rssTea Partiers Get Rowdy in Iowa
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 5:55 pm
- 7 Comments
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A boisterous, if not outright angry, crowd of about 100 people gathered in downtown today to protest government spending and high taxes.
While some in the Republican Party have called for the demonstrations to include social conservative issues such as gay marriage and abortion, the Cedar Rapids event remained mostly true to fiscal issues. This was largely due to the fact that demonstrators in attendance seemed to hold little allegiance to either of the nation’s two major political parties.
Cedar Rapids resident Greg Happel dressed as Abraham Lincoln and addressed those in attendance at the Cedar Rapids Tea Party.
While some in the crowd yelled for the ouster of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), just as much animosity was expressed toward Iowa’s two U.S. senators — Democrat Tom Harkin and Republican Chuck Grassley.
“For as long as they’ve been in office, it sure doesn’t seem like Harkin and Grassley have figured it out,” said Tim Pugh, a Cedar Rapids resident who launched the organizing Website for the local event.
During the continued discussion on term limits and the need for citizen recall of elected officials, one participant shouted: “We put their ass in office. We should be able to take them out.” Those in attendance roared their approval.
Greg Happel, another Cedar Rapids resident who organized an earlier demonstration and began discussions for this event, said he wasn’t at all prepared for the number of people who ventured into downtown today.
“I’m really at a loss to know what to say except thank you,” he told those gathered below the Tree of the Five Seasons, a local landmark near the Cedar River. “I don’t think we are prepared to discuss specific issues today, but this is just the start of the conversation.”
Eugen Pinney of Cedar Rapids was the lone, publicly defiant demonstrator at today's event.
Happel and Pugh encouraged participants to stay active via the Internet, and, upon prompting from a military veteran in attendance, tentatively set plans for another tea party at 5 p.m., just before a scheduled Cedar Rapids City Council meeting. Once the meeting commences, protesters plan to attend and give council members “a piece of our mind.”
“The sleeping mayor has awoken the sleeping giant,” one participant, referencing a videotape of Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran nodding off during a meeting, yelled in approval. Halloran has since disclosed that she has a medical condition that contributed to the incident.
“They are wasting our money,” yelled another audience member. “Let’s make them earn it. Let’s tell them that enough is enough.”
Although some attending the event were clearly not taking part in the activity, only one man stood — in his own words — “in protest of the protest.” Cedar Rapids resident Eugene Pinney stood on the 1st Avenue bridge with a handmade sign that read, “more taxes.” While most passing on their way to the event were satisfied with asking Pinney to pay their tax bill or to send the government additional money, at least one demonstrator threatened to toss Pinney off the bridge.
Tim Pugh (right) and Greg Happel encouraged those in attendance to continue the conversation and identify specific issues for future demonstrations.
Following a few short speeches, demonstrators symbolically emptied containers of water off the bridge and into the Cedar River.
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Lynda Waddington is a reporter for TWI’s sister site, The Iowa Independent.
7 Comments
Comment posted April 15, 2009 @ 5:21 pm
These “teabaggers” are ignorant and uninformed. Fox News and many in the Republican party are fanning the flames of discontent and trying to pin everything on Obama. They are wrong and stupid. And many are being incited to violence. They don't understand democracy. They don't know the difference between fascism and socialism. It's easy to rile the ignorant and give them a boggie man. What happens when property is damaged or lives are lost? Who's to blame then.
Comment posted April 15, 2009 @ 6:36 pm
Do these people remember that McCain was the first one who said we had to have an emergency bailout/economic plan?
It didn't matter which one of the evil duopoly was in power. When crisis happened, the rich and powerful were going to rob us all blind.
Now…try a third party, or independent, or something different…
Comment posted April 15, 2009 @ 8:03 pm
As one of the organizers of the CR TEA party, I have to say that you have completely missed the point. I said in the opening remarks that we are tired of socialism across multiple administrations – that would include Bush. We are not trying to pin everything on Obama although at this point he's done plenty to earn the allegations. Ignorant and uninformed? Have you even read the US Constitution? Do you care about it? History is strewn with those who thought that they could pick and choose how things work and found themselves on the wrong side. Look at history. Read what the founders were trying to avoid. If you let it, the Constitution and its limits on National governmental power does work. Democracy? First of all, it's a Republic. Second of all, we are participating in the essence of our Republic – public discourse and freedom of assembly. Is there a problem with that? Fascism and Socialsim? Well, maybe I don't know the difference. Please explain – which of the two are you, the current and past administrations engaging? The mere fact that we are protesting the Government control would eliminate us from the category of Fascists. I am sickened by people that refuse to discuss the issues and bypass to name calling ie “ignorant and uninformed” or inserting their own 'boggie man' into the picture by insinuating that these peaceful demonstrators will inevitably damage property and cause loss of life. If you are going to make these allegations then where is your proof? Discuss the ideas or don't bother.
Comment posted April 15, 2009 @ 11:50 pm
Let's discuss: it's foolish to organize a Tea Party protesting high taxes when 95% of American's just got a tax cut. It's also misleading–the original tea party was to protest taxation without representation–you are represented and your point of view lost.
Comment posted April 18, 2009 @ 11:25 am
I havent' seen a tax cut and I'm certainly not within the top 5% of the earners. In fact, Obama and crowd intend to let the current tax status sunset so that the capital gains tax goes up, income tax goes up… how do I get a tax cut when the current tax status is legislated to go up?
Taxes are a form of control, which is precisely why the originals had theirs. They understood the reason for taxes, as do we – we want them to be constitutionally bound. Honestly, do you think we were trying to mimic something 200+ years ago? Or do you think that we were using the iconic representation of the ideas that everyone should understand – and at that venue hundreds of people did.
So my 'point of view lost' and now I have to just sit and take being rolled by socialists? When did the 'losers' in 2000 and 2004 ever quit? To this day there is a cry about the FL elections being stolen.
Elections are merely a point of record stating who gets in for that time, the process never stops.
Comment posted April 20, 2009 @ 2:02 pm
do not even try to explain politics to liberals.they live in unicorn land.its not worth the energy.ypu and me know what to do.we keep gettin richer each year ,and they keep waiting for it
Comment posted April 20, 2009 @ 9:02 pm
do not even try to explain politics to liberals.they live in unicorn land.its not worth the energy.ypu and me know what to do.we keep gettin richer each year ,and they keep waiting for it
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