articles/94858.html |archive-date=July 3, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704193122/http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/03/time-for-a-tea-party/ |date=July 4, 2009 }}.</ref> "The rally followed a national effort that drew thousands of activists to Tea Party events across the country on April 15, 2009, when income ] are due."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/04/tea.party/index.html | work=CNN | title=TEA Party activists rally at Capitol – CNN.com | access-date=May 24, 2010 | date=July 4, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812095222/http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/04/tea.party/index.html | archive-date=August 12, 2010 | url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
On July 17, 2009, there were additional Tea Party protests around the nation organized by a group called ], this time against President Obama's proposed ] that they labeled ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Tea Parties Protest Health Care Bill | publisher = WXIA-TV | url = http://www.11alive.com/news/national/story.aspx?storyid=132711&catid=13 | date = July 17, 2009 | access-date = July 20, 2009 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | |||
=== Post-April-15th, Pre-July-4th Tea Parties === | |||
After April 15, 2009 Tea Party rallies continued in various locales around the nation. Many of these events were focused on opposition to state or local taxes and spending, rather than with national issues. Late April saw Tea Parties in Annapolis, Maryland, ],<ref name="WhitePlains">, ''The Journal News'', April 24, 2009</ref> | |||
],<ref name="jacksonsun">, ''The Sun'', April 25, 2009</ref> | |||
and ].<ref name="monroe3">, April 26, 2009, ]</ref> In May, there were six more Tea Party events in ]<ref>, ], May 5, 2009</ref><!-- If you question whether this is a reliable source, please comment it out rather than delete it so that other editors can see that there is a source, even if it might not be reliable. -->, ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Hundreds attend rally downtown | publisher = WIVB-TV | url = http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/Hundreds_attend_rally_downtown_20090509 | date = May 9, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite news | title = Crapo meets with Tea Party organizers | agency = Associated Press | url = http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=10422719 | date = May 26, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> | |||
],<ref>{{cite web | title = Tea Party 'grass-roots politics at its best' | publisher = Dayton Daily News | url = http://mobile.journal-news.com/rss.jsp?rssid=12387431&item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.journal-news.com%2fmobile-article-rss.do%3fsource%3d140149&cid=12387321 | date = May 29, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }} | |||
</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Gov. Gibbons joins tax opponents at rally | publisher = Reno Gazette-Journal | url = http://www.rgj.com/article/20090529/NEWS/90529051/1321/NEWS | date = May 29, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> | |||
and ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Kernersville Taxpayers Hold Tea Party Protest | publisher = WFMY News 2 | url = http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=124945&catid=57 | date = May 31, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> During June, 2009 another dozen events were held in | |||
North Carolina,<ref>{{cite news | title = Hundreds turn out for local "Tea Party" rally | agency = Associated Press | url = http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/jun/06/hundreds-turn-out-local-tea-party-rally/news/ | date = June 6, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web | title = ‘An amazing, patriotic event' | publisher = The Union | url = http://www.theunion.com/article/20090608/NEWS/906079988/1053/NONE&parentprofile=1053 | date = June 8, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Protesters prepare to parade through State House | publisher = The Providence Journal | url =http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/06/tea-party-prote.html | date = June 10, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web | title = 600 protest Pelosi in Houston | publisher = Politico | url = http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0609/600_protest_Pelosi_in_Houston.html | date = June 15, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-30 }}</ref> | |||
],<ref>{{cite web | title = Flag Day Attracts Patriotism, Political Activism | publisher = WLWT-TV | url = http://www.wlwt.com/news/19750209/detail.html | date = June 14, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> | |||
],<ref>{{cite web | title = Fair Tax plan wins big at convention | publisher = Detroit Free Press | url = http://www.freep.com/article/20090614/NEWS15/906140540/Fair+Tax+plan+wins+big+at+convention+ | date = June 14, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Ravalli Co. 'Tea Party' organizers deliver petitions | publisher = KPAX | url = http://www.kpax.com/Global/story.asp?S=10244349 | date = June 16, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> ],<ref>{{cite web | title = Tea Party: ‘Give me liberty, not debt’ | publisher = Bradenton Herald | url = http://www.bradenton.com/847/story/1540693.html | date = June 29, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> | |||
],<ref>{{cite web | title = Tea Party part II | publisher = Troy Record | url = http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2009/06/17/news/doc4a38fc1ae9eed243312894.txt | date = June 16, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> | |||
and ]<ref name="Olympian2">, ], June 28, 2009</ref> state. On June 29, 2009 in ], four thousand people rallied against new ] and ] legislation in Congress.<ref>{{cite web | title = Thousands Protest Obama Policies In Nashville | publisher = WTVF | url = http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=10614208 | date = June 29, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-06-29 }}</ref> | |||
=== |
===Taxpayer March on Washington=== | ||
] during the ] on September 12, 2009]] | |||
A number of ] protests were held the weekend of July 4, 2009, coinciding with ].<ref>{{cite web|last=Teachout |first=Woden |url=http://www.hnn.us/articles/94858.html |title="The Tea Party in Politics: Why the Event in ] Keeps on Appealing to ]," History News Network, June 29, 2009 |publisher=Hnn.us |date= |accessdate=2009-10-18}}</ref><ref>.</ref> | |||
"The rally followed a national effort that drew thousands of activists to ] events across the country on April 15, 2009 when income ] are due".<ref>.</ref> | |||
On July 17, 2009 there were additional ] protests around the nation organized by a group called ], this time against ] proposed ] bill that they labeled ].<!-- Disputed statements: Most of the protests were held outside the offices of Representatives and Senators. Across the nation, 254 protests were held against the ]. --><ref>{{cite web | title = Tea Parties Protest Health Care Bill| publisher = WXIA-TV | url = http://www.11alive.com/news/national/story.aspx?storyid=132711&catid=13 | date = July 17, 2009 | accessdate = 2009-07-20 }}</ref><!-- There are dozens of local RS for individual events but this is the only ref I have seen with a national summary --> | |||
=== Taxpayer March on Washington === | |||
] during the ], September 12, 2009.]] | |||
{{Main|Taxpayer March on Washington}} | {{Main|Taxpayer March on Washington}} | ||
