The Blue Whale and Other Travel Tales: My First Tea Party

I needed to meet a couple I had never seen/met before. I was to meet them last Saturday (the 17th). We talked several times via phone and finally decided that the best place to meet was at a park (Francis Field) in St. Augustine where a tea party was to be held. Most Tea Parties were held on tax day--April 15, having begun last year in 2009 on that date. But St. Augustine opted for the weekend. Eleven in the morning till five in the early evening. Really interesting. Lots of speakers (including Joe, the Plumber), Dr. Susan Love, a retired military doctor (veteran), some pretty good music, food vendors and flag/tee shirt vendors. A great day in the park.

I really liked both Joe the Plumber and Dr. Love. Other speakers were good as well. I liked Joe, the Plumber because he was not afraid to involve the name of GOD in his speech. I liked Dr. Love as she has had so much military/governmental experience and really talked from the heart.

The weather cooperated. It was beautiful. Warm and sunny with just the right breeze.

I think that the Progressives, Liberals, leftists, or whatever label they are currently wearing thought that first Tea Party day was just a hand full of "whackos" excercising their First Amendment Right of free speech. I don't think any of us realized what a grass roots movement it would become in one short year. That first one on April 15, 2009 was barely made noteworthy by most of the media. Now, they can hardly help but to take at least a passing notice as the crowds get increasingly larger.

I believe we should be paying close attention to much of what many tea partiers are preaching. If we are not careful, this country could be in even more serious trouble than we currently are. When all those foregin countries hold so much of our debt, we could be in trouble. With the government interferring with so many businesses, we could be in trouble. With so much spending for this, that and another, we are going to be in trouble (as our descendents). And the list goes on (I guess somewhat like "the beat goes on.")

I have to admit I had several surprises. One concerned the census. It seems that many people do not want to answer the questions. One person mentioned that he had put (as the only information) how many people were in his household. The census is one of the few things that we do that truly is in the Constitution. (Article I, Section 2, Paragraph 3). It is for representation in the House. That is supposed to be its sole purpose...not funding for this, that or another. I talked to several people who were really against providing any more information. Please try to be patient with the Census Workers. They are doing what they are paid to do--ask the sometimes STUPID, sometimes Un Constituional questions. In a couple of weeks I will working for the Census Bureau and will be one of them. Part of the oath is to uphold the Constitution. I can easily argue that I know what the Constitution says about the Census (every ten years since 1790...this is our 23rd). I certainly appreciate the concerns of so many regarding the data that is asked. Those of us who are sympathic towards the goals of the Tea Parties totally understand the reluctance of y'all. But please just tell us that you do not wish to answer the questions. Try no to be rude to us. We did not make up those questions. And many of us see the stupidity in some of them. We really would prefer not to have doors slammed in our respective faces. Thanks!

Although a couple of speakers did specifically talk about the current administration, many spoke of the problems regarding specific subjects...not necessarily tied entirely to the current administration (although, I would say generally made worse by it).

Some of the signs were clever and cool. "I want to keep my property, job, and money...You can keep the change!" "Obama, get a back bone! Stop bowing!"

I did learn a lot.

One song called the Great Reneger was a hit of the afternoon. Michael Fischer wrote and recorded it. He has given me permission to include it here. One does not need to think too hard to figure out about whom it was written (although the name was avoided).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdKmc9aBELM

The Great Reneger

(Michael Fischer ©2009)
used with permission

http://www.thefischers.net/

Hey have you heard? He’s gone back on his word.
On the internet theres a big long list
Of promises broken so eloquently spoken,
And you wonder why so many millions are pxxxxd?! Cause he’s the

(Chorus)
Great Reneger--a politician at heart,
A politician practicing his art,
He’s the Great Reneger, neither black or white
He’s many shades of grey far left from what’s right.

He’ll tell you anything to get you on his side--
Like “Change You Can Believe In--Trust me, would I lie?”
We’ll have transparency, CSPAN, Post all bills on the net
There’ll be no lobbyists, no pork, Have we seen it? Not Yet! (chorus)

Bridge 1
They’ve had votes in the night behind closed doors--
Senators bribed no better than whores.
Pushing their program refusing to hear
When the voice of the people is perfectly clear (chorus)

His skin so thin and when scratched you can see
The horrible sight that lies just beneath
An unseasoned novice lifted up in pride
But there’s a fall coming soon, and there’ll be no place to hide! (Chorus)

Bridge 2
Teleprompter in place, he can really talk that talk;
Blowin smoke is cheap, but he don’t walk the walk.
And what a politician hates is when you turn on the light;
He'll run like a roach for the darkness of night!

The mission statement of the St. Johns County division of the Tea Party is. – “The Mission of the St. Johns County Division of Tea Party Patriots is to return the State and Federal Government to the people. The Organization is non partisan. We no longer can accept the ruling of a Political Class who define themselves as Democrat or Republican but govern as a separate and distinct class of citizens who use tax money to further their party or personal agendas despite the needs of the citizens they are supposed to represent. We are for Congressional Term Limits, Balanced Budgets, Significant Tax Reform, Immigration Enforcement, Energy Independence and Federal Governance as laid out by the Constitution of the United States, specifically Individual States Rights.”