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 GOP got us in this mess by supporting bad choices for 20 of the last 28 years now when we are trying to get out the mess they are try to side track us with more lies...Bob
Those of you so worried about 'socialism' might look at successful socialist models, like Norway and Germany. Done properly, with a balanced free market and social safety net, they have fared far better in this economic downturn. That's why they don't feel the need to spend as many billions as we to prevent the social collapse with its accompanying chaos and anarchy.
In addition, to alleviate the tax burden, how about all of you surrender all social security benefits, medicare, never accept an unemployment check, no public services like EMS, Fire, or Police .... well, you get the picture. The true liberterian eutopia, no taxes, no government, mob law; a totally free and unfettered society. OH MY!!
And where were these gopers when W added over 5 trillion dollars to but the nation debt and structural debt. These drama queens are hypocrites.
Oh, Okay, I get it.... It's okay for Code Pink and all other Liberals to protest Christmas and the military, but it's not okay for conservatives AND certain Democrats to protest something they believe in. Liberals, your hypocrisy knows no bounds. And for those of you that think that your taxes aren't going to go up, you are living in la-la land. How else will Obama pay for the 4 trillion dollar deficit? Not by the rich alone. And you can't blame Bush anymore. Since Obama passed the stimulus and the budget, the economy is his now. Go ahead Libs... attack away!!! It's what you do best!
And did y'all know that some of our tax dollars are going into the study of why pigs smell? Seriously... Everyone should be mad about that.
All the present administration can do is put out fires with the only tools at their disposal. We really need to abolish the IRS altogether and have a flat tax in place. This would be fair to all. But then, when has fair for the middle class ever entered the picture.
Look at all the people who are on the street or unemployed that have an IRS tax burden to add to the misery. When is this all going to stop?
I expected nothing less from the party of absolute greed.
These cats really need to ask themselves why the middle class in America disappeared. The truth might surprise them. But most are content to have their opinions provided by talking heads. Same as it ever was. Have a nice day!
GOP – The official lunatic party. The taxes they're protesting were from the Bush administration. What has happened to the intelligence level in America?!?!
This is incredibly childish.
There were no tax hikes people. This is all created by some imaginary fear of something that hasn't even happened yet and its totally poinless. Not to mention that it destroys valuable water, kills the wildlife in the areas that you poured the tea, and just basically made the people who took part look like bratty children.
Its the Republicans that hiked the middle classes taxes people. Obama has been giving you money back. So what exactly are you protesting? Nothing. You're just being childish.
Some folks just don't have a life. Why weren't they out protesting when the taxes on the wealthy were 10% higher than now under the Reagan administration? This kind of stuff just adds up to dead weight.
Funny that the GOP sponsors these events to after losing an election, when the point is to whine about a tax system that hasn't significantly changed in almost 30 years. CRY ME A RIVER.
i am so sick and tired of the republican gimmicks to promote confusion, hate, unrest and ignorance. they did not have tea parties in the last eight years but now led by the stupid gop leaders, now they are complaining about taxes? give me a break. either come up with better solutions or just get out the way. better still, send all of the tea party participants to iraq, afganistan, pakistan, north korea, somalia, unemployment lines, foreclosure hearings, and when they can solve those problems then maybe i and many others will listen to them. i can't wait for boehner, cantor, mcconnell, and others to be voted out of office for wasting tea and all of our time .
Get a grip you bunch of left wing loons. These protest are aimed at Repubs as well as Dems.
I did not and would never vote for Obama, having said that, when I learned of the first rounds of bailouts (Bush Adm.) I went crazy. I sent all of my reps emails complaining about this. I am extremely angry at Bush for that first 750 billion.
Now, we got Obama expanding on this with his complele nonsense policies. The government can't afford the handout programs in place now. What's going to happen if Obama pushes his crap through? WE (and I mean all of us that already pay taxes not the 40% that don't) will pay more.
This is about the government following the constitution. And for all you Bush haters that protested the 2 wars, show me in the constitution were it says I have to pay for universal health care. Universal health care is just another hand out program that benefits the people NOT paying taxes. I can show you in the constitution were it says the federal government must provide an Army and Navy. What's an army and Navy used for you knuckleheads?
