Tea protests brew nationally (Tax Revolt/Tea Party updates and links)

New Hampshire Union Leader ^ | April 3, 2009 | DAN TUOHY AND GARRY RAYNO

[abb]

Organizers of two "tax day tea parties" ask people not to mail tea to elected leaders, but politicians are getting plenty of tea mail anyway.

Mike Biundo, a coordinator of a tea party protest April 15 in Manchester, advised supporters to send the label of a tea bag, not the bag or tea leaves.

"People are fired up and they want to express themselves," he said. "We just want to make sure they do it in a responsible way."

A "suspicious" white envelope of loose tea leaves prompted the brief closure Wednesday of the Manchester office of Rep. Carol Shea-Porter. U.S. Capitol Police told the workers not to open the envelope and to call city police and fire. A spokesman said staff was just following procedures adopted for handling suspicious mail.

A field test conducted by Manchester firefighters identified it as green tea.

Michael Yannetti of Pelham, who sent the envelope, marked it "Tea Party" to protest federal spending and bailouts. He sent similar letters to the other members of the state's congressional delegation.

U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg's press secretary, Laena Fallon, said the senator's New Hampshire offices received a few letters with tea inside, but "we're not brewing any tea with it."

She said people in the senator's office were aware a protest was planned. "We considered it a unique way for constituents to share their opinion," Fallon said.

She said Gregg's Washington office had not yet received any mailed tea, but noted mail takes several days longer to arrive because everything is scanned off site after the anthrax scare in 2001.

Manchester firefighters exit from Carol Shea Porter's office in Manchester on Wednesday. (BOB LAPREE)

U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes press secretary Mark Bergman said the congressman's Concord office received one letter with green tea from the same gentleman who sent the letter to Shea-Porter's Manchester office.

"In our office, we threw it away. We did not throw the letter away, we threw the tea away and will respond to the constituent appropriately," Bergman said.

Hodes' staff was not aware of the nationwide protest until receiving the letter and seeing the news yesterday, Bergman said.

The Washington office of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen received some mailed tea, but had been alerted by Capitol Police about the mailings before they arrived, said spokesman Alex Reese.

After news of the tea party protests, the U.S. Postal Service alerted its many offices about potential tea mail last month, said Todd Skulnik, spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service in Manchester. He said he is not aware of any law against mailing tea bags or tea leaves.

"We're not happy about it, to say the least," he said. "It's just inconvenient for us if it pops open in mail processing."

If such a parcel were to break open, it could trigger first responders and affect or damage automated equipment, he said.

There are several groups organizing local and national tax protests, using the idea of the Boston Tea Party as protest inspiration.

Julie Johnson, a spokesman for the nationwide Tax Day Tea Party, said her organization has 450 tea parties, with at least one in each state, planned for April 15. Each rally will be a little different, although each will focus on fiscal troubles and have tea as symbolism, Johnson said.

Tax Day Tea Party is also not encouraging taxpayers to mail tea to politicians. "I don't think it helps us at all," Johnson said.

After reading the story of the errant "tea protest," Jerry LaCorte of Derry said it was unfortunate the letter to Shea-Porter's office came across as "some sort of domestic terrorism."

LaCorte, an independent voter, praised the tea protest.

"What other forms do we have? E-mail is bounced. They don't read letters. I think they fall on deaf ears in Washington," he said.

[abb]

Links and updates to follow downthread.

[abb]

ping

[abb]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2221389/posts
Reminder Denver Tax Day Tea Party

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2221148/posts
WE DID IT !!!GLENN BECK CONFIRMS FOR SAN ANTONIO!!! - April 15th

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2219959/posts
VIDEO: Great American Tea Party Update: Iowa Taxpayers Kicked Out Of Capitol During Tax Debate

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2221110/posts
Live chat: the Tucson Tea Party protest movement (Transcript)

[abb]

http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/48686-large+numbers+cancel+another+affordable+housing+hearing
Large Numbers Cancel Another Affordable Housing Hearing

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090403/NEWS10/904030362/1136/COMM06
Tax plan more likely to sting Iowa renters, simple filers

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090403/BUSINESS/904030364
Tax bill’s effect on business climate unclear

http://www.globegazette.com/articles/2009/04/03/news/local/doc49d58f87dbcff492079621.txt
Business leaders oppose deductibility plan

