Central Texas Tea Party Launched (Issue #455)

The Tea Party phenomenon is interesting. It is a political movement that emerged in 2009 largely in response to bailouts of failed big business, expensive government stimulus spending on top of that, and Democrat-sponsored health care reform bills. The term Tea Party conveniently refers to an oft-used acronym “TEA” or Taxed Enough Already. Notwithstanding, the name “Tea Party” is an explicit reference to the historic Boston Tea Party of 1773, a protest against taxation of American Colonists by the British Parliament when the Colonists had no actual representation in that governing body.

The Boston Tea Party pre-dated but also contributed much of the political momentum that led directly to the American Revolution. Contemporary Tea Party protests have sought to evoke similar themes, images and slogans used during pre-Revolutionary and Revolutionary periods in American history. Indeed, it speaks well of the particular mass protest movement to have shown so much restraint and discipline. Confederate symbols are virtually never seen at tea party meetings or rallies; whereas, symbols of the American Revolution are quite prominent. This was true for Bell County in 2009 when possibly 2,000 attended the Tax Day Rally at Confederate Park in Belton and also true in 2010 when hundreds attended the rally at Wildfire Ranch Arena in Salado.

Since 2009 the Tea Party movement has figured prominently in local and statewide elections around the country, producing high profile upsets against liberal Democrat candidates and also pushing Republican primary candidates well to the right of where they were in 2008. Something is definitely going on in the country, including Texas, in reaction to President Obama’s relentless progressive agenda. More than at any time since the late 1970s, the people have awoken to a sense of danger and a strong desire to do something political. They know that if we don’t turn out the majority in Congress this November and end Obama’s reign two years after that, there will be no Republic left. The national debt as well as accumulated budget deficits as far as the eye can see, will bankrupt this country in less than ten years.

Obama’s solution unfortunately is to spend, spend, spend; swallow a tax hike pill; and accept second place and third world status. He has us giving up going to the moon, or anything else that would lead the world by example. The president simply is not about a Restoration of the Republic. He is abouttransformation and redistribution of wealth. He is about making us more like Europe and reaching for that elusive utopian dream Lenin and the old Soviet Union tried—the same communist dream that has never worked, can’t work, and indeed shouldn’t work based on any faith-based morality under Heaven—but then President Obama wants the same degree of power Franklin Roosevelt enjoyed and then some to keep trying.

That’s where the Central Texas Tea Party comes in. They refuse to let it happen, and they have drawn a line in the sand on behalf of the Great State of Texas. The group reorganized and set up significant infrastructure in Belton this past May, inheriting and building on groundwork done by Bell County activists Judy and John Brady, as well as others. The new group expanded its footprint and now essentially encompasses tea party activists in a multi-county area regionally identified as Central Texas, albeit organized groups also exist in Waco and Williamson County. The Central Texas Tea Party is affiliated with the National Tea Party Federation and the Texas Republican Freedom Coalition. The grassroots group promotes fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, free enterprise, and secure U.S. borders. It plans to organize Young Patriot groups in the area and to assist more populist conservatives running for public office with their campaigns, and with getting voters out to the polls on 2 November.

The Central Texas Tea Party has a website (www.CentralTexasTeaParty.com), a professional staff, and an office inconspicuously located behind (but enter inside) Aida’s “Outlet” store at 110 E. Central Avenue, Belton across the street from the flagpole at Bell County Courthouse. Aida’s “Outlet” specializes in patriotic and inspirational items, including Texas and Cross purses and other apparel. If you would like to join the Central Texas Tea Party or help further its critical aims, visit on-line or call their office at 254-939-5597. Central Texas Tea Party plans to have a float in this year’s 86^th Annual parade in Belton, 3 July 2010 and has a full schedule of speakers and events planned after that.