Posted on 03/29/2009 5:31:11 AM PDT by abb
BUFFALO About 1,000 men and women encircled speakers Saturday afternoon at the Buffalo inner harbor to protest taxes and almost everything about Albany.
With the USS Little Rock as a backdrop and the dilapidated Memorial Auditorium in the foreground, many people carried protest signs. An emotional Clarence man rushed up to the speaker and put $20 in protest money on the podium. Protesters were discouraged from tossing tea in the water, but a stream of citizens rushed to the stand and donated cash.
People came forward with loads of cash. I had no idea this would happen, said Jim Ostrowski of Free New York Blog. I was flabbergasted. I didnt know what to make of it.
Citizens voiced a lot of gripes against Albany and the federal government. Some called for a revolution, some want to break New York City away from the state. The three men a room issue got people hot. Some were angry about illegal aliens. Lies, pork and more fees fired up the folks.
We got to let people know what the hell is going on, Jake Zimpher said of him emotional burst. Its got to start somewhere. It should have started a while ago. We lost it when we had this election. People didnt know what the hell they were doing. Look what we got in New York, three men in a room!
Lee Bordeleau, the Lockportian who put the billboard on Transit Road, noted the state Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, at the podium.
Its interesting, Bordeleau said of Republicans. Theyre not in power anymore so they can come out and protest ... Now, theyre all against big spending. Where were they when they were in power? They were spending.
Niagara County is No. 1 again, Bordeleau continued. We have the highest taxes in the country and the highest unemployment (11.5 percent) in Western New York.
Dee Fredrickson and Steve Monson of Rochester came to the party. I think its important that we the people stand up to let these clowns in Albany and Washington, D.C. know where we are coming from, Fredrickson said. Its up to us. Lets have a revolution.
Monson carried an Upstate United sign. I dont like the fact that upstate New York has almost no representation, he said. Theyre talking about new fees. Theyre just getting into our pockets for everything and driving away business.
Steve Pasquale, a retired school teacher from Gowanda said, Im here to stand with other people to show New York state and the federal government that theyre getting absurd. Theyre taking all the power away with us and leaving us with nothing. All they want is our money.
Amy Parker of Lancaster said, Let them (New York City) become annexed from the state. Theyre sucking the money from us. Let them go on their own. We have to cut government. Its time to cut back.
Power to the People! Lancasters Debbie Lett said. I cant wait for someone to do it for me. Im here. Who is going to save our state and our country.
James Miller, a recent Buffalo State graduate who is looking for a job, carried a Dont Tread on Me banner from the Culpepper Minutemen of the Revolutionary War.
I want to let the government know Im against this government spending and the unprecedented government debt that Obama is taking on, the West Seneca native said. They are spending money they dont have and taking it from us.
A speaker complained about the media and the dumbing down of America. Ostrowski called out lawyers to participate in the protest.
A Clarence resident who works in Lockport had some fun with attorneys and carried a Dewey, Cheatum and Howe ("Do we cheat 'em? And how!") sign made famous by the Three Stooges, Groucho Marx and Daffy Duck.
Thats what the three men in the room are doing right now, said Greg Thrun. Its how they cheat us out of our money, making their deals and making the budget.
Organizer Russ Thompson of Grand Island was dressed as John Adams.
It started as a little fun and grew legs of its own, the Massachusetts native said. You see the results of it today. Theres a bunch of fed-up taxpayers, and they got the right to be.
Jean Kiene of Lockport said, We have to stop whats going on if were going to continue to survive. Look at the condition our state is in. Look at our taxes. Can you imagine someone wanting to tax pop! Haircuts! Its unreal.
Contact reporter Bill Wolcott
at 439-9222, ext. 6246.
Whats wrong with the picture here???
it seems everyone, everywhere is overlooking the common denominator which is that regardless of who is in office, they all spend like drunken sailors with someone elses credit card (my apology to sailors, drunk or otherwise).
The answer is not taking turns bitching at one party and then the other. The answer is to throw all the crooks out!!!. Start with a clean slate. Theres not a single honest member of Congress. They all are either directly involved or stand on the sidelines, thus being enablers.
Some will say that to replace all is not an option because of all the experience we would lose. Stop! Think! Look what all that experience has brought us. All it has given, is experience to the crooks on how to accumulate power and how to use the power to line their and their sponsors pockets.
