What better day for a Tea Party protest than April 15th? You can see my trip report of the Seattle and Redmond protests here.
Posted by byrond at April 16, 2009 02:19 AM | Email ThisThey covered the recent "protest" about whether local parks should move ballfields to astroturf more than they covered the 100's of thousands of protesters that went out yesterday.
Can they even look at themselves in the mirror this morning and even pretend to be anything other than shills for the state and federal government?
Posted by: johnny on April 16, 2009 06:58 AMNext step is the tax revolt. Downsize your business and reduce your income tax burden. At some point the Chinese will cease financing our ballooning deficits and force our government to account for its obscene spending habits.
Ultimate goal: As the "free stuff" dries up, illegal aliens will return to their respective homelands. Hopefully this will force urban "victims" off their couches and into the fields to gather crops. More likely they will arm themselves and take to the streets. In any event, our future will indeed be laced with "change".
Posted by: Saltherring on April 16, 2009 07:26 AM
5000 is the number that could show up.
Many of us were chained to desks or jobs that don't have flexibility and couldn't show up. How do you think we feel about this tax and spend business----when we can't even take the time off from work to attend events like this?
Stop spending money that isn't there for entitlements American's can afford to provide on their own.
Being born an American is winning the lottery of life. Stop making it sound as though everyone is a victim until a government program comes to save us.
Posted by: Andy on April 16, 2009 07:48 AMIf Obama and the Democrats don't get a grip, the next one will be quadruple this one. However, I don't think most of America are realizing that the tea bag protesters are protesting tax increases that will result from the Obama deficit. So far, Obama and Gregoire have been lying (not pudge's definition of lying but mine) that huge tax increases are in our immediate future.
Posted by: swatter on April 16, 2009 08:24 AMBut, glad the MSM covered Obama's new dog thoroughly. Instead of shots like those that Byron Dazey took, we instead see plenty of shots of Obama running with his new dog and his kids. I'm glad Obama is being of good Dad, the African American community could use a few more role models of fathers that actually stay present, but there are more important news stories out there, whether the left wants to admit it or not.
All the news that's fit to print.
Should read:
All of the news that's making Obama look good.
Posted by: Jeff B. on April 16, 2009 09:13 AMhttp://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/4/16/124520/554?new=true
Their reactions and misunderstandings of the tea parties and their defense of deficit spending is amazing!
Remember, "tolerant" and "openminded" liberals don't want to hear opinions that deviate from their own.
Posted by: Johnny on April 16, 2009 10:55 AMDo your research, when Dick Army was in the house and the Republicans were spending as John McCain said "like drunken sailors", Army was asked in an interview why he was pushing so much pork (like nothing that had ever been seen before) and his answer: "to the victor goes the spoils", Dick Army your leader in the tea party NICE
Posted by: Jay on April 16, 2009 11:55 AMDo your research, when Dick Army was in the house and the Republicans were spending as John McCain said "like drunken sailors", Army was asked in an interview why he was pushing so much pork (like nothing that had ever been seen before) and his answer: "to the victor goes the spoils", Dick Army your leader in the tea party NICE
Posted by: Jay on April 16, 2009 11:55 AMDick Army may have wanted to be leader - but that isn't the same as being the leader.
Dick Army is an naked opportunist who saw a wave and wanted to ride it. He's no more the "leader" of the tea party movement than Sharon Stone was President because she tried to "hop on" to Bill Clinton a few years back.
As far as MSM, I watched the news last night and Fox did decent and fair coverage. KOMO did a small blip with an interview by Tim Eyeman, who was there but in no way the focus and KING did a short few scenes that looked like they were borrowed from KOMO because I didn't even see their newsvan there. Amazing but not surprising.
It seems clear by the dismissal and distortions by the MSM and govt in general and the attempts by the left to diminish with total ignorance and downright lewd reference and behavior, that this is truly just the beginning. One of my favorite lines from the Tea Party was not only taxation without reprensentation, but representation without taxation. The ante has just been raised, on both sides.
