THE COLORADO RIVER TEA PARTY

Archive for March, 2010

click to read the full text of the governor’s letter

Over 50 people showed up Saturday to voice their opinion on the healthcare take-over. Thank you!

Protesters outside congressman’s office

About two dozen members of the Colorado River Tea Party, an organization devoted to the opposition of wasteful government spending, gathered in front of Congressmen Raul Grijalva’s office on 4th Avenue Thursday to protest his support for the health care bill.

The protesters were carrying colorful signs with anti-Obama slogans as they stood on the sidewalk in peaceful protest during their lunch hour.

Grijalva, D-Ariz., could not be reached for comment Thursday.

“As we speak, Congress is deeming their approval of health care which I guess is technically different from voting somehow, so when they come home and face the populous, the people who have to pay for all of these shenanigans, they can say they never voted for it,” said Don Shooter, chairman of the Colorado River Tea Party.

Shooter said he believes many Americans are against the health bill.

“It just gets more and more bizarre. The American people don’t want it by every measure, by every poll and by every standard of decency, and yet they cram it down our throats. Well, when they cram it down our throat, we are gonna cram something, you know where, in November.”

Shooter presented a letter to the local office decrying Grijalva’s stance at the beginning of the protest.

“Despite a full year of debate, town halls and grass-roots protesting, the Obama Administration is set to defy the will of the American people and ram health care reform through Congress using shady deals and parliamentary gimmickry,” it read.

“We the people have been put on two weeks notice; the administration has called for a final vote March 18. Let’s show them… that we reject it, that we are angry and that we are serious.”

read full article….

SOURCE: The Yuma Sun

Tea Party Avoids Divisive Social Issues

By KATE ZERNIKE

Published: March 12, 2010

For decades, faith and family have been at the center of the conservative movement.

But as the Tea Party infuses conservatism with new energy, its leaders deliberately avoid discussion of issues like gay marriage or abortion.

Jessica Kourkounis/NY Times

Anastasia Przybylski, the co-founder of the Kitchen Table Patriots, said focusing on economic issues lures Democrats.

God, life and family get little if any mention in statements or manifestos. The motto of the Tea Party Patriots, a large coalition of groups, is “fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free markets.” The Independence Caucus questionnaire, which many Tea Party groups use to evaluate candidates, poses 80 questions, most on the proper role of government, tax policy and the federal budgeting process, and virtually none on social issues.

The Contract From America, which is being created Wiki-style by Internet contributors as a manifesto of what “the people” want government to do, also mentions little in the way of social issues, beyond a declaration that parents should be given choice in how to educate their children. By contrast, the document it aims to improve upon — the Contract With America, which Republicans used to market their successful campaign to win a majority in Congress in 1994 — was prefaced with the promise that the party would lead a Congress that “respects the values and shares the faith of the American family.”

Tea Party leaders argue that the country can ill afford the discussion about social issues when it is passing on enormous debts to future generations. But the focus is also strategic: leaders think they can attract independent voters if they stay away from divisive issues.

“We should be creating the biggest tent possible around the economic conservative issue,” said Ryan Hecker, the organizer behind the Contract From America. “I think social issues may matter to particular individuals, but at the end of the day, the movement should be agnostic about it. This is a movement that rose largely because of theRepublican Party failing to deliver on being representative of the economic conservative ideology. To include social issues would be beside the point.”

continue reading…

SOURCE: New York Times

Join us on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at Noon, as we visit Representative Grijalva’s office @ 1455 S. 4th Avenue, Suite 4, just North of the 16th Street.  We’re “Seeing Red” over this health care reform bill and the un-American tactics being used to forward it.

Red for our Health / Red for the Debt / Red for our Anger

Despite a FULL YEAR of debate, town halls and grass roots protesting, the Obama Administration is set to defy the will of the American people and ram Health Care Reform through Congress using shady deals and parliamentary gimmickry.

We The People, have now been put on 2 week’s notice; the Administration has called for a final vote by March 18, 2010.   It is well past the time for our Representatives to listen to the people.  Let’s show them, in a bold move of solidarity all over the country, that we fully understand the legislation, that we reject it, that we are angry and that we are serious!

We are meeting at Sprague’s at noon and will drive over together or if you know where Mr. Grijalva’s office is, just meet us there.  Bring you Tea Party signs and wear your favorite Tea Party tee-shirt or red to symbolize our “Seeing Red”.  Hope to see you there.

March 20th, Saturday – Demonstration Rally on the corner of 4th Ave. & 16th St.  10 a.m. – noon.  Bring your favorite Tea Party Sign!

April 10th, Saturday – Demonstration Rally from 10 a.m. to noon – watch our website (www.coloradoriverteaparty.org) for additional information

April 15th, Thursday – Tea Party at the Ray Kroc Stadium (near the convention center water tower) from 6 – 8 p.m.  First come for bleacher seating otherwise BYOC.  Spread the word.

The first step you can take toward making our politicians responsive to the citizenry again, is to get involved in the political party apparatus. The central cog in that apparatus is the PRECINCT COMMITTEE.

You would be surprised how easy it is for you to get involved and become an elected member of the Precinct Committee. The first step is to go to the County Board of Elections Office, at 198 Main Street in downtown Yuma, and request from the clerk an “Elections Packet” for Precinct Committee, or School Board, or any other elected positions that are open.

Get involved – and make the change you want a reality.

For more information on becoming a Precinct Committee-person, and all things elections – please e-mail Mel Melchionne – melchione@coloradoriverteaparty.org