Tea Party: Will you be drinking or dunking?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/04/15/art.teaparty1.gi.jpg caption="Activists nationwide are holding gatherings on Tax Day, April 15."]WASHINGTON (CNN) – Finger sandwiches won't be served, but there will be a lot of frustration brewing about the current tax system at "Tea Parties" being held Wednesday across the nation.
Activists are holding these events on tax day to voice their opposition to the current tax system and the federal government's spending decisions, such as bailing out the banks and the auto industry.
So, what do you think? Have President Obama and Congress taken the right steps to help the ailing economy? Have Republicans been smart to oppose his fiscal policies? Does the tax code need an overhaul?
Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.
Here are some CNN stories about the nationwide "Tax Day Tea Party":
Activists gear up for national 'Tax Day Tea Party'
GOP uses tax day to raise money
GOP encourages supporters to send virtual tea bags to top Dems
Listen: CNN Radio analyzes the politics of Tax Day
@THE MEDIA IS THE MASTER. Please explain how runnimng up a deficit at twice the rate Bush did fixes the problems? The deficit IS a big part of the problem. Spending more to fix too much spending is just insane, as are you Obama butt sniffers.
I don't remember many of Obama's cabinet paying taxes.
Its funny how you libs and obama worshippers laugh at everything like obama does when some reporter ask him a hard question he just laughs it off
if the violence starts, rolled cars, nasty signs, broken windows, we know the accorn crowd has arrived. the peaceful protestors will continue their productive lives at home with their families.
I have two things to say to the republicans: 1) Everyone in the free world has to pay taxes in order for government to operate, so deal with it; 2) The Sons of Liberty were protesting against British policies and the fact they did not have representation in parliament, not having to pay taxes themselves.
Also, in 1796, George Washington's handling of the Whiskey Rebellion including him saying the country we no longer tolerate anti-tax rebellions, that we now have representation, so the rebellions arguments are null and void.
But, of course republicans wouldn't know that because they don't read.
Tea Party: Will you be drinking or dunking?
...Neither, I don't have time for this garbage.
Free speech and assembly are great aren't they? People also have the right to be sincerely wrong in this country. In the end, the ideas that are marketed best win out even if they don't make sense. The GOP is very desperate right now and will grab on anything to pump energy into a failing platform. They should remember that the best thing an opposition party can do is not oppose and react but posit and come up with better ideas. This just looks like a rant. For evangelicals, it is time you rethink your alliance with the GOP. I did.
What idiots these single-minded people are. They are out protesting to help the wealthy people keep more of their money while they themselves suffer along with the cofers of this country. I have seen and heard the news performers and others who want so desparately to not go back to the tax rate before Bush, and have decided they are truly just greedy. That rate for them was more than fair, as they still made out like bandits. Just look at the people who are promoting ths nonsense. They don't care at all about the average American, therefore, they are un-American. What kool-aid flavor are they, the protesters, being served to allow themselves to be so used?
These are great ways to voice our opposition to big spending and leaving our children and grandchildren with tax burdens they will pay on their entire lives..hopefully, they'll be a wake up call to millions of Americans who realize all change is not good.
Well I hope that these people are using Twinnings Tea at least, and not cheap Lipton Tea :).
This is going to be hilarious,watching a bunch of rich white people spurred on by Fox news to complain about a yet-to-be tax hike which could threaten their plans for a new Yacht.
seems like tea baggers don't know what they're protesting – gotta love your peaceful signs
I work for the local government i want a check at the end of the week.This is only one reason we have taxes.
Lets see, just las year January 08 Gas was at $3.00 a gallon and rising, federal spending was rising and the economy is shrinking
After january 09 gas is at $2.00 a gallon holding steady, Federal spending is rising and the economy is slowly turning and growing.
We just got done paying 08 taxes and the 09 taxes haven't taken effect and Bush's tax cuts don't expire till 1010. So this tea party is about 2 years too early and pretty much republican sour for loosing the past 2 elections by landslide margins.
@ Alan who said: "Some of the posts supporting these "tea" parties reveal the true nature of the protests. These people aren't patriotic at all; they don't care about guaranteeing personal freedoms or making sure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed. All they care about is their own wallets. It is this self-serving attitude that got our country into this mess in the first place. We need to recognize that there is no point to having a united states if everyone is only in it for themselves." ------– Alan, you are EXACTLY right. I am glad to hear someone state it so well.
