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Tax Day Tea Party captures Triad’s interest

Saturday, April 11, 2009

(Updated 3:00 am)

By Jonnelle Davis
Staff Writer

To have people listen, you’ve got to make a little noise, said Asheboro resident Jack Urban.

So on Wednesday afternoon, Urban will gather up his “No More Bailout” and “No More Spending” signs and head to the Phill G. McDonald Plaza for Greensboro’s Tax Day Tea Party to protest government spending. After it’s over, he’ll drive to Raleigh for a similar event that evening.

Then on Friday, Urban will host his own “tea party” in front of the Randolph County Republican Party headquarters.

It seems like a lot, but that’s just how serious Urban is about showing his displeasure over spending at the federal level.

“I feel our nation is at risk,” Urban said. “They’re just spending money. The vast majority of people do not want all this money spent.”

Communities across the nation will host events to speak out against increased government spending. Many of them are being held Wednesday, the deadline to file income taxes.

The Tax Day Tea Party is organized by various coalitions, according to the Web site www.taxdayteaparty.com. The protests were inspired by comments CNBC on-air editor Rick Santelli made earlier this year criticizing the government bailout, according to the site.

Eden lawyer Thomas Harrington said the tax day events are one way for people to demonstrate their concerns about the way the government is handling its response to the economic crisis.

“They may not be much, but they are something,” said Harrington, who leads a non-partisan group in Rockingham County that encourages active participation in government. “There are a lot of people who are really getting mad — heartsick and mad.”

Invoking elements of the historic Boston Tea Party, participants at an Eden event will empty tea into a wooden crate at the city boat landing. Greensboro plans speakers, a reading of the Declaration of Independence and a skit about “government fat cats confiscating taxpayer money,” according to a tentative schedule on the Web site http://gsoteaparty.wordpress.com.

In Asheboro, Urban plans to carry his signs. “The idea is to get noticed,” he said.

Urban said he expects a large turnout based on the number of e-mails he’s received. He’s also spreading information about it via his Facebook page.

Bill Heasley of Greensboro said he’ll be at the Governmental Plaza on Wednesday because he’s “sick and tired” of paying taxes for programs he said don’t really benefit people. The government has to balance what it taxes consumers with what it can afford to pay for social programs, Heasley said.

“We don’t have enough revenue to pay for the social programs,” he said. “You have to find another way.”

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126, or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com

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tonymo

April 11, 2009 - 9:08 am EDT

What incredible timing for these long overdue events, as the corrupt, self-serving thieves in Raliegh pass a bill with $500 million in tax increases, but give no details about the nature of the new taxes. Back in the days when this was a great country, people lile these would have been chased down with pitchforks!

Some of our prescient founders, more than 230 years ago, envisioned an out of control government like we have now. That, not hunting, is the genesis of the Second Ammendment. Our government has become the enemy of the people, particularly people who pay income taxes. Let's hope this is just the beginning of the coming next revolution!

eclipse3

April 11, 2009 - 11:38 am EDT

While Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and yes, Gov. Perdue have been busy looking for ways to rake in tax $$ for their reckless spending, this movement is growing , on the ground, in leaps and bounds. Every citizen is promised "no taxation without representation", and enough is enough !

For those who may not be familiar, this is a bi-partisan effort, not just Republicans. It is a movement for every American who is tired of the rhetoric and tired of working for Washington. They......work for us !!!

This administration wants control over every aspect of our lives, leaving us with no individual rights, and wants us to pay for all of their projects and schemes. We are just saying "NO".

mthale

April 11, 2009 - 1:07 pm EDT

I have been infuriated with the way things hae been going in Raleigh so far. Please refer to my previous comments conerning the state budget. (especially the recklessness over the school budget for Guilford Co schools)
To keep it simple for the moment, everything is backwards. NC representatives are not doing their job. Represent NORTH CAROLINA, not yourselves! Why so top heavy?? And to illustrate my point further as to why this is irresponsible, they don't even have any sort of outline for the $500 million "tax adjustments." Incomplete assignments got Fs in my days of schooling.

I will be present for the tea party in Greensboro and encourage others to come share your thoughts and rally support. REFORM THE SYSTEM.

rmacz

April 11, 2009 - 3:03 pm EDT

Kudos to the first three comments, how in the world could any one have a D' bumper sticker on their car after the down fall of the 2005 election, 14000 high in the stock market, and think the failed polices of FDR will bring us out the mess the Democrate Houses put us in. FDR kept the country in depression until the war came, Obama wants to spend his way out of this one and tax us into prosperity. What a joke.

jstevenh1952

April 11, 2009 - 8:50 pm EDT

Amusing, a liberal paper such as the N&R covering Tax Day Tea Parties.