SO sad, these people should get back to work. We need more productivity in this country to help our economy prosper and they decided that the best thing for them to do is to take a day off to protest? There are people looking for jobs out there, i am sure they will like to take their places at their jobs.
I think the teabaggers don't understand that taxes went down for most of us.
I also think they don't understand that the competing interests of 1) keeping the deficit down and 2) a floundering economy require a short-term solution of spending, but that we will need to address the deficit as they seem to desire. Just not today.
Sadly, the people that are actually doing the protesting are the ones getting a tax break and they're too uniformed to know about it.
When you have Senetor Burr telling North Carolina business owners Monday the collapse of major financial institutions last fall convinced him his family's bank accounts could have been frozen. "On Friday night, I called my wife and I said, 'Brooke, I am not coming home this weekend. I will call you on Monday. Tonight, I want you to go to the ATM machine, and I want you to draw out everything it will let you take. And I want you to tomorrow, and I want you to go Sunday,'" Burr said during a speech at a Henderson County Chamber of Commerce meeting.
It's true,
Republicans are actually going to try and tank the economy to prove they were right. Is anyone else worried about this?
"Lord, what fools these mortals be!" Under Obama 95% of Americans are receiving tax cuts. Are they whining about the imminent layoffs of their children's teachers, local police, firemen, food inspectors as well as bankrupt state unemployment and pension funds? . The Re-thugs continue to indoctrinate the blue collar guidable who ultimately protest against their own interests.
These people look like a bunch of nitwits – they're being led around like sheep.
The republicans have a way of choosing the wrong people to follow (Palin, Joe the plumber, Limbaugh, Hannity, McCain, Steele, etc.) – and they're making a mockery of our country and of themselves.
I ROFL at them.
Anyway, yes the republicans want our country to fail. It's obvious.
Our president is working tirelessly to fix the mess created by the republicans and the republicans are out in droves protesting the 17 trillion dollar debt THEY created.
Where were all these people for the last eight years? Now that we are saddled with a legacy recession that is almost a depression, there is no other way out than for the government to invest. At least it is going to our OWN country now. History does repeat itself because too many people don't look at what happened before. If they want our country to come to a grinding stop, with banks failing and unemployment rates sky rocketing; if they like the idea of standing in line to get bread and more and more people living in Hooverville type tent cities, then they should just go a head and protest. I, for one, think we should let the President get this mess taken care of and then move on.
Just the same ole hateful, sore losing Palin crowd yelling "Taxes" instead of "Terrorist" Nothing new here. They will never learn that this
country is mine too. There is no "taking back" anything here. It's about "letting go" of the hate and hateful rhetoric that divided this country for eight years. The majority of Americans spoke on 4 Nov 09.
It's a new day!
Folks, the idea behind these parties is that spending has gotten absolutely out of control. This started in full gear with the first bailout and has continued to get worse ever since. Obviously taxes are not that bad right now. The problem is, that someone is going to have to pay for all of this spending and it will ultimately result in either very large tax increases in the future or a large devaluation of the dollar. If the government starts to cut spending now, then maybe we have some shot at getting this debt paid off. This is the reason the protests are taking place. It is not a GOP or democrat thing, it is an out of control government spending thing.
This is nothing more than Republican who have been the biggest sore loser and organized by Fox "News . I'm starting to become afraid the republicans are becoming more radical with the passing of each day of the new administration. They are having such a hard time accepting the incredible loss .
This picture with people involving their children reminds me of some of the darks times in America history.
Let's not distroy our own country, let see who received the large tax breaks under Bush.
Answer: SAD to say none of the poor easliy lead folks protesting.
CNN don't endorse Fox News
Why isn't the child in the picture in school?
Typical Republicans – instead of offering intelligent solutions to our problems, all these brain-dead idiots do is whine and stage costume parties. And they wonder why they were trounced in the last two elections.
I wonder if they all brought guns to the Tea Party.....Obama may be looking through their trailers while they are away..lol.....ha ha ha ha ha....What a sideshow