Tea Party

Mark Your Calendars: Thursday Is Tea Party Recruitment Day

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 30, 2009, 2:55PM

Don't be surprised if someone asks you if you love freedom this Thursday. The national organizers of Tea Party Patriots have singled out Dec. 3 for a national recruitment drive, calling on all good tea partiers "to reach out to 1 new person who is not a member of Tea Party Patriots" and ask them to join up.

From the TPP email sent to tea partiers today and obtained by TPM:

Tell them why you are a member of the tea party movement and ask them if they agree with our core principles of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets ... If you send emails, follow up with phone calls to the people to add a personal touch.

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Tea Party

Death And Taxes (And Tea): The Top Right-Wing Protest Moments Of 2009

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 25, 2009, 6:14PM

Hell hath no fury like a conservative scorned. Or over-taxed. Or "under-freedomed" or whatever.

From the August town hall meetings to Michele Bachmann's very own Tea Party a couple of weeks ago, here's a look back at the special moments that have defined this year's right-wing protest meme.

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Michele Bachmann

Bachmann: 'I Don't Understand Why The Democratic Party Would Be Opposed To Me'

Eric Kleefeld | November 23, 2009, 10:39AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), a champion of the right wing and a key organizer of the recent Capitol Tea Party, wonders why Democrats attack her so much -- after all, decades ago she was a Democrat herself!

Bachmann told the St. Cloud Times:

In being forceful and fighting for the positions that I'm standing for, I obviously must pose a threat for liberals advancing their agenda. I say that because I grew up a Democrat in a Democrat family. My husband and I both worked on Jimmy Carter's presidential campaign. The first time I ever came to Washington was to dance at Walter Mondale's inaugural ball. It was a thrill for my husband and me, and we were both happy to work on behalf of Walter Mondale and Jimmy Carter. We really believed in them when we were in college. So in some ways I don't understand why the Democratic Party would be opposed to me, because I stand for the same values that my parents stood for when we were Democrats.

Tea Party

Tea Partiers Admit Defeat In Health Care Fight?

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 21, 2009, 12:29AM

TPMDC just obtained an extraordinary email from inside the Tea Party Patriots movement. As the Senate prepares to open debate on a health care reform bill tomorrow, tea partiers appear to be admitting defeat in their push to stop reform and are promising a "change in tactics" movement leaders say will appease the "outrage and frustration" among tea partiers over the movement's failure to stop a Democratic health care bill from moving forward on a path to final passage.

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Capitol Hill Tea Party

Busting Rhymes In The Name Of Tea Parties

Christina Bellantoni | November 20, 2009, 5:07PM

Rapper Hi Caliber talks about freedom and low taxes in a rap video praising the tea party movement.

Don't call Hi Caliber a Republican rapper.

He prefers conservative hip hop artist, and has lent his rhyme to the tea party movement.

Cal, who wouldn't give his full name because he says he's been threatened by "liberals," starred in a FreedomWorks-produced video called "Patriotic People."

He rhymes: "Politicians need the truth, it will set you free, and I hope you paid attention to the march on D.C. ...Liberalism is like a cancerous tumor, just look at Harry Reid, Pelosi and Chuck Schumer."

TPMDC caught up with Cal, 34, a resident of the Jersey Shore.

"I am not a fan of Bush, and I'm not a rank and file Republican. I'm a conservative," he said.

Cal said he meets Democrats and Libertarians at the tea parties, and said it's unfair for liberals to call the group racist or redneck.

"I support the tea party movement because I feel they are the only people in the America who are not following lock-step, rank-and-file one of the political parties," he said.

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Tea Party

Tea Partiers Plan Anti-Cloture Vote Rally In D.C. Tomorrow

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 20, 2009, 4:09PM

The Tea Party Patriots just issued an urgent plea to followers across the country in advance of tomorrow's procedural vote on a health care reform package in the Senate. The group is calling on Tea Partiers across the country to "Converge on the Capitol" tomorrow at 1 p.m. for yet another protest rally opposing reform.

"It's not too late to kill the bill," the Tea Party Patriots "National Coordinator Team" wrote in an email sent to supporters this afternoon.

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Republicans

Poll: Majority Of Republicans Think Obama Didn't Actually Win 2008 Election -- ACORN Stole It!

Eric Kleefeld | November 19, 2009, 12:28PM

Tea Partiers, ACORN logo, President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama

The new national poll from Public Policy Polling (D) has an astonishing number about paranoia among the GOP base: Republicans do not think President Obama actually won the 2008 election -- instead, ACORN stole it.

