This is insane.
But I'll take it.
Watch me on Channel 13 HERE.
And I apologize to the three people who read this blog and notice I haven't updated lately. I have a few things going that take a little bit of my free time.
But I'm working on it.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you get involved in the Tea Party Movement?
I am on Facebook and Twitter, and the buzz on Twitter was about having three large tea parties in three different cities. Soon other people stepped up to volunteer to add their own cities to the list, and I decided Houston, large as it is, needed to be represented as well. I wasn't recruited, nor did I apply for permission. I just planned the event with my cohorts, and joined the national effort.
How long did it take you to organize the 2/27 event?
We planned the Tea Party with six days' notice. And with only six days' notice, we saw a crowd of about 500.
Why didn't I see anything about it on tv?
Um, yeah. Media. Well, we made our own coverage and videos, which can be seen here and here. When you use You Tube, the media can miss the story and you can still get the word out.
Your crowd didn't look very diverse.
Our speakers sure were!
People like to say this is just an angry white people phenomenon. The truth is that bad economic policies hurt everyone, and the black and Hispanic communities are hurt worst of all. In tough times, people don't take the risk to start businesses. When taxes are high, you find barriers to entry in small businesses, and less disposable income to stimulate the economy.
It is also important to remember that this borrow-and-spend habit never works. Wealth and jobs are created by businesses and people, not governments. Government doesn't create anything, it merely takes what you've already worked for and says "You're not smart enough to spend that money correctly, so we're going to do it for you." This from the people who order $600 toilets.
But didn't all this spending start under President Bush? Why blame President Obama?
Oh, it DID start under President Bush, and it was reprehensible then, too. And many of us railed against him then, too. But this was during the middle of an election cycle, and there was no general interest in covering the lame-duck president losing support. Those reports instead covered John McCain and his mild objections to massive spending.
People who are angry at the current president also realize which president and which Congress got the ball rolling on bailouts and spending. The banking sector, the auto industry, the investment companies, the mortgage industry... all this was inevitable with the first discussion of a bailout in Bush's term. That doesn't absolve the current president from blame for the way he has greased the skids and sent the economy rocketing to hell on a bobsled.
Hell on a bobsled? Come ON.
I stand by my statement. When a government can grab control of the major facets of the economy, whether by ownership or severe regulation, markets cease to provide information by which to make good business decisions. People stop taking risks, investment falls, and capital is horded rather than invested for growth. Sounds like fun, right?
It sounds like you are just engaging in class warfare.
Class warfare has already been DECLARED on the taxpayer!
I am on Facebook and Twitter, and the buzz on Twitter was about having three large tea parties in three different cities. Soon other people stepped up to volunteer to add their own cities to the list, and I decided Houston, large as it is, needed to be represented as well. I wasn't recruited, nor did I apply for permission. I just planned the event with my cohorts, and joined the national effort.
How long did it take you to organize the 2/27 event?
We planned the Tea Party with six days' notice. And with only six days' notice, we saw a crowd of about 500.
Why didn't I see anything about it on tv?
Um, yeah. Media. Well, we made our own coverage and videos, which can be seen here and here. When you use You Tube, the media can miss the story and you can still get the word out.
Your crowd didn't look very diverse.
Our speakers sure were!
People like to say this is just an angry white people phenomenon. The truth is that bad economic policies hurt everyone, and the black and Hispanic communities are hurt worst of all. In tough times, people don't take the risk to start businesses. When taxes are high, you find barriers to entry in small businesses, and less disposable income to stimulate the economy.
It is also important to remember that this borrow-and-spend habit never works. Wealth and jobs are created by businesses and people, not governments. Government doesn't create anything, it merely takes what you've already worked for and says "You're not smart enough to spend that money correctly, so we're going to do it for you." This from the people who order $600 toilets.
But didn't all this spending start under President Bush? Why blame President Obama?
Oh, it DID start under President Bush, and it was reprehensible then, too. And many of us railed against him then, too. But this was during the middle of an election cycle, and there was no general interest in covering the lame-duck president losing support. Those reports instead covered John McCain and his mild objections to massive spending.
People who are angry at the current president also realize which president and which Congress got the ball rolling on bailouts and spending. The banking sector, the auto industry, the investment companies, the mortgage industry... all this was inevitable with the first discussion of a bailout in Bush's term. That doesn't absolve the current president from blame for the way he has greased the skids and sent the economy rocketing to hell on a bobsled.
Hell on a bobsled? Come ON.
I stand by my statement. When a government can grab control of the major facets of the economy, whether by ownership or severe regulation, markets cease to provide information by which to make good business decisions. People stop taking risks, investment falls, and capital is horded rather than invested for growth. Sounds like fun, right?
It sounds like you are just engaging in class warfare.
Class warfare has already been DECLARED on the taxpayer!