Posted by: brasstax on April 16, 2009 12:05 PMhttp://www.toomeyforsenate.com/
It is pathetic miserable failures such as Arlon Spector leading the Republican Party that are as much to blame as any thing that Democrats have done.
Posted by: JDH on April 16, 2009 12:12 PM"JUST SAY NO TO OBOMMUNISM" Posted by: James on April 16, 2009 07:36 PM
Fact is I like the idea of people getting out and "protesting" and getting involved, regardless of how they lean. The more involved in the political process ALL AMERICANS are, the better off our country will be. It's called discourse. If they are active, then they are more likely to listen to others, and compromise, and be less closed minded.
I try to take everything into account as much as possible on every issue. It is not a Dem / GOP or Liberal ~vs~ Conservative thing, and most issues have a lot of overlap.
Still nothing negative.
I don't like the idea of the "Tea Baggers" (see I was respectful) crowd planning on "protesting" on the 4th of July. The 4th should be a day of celebration, for ALL AMERICANS, and not a display for the slogans I saw on a lot of those signs. Sorry. Choose another day for your/our/my outrage. We all have it. Mine goes back to Reagan, and "yours" goes back to Roosevelt I would imagine.
Have a good evening everyone.
Go M's!!!
Sir, if I were sure that 'protesters' had never defiled the 4th of July by political demonstrations, I might consider your plea to have some merit.
However, I have watched the press on protests from 1963 on, and I recall an indecent number of protests - not just anti-Administration, but anti-American - on various Fourths. Each one, of course, claiming to be 'patriotic', and abusing the American flag to prove it.
So I must sincerely request that your request be stuffed. At least the teabag brigade doesn't disrespect the flag.
Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on April 16, 2009 09:10 PMWhat impressed me was how many hand-made signs there were. This was no astroturf rally with expensive, printed signs and lots of bunting. This was the real grassroots. Politicians ignore this kind of thing at their own peril.
My sign read:
"Time for Atlas to Shrug:
Spend LESS, Earn LESS
To Legally Reduce Taxes
And Starve the Beast!"
(and on the other side...)
"The Stimulus Is Theft
Both D's AND R's
Caused this Crisis
Vote Libertarian"
There were lots of Ron Paul fans there. During the tea-keg dunking, they chanted "End the FED!"
My guess was that most of these folks were employed and relatively new to protest marches. These were not the unemployed young, naive liberals who attend most outdoor protests.
Two of the five people I talked to were born behind the iron curtain. I've noticed that a lot of the people who value economic liberty saw the other side. Too many people who were born in the 'States take this freedom for granted.
All the Libertarians I know attended a tea party.
The Ayn Rand fans also found ways to clump together during this tea party.
I hope this movement continues! I hope there is a huge turnout on 7/4/09!
Free Minds and Free Markets!
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on April 16, 2009 09:32 PMAt least Clinton was not insecure about admitting there was an opposition, but he was able to outsmart the Republicans in Congress. Of course he tried to tie the Oklahoma City bombings to right-wing activists, fed by right-wing talk radio. This is where Obama got his idea and used DHS for his mouthpiece. The DHS really should have been dismantled and restreamlined back when Bush was in office.
Posted by: KS on April 16, 2009 09:33 PMNeedless to say, he shudders with horror at the foolish glee of today's mind numbed Progressives. This guy lived through the consequences of tyranny. He knows full well the dangers of collectivism.
If the average naive, Obama supporting Seattle Progressive sat down with someone who really understands, and has lived through the consequences of these bad ideas, it probably wouldn't be long before they woke up.
But most of them are content to listen to the one sided mainstream media, and ignore the oncoming train.
Posted by: Jeff B. on April 16, 2009 09:58 PMHey dinesh--you never did tell us what Obama's previous accomplishments in office have been as a senator and Illinois legislator. Perhaps you have thought of some by now?