This number goes a long way towards explaining the anger of the Tea Party crowd. They not only think Obama's agenda is against America, but they don't think he was actually the choice of the American people at all! Interestingly, NY-23 Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman is now accusing ACORN of stealing his race, and Fox News personalities have often speculated about ACORN stealing the 2008 Minnesota Senate race for Al Franken.

The poll asked this question: "Do you think that Barack Obama legitimately won the Presidential election last year, or do you think that ACORN stole it for him?" The overall top-line is legitimately won 62%, ACORN stole it 26%.

Among Republicans, however, only 27% say Obama actually won the race, with 52% -- an outright majority -- saying that ACORN stole it, and 21% are undecided. Among McCain voters, the breakdown is 31%-49%-20%. By comparison, independents weigh in at 72%-18%-10%, and Democrats are 86%-9%-4%.

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Tea Party

World Net Daily Dumps 5 Million 'Pink Slips' On Capitol, Bachmann Cheers

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 17, 2009, 1:32PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Publisher of World Net Daily Joesph Farah

World Net Daily has a message for all 535 members of Congress: do what we say or you're fired.

Today, Michele Bachmann and three other right-wing members of Congress responded to the threat with a hearty "thank you."

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Tea Party

Tea Party Group Cancels Plan To Burn Perriello And Pelosi In Effigy

Eric Kleefeld | November 16, 2009, 3:52PM

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)

The plan by the Danville TEA Party Patriots to burn Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi in effigy -- a sort of Tea-Party Burning Man -- has been called off, Greg Sargent reports:

"We will not be going forward with the plan," a crestfallen Coleman told me by phone moments ago. "We had to cancel it. The property owner won't allow us to do it. The media attention was something that he didn't want."

Coleman said he was upset that people had gotten the wrong idea about his plan. "I'm disappointed that the story got out of hand and people misinterpreted something we thought would be a little historical lesson. They made people believe that we were committing an act of violence," he said, adding that the "they" in question were the "liberal blogs."

Tea Party

Tea Party Group Getting Cold Feet About Burning Perriello And Pelosi In Effigy?

Eric Kleefeld | November 16, 2009, 10:45AM

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)

The Danville TEA Party Patriots, a group that has courted controversy by planning to burn Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a rally this Saturday, may be having second thoughts.

"We've been getting a lot of flack about this," Danville TEA Party chairman Nigel Coleman told the Lynchburg News & Advance, "about burning those two in effigy and a lot of people in the public are unhappy about it. The story has gotten so large, it's kinda strange."

As the News & Advance notes, Coleman himself had announced this event by sending out a press release that promoted the event as "a move sure to spark controversy."

"I still would like to do it, but it's still up in the air at this point," Coleman added. "We've already started stacking firewood and building the effigy...we will have a bonfire. Burning someone in effigy was just gonna be part of it."

Tea Party

Tea Party Group To Get 'Fired Up For Freedom,' Burn Rep. Perriello In Effigy

Eric Kleefeld | November 13, 2009, 3:01PM

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)

The local Tea Party organization in Danville, Virginia, is taking their opposition to freshman Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello to a whole new level -- announcing that they will burn him in effigy, along with a similar image of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at a rally called "Fired Up For Freedom."

"At this point we feel we have no representation in Congress," Danville Tea Party chairman Nigel Coleman told the Chatham Star Tribune, with the chief complaint being Perriello's vote for the House health care bill this past weekend.

Perriello's office declined to comment to TPM about this.

Late Update: DCCC chairman Chris Van Hollen has responded in a statement. "These shocking and despicable acts are becoming all too common at extreme right-wing Republican rallies. Hanging Members in effigy or displaying images of Nazi concentration camps on the steps of the Capitol have no place in any debate and Republican Members of Congress must condemn these actions," said Van Hollen. "While there should be a robust debate about reforming America's broken health insurance system, violent expressions are beyond the boundaries of a respectful debate. The American people are counting on Republicans to join Democrats in a constructive debate to help President Obama bring about urgently-needed health insurance reform."

Michele Bachmann

Bachmann: 'I Agree' That Use Of Holocaust Images At Capitol Tea Party 'Wholly Inappropriate'

Eric Kleefeld | November 12, 2009, 11:03AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) is now distancing herself from the use of Holocaust imagery at last week's Capitol Tea Party, which she had organized and promoted, after a Jewish Democratic Congressman called on her to apologize for leading the event and not denouncing the offending posters.

