An estimated 1,500 Kansans attended the TEA rally in Topeka tonight. Speakers included grassroots activists such as Kim Borchers and Elizabeth Patton as well as community business leaders like Tara Dimick of the Topeka Independent Business Association. The rally was concluded with a short speech by U.S. Senator Sam Brownback.
Todd Novascone spoke for a few minutes on behalf of Rep. Jerry Moran and later Jeff Kahrs addressed the crowd on behalf of Rep. Todd Tiahrt. Local state Reps. Lana Gordon and Joe Patton were also in attendance and got a warm reception from the crowd. Greg Schneider, a professor at Emporia State gave a short talk about health care. Several different books were raffled throughout the rally, including Dr. Schneider’s latest work.
Topeka TEA Rally Protester
Speakers and those attending the rally were quick to point out the improbability that all the rallies held across the nation were organized by Republican leaders. When asked, many in the crowd identified themselves as independents and stated that they were there for their nation, not a political party.
There were many creative signs, with one gentleman bringing a wheel barrel of manure and a sign that read, “Kansas Prolifigate Spending.”
I have video and other photos that I’ll hopefully get up later tonight or early tomorrow.
Liberals have been quick to try and dismiss the TEA parties. From what I saw tonight, folks are mad, and it’s not going away after one protest. Those folks are here to stay.
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I would like to preface this comment by stating I had NEVER before attended a political protest or political rally of any kind. That said…
I’m writing to tell you about my Tea Party experience last night in Topeka KS. The Kansas Chapter of American’s for Prosperity put on this Tea Party. To start, we had an estimated 1,500 people. (I thought it was more like 500-700.) The event started great, with tons of energy. They opened with 2 prayers, and then had a few supposed “average Joe’s”, mostly business owners and doctors, speak to the crowd. Then came the pain.
AFP allowed spokes persons, speaking for major federal and state republican elected officials, to get on the stage and tout how wonderful the senator or representative was. They spewed warm praises for these republican representatives and slammed democrats and democrat policies as a whole. Then in their best efforts to drive a stake through our hearts, they had Senator Sam Brownback as the keynote speaker.
Sam Brownback stood in front of the crowd, proclaiming how he hears the people loud and clear, and how he will, and has always fought for what the people want including curbing government spending. Senator Brownback may be saying this now, but he was one of the many republicans that were in power under former President Bill Clinton AND the beginning of the former President Bush’s administrations. He, along with many other republican senators and representatives during that time, voted for pork as often as they could, especially if they thought they could claim how they were bringing benefit to Kansans. The thing that really bothers me is Senator Brownback’s claim to do what his constituents want. If this were true, why, when 72%-80% of the country was against giving amnesty to illegal aliens, did Senator Sam Brownback vote YES to giving this amnesty? How can one claim that they vote based on the desire of their constituents when they do the exact opposite?
I want you to know that none of the speakers at the Topeka Tea Party said that the current and past government as a whole is the problem. None of them said that out of control government spending is the problem. None of them said “Look folks; if you really want fiscal responsibility and no money spent on pork, that means you get no pork for Kansas.” You simply can’t have it both ways!
Sadly AFP turned our simple message into one about Republicans vs. Democrats. Because of this, I honestly believe my time and efforts were wasted. By attending I participated in a campaign rally for more of the same stupid worthless republicans AND democrats. I’m a registered republican! I’m a conservative! I don’t care if it’s a democrat, I’ll vote for them if I honestly believe they will vote to put an end to ALL of the wasteful spending by the government. This goes for federal, state, county and local candidates. I want them ALL replaced, every last one. I believe they are all worthless.
I had one of these spokes people try to get me to sign up to support an elected official, who didn’t even represent my area of the state. Even after I informed this person that I didn’t live in the representative’s area, they still tried to get me to sign up. I’m assuming this would be so they could solicit a supposed moron, begging for contributions to their campaign. Then this person had the audacity to tell me that instead of just whining, I should get involved at a local level. I was told to participate in the political process in my hometown. I told them that I had been doing this up until the newest mayor threatened to have people jailed if they tried to speak in the city commission meeting, that is, unless they were first put on the agenda. In order to be put on the agenda they have to make the request to the commission, with their topic a whole 3 days before the commission posts it’s own agenda. This means that citizens can NOT speak on a topic the commission plans to vote on in a meeting if the topic isn’t known until the commission posts it’s agenda.
This is the type of representation I’m use to. Just try to speak on the floor of your state senate or house. Unless either a senator or representative invites you, you have absolutely zero chance to be heard. Also, unless your message is very positive, you will never get a letter published in the local paper(s) if you should write a letter to the editor. You can however, spend money and pay to have your opinion published. That leaves little to no chance for an average schmo like me, who has little money, to be heard.
I’m sick of the corrupt system and the corrupt people we have elected into these positions because we are provided with no options. I’m sick of the status quo. I’m sick of being forced to bend over and receive another dose of our government’s medicine. This medicine is supposed to fix all my ills. I want my equal opportunity back! I want the little money my wife and I make to have the value it really should. I want my chance at the American Dream, and I want to do it by myself! I don’t want a handout from my government and I also don’t want them to make it impossible for me to achieve that Dream by taxing and spending me to death. I want the government to follow the law and obey the constitution!
Why won’t they… the people in government who ALL say they care, and say they are doing the right thing… why won’t they listen? Why won’t they listen us, and then do the RIGHT thing? Do they really have so much contempt for me and other average Americans out there? I feel nearly helpless, but am willing to fight this horrible uphill battle. I’m willing to fight as long as it’s the right fight. I’m not willing to stand by while the liars and thieves in government continue to lie and steal. I’m not willing to stand by while they tell us how great they are and how bad the other party is. I’m sick of them ALL!
George Mattson