Posted by: Michele on April 16, 2009 11:06 PMToday I saw a group of pictures on facebook of the Westlake rally. Most speakers I didn't recognize. But, I did recognize parrish and eyman. Ugh. My mom was right. :)
Posted by: AD on April 17, 2009 06:27 AMNope...just tar and feathers for the likes of you. Show up on July 4th and we'll equip you to fly home.
Posted by: Saltherring on April 17, 2009 06:46 AMI think the message needs to be clearer as several parties had their own reasons. Maybe that is a good thing.
Personally, it is the Obama debt chart that scares the beejabbers out of me and Wall Street.
Liberals have their head in the sand on that chart. They blame Bush and they allow Obama to spend, spend, spend as if that were the solution. I can't reach them.
The press, with the exception of Don Ward, just doesn't get it. They ask where you were when Bush was spending like crazy and they are surprised when I say I was sounding the warning then, too.
Crazy people in this country that don't think or even have the capacity to think, anymore.
Posted by: swatter on April 17, 2009 07:59 AMIt suggests that over the previous six years that our debt rose about $2 trillion, where as it really rose way, way more than that.
If the chart doesn't accurately reflect past numbers and in fact paints a dramatically more positive set of numbers than what really happened - does that mean that the numbers going forward are even worse? Or, alternatively are the new numbers more honest?
At the end of fiscal year 2001 our debt was $5.8 trillion, at the end of fiscal year 2008 our debt was over $10 trillion.
What caught my eye is the 2008, where the graph shows a deficit of just over $400 billion, whereas the national debt that year rose over $1 trillion.
When I was doing a $80k per month payroll, I went into shock, so these numbers are above my paygrade. I rely on a quote for this. Thanks in advance.
Posted by: swatter on April 17, 2009 10:12 AMThis is a rich source of information on national debt.
It's here where you find that even at the end of Clinton's time in office, where the budget went into surplus (as the Washington Post suggests), the Federal Debt was still increasing - albeit at a much slower rate.
Throw into the mix that a significant portion of the debt is not held by the "public" which is presumably everyone including foreign governments, but as "intergovernmental holdings" - which is mostly excess SS monies being collected now and required to be "invested" into government securities.
I think we first need more transparent budget, spending, collecting and borrowing information - if we're ever going to make decent decisions.
Didn't happen in the last administration, or the ones before.
Will it happen in this one? We'll see.
I'm not holding my breath though.
Greetings Governor Gregoire,
Let the Washington State Taxpayer Revolt begin.
It is clear you and others in Olympia have no intention of limiting the growth of state government. The citizens of Washington must become more proactive, in order to keep our government under control.
The office of governor was stolen for you in 2004 by crooked leftist activists. Now you want to institute an unconstitutional state income tax.
Welcome to the real world: http://WAStateTaxRevolt.com
Posted by: IzzyWeird on April 17, 2009 11:50 AMYou express disgust at massive debt? A lack of control and accountability on goverment spending?
Skepticism tha it will get any better when we change out the President but the bloated bureaucracies stay in place?
Hey, welcome to the tea party!
Posted by: johnny on April 17, 2009 11:55 AMThe WaPo is notoriously on the left side, and is a huge supporter of Obama & the Chicago mob. If anything, they'd minimize the coming deficit. But the figurs they use are from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, and those numbers would be better than any from politically controlled Federal sources.
I'd be plenty skeptical of treasurydirect.com now that the Obama administration is at its controls.
Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on April 17, 2009 12:17 PMChanging the president from time to time without shaking up the system underneath doesn't make much difference - it didn't in the last 8 years for sure.
If the protests move beyond the typical taxed too much to a push for less spending (and of course less of what spending...) then perhaps the politicians will have a system that rewards that kind of decision making.
Right now, the system rewards over spending.
Posted by: BA on April 17, 2009 12:19 PMwell the CNN hack had one thing right about me I am anti-gov't..The present one that is..
I'm out gunna go and plant some trout in the Northern Cascades lakes this weekend...:)
Posted by: hellpig on April 17, 2009 12:47 PMThere were no "teabags" in the 18th Century.