"Sadly, some individuals chose to marginalize tragic events in human history, such as the Holocaust, by invoking imagery and labels which have no purpose in a policy debate about health care," Bachmann said in a statement. "These regrettable actions negatively shift the focus of the current discussion on this issue. The American people deserve an open and honest debate to ensure the best possible solution to our health care problems, and I agree that these unfortunate instances are wholly inappropriate."

Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) had said in a YouTube last week: ""I can't believe that Congresswoman Bachmann would stand where she stood, and see those images, and not have the common decency to say, 'I disagree with the use of those images.' I think that she owes the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust an apology. She owes us all an apology. And I'm waiting. We're all waiting."

(Via Dump Bachmann)

Late Update: Rep. Israel has released this statement, responding to Bachmann: "It shouldn't have taken peer pressure, media inquiries or national outrage to get Rep. Bachmann to take a stand in defense of Holocaust victims."

Pres '12

Sarah Palin Rips Health Care Bill And Reprises Death Panels Claim

Christina Bellantoni | November 9, 2009, 10:19AM

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin accused Democratic leaders of trying to "ram" the health care bill through Congress over the weekend and said voters should "look closely" because death panels remain in the legislation.

Palin took to Facebook a few hours after the late-night vote to tell her nearly 1 million supporters the bill was "disastrous" for the economy but they should "hold on to hope."

"We've got to hold on to hope, and we've got to fight hard because Congressional action tonight just put America on a path toward an unrecognizable country," Palin wrote. "The same government leaders that got us into the mortgage business and the car business are now getting us into the health care business."

Palin, who used her Facebook feed to further the phony death panel meme earlier this year, brought it up again:

We had been told there were no "death panels" in the bill either. But look closely at the provision mandating bureaucratic panels that will be calling the shots regarding who will receive government health care.

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Tea Party

GOP Could Face More Challenges From Right, After NY-23

Eric Kleefeld | November 6, 2009, 5:06PM

Capitol Hill, Tea-Party Rally

In the wake of the NY-23 right-wing revolt, could the GOP be on the verge of seeing even more challenges from the activist right? Some recent developments suggest that the natives are getting restless.

• NRCC chairman Pete Sessions is being challenged in the Republican primary by David Smith, a corporate financial analyst. Smith told us that the NY-23 mess was not a factor in his decision -- but it should help him in attacking Sessions: "It's nice to have my opponent in the national news for a bad reason at the same time I'm announcing my candidacy."

• Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) is facing a Republican primary challenge from Jason Sager, a currently unemployed audio-visual engineer. Sager specifically cited Brown-Waite's having campaigned for Dede Scozzafava, the moderate Republican nominee in NY-23 who ultimately dropped out of the race and endorsed Democrat Bill Owens, as a reason for his challenge.

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Pete Sessions

Tea Party Activist Challenging NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions In GOP Primary

Eric Kleefeld | November 6, 2009, 3:23PM

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX)

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), the chairman of the NRCC, may have another problem on his hands in addition to the House GOP's recent woes in the NY-23 race: A primary challenge from a conservative activist back home.

David Smith, a corporate financial analyst, has declared his candidacy against Sessions in the Republican primary, citing the budget deficit, federal spending, and Sessions' votes for the Wall Street bailout as his main issues.

In an interview with TPM, Smith said that he has participated in Tea Parties as an activist, though he has not been an organizer, and explained that those events are motivated by the same issues of spending in Washington that he's long been concerned about. "And that begun under Republican control of the House and Senate and Republican control of the White House," said Smith. "I know it didn't boil over into marches in the streets and to the White House until a Democrat got elected, but that happened because Republicans weren't doing what people wanted, and Pete was a part of that."

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Capitol Hill Tea Party

Tea Partiers Came With 2010 Warnings

Christina Bellantoni | November 5, 2009, 6:52PM

The scene today at the Capitol Hill Tea Party probably worried incumbents of both parties.

TPMDC was there, following every "Kill the bill" refrain and impromptu "USA! USA!" chant from the many thousands gathered on the West Front Lawn of the Capitol.

Evan captured the mood on the ground (with extra fun video of women singing their own anti-health care version of "Yankee Doodle") and as we reported earlier, I stumbled upon tea partiers heckling police who had arrested protesters.

My takeaway after several hours interviewing people who had taken time off work, sacrificed sleep and hopped on buses to make the trip from across the country is that there is a real spark to the movement.