On September 12, 2009, Tea Party protests were held in various cities around the nation. In Washington, D.C., Tea Party protests gathered to march from ] to the ]. Estimates of the number of attendees varied, from "tens of thousands"<ref name=fox-washington-by-storm>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/tea-party-express-takes-washington-by-storm/ |title=Tea Party Express Takes Washington By Storm |date=September 12, 2009 |publisher=Fox News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090914153750/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/12/tea-party-express-arrives-march-washington-protest-government-spending/ |archive-date=September 14, 2009 }}</ref> to "in excess of 75,000".<ref name=wsjournal>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB125276685577405975?mod=rss_Today%27s_Most_Popular |title=Protesters March on Washington |last=Sherman |first=Jake |date=September 13, 2009 |work=] |publisher=online.wsj.com |access-date=September 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918072442/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125276685577405975.html?mod=rss_Today%27s_Most_Popular |archive-date=September 18, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=atlanta>{{cite news | url=http://www.ajc.com/news/georgians-lead-protest-at-137117.html?imw=Y | title=Georgians lead protest at Taxpayer March on Washington | last=Keefe | first=Bob | date=September 12, 2009 | work=] | publisher=ajc.com | access-date=September 13, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922184206/http://www.ajc.com/news/georgians-lead-protest-at-137117.html?imw=Y | archive-date=September 22, 2009 | url-status=live }}</ref> A rally organizer asserted that one local ] station had reported attendance of over one million, but he retracted the statement after ABC News denied making any such report.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/protest-crowd-size-estimate-falsely-attributed-abc-news/story?id=8558055|title=ABC News Was Misquoted on Crowd Size|date=September 12, 2009|publisher=ABC News|access-date=September 14, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090915193225/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/protest-crowd-size-estimate-falsely-attributed-abc-news/story?id=8558055|archive-date=September 15, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Using the counts of those in attendance, the march may have been the largest ] protest ever held in Washington, D.C., as well as the largest demonstration against ] to date.<ref name=nytimes>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/politics/13protestweb.html?hp | title=Thousands Rally in Capital to Protest Big Government | last=Zeleny | first=Jeff | date=September 12, 2009 | work=] | access-date=September 17, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113125637/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/politics/13protestweb.html?hp | archive-date=November 13, 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=washind>{{cite news | url=http://washingtonindependent.com/59109/beltway-conservatives-comb-tea-party-movement-for-converts | title=Beltway Conservatives Comb Tea Party Movement for Converts | last=Weigel | first=David | date=September 14, 2009 | work=] | publisher=washingtonindependent.com | access-date=September 17, 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922172005/http://washingtonindependent.com/59109/beltway-conservatives-comb-tea-party-movement-for-converts | archive-date=September 22, 2009 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
===First Tea Party convention=== | |||
The march was reported as the largest ] protest ever held in Washington, D.C., as well as the largest demonstration against ] to date.<ref name=nytimes>{{cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/politics/13protestweb.html?hp | title=Thousands Rally in Capital to Protest Big Government | last=Zeleny | first=Jeff | date=September 12, 2009 | work=] | publisher=nytimes.com | accessdate=September 17, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=washind>{{cite news | url=http://washingtonindependent.com/59109/beltway-conservatives-comb-tea-party-movement-for-converts | title=Beltway Conservatives Comb Tea Party Movement for Converts | last=Weigel | first=David | date=September 14, 2009 | work=] | publisher=washingtonindependent.com | accessdate=September 17, 2009 }}</ref> | |||
On February 4, 2010, the first ] national convention was held in ], attended by 600 people.<ref>{{cite web |last=Weigel |first=David |url=http://washingtonindependent.com/75905/media-at-the-tea-party-convention |title=Media at the Tea Party Convention « The Washington Independent |publisher=Washingtonindependent.com |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318133630/http://washingtonindependent.com/75905/media-at-the-tea-party-convention |archive-date=March 18, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The convention received broad media coverage as former GOP vice presidential candidate ] was the featured speaker. Some tea partiers condemned the event, questioning the main sponsor, ], a for-profit group, as well as the several hundred dollar ticket price. The former Alaska governor was criticized<ref>{{cite news |author=] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60S5S320100129 |title=Latest tea party target: Its own convention |work=Reuters |date=January 29, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311205638/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60S5S320100129 |archive-date=March 11, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31284_Page2.html |title=Palin's tea party raises eyebrows – Kenneth P. Vogel |publisher=Politico.Com |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411231630/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31284_Page2.html |archive-date=April 11, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> for receiving as much as $100,000 to address the convention.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-nashville-convention-stirs-debate/story?id=9741637 |title=Whose Tea Party Is It? Nashville Convention Stirs Debate |publisher=Abcnews.go.com |date=February 4, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426233255/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-nashville-convention-stirs-debate/story?id=9741637 |archive-date=April 26, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<!-- I'm commenting out the following and will later delete it. I'm not deleting it right away so that I can explain the reasons in case someone wants to restore it. The simple reason is that the cited sources do ''not'' support the statements. a) the source says that there were hundreds of thousands of responses, not that all of them planned to attend; b) the three sources for actual turnout said "tens of thousands" which is not "far less" than the prediction of 20,000-30,000 by an organizer; c) the ABC cite says nothing at all about a Park Police estimate of 30,000 "generous" or otherwise. | |||
==Tactics== | |||
While hundreds of thousands of people indicated that they planned to attend,<ref>http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/armey_healthcare_march/2009/08/18/249269.html?s=al&promo_code=85A0-1</ref> and as many as 30,000 registered in advance,<ref>http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0909/Rally_organizer_predicts_2030k.html?showall</ref> actual turnout was estimated by many as far less.<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112781731&ps=cprs</ref><ref>http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/09/12/inside-dcs-tea-party-protests-turmoil-but-no-consensus/</ref><ref>http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0909/Rally_organizer_predicts_2030k.html?showall</ref> DC Park Police reportedly called an estimate of 30,000 "generous".<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=8555072</ref> | |||
