Billing it the "Tea Party System," Investor's Business Daily wrote that the hundreds of tea parties held nationwide on Wednesday were "part of one of the most extraordinary grass-roots uprisings in our history."
Recognizing what the liberals, the President, and many politicians have failed to see, IBD editorialized about the largest tax revolt ever, one that was held a mere three months after the election of Barack Obama:
Less than three months after a landmark election, throngs of demonstrators everywhere gathered to object to the revolution that our new president is steamrolling into law. It was a landmark protest in the history of the republic.
But how can the voices of tens if not hundreds of thousands of angry taxpayers be turned into concrete political action?
Investor's Business Daily attended one of these historic events, the Fishkill Tea Party in upstate New York, just east of the Hudson River. The original Fishkill Tea Party took place Aug. 26, 1776, when 100 women forced a storekeeper named Abram Brinckerhoff to sell them tea at the lawful price of 6 shillings per pound. This year's Fishkill Tea Party nearly filled Dutchess Stadium, the county's minor-league ballpark.
In a region of liberal New York state where Democrats have been consolidating their power during the last two elections, thousands traveled long distances to support pretty much the classic Reagan political agenda — and not just on taxes and spending.
Banners and placards sported slogans that included "Don't Spread My Wealth. Spread My Work Ethic," "Who'll Bail Me Out?" "Atlas Will Shrug," "Tea Today. No Kool-Aid," and "Acorn Didn't Have To Bus Us Here," referring to the left-wing activist group that specializes in voter registration drives benefiting liberal Democrats.
While the left has called tea party participants "radical," perhaps it would help if they listened to this Silent Majority who did something they normally do not do -- publicly demonstrate.
... [the crowd] rose from its seats for a speaker who called Washington's march toward socialism "a slap in the face to those who have served in the military."
It was quite clear, however, that the tea partiers feel betrayed by Republicans, not just the Democrats now in power in both the executive and legislative branches in Washington.
...
... the Republican brand is blemished.
During 12 years of dominance in Congress and eight years in the White House, the GOP failed to kick its addiction to pork and make tough decisions on controlling entitlement spending. It found it too politically risky to secure the U.S. borders — even in the post-9/11 years when homeland security trumped all other concerns.
Both parties need to pay attention as was evident by the recent real estate assessment tax revolt in Augusta County when 10,500 residents signed petitions, and 1,000 showed up at the Board of Supervisors meeting to protest their high assessments.
IBD ended by saying:
The tea party movement proves that even in the left-leaning Northeast, a huge natural constituency exists for these bread-and-butter American issues — lower taxes, less government, a strong military that's allowed to win, tough measures to end illegal immigration, term limits and family values.
It's all there, waiting to be tapped into — if only a few smart politicians would grasp the opportunity.
Something is happening in America ... it may not be politics as usual anymore.