The group is angry, and in many cases ill-informed about the 1,900-page health care bill that they delighted in shredding across the Capitol today. But they vote, and each person told me they are angry with incumbents and government spending.

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Michele Bachmann

Bachmann Celebrates Capitol Hill Tea Party In Fundraising E-Mail

Eric Kleefeld | November 5, 2009, 6:03PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) sent out this fundraising e-mail, celebrating the Capitol Hill Tea Party that she had taken a key role in organizing and promoting:

Dear Patriot,

As I write this note, thousands of everyday Americans have come to Washington to speak their mind about the misguided health care bill that Speaker Pelosi and President Obama are pushing through Congress.

What an awe-inspiring sight! These people came by plane, by train, by car and by bus. They drove overnight and they gave up their precious free time to share one message with this Congress: Keep your hands off my health care!

Less than one week from when I put out the call to the American people to come to Washington and pay this emergency house call on Congress, they're here and they're ready to stand up for their freedoms.

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Capitol Hill Tea Party

Strange Scene: 10 Arrested As Tea Partiers Heckle Police

Christina Bellantoni | November 5, 2009, 4:04PM

U.S. Capitol, Tea-party rally

U.S. Capitol Police arrested 10 people this afternoon after the Capitol Hill Tea Party crowd stormed Congressional office buildings.

Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, public information office for the Capitol Police, told TPMDC the arrests happened in the Cannon House building as tea partiers attempted to protest Speaker Nancy Pelosi about health care.

They were charged with unlawful entry (entering a Congressional office and refusing to leave when told to do so) and/or disorderly conduct (yelling in the hallway outside an office) at Room 235 in the Cannon House Office Building.

Room 235 is Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office for district business, not where she conducts her duties as Speaker. That's handled at an office in the Capitol building.

TPMDC happened upon a crowd that formed around two police vans as the protesters were prepared for "transporting," according to one officer there.

Without those official details, protesters in the crowd watching the arrests were furious. They shouted "Let them go!" and one man yelled at the police that "Martin Luther King" was being dishonored and shouted "Letter from Birmingham Jail!"

One woman told officers they were "shameful." Others called the arrested protesters "political prisoners."

"This is America, this is not the Soviet Union," one woman said.

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Michele Bachmann

Dems: If GOP Wants Michele Bachmann To Be Its Voice, 'That's More Than Fine With Us'

Eric Kleefeld | November 5, 2009, 3:54PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

The Democratic National Committee released this statement today on the Capitol Hill Tea Party, which was organized and promoted by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN):

"If the Republican party wants to make Michele Bachmann the voice of the party, that's more than fine with us. We'll help circulate the petition. But it is surprising that after Congressman-elect Owens won a special election by supporting the President's agenda in a New York district that hasn't elected a Democrat since Benjamin Harrison was President, that the Republican party would continue to allow itself to be led around by nose by the likes of Bachmann, Beck , Limbaugh, Palin and the rest of the extreme tea party crowd. It's their extreme right-wing, rigid ideological agenda that has Americans leaving the Republican Party in droves - and so, if displays like today are what they think is a smart political strategy, all we can say is: go for it," said DNC National Press Secretary Hari Sevugan.

Ben Nelson

Nelson To Tea Partiers: Welcome To Nebraska-East!

Brian Beutler | November 5, 2009, 2:40PM

There may be tea party protesters wandering the halls of Congress, and inundating members' office, by the thousands today--but some of the very people they hope to impact seem to be all but unaware of them.

"Are they doing that?" asked Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), tongue planted firmly in cheek. "Oh good, good!"

Does that mean he's battening down the hatches and preparing for an onslaught? Quite the opposite!

"We're very friendly up there, so I know they'll get a warm reception."

Capitol Hill Tea Party

The Storming Of The Hill Begins

Eric Kleefeld and Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 5, 2009, 2:03PM

Tea Party protesters at Capitol Hill on Nov. 5, 2009.

The next stage of the Capitol Hill Tea Party has begun -- the storming of the Hill!

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), who heavily promoted this event, has frequently promised that this protest will involve bringing conservative citizens inside the Capitol and the House office buildings to personally confront members of Congress. As she said last week on Sean Hannity's TV show: "I'd love to have every one of your viewers to join me so we can go up and down through the halls, find members of Congress, look at the whites of their eyes and say, 'Don't take away my healthcare.'"

As of right now, there are lines coming out of the House office buildings, and people milling about the buildings and getting set to go in. Let's see what happens next, as the town halls and Tea Parties go inside Congressional buildings.