'']'' reported on August 8, 2009, that organizations opposed to the President Obama's health care legislation were urging opponents to be disruptive. It noted that the Tea Party Patriots web site circulated a memo instructing them to "Pack the hall. Yell out and challenge the Rep's statements early. Get him off his prepared script and agenda. Stand up and shout and sit right back down." The memo continued, "The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the ] agenda of Washington."<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104223055/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/08/us/politics/08townhall.html?hpHealth |date=November 4, 2015 }}, New York Times, August 8, 2009.</ref> | |||
--> | |||
Some Tea Party organizers have stated that they look to ] ]'s '']'' for inspiration. Protesters have also ] ] imagery; the logo for the March 9/12 on Washington featured a ] design that was intended to resemble those used by the ], ], and ] movements of the 1960s. In addition, the slogan "Keep Your Laws Off My Body", usually associated with ] activists, has been seen on signs at tea parties.<ref name="alinsky">{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27285.html|title=Conservatives use liberal playbook|website=]|access-date=September 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922220127/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27285.html|archive-date=September 22, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===First Tea Party convention=== | |||
{{Main|Tea Party Nation}} | |||
On April 8, 2010, it was announced that the ] had been set up to publicize the movement, and organizers said it would issue news releases, respond to critics and help get the word out about tea party rallies and initiatives.<ref name="LATimes2">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-apr-08-la-na-tea-federation9-2010apr09-story.html |title=Tea parties form a federation, but don't call them organized |author=Kathleen Hennessey |date=April 8, 2010 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=April 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820185223/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/08/nation/la-na-tea-federation9-2010apr09 |archive-date=August 20, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Tea Party activist Mark Skoda noted the slow response to critics who have charged the protesters with racism, stating: "It took us 72 hours to respond to John Lewis... We're not needing to meet every week. But there will now be a way to have a call to arms to respond to attacks with a crisp and clear message."<ref name="LATimes2"/><ref name="NTPF">{{cite web|url=http://www.thenationalteapartyfederation.com/uploads/NTPF_Letter_to_CBC.pdf|title=''Letter to the Congressional Black Caucus from Tea Party Federation: Please Provide Evidence of Cannon N-Word Incident'', National Tea Party Federation, April 24, 2010|access-date=June 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121075350/http://www.thenationalteapartyfederation.com/uploads/NTPF_Letter_to_CBC.pdf|archive-date=January 21, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
On February 4, 2010, the first ] national convention was held in ], attended by 600 people.<ref>http://washingtonindependent.com/75905/media-at-the-tea-party-convention</ref> The convention received broad media coverage as former GOP Vice Presidential Candidate ] was the featured speaker. The former ] governor was criticized<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60S5S320100129</ref><ref>http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31284_Page2.html</ref> for receiving as much as $100,000 to address the convention.<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-nashville-convention-stirs-debate/story?id=9741637</ref> | |||
==Reports of abusive behavior== | |||
== Tactics == | |||
There have been allegations of ] and abusive behavior by Tea Party protesters.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/the-tea-party-is-all-abou_b_484229.html|title=The Tea Party is all about race|author=Bob Cesca|date=March 3, 2010|publisher=Huffington Post|access-date=March 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308041210/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/the-tea-party-is-all-abou_b_484229.html|archive-date=March 8, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://washingtonindependent.com/73036/n-word-sign-dogs-would-be-tea-party-leader|title='N-Word' Sign Dogs Would-Be Tea Party Leader|author=David Weigel|date=January 4, 2010|publisher=Washington Independent|access-date=March 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323142442/http://washingtonindependent.com/73036/n-word-sign-dogs-would-be-tea-party-leader|archive-date=March 23, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2010/mar/21/tea-party-movement-n-word-and-f-word|title=Cat Slithers Out of Bag|author=Michael Tomasky|date=March 21, 2010|publisher=Guardian News|location=London|access-date=December 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313055557/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2010/mar/21/tea-party-movement-n-word-and-f-word|archive-date=March 13, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Make that the Nas-Tea Party">{{Citation|title=Make That the Nas-Tea Party|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2010/03/make-that-the-nas-tea-party.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324043017/http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2010/03/make-that-the-nas-tea-party.html|archive-date=March 24, 2010|date=March 20, 2010|first1=Michael|last1=McAuliff|work=]|location=New York|first2=Kenneth R.|last2=Bazinet|name-list-style=amp|access-date=June 5, 2010}}</ref><ref name="cbsnews.com"/> | |||
{{POV-section}} | |||
'']'' reported on August 8, 2009 that organizations opposed to the health insurance reform legislation were urging opponents to be disruptive. It noted that the Tea Party Patriots web site circulated a memo instructing them to "Pack the hall. Yell out and challenge the Rep’s statements early. Get him off his prepared script and agenda. Stand up and shout and sit right back down."<ref>, New York Times, August 8, 2009</ref> The memo continued, "The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the socialist agenda of Washington."<ref>, July 2009</ref> | |||
On March 16, 2010, at a Tea Party protest at the Ohio offices of Rep. ], a counter-protester with ] was berated by one of the protesters and had dollar bills thrown at him with additional protesters also mocking the individual.<ref name="dispatch.com"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120102041726/http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2010/03/24/dollar-bill-throw.html |date=January 2, 2012 }} The Columbus Dispatch; March 24, 2010.</ref> The man initially denied the incident, but later apologized for his "shameful" actions.<ref name="cbsnews.com"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329140324/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20001186-503544.html |date=March 29, 2010 }}; CBS News; March 25, 2010.</ref> | |||
Some Tea party organizers have stated that they look to leftist radical ]'s '']'' for inspiration. Protesters have also ] left-wing imagery; the logo for the 9/12 March on Washington featured a ] design that was intended to resemble those used by pro-labor, anti-war, and ] movements of the 1960s. In addition, the slogan "Keep Your Laws Off My Body", usually associated with ] activists, has been seen on signs at tea parties.<ref name="alinsky">{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27285.html|title=Conservatives use liberal playbook|accessdate=September 18, 2009}}</ref> | |||