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090402/NEWS/90402052/-1/NEWS04
Update: No tax plan debate this week

http://www.timesrepublican.com/page/content.detail/id/515710.html?nav=5005
Group hears arguments over income tax plan

[abb]

http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/2009/04/03/20090403teaparty0403.html
GOP holds ‘tea party’ stimulus protest in Valley

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/localnews/ci_12059149
Fairfield County Democrats balk at income tax hikes

http://indianateaparty.blogspot.com/2009/04/april-15-2009-indianapolis-tea-party.html
INDIANA TEA PARTY

http://rickgrayblog.com/?p=633
Phoenix Tea Party Scheduled April 15

http://www.santabarbaracountyteaparty.org/2009/04/02/radio-personality-tammy-bruce-to-emcee-rally-for-santa-barbaras-big-cool-tea-party/
Radio Personality Tammy Bruce To Emcee Rally For Santa Barbara’s Big, Cool Tea Party

[kindred]

Tea parties are nice but they are just that, a tea party.

[abb]

And what alternative do you suggest?

[thethirddegree]

E-mails, letters and even calling do not seem to matter anymore to the people we elected to represent us in Congress.

Here’s a thought: when Congress was busy huffing and puffing about those evil AIG bonuses, no one gave it a second thought when the thuggish ACORN rent-a-mob went on a bus tour of AIG employees’ homes.

So, what if someone were to create a database containing all the HOME addresses of these professional thieves in Congress (both their D.C. and state home addresses) and distribute it widely across the internet?

A few peaceful public gatherings at their ritzy D.C. townhomes and gated estates might make them think twice as they continue to tax us and our children into a banana republic-style poverty.

[HighlyOpinionated]

Tea Party has to be followed up with some real heavy hitting activism. The type that nice, kind Conservatives don’t ‘do’ because they are nice and kind.

I’m doing my best, sending letters, emails (that ARE read by my Georgia delegation), but there’s got to be some kind of ACTION.

Have you seen the http://912petitions.com/ Petition for Redress of Grievances? Might wanna check it out.

[unixfox]

[abb]

http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20090403/NEWS01/904030315/1002
Area news briefs: ‘Tea’ group mad about taxes and bailouts plans Mansfield rally

http://www.greenevillesun.com/story/302429
‘Tea Party’ Tax Protest Set April 15 In Kingsport

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/628124.html
Budget pain not shared by politicians

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20090403/OPINION/904029889?Title=Ayn-Rand-saw-it-coming
Ayn Rand saw it coming

http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=28&a=392500
New TEA party brews

http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090403/NEWS01/904030306/1079/news01
Tea party protest set for April 15

http://www.themonitor.com/articles/mcallen_24983___article.html/tea_conservative.html
Conservative McAllen group plans to have “TEA party”

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/181/story/447743.html
Crowd again delays forum on affordable home project

http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=8393729&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
Unusual Form Of Protest Planned

http://www.clarecountyreview.com/?p=1968
Caravan from Clare County traveling to Tea Party April 15

http://www.times-herald.com/local/Locals-join-Tea-Party-protest-against-taxes—fed-spending—704539
Locals join Tea Party protest against taxes, fed spending

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/politics/ny-litea0312614157apr02,0,6454791.story
Northport ‘tea party’ set for Friday

http://www.examiner.com/x-4295-Seattle-Conservative-Examiner~y2009m4d2-Whats-a-Tea-Party-300-US-cities-will-host-Tax-Day-Tea-Parties-and-the-count-is-growing
What’s a “Tea Party”? 300 U.S. cities will host “Tax Day Tea Parties” and the count is growing

[RaceBannon]

www.hartfordteaparty.org

[abb]

Check out the stories yesterday and today about the Iowa State House event Tuesday night. That came within an inch of being a sit-in where the state troopers would have had to forcibly remove the demonstrators.

That may be the next step we all have to contemplate. Mass sit-ins at legislative bodies.

[Man50D]

Tea Party has to be followed up with some real heavy hitting activism.

That is the purpose of the tea parties. They are a means of organizing. We are only in the beginning stages.