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Capitol Hill Tea Party

Broun: 'You're Not Going To Eat This Rotten Stinking Fish'

Eric Kleefeld | November 5, 2009, 1:55PM

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA)

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) spoke this afternoon at the Capitol Hill Tea Party, delivering a brief but very energetic speech:

Who will kill this bill? (Shouts of "We will.") You will! You will! And we must! The Constitution of the United States starts with three very powerful words: "We the people." And we the people are speaking! Nancy Pelosi, listen! Fellow patriots, go tell your Congressman, you're not going to eat this rotten stinking fish that is -- Pelosi health care! We are going to put a stop sign in front of her steamroller of socialism! Go to it, patriots!

Joe Wilson

Joe Wilson A Hit At Capitol Hill Tea Party

Eric Kleefeld | November 5, 2009, 1:34PM

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), who famously yelled out "You lie!" during a speech to Congress by President Obama, just spoke to the Capitol Hill Tea Party, receiving massive applause immediately as he came to the podium.

"Speaker Pelosi didn't mean for you to be here," said Wilson. "In fact, back in July, Speaker Pelosi meant for the takeover bill to be passed, it was supposed to be over in July. But fortunately the American people found out, they found out that senior citizens were under attack, by squeezing senior citizens half a trillion dollars. Small businesses found out about the taxes that would virtually eliminate small businesses in the United States."

He also credited this past Tuesday's election in Virginia and New Jersey as a sign of the people making a difference already -- and talked about his own experience in New Jersey.

"And then, I know firsthand of the success of the people of New Jersey. On Sunday, I had the privilege to speak at the Morristown Tea Party," said Wilson. "Here I was, a friendly member of Congress from South Carolina, I was simply urging people to vote, to participate in the election to change the incumbent governor. It was sort of shocking, but later that day the incumbent governor asked me, and said I shouldn't have been in that state. But hey, I'm grateful, the voters of New Jersey acted, they produced change. Thank you for being here, we can make more change next year."

Michele Bachmann

Bachmann Quotes Jefferson: A Revolution Every Now And Then Is A Good Thing

Eric Kleefeld | November 5, 2009, 1:07PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann has been one of the top speakers and a co-master of ceremonies at today's Capitol Hill Tea Party, an event that she herself heavily promoted.

"You came. And you came to your house. And you came for an emergency house call," said Bachmann. "And are they going to listen? Oh yeah, oh yeah, they're going to listen. It was Thomas Jefferson who said a revolution every now and then is a good thing. What do you think?"

This is hardly the first time Bachmann has spoken of revolution. Back in March, she famously told Sean Hannity: "At this point the American people - it's like Thomas Jefferson said, a revolution every now and then is a good thing. We are at the point, Sean, of revolution. And by that, what I mean, an orderly revolution -- where the people of this country wake up get up and make a decision that this is not going to happen on their watch...And we can't let the Democrats achieve their ends any longer."

Today, Bachmann said how she had been writing the journals of Abigail Adams, who wondered if future generations would understand the sacrifices that were made to create this country. "You literally stand with us on hallowed ground," said Bachmann. "This is hallowed ground of freedom, and that freedom was purchased at an incalculable price that none of us can ever truly comprehend. And for 233 years, every generation that has come before has faithfully handed the baton of freedom to the next generation. and so now we are that privileged generation, privileged to be here to be here today."

Late Update: The DNC has put out its response -- saying that it's fine by them if the GOP wants Bachmann to be its voice.

Capitol Hill Tea Party

Capitol Hill Tea Party Seeks To 'Drive The Liberals Crazy' With Pledge Of Allegiance

Eric Kleefeld | November 5, 2009, 12:30PM

At the Capitol Hill Tea Party just now, Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) stepped up to lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance -- which he said drives the liberals crazy.

"And so as we now renew our commitment to the Red, White and Blue, let us with boldness proclaim the fact that we are one nation under God," said Akin. "It is altogether fitting that we should do this -- and it drives the liberals crazy."

The crowd laughed, and joined Akin in the Pledge, with a genuine shout given to the key words, "...one nation, UNDER GOD, with liberty..."

Other Republican members of Congress were on stage, too: Minority Leader John Boehner (OH), Minority Whip Eric Cantor (VA), Roy Blunt (MO), Jeb Hensarling (TX), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), Michele Bachmann (MN) -- who was a key organizer of the event -- Virginia Foxx (NC), Ginny Brown-Waite (FL), Jean Schmidt (OH), Sue Myrick (NC), and many more.