On March 20, 2010, it was reported that protesters against proposed health care legislation used racial and anti-gay slurs. Gay Congressman ] was called "homo" and a "] several times."<ref name="heraldnet1">{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100320/NEWS02/100329990|title=Racist epithets fly at tea party health protest|agency=McClatchy News|publisher=HeraldNet.com|date=March 20, 2010|access-date=April 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324052858/http://heraldnet.com/article/20100320/NEWS02/100329990|archive-date=March 24, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="WPost Omb">{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/09/AR2010040903716.html |title=Allegations of spitting and slurs at Capitol protest merit more reporting |date=April 11, 2010 |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=April 14, 2010 |first=Andrew |last=Alexander |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608080713/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/09/AR2010040903716.html |archive-date=June 8, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203142030/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/20/protesters-hurl-slurs-and-spit-at-democrats/?fbid=WWi7WiVV_lP |date=February 3, 2014 }}; CNN; March 20, 2010.</ref> Several black lawmakers said demonstrators shouted "]" at them.<ref name="Fox 2010-03-22">{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/tea-party-protesters-dispute-reports-of-slurs-spitting-against-dem-lawmakers|title=Tea Party Protesters Dispute Reports of Slurs, Spitting Against Dem Lawmakers|date=March 22, 2010|publisher=Fox News|access-date=April 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326133024/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,589776,00.html|archive-date=March 26, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> Congressman ] said that as he walked from the ] with Representative ] and his chief of staff, amid chants of "Kill the bill", he heard the "n-word" about fifteen times coming from several places in the crowd: "One guy, I remember he just rattled it off several times. Then John looks at me and says, 'You know, this reminds me of a different time.'"<ref name="heraldnet1"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2010/apr/06/audio-rep-carson-first-peddles-out-racism-story-re/|title=AUDIO: Origin of Rep. Carson's racism accusation toward health care protesters|date=April 6, 2010|work=]|access-date=July 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503193109/http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2010/apr/06/audio-rep-carson-first-peddles-out-racism-story-re/|archive-date=May 3, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CBS48">; CBS News; April 13, 2010.</ref> Congressman ] said that, as he walked several yards behind Lewis, he distinctly heard "nigger", and he was also spat upon by a protester while walking up the stairs of the Cannon Building, although whether the spitting was intentional has been questioned.<ref name="heraldnet1"/><ref name="WPost Omb"/><ref name="CBS48"/> | |||
The Tea Party Movement has been the subject of allegations of racism by some commentators.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/the-tea-party-is-all-abou_b_484229.html|title=The Tea Party is all about race|author=Bob Cesca|date=2010-03-03|publisher=Huffington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://washingtonindependent.com/73036/n-word-sign-dogs-would-be-tea-party-leader|title=‘N-Word’ Sign Dogs Would-Be Tea Party Leader|author=David Weigel|date=2010-01-04|publisher=Washington Independent}}</ref> During the D.C. protests on March 20, 2010, Representative ] said he was greeted with chants of "Kill the bill" while members of the ] were escorted into the ] by the police.<ref name="McClatchy"/> Several house members said there was "an ugly tone" to comments directed towards the three black lawmakers, ], John Lewis and ]. An aide to Lewis said the congressman was called "racial slurs."<ref name="NYTBlog"/> Representative ] told a reporter that as he left the ] with Lewis, some among the crowd chanted "Kill the bill, then the N-word." They chanted "the N-word, the N-word, 15 times. It was like going into the time machine with John Lewis," said Carson, "He said it reminded him of another time."<ref></ref><ref> Atlanta Journal-Constitution; March 20, 2010</ref> Representative Emanuel Cleaver, who was a few yards behind Lewis, said he distinctly heard "]" by the crowd and his office later stated that Cleaver was spat on by one protester, who was detained by U.S. Capitol Police.<ref name="McClatchy">{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100320/NEWS02/100329990|title=Racist epithets fly at tea party health protest|author=|date=2010-03-20|publisher=McClatchy Newspapers}}</ref><ref> Washington Post; March 20, 2010</ref> According to police, the protester was put in handcuffs but later released after Cleaver didn't identify him.<ref></ref> Rep. Cleaver told Courtland Milloy of the ]: "I said to this one person, 'You spat on me.' I thought he was going to say, 'Hey, I was yelling. Sorry.' But he continuing yelling and, for a few seconds, I pointed at him and said, 'You spat on me.'"<ref></ref> House Majority Whip ] said, "I heard people saying things today that I have not heard since March 15, 1960, when I was marching to try to get off the back of the bus." Democratic aides and Representative ] described anti-gay slurs "]" and "]" aimed at the legislator, who later commented "I was, I guess, surprised by the rancor. What it means is obviously the health-care bill is proxy for a lot of other sentiments, some of which are perfectly reasonable, but some of which are not.... People out there today, on the whole, were really hateful ... The leaders of this movement have a responsibility to speak out more."<ref name="McClatchy" /><ref name="NYTBlog">{{cite web|url=http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/spitting-and-slurs-directed-at-lawmakers/|title=Spitting and Slurs Directed at Lawmakers|author=Robert Pear|date=2010-03-20|publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
Conservative commentator ], who wasn't at the protests,<ref name="CBS48"/> said the incidents reported by Cleaver, Lewis and Carson were fabricated as part of a plan to annihilate the Tea Party movement by all means necessary and that they never actually happened. He offered to donate $10,000 to the ] if Lewis could provide audio or video footage of the slurs, or pass a lie detector test. The amount was later raised to $100,000 for "hard evidence".<ref name="CBS48"/><ref></ref><ref name="AJC1">{{Cite web |url=http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2010/03/26/breitbart-offers-10k-reward-for-proof-that-n-word-was-hurled-at-john-lewis/ |title="Political Insider" by Jim Galloway, ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', March 26, 2010 |access-date=April 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100506083259/http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2010/03/26/breitbart-offers-10k-reward-for-proof-that-n-word-was-hurled-at-john-lewis/ |archive-date=May 6, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In addition, the National Tea Party Federation sent a letter to the ] (CBC) denouncing racism and requesting that the CBC supply any evidence of the alleged events at the protest.<ref name="NTPF"/> | |||
Some Tea Party activists had a different view of the incidents. Kay Fischer, a protestor from North Carolina, states that Frank was the first to use salty language when he looked at her and said, "F--- you." Fischer also alleges the protestor shouting slurs at Frank was a plant, and the act was staged, though she couldn't prove it. William Ownes, a black Tea Party activist from Nevada, said "Never did I hear any type of racial slur." Additionally, YouTube videos from the protest show booing and shouting "Kill the Bill", but no shouting of the "n-word". Cleaver's spokeswoman, Mary Petrovic, noted that the YouTube videos of the incident are under a minute -- and so don't show the entire encounter.<ref> FOX News; March 22, 2010</ref> | |||