Posted by: Robert on April 17, 2009 01:13 PMWhat you link showed is that as upset as I was with the debt, I should have been livid at its increase.
Isn't it crazy that we had a GDP of 14 trillion and it looks like Obama is going to spend about 10 trillion on top of the normal budget to square things around (or so he says)?
And the savings comes from the billions he won't be spending in Iraq? Cap and trade my friend (or comrade?).
EPA just listed you as a pollutant. Yessir, CO2 is now a pollutant and they have a right to control you.
Posted by: swatter on April 17, 2009 02:31 PMAs an aside, two weekends ago some guy drove by the "peace" protesters and stuck his hand out the sun roof top of his car and gave them the finger. And he wasn't shy about it. The "peace" protesters went nuts. I saw it real clearly because I was close to the action, if you know what I mean.
Posted by: G Jiggy on April 17, 2009 02:52 PMThe information making you livid is of course much worst than the Washington Post chart.
But then, as "insufficiently sensitive" points out above - no information is likely correct.
Posted by: BA on April 17, 2009 03:10 PMAre you counting on the inflation coming up to deflate the value of those old debts?
Posted by: swatter on April 17, 2009 03:47 PMThe specifics I don't know because I haven't studied the projections in detail nor the assumptions being made. What's the "extra trillions" you're referencing?
I'd at least like to see a set of projections that have the annual debt trending down to zero.
In recent history we've had projections at the end of Clinton's term forecasting surpluses into the foreseeable future - only to see 911 and tax cuts turn those forecasts upside down. Projecting out 10 years now, instead of just 5 years as in the recent past is at least a start towards understanding the costs associated with each budget decision.
Posted by: BA on April 17, 2009 05:14 PMJANEANE GAROFALO: Thank you. You know, there's nothing more interesting than seeing a bunch of racists become confused and angry at a speech they're not quite certain what he's saying. It sounds right and then it doesn't make sense. Which, let's be very honest about what this is about. It's not about bashing Democrats, it's not about taxes, they have no idea what the Boston tea party was about, they don't know their history at all. This is about hating a black man in the White House. This is racism straight up. That is nothing but a bunch of teabagging rednecks. And there is no way around that. And you know, you can tell these type of right wingers anything and they'll believe it, except the truth. You tell them the truth and they become -- it's like showing Frankenstein's monster fire. They become confused, and angry and highly volatile. That guy, causing them feelings they don't know, because their limbic brain, we've discussed this before, the limbic brain inside a right-winger or Republican or conservative or your average white power activist, the limbic brain is much larger in their head space than in a reasonable person, and it's pushing against the frontal lobe. So their synapses are misfiring. Is Bernie Goldberg listening?
Anyone agreeing with this bullcrap is mentally ill like her. She was on Countdown hosted by Bathtub boy Olberman. I posted this because this is an example of the pushback coming from the lapdog media about the demonstrations. Does this claptrap make you just a bit pissed off ?
Posted by: KS on April 17, 2009 08:35 PMI was driving around looking for a nearby location after work, but none was to be found and I live in a fairly large suburban area. That is pathetic !
They could have been so much larger if they were scheduled for off-work hours, instead of being haphazardly thrown together in many instances.
Stop and think : What is the end game here ?
It is to make progress in taking back the Government in 2010 with the midterm elections - the Republicans have a shot at gaining control of the House, besides demonstrate public outrage at current Government fiscal and legislative policies. If the planning and PR for the next Tea Party does not improve, the Republicans will stay a minority party well beyond Obama's first term, which would be sad and STUPID - their own doing. Wake up and smell the coffee - this is a political war and anyone who doesn't think so is living in a dream world.
The issue is on-budget expenditures and off-budget expenditures. The Bush budget deficits really were small, but the off-budget expenditures were a pretty constant $300 billion per year.
Note too that the Clinton 'surplus' the Marxists love to crow about didn't exist per your own criteria; the Federal Debt increased EVERY YEAR under Clinton, precisely because of the off-budget expenditures.
