I was reading on-line from the text of an old American history book written by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall, back in 1876. It wasn't even in production until 1917, but I really wanted to compare the reasons in detail for the regular civilians tax issues compared to our tax problems and the issues we will face with the Stimulus Plan..
Marshall talks about the colonists,British at this time of course, but they were already noted for being divisive on many issues from religion to the various wars that had involved the colonists. Yet there was one thing the colonists could agree on, they didn't like the taxes that were being forced on them without any say.
King George wanted to pay for an army of British soldiers the colonists were not interested in. The King's intention was to pay for the army with taxes on tea,marriage licenses,every piece of legal paper, as well as any goods sold, that it became financially unbearable to the colonists. It got to the point they simply refused to pay any taxes at all to the governor of the colonies. Marshall wrote of the colonists:
"No," they said to the British Government, "you cannot tax us without our consent. It is one of the foundations of British freedom that those who pay the tax must also consent to it. We are not represented in the British Parliament, our consent has not been asked, and we deny your right to tax us."
"There ought to be no New England men, no New Yorkers, known on the continent," said one man; "but all of us Americans." end quote~
The colonists were successful the first time around with fighting down the "Intolerable Acts",but King George came back a year later and put taxes (or duties) on tea that made trade impossible. The colonists would not take it anymore and boarded the ships,threw the tea overboard so wouldn't have to accept it. Boston Harbor literally brewed the water black with tea. It was a united act of American citizens, and no particular party...just a united front.
That is also the view of today's citizens when they join the Tax Day Protests. We aren't solely republicans, democrats,libertarians,and Independents. We are American citizens disgusted with our representatives not voting as they we would have them do. If a Congressman or Senator cannot listen to the people he represents, he is being warned by the Tea Parties that we will do our best to vote him/her out! If a senator cries he has to go along with the strong arm of his party, then we will do our best to see if term limits are needed or else vote him/her out.
When a major movement takes hold, politicians and specific groups will try and tie themselves to it. We will not tolerate any politician from any party trying to benefit from a cause if they have behaved differently in Congress. Just ask theTea Party attendees in Greenville,S.C.
There are various Tea Party Organizations to give your support to. Or if you worry about who you align your self with, start your own group, and it can be one where you can assist in the larger rallies as well. Infiltration by people who wish to only cause a group problems are well known and exist in large numbers such as ACORN, and the AUC.
Start your own grass-roots effort, make an effort to get your supplies from American companies such as button blog, and promote your own group,and have fundraisers. You can get everything you need there,get your own button maker and make buttons, key chains, and other political signs, for it's important to keep your efforts separate from any specific political party. Don't alienate other Americans who might be sympathetic to the Tea Party movement and what it stands for. If you are a member of any group that supports Tea Parties,simply promote the Tea Party at their rallies.
The news media, and political groups who have no issue with the new load of taxes coming from Congress and Obama's Stimulus Plan,will make every attempt to label the groups "radical right wingers". Defamation is one of the worst but most successful ways to try and destroy a movement. Let's not let it happen! The movement so far is successful and has alarmed the MSM along with Stimulus sympathizers.
A Tea Party participant being tea-boarded by the British prior to lynching