Representative ] of North Carolina, who is white, backed up his colleagues, telling the ] that he too heard slurs.<ref name="CBS48"/> ], president of the ], corroborated Lewis' version of events during a confrontation with Breitbart at a Harvard Institute of Politics forum by saying, "I watched them spit at people, I watched them call John Lewis the N-word. I witnessed it. I saw it in person. That's real evidence."<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806114520/http://mediamatters.org/video/2010/04/08/afl-cios-trumka-knocks-down-breitbarts-denials/162914 |date=August 6, 2013 }}; MMfA; April 8, 2010.</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201223233/http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/4/8/trumka-workers-labor-movement/ |date=February 1, 2014 }}; '']''; April 8, 2010.</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203085936/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/08/afl-cio-head-vs-andrew-br_n_531018.html |date=February 3, 2014 }}; '']''; June 8, 2010.</ref> One of Representative ]'s staffers reported a stream of hostile encounters with tea partiers roaming the halls of Congress. In addition to mockery, protesters left a couple of notes behind. According to the New York '']'', one letter "asked what ] did with Weiner in the shower", in a reference to the harassment claims against ex-Rep ]. It was signed with a ], the staffer said. The other note called the congressman "Schlomo Weiner".<ref name="Make that the Nas-Tea Party"/> | |||
Republican leaders and Tea Party officials sought to distance themselves from the insults. Amy Kramer, coordinator of the Tea Party Express, told ], "I absolutely think it's isolated ... It's disgraceful and the people in this movement won't tolerate it because that's not what we're about." ] ] called the incidents "reprehensible" and said that they were isolated and shouldn't reflect on the Tea Party as a whole. ] Chairman ] told ] Sunday that the protestors' actions weren't a "reflection of the movement, of the Republican Party when you have idiots out there saying stupid things." Some Tea Party supporters e-mailed ] denying the incidents or suggesting that they were staged by Democratic ].<ref> | |||
GOP, Tea Party try to distance themselves from racial taunts</ref> | |||
Kate Zernike, author of ''Boiling Mad: Inside Tea Party America'', has observed, "Rather than explain it as a fringe of the movement, which they plausibly might have, they argued that the ugliness had never happened. Wasn't it suspicious, they asked, that there was no video of spitting or slurs, in an age when everyone's cell phone has a camera? It was difficult, if not disingenuous, for the Tea Party groups to try to disown the behavior."<ref>''Boiling Mad: Inside Tea Party America''; Kate Zernike; Macmillan Publishers; November 2010; pp. 138–39.</ref> Politicians from both political parties, black conservative activists and columnists have argued that allegations of racism do not reflect the movement as a whole.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna38303950 |title=Tea party not a racist movement, Biden says |date=July 19, 2010 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=NBC News |access-date=November 11, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/herman-cain-i-prove-tea-party-isnt-racist/ |title=Herman Cain: I prove Tea Party isn't racist |date=May 31, 2011 |publisher=CBS News |access-date=November 11, 2011 |first=Brian |last=Montopoli |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906060631/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20067671-503544.html |archive-date=September 6, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/black-political-activists-tea-party-not-racist/ |title=Black Political Activists: Tea Party 'Not Racist' |date=August 4, 2010 |publisher=Fox News |access-date=November 11, 2011 |first=Jake |last=Gibson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206194413/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/04/black-political-activists-tea-party-racist/ |archive-date=December 6, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/7125472/article-Tea-Party--Not-racist--just-wary-of-government-s-reach |title=Tea Party: Not racist, just wary of government's reach |work=The Herald Sun |access-date=November 11, 2011 |first=Robert |last=McCartney |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403032017/http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/7125472/article-Tea-Party--Not-racist--just-wary-of-government-s-reach |archive-date=April 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> | |||
Tea Party speaker ] has offered a charitable donation of $100,000 to the ] if ] could either provide video evidence that racial epithets were hurled at Congressional Black Caucus members at the Washington D.C. nationalized health care protest of March 20th 2010, or pass a simple lie-detector test. Breitbart said the racial slurs never happened and were only alleged as a way for the left, abetted by the progressive media, to "marginalize" Tea Party supporters. Breitbart alleges that, "By crafting a highly symbolic walk of the Congressional Black Caucus through the majority white crowd, the Democratic Party was looking to provoke a negative reaction. They didn’t get it. So they made it up."<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref> | |||
==See also== | |||
== Opposition Tactics == | |||
{{Portal|Society}} | |||
Opponents of the fiscally-conservative tea party movement claim they plan to infiltrate and dismantle the political group, by trying to make its members appear to be racist, homophobic, and moronic. Jason Levin, creator of CrashTheTeaParty.org, claims the group has 65 leaders in major cities across the country who are trying to recruit members to infiltrate the April 15th tea party events. Levin says they want to exaggerate the tea party's least appealing qualities.<ref></ref> | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
{{Reflist |
{{Reflist}} | ||
==Further reading== | |||
* Flanders, Laura (2010). ''At the Tea Party''. New York: OR Press. {{ISBN|978-1-935928-23-2}}. | |||
* ] (2010). ''The Whites of Their Eyes: The Tea Party's Revolution and the Battle over American History''. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. {{ISBN|978-1-4008-3696-3}}. | |||
* Gladney, Henry M. , 2014. | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{Commons category| |
{{Commons category|Demonstrations and protests by the Tea Party movement}} | ||
*, ], January 25, 2010. | |||
* , the ], by ] | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330060857/http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/09/12/HP/A/23055/FreedomWorks+Rally+in+DC.aspx |date=March 30, 2010 }}, the ], by ]. | |||
* , slide show by '']'' magazine | |||
* |
*{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, slide show by '']'' magazine. | ||
*, photo essay by '']'' magazine. | |||
* , '']'', February 4, 2010. | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521014750/http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/no_20100204_7827.php |date=May 21, 2013 }}, '']'', February 4, 2010. | |||
* by '']''. | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421231455/http://useconomy.about.com/od/Politics/p/Tea-Party-And-Economy.htm |date=April 21, 2012 }}, About.com, September 30, 2011. | |||
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119045516/http://usconservatives.about.com/od/glossaryterms/a/Tea-Party.htm |date=November 19, 2012 }}, About.com. | |||
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Latest revision as of 02:11, 11 November 2024
2009–2010 series of protests in the US This article is about the 21st-century protests themselves. For the Tea Party movement as an ongoing entity, see Tea Party movement. For protests in colonial America, see Boston Tea Party, Chestertown Tea Party, Edenton Tea Party and Philadelphia Tea Party.