What's sad, though, is we now have a President promising to double our national debt, and nearly triple the expenditures of his predecessor, with no foreseeable decrease in the deficit. Ever. And some people are happy about that..
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on April 17, 2009 09:13 PMI guess we should just shift even more spending "off-budget" so that you can also say the Obama deficits are really small...
So what's our choice - 8 years ago we had a president promise fiscal conservatism and the debt doubled. Now we have a president laying out a budget direction and saying the debt will double.
At least this time we go into it with a bit more honesty.
I read that the estimates of the turnouts for the various Tea Parties across the country was on the order of 300,000 to 500,000. Even in New York city the estimate was around 12,000. And this is just within three months of Obama's reign.
What is it going to be like after the EPA declares CO2 to be a danger to mankind and starts shutting down coal fired power plants? Or health care is nationalized? Or inflation spirals out of control? Or when Iran gets the bomb?
The Republicans had better get their act together and get back to their roots as the party of limited, and I mean miniscule, government, strong national defense and economic freedom. When the Republicans start to advocate the abolishment Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Department of Education, deposing the mullahs and repealing Sarbanes-Oxley we'll know they're on the right track.
Posted by: Bill K. on April 17, 2009 10:12 PMUm, no he's not saying that.
"In this budget, we have made the tough choices necessary to cut our deficit in half by the end of my first term -- even under the most pessimistic estimates."
Except that he doubled the budget deficit, before he could halve it. Convenient that. I've seen no comment at all about doubling the total debt, just fuzzy rhetoric pointing back to the "cutting the deficit in half" like the quote above.
Posted by: Palouse on April 18, 2009 02:48 PM
I'm with hellpig at least to the extent of enabling Israel to attack Iran. Right now Israel's problem is overflying Iraq to get to Iran. The U.S. won't allow the IDF to do that.
Really the U.S. military is the only one that has the capablity to combat Iran on land, air and sea. Iran is as much our enemy as Israel's. Then we have to worry about Pakistan going rogue. Caroline Glick has a post on it:
http://www.carolineglick.com/e/2009/04/the_pakistani_dilemma.asp
Posted by: Bill K. on April 18, 2009 11:23 PMTonight I am watching on CBS "the Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" and you know, you one belief republicans remind me of the Nazi's, no mater what you believe. I am dead serious. So all you idiots who like to send me emails calling me names you have my address, I am home, Bring it on.
I am not anti republican, I believe in the two party system. That said, all of you that call me names and such, come on over, google my address, I look forward to this.
Jay Brand
Posted by: Jay Brand on April 19, 2009 10:34 PMTonight I am watching on CBS "the Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" and you know, you one belief republicans remind me of the Nazi's, no mater what you believe. I am dead serious. So all you idiots who like to send me emails calling me names you have my address, I am home, Bring it on.
I am not anti republican, I believe in the two party system. That said, all of you that call me names and such, come on over, google my address, I look forward to this.
Jay Brand
Posted by: Jay Brand on April 19, 2009 10:34 PMTonight I am watching on CBS "the Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" and you know, you one belief republicans remind me of the Nazi's, no mater what you believe. I am dead serious. So all you idiots who like to send me emails calling me names you have my address, I am home, Bring it on.
I am not anti republican, I believe in the two party system. That said, all of you that call me names and such, come on over, google my address, I look forward to this.
Jay Brand
Posted by: Jay Brand on April 19, 2009 10:34 PMTonight I am watching on CBS "the Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" and you know, you one belief republicans remind me of the Nazi's, no mater what you believe. I am dead serious. So all you idiots who like to send me emails calling me names you have my address, I am home, Bring it on.
I am not anti republican, I believe in the two party system. That said, all of you that call me names and such, come on over, google my address, I look forward to this.
Jay Brand
Posted by: Jay Brand on April 19, 2009 10:34 PMTonight I am watching on CBS "the Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" and you know, you one belief republicans remind me of the Nazi's, no mater what you believe. I am dead serious. So all you idiots who like to send me emails calling me names you have my address, I am home, Bring it on.