[abb]

http://www.riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/2009/04/is-burleson-tx-trying-to-stop-a-tea-party.html
Is Burleson, Tx Trying To Stop A Tea Party?

http://www.brightandearlyblog.com/2009/04/working-on-the-tea-party/
Working on the TEA Party

http://www.redstate.com/warner_todd_huston/2009/04/03/another-city-tries-to-quash-tax-day-tea-party-gathering/
Another City Tries to Quash Tax Day Tea Party Gathering

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/04/03/20090403teaparty0403.html
GOP holds ‘tea party’ stimulus protest in Valley

http://oceanstaterepublican.com/2009/04/03/rigop-joins-with-providence-tax-day-tea-party/
RIGOP Joins with Providence Tax Day Tea Party

http://chatterboxchronicles.blogspot.com/2009/04/kansas-city-tax-day-tea-party.html
Kansas City Tax Day Tea Party!

http://www.kcbd.com/global/story.asp?s=10122996
Group Unhappy with Government Issues Plans Tea Party

[Man50D]

Sorry. Posted to the wrong person

[devistate one four]

Be nice. That’s all we hear.

[abb]

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090403/NEWS/904030384/-1/rss01
Monroe County plans for tax day tea parties spread across the country

http://alicesrestaurantblog.com/?p=235
Americans for Prosperity-NJ Tea Party-April 15

http://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2009/04/mchenry-county-tea-party-flyer.html
McHenry County TEA Party Flyer

http://lincolnteaparty.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/media-coverage-video-link-to-ch-8-report/
Media Coverage: Video Link to Ch. 8 Report

http://yepperee.com/tea-party/2009/04/03/tea-party-movement-must-continue/
Tea Party Movement Must Continue

http://opinionhead.com/2009/04/03/tax-day-coalition-get-involved-now/
Tax Day Coalition: Get Involved Now!

http://logisticsmonster.com/2009/04/02/adolph-hitler-fascist-dictator-award-goes-to-ray-gonzales-of-burleson-texas/
Adolph Hitler Fascist Dictator Award Goes To Ray Gonzales of Burleson, Texas

http://discussionofissues.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/im-going-to-the-springfield-illinois-tax-day-tea-party/
I’m Going to the Springfield Illinois Tax Day Tea Party!

http://www.lcsun-news.com/farmington-news/ci_12060961?source=rss
Farmington Republicans organize tax protest

http://www.trussvilleteaparty.com/2009/04/speakers-confirmed-for-event/
Speakers Confirmed for Event

http://brownsberger.blogspot.com/2009/04/joplin-tea-party.html
Joplin Tea Party

http://directoryofcapecoral.com/blog/?p=10233
Cape Tea Party Brings a Few Hundred

http://phconservative.blogspot.com/2009/04/morgantown-tax-tea-party.html
Morgantown Tax Tea Party

http://www.idealwagering.com/9/what-news-agencies-will-cover-the-tea-parties-on-april-15th
What news agencies will cover the “Tea Parties” on April 15th?

http://bungalowbillscw.blogspot.com/2009/04/tea-party-challenge-to-ozarks.html
A Tea Party Challenge to the Ozarks: Springfield Tea Party April 18, 2009

http://www.masslpa.org/node/378
Tax Day/Tea Party

http://burlesonteaparty.blogspot.com/2009/04/party-moved-due-to-interference-from.html
Party Moved Due to Interference from the City of Burleson

http://michigantaxes.com/wordpress/?p=1710
How ready we really are - A Tea Party Installment

http://truth.skylerjcollins.com/2009/04/salt-lake-city-tea-party.html
Salt Lake City Tea Party

http://northamptongop.org/archives/1505
ea Party: April 18th

[La Lydia]

Your point is well taken, The original tea party deprived the British of a significant amount of tax revenue, hence the reaction by the British. Our tea parties make a rhetorical point, but do not impact the government. We need to figure out a way to deprive our Marxist overlords their tax revenues.

[abb]

http://irtcleveland.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/cleveland-to-participate-in-national-tea-party-movement/
Cleveland to Participate in National Tea Party Movement

http://waterfordtaxpayersassociation.blogspot.com/2009/04/wisconsin-tea-partytaxpayer-rally.html
Waterford Taxpayers Association

http://www.knco.com/Local/420553-The-Tax-Day-Tea-Party-Protest-Continues-Growing.html
The Tax Day Tea Party Protest Continues Growing

http://alamoguy.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/tea-party-in-rockford/
Champaign-Urbana Tea Party