Tea Party protests | |
---|---|
Part of response to government social and fiscal policies | |
Date | Predominately 2009–2010 |
Location | United States |
Caused by | Government spending and red tape, national debt, taxation, social liberalism |
Goals | Government adherence to the Constitution, reduce taxation, reduce spending and waste, social conservatism |
Methods | |
Status | Ended |
The Tea Party protests were a series of protests throughout the United States that began in early 2009. The protests were part of the larger political Tea Party movement. Most Tea Party activities have since been focused on opposing efforts of the Obama administration, and on recruiting, nominating, and supporting candidates for state and national elections. The name "Tea Party" is a reference to the Boston Tea Party, whose principal aim was to protest taxation without representation. Tea Party protests evoked images, slogans and themes from the American Revolution, such as tri-corner hats and yellow Gadsden "Don't Tread on Me" flags. The letters T-E-A have been used by some protesters to form the backronym "Taxed Enough Already".
Commentators promoted Tax Day events on various blogs, Twitter, and Facebook, while the Fox News Channel regularly featured televised programming leading into and promoting various protest activities. Reaction to the tea parties included counter-protests expressing support for the Obama administration, and dismissive or mocking media coverage of both the events and their promoters.
List of events
Among other events, protests were held on:
- February 27, 2009, to protest the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) U.S. financial system bailouts signed by President George W. Bush in October 2008, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 stimulus legislation signed by President Barack Obama;
- April 15, 2009, to coincide with the annual U.S. deadline for submitting tax returns, known as Tax Day;
- July 4, 2009, to coincide with Independence Day;
- September 12, 2009, to coincide with the anniversary of the day after the September 11 attacks;
- November 5, 2009, in Washington, D.C., to protest health insurance reform;
- March 14–21, 2010, in D.C. during the final week of debate on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
History
See also: Taxation history of the United StatesThe theme of the Boston Tea Party, an iconic event of American history, has long been used by anti-tax protesters with libertarian and conservative viewpoints. It was part of Tax Day protests held throughout the 1990s and earlier. The libertarian theme of the "tea party" protest has also been used by Republican Congressman Ron Paul and his supporters during fundraising events in the primaries of the 2008 presidential campaign to emphasize fiscal conservatism, which they later claimed laid the groundwork for the modern-day Tea Party movement. In late 2008, Young Americans for Liberty, with the endorsement of Rep. Paul, organized a protest called the Binghamton Tea Party for January 24 of the following year where participants dressing in Native American costumes and dumping soft drinks into New York's Susquehanna River, as a protest of former NY Governor David Paterson's proposed 18% tax increase on soda. As home mortgage foreclosures increased, and details of the 2009 stimulus legislation became known, more organized protests began to emerge.
"Porkulus" protests and "First Tea Party" claims
The dominant theme seen at some of the earliest anti-stimulus protests was "pork" rather than tea. The term "porkulus" was coined by radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh on his January 27, 2009, broadcast, in reference to both the 2009 stimulus bill, which had been introduced to the House of Representatives the day before, as well as to pork-barrel spending and earmarks. The term proved very popular with conservative politicians and commentators, who began to unify in opposition against stimulus spending after the 2008 general election.
Competing claims have emerged over which protest was actually the first to organize. According to FreedomWorks state and federal campaigns director Brendan Steinhauser, activist Mary Rakovich was the organizer of a February 10 protest in Fort Myers, Florida, calling it the "first protest of President Obama's administration that we know of. It was the first protest of what became the tea party movement." Rakovich, along with six to ten others, protested outside a townhall meeting featuring President Obama and Florida governor Charlie Crist. Interviewed by a local reporter, Rakovich explained that she "thinks the government is wasting way too much money helping people receive high definition TV signals" and that "Obama promotes socialism, although 'he doesn't call it that'". Regarding the role Freedomworks played in the demonstration, Rakovich acknowledged they were involved "right from the start," and said that in her 21⁄2 hour training session, she was taught how to attract more supporters and was specifically advised not to focus on President Obama.
New York Times journalist Kate Zernike reports that some within the Tea Party credit Seattle blogger and conservative activist Keli Carender with organizing the first Tea Party on February 16, 2009. An article written by Chris Good of The Atlantic credits Carender as "one of the first" Tea Party organizers.