Let me make it personal. My husband will be losing his job at the end of April, so we're scrambling to figure out how we will make it after that. He's paid our mortgage faithfully for years, and never missed. But now, more of his income is supposed to be stolen from him in order to pay for other people's mortgages; mortgages they obtained by lying or by purchasing more house than they could afford, mortgages in which the owners are woefully behind on the payments. What gives those people the entitlement to my husband's paycheck? Why should we be forced to pay to keep others in their houses? Who will keep us in ours?
No, class warfare was declared, and we are RESPONDING.
What do you hope to accomplish with the Tea Party movement?
The theme of the Tax Day Tea Party protests across the country is "Repeal the Pork, Cut Taxes." Our message to Congress and to the President is simple: current policies are incompatible with the Constitution, so follow the Constitution.
Locally, we plan to organize more formally in order to reach local politicians and candidates. We aim to hold candidate forums and design ways to get our message to our elected officials in ways that they can no longer ignore. We're fed up!
No, class warfare was declared, and we are RESPONDING.
What do you hope to accomplish with the Tea Party movement?
The theme of the Tax Day Tea Party protests across the country is "Repeal the Pork, Cut Taxes." Our message to Congress and to the President is simple: current policies are incompatible with the Constitution, so follow the Constitution.
Locally, we plan to organize more formally in order to reach local politicians and candidates. We aim to hold candidate forums and design ways to get our message to our elected officials in ways that they can no longer ignore. We're fed up!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Fiscally Irresponsible
When the opportunity to host a Tea Party of our own in Houston came up, I had about five minutes to decide whether to do it. I made a commitment for a huge sum of money, at least huge for us. I was going to say than for others it would be pocket change, but then, times are tight all over.
It's certainly tight in my own family. My darling, hard-working, supportive and patriotic (pays his taxes) husband found out right before Christmas that his job was being outsourced. At present, he has until the end of April to work out the parting agreement and severance period, but we're trying not to spend on ANYTHING we don't have to.
Still, At the risk of saddling us with more debt and missing some bills this month, I decided we needed to do this in Houston, and I went down to the park and put down the deposit in faith. God, I prayed, if this is going to get done, you are going to have to do it. I asked for donations to help defray the cost, and sent out our Paypal information.
The response was incredible! Not only did people donate over $580 through Paypal, but at the event itself, when I had just written a huge check for the location, people donated over $800 more! Everyone at that rally that pitched in to make sure we could have the event not only saved my family from a financial crisis, but they seeded the opportunity to hold more and larger events.
I'm humbled by the rescue. I'm awed by my own personal bailout. And I'm more determined than ever to see this movement through, to make an impact on the way this country is run.
To everyone that gave at the rally or before, thank you from my heart. My own fiscal irresponsibility was redeemed, and now we can continue the work on Congress' habit of fiscal irresponsibility as well.
It's certainly tight in my own family. My darling, hard-working, supportive and patriotic (pays his taxes) husband found out right before Christmas that his job was being outsourced. At present, he has until the end of April to work out the parting agreement and severance period, but we're trying not to spend on ANYTHING we don't have to.
Still, At the risk of saddling us with more debt and missing some bills this month, I decided we needed to do this in Houston, and I went down to the park and put down the deposit in faith. God, I prayed, if this is going to get done, you are going to have to do it. I asked for donations to help defray the cost, and sent out our Paypal information.
The response was incredible! Not only did people donate over $580 through Paypal, but at the event itself, when I had just written a huge check for the location, people donated over $800 more! Everyone at that rally that pitched in to make sure we could have the event not only saved my family from a financial crisis, but they seeded the opportunity to hold more and larger events.
I'm humbled by the rescue. I'm awed by my own personal bailout. And I'm more determined than ever to see this movement through, to make an impact on the way this country is run.
To everyone that gave at the rally or before, thank you from my heart. My own fiscal irresponsibility was redeemed, and now we can continue the work on Congress' habit of fiscal irresponsibility as well.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Houston Tea Party Amazing Success!
I am floored, simply floored, by the fact that around 500 people showed up in Downtown Houston, on a Friday lunchtime to rally for our country!
There are some good write-ups and pictures that I will link here as soon as I get all the links together, but here are a few:
And a great video montage by Bryan.
The people who poured into the park to talk about our country and how we can heal it were such an inspiration to me. I heard stories from stressed parents, worried grandparents, hard-working taxpayers, fed-up citizens and people who have such a passion and a love for this country that it brings tears to my eyes.
We asked that attendees fill out index cards with their contact information and how they heard about the event. I have over 350 response cards! People really do want to see action taken to defeat the huge spending bills and keep Congress from snatching our wallets entirely. (Upon arriving home after the event, I was informed that my phone had been ringing off the hook all day, and that the house was pretty-much designated Tea Party Central for Houston.) By the way, that 350 number doesn't include the 150 e-mails I've since tried to wade through from people equally angry, but too tied up in actually working to pay their own bills to attend the rally. I know, novel concept.