Get new faces in congress and see how quickly the size of the federal government will shrink. So many government programs and agencies were created for the benefit of special interest groups as their own profit/power center, something like Michelle Obamas job creation at the hospital in Chicago. Its amazing that the very high paying position is no longer needed after she became the first lady. That is the same way the federal government can be cleaned out and downsized.
I grew up south of Buffalo, and the area is more similar to the heartland than NYC. It would be good if they’d separate from NYC. The taxes — which are obscene — basically foot the bill for the City’s welfare state. When Hillary was running there in 2000, she promised to “take care of” Western NY. In a way, I guess she did, but in the wrong way.
Paul Revere pictures needed, I am challenged in that area in how to post, thanks. Please correct me if I am wrong but was the quote: “To Arms!!!!! To Arms!!!!!!!, The British are coming, The British are coming”./Just Asking - seoul62.......
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Thanks for the ping. Hope the politicians are getting the message that “we surround them.”
1,000 attendees may not seem like a lot, but I think it’s just about all of us left in Buffalo who don’t work for the government.
That’s my ‘lil’ toot’ in that picture!!! Thanks for posting it! We had a great day! <3
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http://mereconservativity.blogspot.com/2009/03/decatur-alabama-tea-party.html
Decatur Alabama Tea Party
Three men in a roomrefers to the structure of current NYS government. The leaders of the assembly, senate and governor run the state and they’re all from NYC.
http://zman6919.blogspot.com/2009/03/tea-party-tax-revolt-takes-in-buffalo.html
Tea Party Tax Revolt Takes In Buffalo NY
http://pumabydesign001.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/taxpayers-revolt/
TAXPAYERS REVOLT
http://somd.com/news/headlines/2009/9719.shtml
LETTER: No Kool Aid - Tea, Please
http://stlouisteaparty.com/2009/03/29/tax-day-tea-party-site-hit-by-denial-of-service-attack/
Tax Day Tea Party Site Hit By Denial of Service Attack
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2009/03/orlando_tea_par_1.html
Orlando Tea Party Videos
http://brainflation.wordpress.com/2009/03/29/stamford-tea-party-a-great-success/
Stamford Tea Party, a great success.
http://radioviceonline.com/the-tea-party-continues-stamford-successflorida-cancelled-city-fears-crowd/
The Tea Party Continues - Stamford Success/Florida Cancelled -City Fears Crowd
http://arkansaswatch.blogspot.com/2009/03/tea-parties-and-fascism-in-springdale.html
Tea Parties and Fascism in Springdale Arkansas
http://www.boycottnorwichbulletin.com/?p=157
Norwich Marna Tea Party
http://theconservativerevolution.com/freedomworks/interactive-map-of-tea-parties/
Interactive Map of Taxpayer Tea Parties!
Pingy dingy!
We ended our WNY visit with this near perfect picture on the way home today.
Sheldon Silver is the Assembly leader, Malcolm Smith is the new Senate leader (took over after Joe Bruno), and Governor Patterson are the three men. They sit in a room, by themselves, and decide which legislation will come forward, and what’ll be scrapped.
Our State Legislature is the most useless body of government, because they do nothing. They vote the way the leaders tell them to, and if they don’t, they withhold pork money needed for the reps districts. Silver has even taken away offices, and office equipment.
Thanks, abb, for the links!
I am proud to do what I can to help. Our Baton Rouge event looks to be a nice one on 4/15.
And for your information,
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2217606/posts
(St Louis) Tax Day Tea Party Site Hit By Denial of Service Attack
Thank you for the explanation.
http://mcallenteaparty.blogspot.com/2009/03/meeting-fridayapril-3rd.html
McAllen Tea Party
Meeting Friday,,April 3rd
http://politizine.blogspot.com/2009/03/boston-tea-party-radio.html
Boston Tea Party radio ...
http://nbjr.speakupwny.com/photos-from-yesterdays-buffalo-tea-party/2009/03/29/
Photos from Yesterdays Buffalo Tea Party
http://mommylife.net/archives/2009/03/seeking_richmon.html
Seeking Richmond teen to speak at Tea Party
You are doing a wonderful job of combining all the links. Thank you!
http://www.avtowncrier.blogspot.com/2009/03/av-tea-party.html
Antelope Valley Tea Party
http://muskogeepolitico.blogspot.com/2009/03/muskogee-tea-party.html
Muskogee Tea Party
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