Carendar organized what she called a "Porkulus Protest" on President's Day, a few days before Rick Santelli used the phrase "Tea Party" in what has been characterized as a "rant" broadcast from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
Carender contacted conservative author and Fox News contributor Michelle Malkin in order to gain her support and publicize the event. Malkin promoted the protest in several posts on her blog, saying that "There should be one of these in every town in America", and that she would be supplying the crowd with a meal of pulled pork. The protest was held in Seattle on Presidents Day, 2009. Malkin encouraged her readers to stage similar events in Denver on the following day where President Obama was scheduled to sign the stimulus bill into law.
A protest at the Denver Capitol Building was already scheduled to coincide with the bill signing. Malkin reported that it was organized by the conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity and spearheaded by the conservative activist group Independence Institute, as well as former Republican representative and presidential candidate Tom Tancredo. Another protest organized by local conservative talk radio station KFYI was held in suburban Phoenix, Arizona, on February 18, and brought 500 protesters. KFYI organized the protest in reaction to Obama's visit to the local high school to hold his first public talk on elements of the stimulus bill. By February 20, Malkin was using her nationally syndicated column in an attempt to present these three protests as a movement to her fellow conservatives, continuing to call for more. "There's something in the air", she wrote, "It's the smell of roasted pork."
Birth of the national Tea Party movement
On February 19, 2009, in a broadcast from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, CNBC Business News Network editor Rick Santelli loudly criticized the government plan to refinance mortgages as "promoting bad behavior" by "subsidizing losers' mortgages", and raised the possibility of putting together a "Chicago Tea Party in July". A number of the traders and brokers around him cheered on his proposal, to the apparent amusement of the hosts in the studio. It was called "the rant heard round the world". Santelli's remarks "set the fuse to the modern anti-Obama Tea Party movement", according to journalist Lee Fang.
The following day after Santelli's comments from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, 50 national conservative leaders, including Michael Johns, Amy Kremer and Jenny Beth Martin, participated in a conference call that gave birth to the national Tea Party movement. In response to Santelli, websites such as ChicagoTeaParty.com, registered in August 2008 by Chicago radio producer Zack Christenson, were live within twelve hours. About 10 hours after Santelli's remarks, reTeaParty.com was bought to coordinate Tea Parties scheduled for the 4th of July and within two weeks was reported to be receiving 11,000 visitors a day. However, on the contrary, many scholars are reluctant to label Santelli's remarks the "spark" of the Tea Party considering that a "Tea Party" protest had taken place 3 days before in Seattle, Washington In fact, this had led many opponents of the Tea Party to define this movement as "astroturfed," but it seems as if Santelli's comments did not "fall on deaf ears" considering that, "the top 50 counties in foreclosure rates played host to over 910 Tea Party protests, about one-sixth of the total"
Also on February 19, Young Americans for Liberty NY State Chairman Trevor Leach created a Facebook page called "The Capitalist Chicago Tea Party – Rick's Revolution", in response to Santelli's call for a national Tea Party. According to The Huffington Post, a Facebook page was developed on February 20 calling for Tea Party protests across the country. Eric Odom of the conservative activist group FreedomWorks was one of the group administrators, and it was created by Phil Kerpen from the conservative advocacy organization Americans for Prosperity. Soon, the "Nationwide Chicago Tea Party" protests were coordinated across over 40 different cities for February 27, 2009, establishing the first national modern Tea Party protest.
Protests
Tax day events
April 15, 2009 is said to have been the day that had the largest number of tea party demonstrations reportedly in more than 750 cities. Estimates of protesters and locations varied. The Christian Science Monitor reported on the difficulties of calculating a cumulative turnout and said some estimates state that over half a million Americans participated in the protests, noting, "experts say the counting itself often becomes politicized as authorities, organizers, and attendees often come up with dramatically different counts." Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, estimated that at least 268,000 attended in over 200 cities. Statistician Nate Silver, manager of FiveThirtyEight.com, has said that a cumulative crowd size estimate from credible sources was of 311,460 attendees in 346 cities, which accounted for all capitols and major cities little noticeable or no reliable media coverage in other protests could have contributed to a lower number of attendees and locations. The largest event, in Atlanta, drew between an estimated 7,000 to 15,000 protesters. Some of the gatherings drew only dozens.
On April 15, 2009, a Tea Party protest outside the White House was moved after a box of tea bags was hurled over the White House fence. Police sealed off the area and evacuated some people. The Secret Service brought out a bomb-detecting robot, which determined the package was not a threat. Approximately one thousand people had demonstrated, several waved placards saying "Stop Big Government" and "Taxation is Piracy".
Spring and early summer protests
Tea Party rallies continued in various locales around the nation. Many of these events were focused on opposition to state or local taxes and spending, rather than with national issues. Late April saw Tea Parties in Annapolis, Maryland, White Plains, New York, Jackson, Tennessee, and Monroe, Washington. In May, there were six more Tea Party events in Tennessee, New York, Idaho, Ohio, Nevada, and North Carolina. During June 2009, another dozen events were held in North Carolina, California, Rhode Island, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Montana, Florida, New York, and Washington State. On June 29, 2009, in Nashville, Tennessee, four thousand people rallied against proposed emissions trading (cap and trade) energy in Congress and universal health care.
Independence Day rallies
A number of Tea Party protests were held the weekend of July 4, 2009, coinciding with Independence Day. "The rally followed a national effort that drew thousands of activists to Tea Party events across the country on April 15, 2009, when income taxes are due."
On July 17, 2009, there were additional Tea Party protests around the nation organized by a group called Tea Party Patriots, this time against President Obama's proposed health care overhaul that they labeled socialized medicine.
Taxpayer March on Washington
Main article: Taxpayer March on WashingtonOn September 12, 2009, Tea Party protests were held in various cities around the nation. In Washington, D.C., Tea Party protests gathered to march from Freedom Plaza to the United States Capitol. Estimates of the number of attendees varied, from "tens of thousands" to "in excess of 75,000". A rally organizer asserted that one local ABC News station had reported attendance of over one million, but he retracted the statement after ABC News denied making any such report.