Simmy... .you are obviously a racist idiot. Always has to come back to that for you doesn't it. I can't see how you live happily with yourself. Perhaps you don't. It's really too bad that attitudes like that work.
Rob April 15th, 2009 1:31 pm ET
For those who claim that I'm working against my self-interest because I make less than $250k/yr:
a) The federal government is sticking it to our kids and grandkids to pay for this, not us. I'll be out there demonstrating on their behalf more so than my own.
b) Wait and see how long that $250k limit remains inviolate.
Good to hear, where were you six years ago when we cut all incoming monies and started two wars, which put us on the path ot this mess?
We need to change course now. That means real cuts in spending (sorry social democrats) and real reform of the tax code (sorry tax attorneys).
Why is it that you automatically go for social programs? Why not cut back on "stealth" planes like the B-2 bomber that cost three times their weight in gold and where the stealth coating melts off every time it passes through a cloud?
Oh no, we can't get rid of that! We have to go after the welfare queens with their Cadillacs!
Let me put it in perspective for you: $19 billion on one side of the equation, and $1900 on the other side.
We are ALL AWARE that this spending will increase the deficit. But the things that liberals are upset about is how DISINGENUOUS all this is, not that it is happening.
These people are about as ignorant as they come. I sure am glad I am not a Republican because they are making fools of the party. My taxes went down along with 95% of the rest of middle class and I am represented very well in Washington. Sure makes the tea party idea seem silly when taxes dropped for everyone making less than a quarter million a year.
You had the 60's and 70's – great job with that. Conservatives had the 80's – country turned around. 90's – Liberals and economy did good until the end after the tech bubble exploded. Bush had 55 months of positive economic growth – 1st president in history with that number. Now we have a guy who is giving tax breaks to people who don't even pay taxes. How does a tax break for 95% of the country make sense to anyone? The bottom 30% of so-called tax payers actually pay nothing. Oh, and the tax cuts Obama gave us – look at your paycheck(assuming liberals actually work) and tell me how impressed you are with the tax cuts. You can't tax your way into prosperity. Just look at European history – including Russia. Heck, even the Russians told us to stop spending so much. Get a grip. We are getting screwed by all sides of the gov't. Don't pick sides...
@ Dale Sherman, who asked "Did anyone involved with the Teabaggers or the GOP even bother to think this through?"
NO.
Having no representation or having representation that does no listen to you or look out for your interest would be the same thing. Our Congressman and Sentators say anything to get elected and then do anything to stay in office – it is all about what is best for then, not the folks they represent. There is still indeed taxation without real representation for the majority of Americans. Of course we don't need a revolution to fix the current problem, just elect new representatives.
No easy to do when most of the folks in this country vote on face or name recognition and have no idea of the issues or the future consequences of the issues. Or even worse they only know that Bush is bad and Obama is good or vice versa.
Also the right to protest applies to everyone for any reason. If you don't like the concept of protesting for lower government spending then protest for higher government spending and taxes!
Here is what I hate about these so-called tea parties. The Republican Party has nearly single-handedly taken this country to the brink of economic disaster. Then, knowing that the country is feeling an angst toward the terrible state of economic affairs, the Republican Party invents a method to garner the angst it created to turn against the Democratic Party which must fix the problems the Republicans have created. The trillions of dollars were ddebted by the George W. Bush administration through stupid wars, terrible economic policies, and lax oversight! The Republicans are essentially causing a fire and then yelling "Fire" to attempt to garner public dissent away from their initial acts. Republicans are problem-causers and then blamers to attempt to disguise their involvement, how horrible!
Oh romney 2012 was jethro in your 6th grade class? It always cracks me up when uneducated, oh shoot let's just say it. Stupid people attempt to make an intelligent statement. PRESIDENT OBAMA WON WITH 51%OF THE VOTE. BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT MAKE UP 51% OF AMERICA, SO NO MATTER HOW MANY BLACK PEOPLE VOTED FOR HIM. WITHOUT ALL THE OTHER RACES HE WOULD NOT HAVE WON. AND I HATE TO DISAPPOINT YA, BUT THAT INCLUDES WHITE FOLK! IDIOT!
This stinks to high heaven of racism.
A person, a party, needs to make sure that the statements they make in public make sense. The conncection they have made between a historical event to their own misinterpretation of the "bail out" is embarrassing. Is this party really the party of the rich and stupid?....the greedy and the selfish? I like the two party system....wake up people.....atleast protest over something intelligent and real.....