I am not anti republican, I believe in the two party system. That said, all of you that call me names and such, come on over, google my address, I look forward to this.
Jay Brand
Posted by: Jay Brand on April 19, 2009 10:34 PMTonight I am watching on CBS "the Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" and you know, you one belief republicans remind me of the Nazi's, no mater what you believe. I am dead serious. So all you idiots who like to send me emails calling me names you have my address, I am home, Bring it on.
I am not anti republican, I believe in the two party system. That said, all of you that call me names and such, come on over, google my address, I look forward to this.
Jay Brand
Posted by: Jay Brand on April 19, 2009 10:35 PMTonight I am watching on CBS "the Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" and you know, you one belief republicans remind me of the Nazi's, no mater what you believe. I am dead serious. So all you idiots who like to send me emails calling me names you have my address, I am home, Bring it on.
I am not anti republican, I believe in the two party system. That said, all of you that call me names and such, come on over, google my address, I look forward to this.
Jay Brand
Posted by: Jay Brand on April 19, 2009 10:36 PMTonight I am watching on CBS "the Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler" and you know, you one belief republicans remind me of the Nazi's, no mater what you believe. I am dead serious. So all you idiots who like to send me emails calling me names you have my address, I am home, Bring it on.
I am not anti republican, I believe in the two party system. That said, all of you that call me names and such, come on over, google my address, I look forward to this.
Jay Brand
Posted by: Jay Brand on April 19, 2009 10:36 PMYou slime bags complain abut Kos and other sites and say to post there is to be slammed, but to post her is to have attacks to your home, ONCE AGAIN, come on down you spineless idiots, back up your threats. Like I said, I have posted my home, I am home, come on down, chickens.
Posted by: jay BrandD on April 19, 2009 10:50 PMYou slime bags complain abut Kos and other sites and say to post there is to be slammed, but to post her is to have attacks to your home, ONCE AGAIN, come on down you spineless idiots, back up your threats. Like I said, I have posted my home, I am home, come on down, chickens.
Posted by: jay BrandD on April 19, 2009 10:50 PMYou slime bags complain abut Kos and other sites and say to post there is to be slammed, but to post her is to have attacks to your home, ONCE AGAIN, come on down you spineless idiots, back up your threats. Like I said, I have posted my home, I am home, come on down, chickens.
Posted by: jay BrandD on April 19, 2009 10:50 PMYou slime bags complain abut Kos and other sites and say to post there is to be slammed, but to post her is to have attacks to your home, ONCE AGAIN, come on down you spineless idiots, back up your threats. Like I said, I have posted my home, I am home, come on down, chickens.
Posted by: jay BrandD on April 19, 2009 10:50 PMYou slime bags complain abut Kos and other sites and say to post there is to be slammed, but to post her is to have attacks to your home, ONCE AGAIN, come on down you spineless idiots, back up your threats. Like I said, I have posted my home, I am home, come on down, chickens.
Posted by: jay BrandD on April 19, 2009 10:50 PMJay, sorry to hear that somebody is attacking your house. If you believe it is somebody from here (or anywhere) you should report it to the police. I have been posting here for years and I don't think the people who normally post here do that sort of thing, whatever it is you are experiencing. You might want to elaborate on that a little.
It occurs to me that it could be leftist trolls posing as posters from here. Anybody can adopt a name used here.
Posted by: G Jiggy on April 19, 2009 11:15 PMAnother factoid for ya Nazi's are leftwing not rightwing.
also I am pretty sure EVERYONE who posts here has better things to do then go to Oak Harbor just to kick your ass....
if you are getting legitimate threatening E-Mails call the police....don't whine about how no one has actually done anything..
Posted by: hellpig on April 20, 2009 12:28 PM"Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei".
I don't know how it is in Oak Harbor Jay but around here Socialism is a concept of the left.
Funny thing how the leftists always called Bush a Nazi. Must be that fine education they're dishing out in those government run Madrassas.