Using the counts of those in attendance, the march may have been the largest conservative protest ever held in Washington, D.C., as well as the largest demonstration against President Obama's administration to date.
First Tea Party convention
On February 4, 2010, the first Tea Party national convention was held in Nashville, attended by 600 people. The convention received broad media coverage as former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was the featured speaker. Some tea partiers condemned the event, questioning the main sponsor, Tea Party Nation, a for-profit group, as well as the several hundred dollar ticket price. The former Alaska governor was criticized for receiving as much as $100,000 to address the convention.
Tactics
The New York Times reported on August 8, 2009, that organizations opposed to the President Obama's health care legislation were urging opponents to be disruptive. It noted that the Tea Party Patriots web site circulated a memo instructing them to "Pack the hall. Yell out and challenge the Rep's statements early. Get him off his prepared script and agenda. Stand up and shout and sit right back down." The memo continued, "The Rep should be made to feel that a majority, and if not, a significant portion of at least the audience, opposes the socialist agenda of Washington."
Some Tea Party organizers have stated that they look to leftist Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals for inspiration. Protesters have also appropriated left-wing imagery; the logo for the March 9/12 on Washington featured a raised fist design that was intended to resemble those used by the pro-labor, anti-war, and black power movements of the 1960s. In addition, the slogan "Keep Your Laws Off My Body", usually associated with pro-choice activists, has been seen on signs at tea parties.
On April 8, 2010, it was announced that the National Tea Party Federation had been set up to publicize the movement, and organizers said it would issue news releases, respond to critics and help get the word out about tea party rallies and initiatives. Tea Party activist Mark Skoda noted the slow response to critics who have charged the protesters with racism, stating: "It took us 72 hours to respond to John Lewis... We're not needing to meet every week. But there will now be a way to have a call to arms to respond to attacks with a crisp and clear message."
Reports of abusive behavior
There have been allegations of racism and abusive behavior by Tea Party protesters.
On March 16, 2010, at a Tea Party protest at the Ohio offices of Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, a counter-protester with Parkinson's disease was berated by one of the protesters and had dollar bills thrown at him with additional protesters also mocking the individual. The man initially denied the incident, but later apologized for his "shameful" actions.
On March 20, 2010, it was reported that protesters against proposed health care legislation used racial and anti-gay slurs. Gay Congressman Barney Frank was called "homo" and a "faggot several times." Several black lawmakers said demonstrators shouted "the N-word" at them. Congressman André Carson said that as he walked from the Cannon House Office Building with Representative John Lewis and his chief of staff, amid chants of "Kill the bill", he heard the "n-word" about fifteen times coming from several places in the crowd: "One guy, I remember he just rattled it off several times. Then John looks at me and says, 'You know, this reminds me of a different time.'" Congressman Emanuel Cleaver said that, as he walked several yards behind Lewis, he distinctly heard "nigger", and he was also spat upon by a protester while walking up the stairs of the Cannon Building, although whether the spitting was intentional has been questioned.
Conservative commentator Andrew Breitbart, who wasn't at the protests, said the incidents reported by Cleaver, Lewis and Carson were fabricated as part of a plan to annihilate the Tea Party movement by all means necessary and that they never actually happened. He offered to donate $10,000 to the United Negro College Fund if Lewis could provide audio or video footage of the slurs, or pass a lie detector test. The amount was later raised to $100,000 for "hard evidence". In addition, the National Tea Party Federation sent a letter to the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) denouncing racism and requesting that the CBC supply any evidence of the alleged events at the protest.
Representative Heath Shuler of North Carolina, who is white, backed up his colleagues, telling the Hendersonville (N.C.) Times-News that he too heard slurs. Richard Trumka, president of the AFL–CIO, corroborated Lewis' version of events during a confrontation with Breitbart at a Harvard Institute of Politics forum by saying, "I watched them spit at people, I watched them call John Lewis the N-word. I witnessed it. I saw it in person. That's real evidence." One of Representative Anthony Weiner's staffers reported a stream of hostile encounters with tea partiers roaming the halls of Congress. In addition to mockery, protesters left a couple of notes behind. According to the New York Daily News, one letter "asked what Rahm Emanuel did with Weiner in the shower", in a reference to the harassment claims against ex-Rep Eric Massa. It was signed with a swastika, the staffer said. The other note called the congressman "Schlomo Weiner".
Kate Zernike, author of Boiling Mad: Inside Tea Party America, has observed, "Rather than explain it as a fringe of the movement, which they plausibly might have, they argued that the ugliness had never happened. Wasn't it suspicious, they asked, that there was no video of spitting or slurs, in an age when everyone's cell phone has a camera? It was difficult, if not disingenuous, for the Tea Party groups to try to disown the behavior." Politicians from both political parties, black conservative activists and columnists have argued that allegations of racism do not reflect the movement as a whole.
See also
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Further reading
- Flanders, Laura (2010). At the Tea Party. New York: OR Press. ISBN 978-1-935928-23-2.
- Lepore, Jill (2010). The Whites of Their Eyes: The Tea Party's Revolution and the Battle over American History. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-1-4008-3696-3.
- Gladney, Henry M. No Taxation without Representation: 1768 Petition, Memorial, and Remonstrance, 2014.
External links
- "Katie Couric interviews Tea Party Leaders", CBS News, January 25, 2010.
- Video coverage Archived March 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, the Taxpayer March on Washington, by C-SPAN.
- Signs of Discontent: 9-12-09 in DC, slide show by Life magazine.
- Signs of the Tea-Party Protests, photo essay by Time magazine.
- "12 Tea Party leaders to watch" Archived May 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, National Journal, February 4, 2010.
- Tea Party Express Comes To A Head On Tax Day by NPR.
- "The Tea Party and the Economy" Archived April 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, About.com, September 30, 2011.
- "A definition of the tea party" Archived November 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, About.com.