The “2010 taxpayer revolt” on freedom plaza in DC this morning began on an ironic note. Before the festivities kicked off, the crowd was introduced to about a dozen people in day-glo yellow t shirts bearing the words “tea party census.”
“We need to get an accurate count of who was here,” an organizer told the crowd, which comfortably filled the plaza. “So please fill out the cards these people will be bringing around.”
That’s right — the anti-Census tea party movment is taking names and its conducting own count of Americans on Tax Day. The organizer said that the organizers of the rally need to take names in the crowd to help “build a political movement” in advance of the November elections.
There are some differences between the US Census and its tea party counterpart, however, as the organizer was quick to point out.
“Unlike federal census workers, we won’t come to your house if you don’t fill it out!” the organizer said.
Evan McMorris-Santoro
Evan McMorris-Santoro has covered politics for TPM since 2009. Before that, he was a reporter at National Journal’s Hotline covering election 2008. He started his career covering local politics at newspapers in TN and his native NC.
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