Holding signs reading "Stimulate Business, Not Government," "Families Against Porkulus" and "Say No To Generational Theft," protesters opposed to the $787 billion stimulus package have been mobilizing across the country.Michelle Malkin has been all over the issue, hammering the leftocrats. See, for example, "Tea Party U.S.A.: The Movement Grows."
It started last Monday in Seattle, then moved Tuesday to Denver, where President Obama signed the stimulus bill into law. That was followed by another one in Mesa, Ariz., where Obama unveiled a mortgage rescue plan.
Another protest was planned for Saturday outside the office of Rep. Dennis Moore in Overland Park, Kan. The Democrat voted for the stimulus. His office didn't return calls seeking comment.
As unemployment soars and anger over Wall Street bailouts mounts, public outrage will seek an outlet. Populism could go in many directions — and could easily ebb when the economy revives.
But if it takes shape as an anti-spending movement, it could revive conservatives much as the 1970s tax protests did.
To be sure, the protest sizes so far are a far cry from the left's anti-globalization and anti-war demonstrations of the past decade. But they appear to have grass-roots origins. The organizer of the Kansas protest, Amanda Grosserode, calls herself a home-schooling mom who is "fed up" with the spending in Washington. She has been a member of Fair Tax Kansas City since last fall.
"My husband and I were feeling frustrated that the stimulus had passed with very little debate and no one had read it," she told IBD. "I said, 'We need to do something.' "
She began contacting family and friends, and eventually received attention via Fair Tax Kansas City and local talk radio.
Grosserode received considerably more publicity after e-mailing popular conservative commentator and blogger Michelle Malkin.
"I think the taxpayer revolt is the new counterculture," said Malkin, who has been publicizing the protests on her blog. "People want to stand up and say, 'Hey, I'm paying for that, I do not support that.' "
Malkin, who lives near Denver, attended the Mile High City protest, which also involved conservative groups like the Independence Institute, a Colorado think tank.
Cartoon Credit: Michael Ramirez.
Those who have problems with the stimulus package are
ReplyDeletenot getting their due respect in the media because the
risk reality is far darker than being portrayed. We are
moving towards a new normal economy of apathy and
dependence on government. As the rich get richer, poor
poorer, unfortunately within a generation we will move
ever closer to a puesdo-dictatorship and bondage economy,
ultimately followed by revolution. Sound absurd? History
would say no.
The Fed since inception (1913) has said its' goal is
price stability and full employment. For the entire USA
history prior to the Fed we relatively had that, but since
we have had massive inflation and many periods of painful
unemployment due largely to their pandering of easy credit
(which enslaves the people), consistant debasing of the
currency, and providing the tools for the government or
aid future generations of wealth so they can get re-
elected. Seriously, we would be better off if they were
replaced by a computer that increased money supply 3% a
year instead.
Although we can use all the smart people we can get
(if they want to become citizens), the constant hiring of
foreign H1B visa workers is robbing americans of jobs at
home not unlike outsourcing. I would think if the
government REALLY wanted to represent and work for the
benefit of all the people, they would discourage this
during bad economic times and charge companies a stiff
annual fee for the prevailage of unemploying americans.
This idea doesn't get nearly enough attention in that it
would create tens of thousands of american jobs at ZERO
cost. Make no mistake, corporations hire foreign workers
because they work cheap, not better. Like the
greedy "banksters" bondage lending, the outsourcing and
the hiring H1B workers are cutting the throat of future
economy by starving off domestic talent and know-how in
the pursuit of short term profits. When will we learn that
wealth doesn't come from borrowing/spending, or consuming
instead of producing?
I suggest we all learn it RIGHT NOW, before it is too late.
when and where will we demonstrate in new jersey?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, Alexander Tytler once said that there where eight stages of Democracy
ReplyDelete1). From bondage to spiritual faith.
2). From spiritual faith to great courage.
3). From courage to liberty.
4). From liberty to abundance.
5). From abundance to complacency.
6). From complacency to apathy.
7). From apathy to dependence.
8). From dependence back into bondage.
We are somewhere around 6 or 7. The protests (the Overland Park one which I attended and photographed) shows me that we are still, thankfully, somewhere in Stage 6. I hope to god that we can wake America up, and prevent us from sliding all the way down.