Capitol Hill Tea Party

Capitol Hill Tea Party Getting Bigger

Eric Kleefeld and Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 5, 2009, 12:03PM

The Capitol Hill Tea Party crowd is now at roughly 8,000 people.

A TPM reader texts to us that the subway to the Capitol is clogged with protestors. Hundreds of people are still streaming in.

Late Update: NBC's Luke Russert says a Capitol policeman just gave a crowd estimate of 3,000-3,500.

Capitol Hill Tea Party

Capitol Hill Tea Party Crowd Growing

Eric Kleefeld and Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 5, 2009, 11:28AM

Today's big Capitol Hill Tea Party, promoted by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), is getting ready to begin this morning, and already about 1,000 people are there, many of them arriving on buses sent by the event's organizers. This is not like the failed flash-mob from last week -- it's a seriously organized protest.

Attendees are set to go inside the Capitol itself, and personally lobby members of Congress to oppose the Democrats' health care bill. Many of them are carrying the Gadsden Flag and other protest signs. There is no sign of any increased security on Capitol Hill, which some Tea Partiers and their supporters had warned about.

One attendee was a man named Keith, a disabled veteran from Goldsboro, North Carolina, bused in this morning with about 50 other people from his area, and who was carrying an empty suit on a pole. "Look, the lights are on but nobody's home in there," said Keith, pointing at the Capitol. asked if that was directed at any specific people in Congress, he replied: "Pick one."

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Tea Party

GOP Members Of Congress To Join Bachmann's Event Today

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 5, 2009, 8:10AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Politico snagged an email from the RNC Republican Study Committee last night revealing that the GOP caucus in Congress will be joining Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) Tea Party event on Capitol Hill today.

RNCRepublican Study Committee communications director Brendan Buck sent the email, which tells GOP congressional aides to expect somewhere between 1,000 and 10,000 health care reform protesters today. Buck also calls on the aides to send their members to the Capitol Steps for the event hosted by Michele Bachmann at noon. But Buck offered a word of warning about the gathering of speakers and protesters, too.

"PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR BOSS DOES NOT TERM THIS EVENT A 'RALLY," Buck wrote.

Editor's Note: This post has been revised since it was first published.

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Michele Bachmann

Michele Bachmann, Tea Partiers Prepare For Last Stand On Health Care

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 4, 2009, 11:16PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and the Tea Party Patriots are not expecting a warm reception on Capitol Hill Thursday. In a series of conference calls Wednesday night, representatives of the "thousands" of tea partiers who have promised to heed Bachmann's call to make a "last stand" against Democratic-led health care reform told their members to expect the worst from the members of Congress they plan to lobby.

"The attitude we're facing right now is very hostile," Tea Party Patriot national organizer Jenny Beth Martin said on a conference call for regional leaders TPMDC sat in on Wednesday night. "The [members] don't even want to hear from us on these issues."

Martin, Bachmann and RedState.com's Erick Erickson told regional organizers on the calls that Thursday's rally and storm through the halls of Congress were the tea partiers last chance to stop what Bachmann called the Democrats' plan to "literally have the power of life and death over you."

"There are no other rabbits to pull out of the hat," Bachmann said. "This is the only thing I can think to do."

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2009 elections

Another Key Tuesday Result: Voters Rejected Anti-Tax, Anti-Spending Measures

Eric Kleefeld | November 4, 2009, 6:04PM

In a further sign that yesterday's election results were not a verdict in favor of anti-tax Tea Partyism, two key referenda to limit state taxes and spending went down to serious defeat.

In Maine, where the big news was the state's rejection of gay marriage, voters also resoundingly defeated a "Taxpayers Bill of Rights" (TABOR) referendum, which would have placed spending limits on state and local governments, and required direct voter approval for tax increases. This is the third time in five years that Maine has rejected TABOR proposals. As the Portland Press Herald points out, the loss this year was actually worse than last time -- from an eight-point margin of defeat in 2006, to a 21-point margin this time around.

Another anti-tax vote in Washington state, Initiative 1033, would have similarly capped state and local spending and property taxes, and would have required voter approval for tax increases. It failed by ten points. The Seattle Times said: "Gone are the days when professional initiative guru Tim Eyman dreams up a clever formula for restraining government and voters fall in line. If Eyman can't read newspaper headlines about deep cutbacks in public services -- parks, public safety, education -- voters surely can. They know government is not flush right now and in a painful recession, the public sometimes needs a little help from government."