This is the beginning of a national movement, as Tea Parties sprung up in over 50 cities nationwide, from Washington DC to the Santa Monica Pier. Locally, the organizers are trying to recover, then we will be working on plans for the next rally.
Again, every one of the people who came Friday, and every one of the ones who missed but contacted me, move me deeply. I hear their passion, I know their hearts, I understand their frustration. And if I have anything to give them with the meager gifts I've been given, it is to convince them that we are neither hopeless nor powerless. This is my mission now.
Chris Nelson,
for addressing the crowd and inspiring us all to refuse to take the abuse anymore! Also, special thanks to Josh Parker (I could kiss you!) and Chelsea Winfree (my baby girl!) for working their rears off to plan this event and make it so special. They were the awesome duo that did everything while I got massive amounts of credit I didn't deserve.
Stay tuned for the next Tea Party Event in Houston. We will have BIG DOINGS planned!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
He Started It
Rick Santelli started something here.
Upset over the possibility of having to struggle further in this economy by being taxed to pay mortgages for irresponsible people, Santelli has had enough. And now, so have the members of:
Top Conservatives on Twitter
Smart Girl Politics
Americans for Tax Reform
Heartland Institute
The American Spectator
and
DONTGO
Efforts are being combined here, and the local group is trying to get together here on Facebook and here with the Future of the HCRP and Rebuild the Party.
Our local group will be organizing the folowing:
2/27 - Houston Tea Party Protest
4/1 - Send teabags to the White House
7/4 - Houston Tea Party Event
Watch this space to keep up, and check out the links above as well. This ought to send a strong message to the tax-and spenders!
Upset over the possibility of having to struggle further in this economy by being taxed to pay mortgages for irresponsible people, Santelli has had enough. And now, so have the members of:
Top Conservatives on Twitter
Smart Girl Politics
Americans for Tax Reform
Heartland Institute
The American Spectator
and
DONTGO
Efforts are being combined here, and the local group is trying to get together here on Facebook and here with the Future of the HCRP and Rebuild the Party.
Our local group will be organizing the folowing:
2/27 - Houston Tea Party Protest
4/1 - Send teabags to the White House
7/4 - Houston Tea Party Event
Watch this space to keep up, and check out the links above as well. This ought to send a strong message to the tax-and spenders!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
My Dear Children, I Apologize
Dear Bigun and Little Critter,
As your mother, I've attempted to teach you personal responsibility and owning up to your mistakes. Sometimes I did that by example, like when I thought one of you had made a mess and it turned out to be your father. I'd apologize and ask for your forgiveness.
Other times it would take the form of long talks; ones that bored you, I know, but ones filled with words that I'd hope that you'd remember.
This time, I've failed you in a huge way, and I want to apoligize publicly for what I've done; not just for absolution, but to serve as The Bad Example you spend your life trying to avoid.
I'm sorry that the government is going to be taking so much of your future earnings. With one of you in college and the other in grade school, the burden on each of you will be felt differently, but you will each feel it.
Bigun, provided that you can actually afford to finish college, your earnings will immediately be cropped to pay for such things as mortgage bailouts of irresponsible borrowers, large public works projects that provide no lasting employment, dog parks in Maine (offered to entice that state's senators to vote for the bill,) disc golf courses in Austin, and a snowmaking facility in Minnesota.
Little Critter, honey, college may not even be in the cards for you. I know it's 8 years away at least, but before then, we may have to move in with Grandma and Paw Paw. By the time you finish school, they will still be around and not be dependent on Social Security for their income, because they were very smart and saved like demons in their working years.
Oops, forgot about that incredible mortgage-failure-driven market downturn here recently. Perhaps the retirement plans they slaved to build will provide very little income after all. However, somewhat generous Social Security benefits will still be paid to them, which could help support us; at least until they eventually succumb to the ailments of people in their eighties. By then, Medicaid will have begun to ration their health care, and they might not qualify to receive treatment because they will be deemed too old to treat or save, too spendy to waste money on. And baby, we can't depend on receiving any inheritance from them if they are refused treatment: they'll have had to sell everything before qualifying for the government care anyway.
So again, dear children, I'm sorry.
Sorry I knew what would happen and did not stop it.
Sorry your future paychecks will be scissored to the point where you'll never be financially independent, or free of government's greedy grasp. If, that is, you can find a job.
Sorry that my generation has stolen not just from you, but from your children-to-be as well.
Sorry my political activism did not convince as many people as I needed to in order to prevent this coming to pass.
Sorry that I took time off from advocating universal personal responsibility to work part time, go to your events, support your sports teams, see you in plays or behind the scenes, volunteer at your schools, teach others how to shop with coupons, attend Bible studies, teach your science and computer labs, run your school carnivals, cook your dinners and all the other "frivolous" things I did with my time.
Please forgive your mother who thought just bringing two responsible, kind-hearted, talented, warm and loving children into the world would be a great enough contribution. I had no idea that my legacy would not only be the two of you, but all the mess the grown-ups in this country made.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)