Posted by: G Jiggy on April 20, 2009 06:55 PMFBI Spied on TEA Party Americans
See http://homelandsecurityus.com/?p=2659
19 April 2009: Even as average Americans were planning to get out in towns and cities to demonstrate against Big Government and Big Taxes, Federal Bureau of Intelligence Investigation (FBI) surveillance was being unleashed upon them. In fact, unsuspecting Tax Day TEA Party participants were being closely watched during the demonstration planning stages in a covert operation that began on or about March 23, 2009.
If you one of the estimated 750,000 Americans who attended one of about 600 TEA parties last week, you might have seen media cameras covering the event. Media cameras, however, were not the only cameras taking video at these events, something that has at least one current FBI agent concerned over the future of America. According to this agent - the same agent who provided the Northeast Intelligence Network (NEIN) exclusively the unreleased photographs of the 11 missing Egyptian students who were the subject of a FBI BOLO in August 2006–placed his concerns for true patriots of the U.S. over his own career when he confided that covert surveillance was “planned and performed” at each of the TEA parties that took place last Tuesday.
“Listen to what I am saying,” stated the source during an interview with Doug Hagmann, founder (NEIN). “The Department of Homeland Security Intelligence Assessment that is receiving so much attention is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, and the true patriotic citizens of this country are on the Titanic. This is what bothers me. But is goes far beyond that assessment. There have been very significant changes made over the last few years that redirect the focus and assets of the intelligence community internally. These changes have greatly accelerated under this administration, and the threats have been redefined to include those who used to be called patriots. It’s not only chilling but absolutely insulting to God-fearing Americans.”
According to this unimpeachable source, a single-page confidential directive issued by the FBI headquarters in Washington, DC (FBIHQ) was sent to each of the 56 field offices located across the United States on or about March 23, 2009, instructing the Special Agents in Charge (SACs) of those offices to verify the date, time and location of each TEA Party within their region and supply that information to FBI headquarters in Washington. The source stated this correspondence termed the TEA parties “political demonstrations,” and added that the dissemination of the directive was very tightly controlled. “Not all agents were privy to this correspondence,” stated the source, who compared the dissemination to an older “Do Not File” classification.
In addition to obtaining or confirming the location and time of each “demonstration,” each field office was instructed to obtain or confirm the identity of the individual(s) involved in the actual planning and coordination of the event in each specific region, and include the local or regional Internet web site address, if any. The information collected by region was then reportedly sent to FBI Headquarters.
The source alleges that a second directive was issued on or about April 6, 2009 that reportedly instructed each SAC to coordinate and conduct, either at the field office level and/or with the appropriate resident agency, covert video surveillance and data collection of the participants of the TEA parties. Surveillance was to be performed from “discreet fixed or mobile positions” and was to be performed “independently and outside of the purview of local law enforcement.”
Although the level of detail collected from each operation is unclear, the information was reportedly submitted to Washington, where, “at the level of the National Security Branch (NSB), this information was to “include the office of the Directorate of Intelligence (DI), and integrated with a restricted access database, one that reportedly is accessible to only two agencies” [of the 14 agencies that comprise the U.S. intelligence community, according to the source.
“The implications to the citizens of the U.S. are ominous. It seems that there is a hostile political agenda coming from Washington that characterizes the supporters of our constitutional freedoms as threats to our domestic security, which is totally absurd. The redirection, the refocusing of domestic threats from al Qaeda cells to ‘flag waving right-wingers’ is something that has gone from a murmur a few years ago to a roar today.”
Training government-issued cameras on ordinary citizens, many of whom brought their children to an estimated 600 Tax Day TEA Parties is a page torn out of George Orwell’s 1984 and makes the term “God Bless America” more meaningful than ever.
The Northeast Intelligence Network and Canada Free Press expect the government’s denial of the surveillance of the TEA Parties to go viral as soon as this story is posted.
Posted by: John C on April 21, 2009 12:58 PM