As BHO strengthens his socialistic agenda and continues to espouse his brand of political particularism to promote his ideas of a one world order,our government continues to choke the potential for any economic growth and make more of its citizens a servant of the "nanny state".

Unfortunately change has come to the political system of the United States and now we are at the mercy of BHO and his henchmen. We along with the generations that follow, will suffer unlike any.

To hold protests such as these are nothing more than a tempest in a teapot, full of sound and fury representing nothing. "Sic Semper Tyrannis" should be the resurected moto of these protesters as it was with George Mason in of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1776. Our freedom, not just our economy is at risk.

newkid

April 11, 2009 - 9:02 pm EDT

So these "tax rebels" had NO problem paying for the Iraq war; they weren't upset at the tax breaks for the rich during the Bush administration, but now that someone is trying to clean up the economic mess left by that administration...NOW they get upset!

If it wasn't so incredible, it would be easier to laugh.

jeffreyhsykes

April 11, 2009 - 9:19 pm EDT

Newkid: Not sure what your DNC talking points have to do with the tea parties. The election is over and this is what most of us are protesting:

http://blog.heritage.org/2009/03/24/bush-deficit-vs-obama-deficit-in-pic...

newkid

April 14, 2009 - 5:09 pm EDT

So, in this political card game, you "see" my DNC and raise me your "Heritage Foundation". Seems about even, except my comments were not "DNC talking points"...they were my own opinions.

jeffreyhsykes

April 14, 2009 - 6:35 pm EDT

While they may have been your own opinions, they express the false premise that conservatives were not opposed to deficit spending during the Bush era. Many of us were very upset and expressed our views to GOP leaders at that time.

The item I linked to may be from the Heritage Foundation, but the graphic (which is the point of the link) is comprised of data from the White House (that's the Obama White House) and the Congressional Budget office.

If your are satisfied with the increased level of deficit spending the current president plans for, that's your opinion. I am appalled at the level of deficits our federal government continues to operate under.

That's the point of my involvement in the Tea Party Protests.

newkid

April 14, 2009 - 9:46 pm EDT

OK....a REAL fiscal conservative; not a Bush ideologue. I accept that. Unfortunately, I think we have few choices but to spend more now to boost the sagging economy in the short term, especially to help the large ranks of unemployed. I probably share your concern that we don't simply prop up old ways of doing business (like real estate speculation, hedge fund criminals, and backwards thinking car manufacturers). We need to get the economic train back on the track, then build a better railroad.

LWhitjr93

April 14, 2009 - 12:41 pm EDT

I applaud conservatives for trying to find a road home to their true values. Those values were dominated by less government oversight, intervention, and spending. However, you cannot ignore the challenges that require spending. Our competitive ground in the wolrd has changed. We do not invest enough in education - from early childhood to secondary. We stripped away funding for many school programs that would keep children off the street while both parents have to work to support their family. We have also ignored the burdens that immigration has placed on our economy. We needed to fund our border control and get out of the 60's (protecting the border by a mere fence - what a joke). And, shall we remind folks that it was conservatives that lobbied for deregulation of the banks - all in the name of big profits. Well guess what we get for that - no profits, false profits (prohets???). Remember, it was conservatives that enacted all of these things while drifting towards redefining the religious values of america. Last I checked, America was founded based on people fleeing from religious segregation/discrimination. But again, the conservatives have all of this to blame for this debacle. Too much focus was placed on taking away individual rights in such a discriminatory manner. But again, conservatives preach less government oversight? Pick a principle and stick to it!!!
So you can have all the tea parties that you want - but on tax day for the current policy that was in place during the Bush years? You followed that false prophet blindly and look where that got you. At least the democrats are challenging the current president - who by the way is running circles around Bush in his first 60 days. He was presented with a complete mess when he stepped into office.

rmacz

April 14, 2009 - 4:24 pm EDT

Hey I Whitjr.93, perhaps you forgot the Clinton- Gore Bush inherited, and what about the housing crisis authored by Barney Frank whom also approved Rahm Emanuel $342.000.00 for 3 months work. And the circles you were taking about, I woulded brag about the first 100 hours to fund killing more babies (abortion). You guys are sick!

edward0275

April 14, 2009 - 6:58 pm EDT

You are VERY close here to seeing the key which CAN make a difference. Hand out copies of W-4 forms and NC-4’s. Change your deductions so that you will not be loaning the idiots our money interest-free. You won’t get a “refund” next year of your OWN money. But you will not have to depend on a greedy little power-hungry Governor, like Bev Easley, to return YOUR money. I’ve been waiting 9 weeks. Never again! I changed my deductions, so I will not be giving Bev and Barack interest-free money to waste from now on. DON’T YOU THINK YOU COULD INVEST THIS MONEY EACH YEAR MORE WISELY THAN THOSE GOONS?