Additional Images from C&T Protest

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Posted by Eric with permission of Gail

First Pictures from Cap & Trade Protest

Julia sent some quick pictures from our Rapid Response event today. (Just click on a pic for the big version.)








THANKS -- to both those who could come and those who could call. This is a TEAM EFFORT! We learned a lot with this and we should soon be doing more and better organized Rapid Response events -- One Step At A Time, folks!

(Posted by Robin at the request of Julia)

Even if you can't go--please help!

Yes, you can still help, even if you can't be there!

The Instructions are HERE: http://www.theythinkyouarestupid.com/Rapid-Response-Team_support.shtml

CAN YOU BE THERE?

LET’S DO SOMETHING!

Cap And Trade Cost Per Family = $4,000 Per Year! An MIT professor by the name of Reilly estimated that "the amount of tax collected" through companies would equal $3,128 per household--and "Those costs do get passed to consumers and income earners in one way or another"--but those costs have "nothing to do with the real cost" to the economy. Reilly assumes that the $3,128 will be "returned" to each household. Without that assumption, Reilly wrote, "the cost would then be the Republican estimate [$3,128] plus the cost I estimate [$800]." (http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/412cwueq.asp?pg=1)

What can I do?

Come and peacefully demonstrate with us. Make signs (please be respectful so as to not diminish our message as it goes through the filter of the liberal media – see our guidelines at http://www.theythinkyouarestupid.com/signage.shtml).
Let’s start with the office of Charlie Gonzalez, a member of the House’s Energy Committee.

Can you be at Charlie Gonzalez’ office on Tuesday, May 19, at 11 a.m. CST, at 727 E Durango Blvd, in downtown San Antonio? If so, please send an email to NoCapAndTrade@wildblue.net with “YES I will be there!" in the subject line. We need this to give an estimated count to the San Antonio Police Department. Although we do not need a permit to hold this demonstration, the SAPD has requested, as a courtesy, that we call the local precinct to give them an estimate.

NOTE: We can only stay on public property (sidewalks), and cannot block and entrances or exits for this building.

What If I Can't Come?

You will still be able to help! We will want to ensure the news media covers this event and that the politicians get the message. Keep watching here for upcoming instructions on how YOU TOO CAN HELP, even if you can't be there. For now, go to this TX House of representatives site and put in your full street address in on the "Find Your Representative" form (it's over on the right). That will give you the contact numbers for all of your US & Texas representatives. Write them all down and save them! As the Boy Scout motto puts it: Be Prepared!

(Published by Robin at the request of Gail)

Even if they took it ALL -- it's not enough!

Here's a not-so-fun fact --

If the government increased the top tax rate from the current rate of 35% to 100% (yes, that's right 100%), it would only collect an extra $400 billion this year. In other words, confiscating all the income that is currently taxed at 35% would not raise enough revenue to cover any of the annual deficits projected in the next 10 years. There is no way that tax hikes on the rich alone can pay for proposed spending in the current budget.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/20/tea-party-taxes-opinions-columnists-ear-marks.html

What to do? Maybe you should plan on attending our Independence Day event at Rio Cibolo Ranch! And keep an eye here for news on smaller, more focused events we're also working on sponsoring.

Pictures!

Those of you who attended our fund raising luncheon with Glenn Beck will remember the man from Australia, Matt Smallbone. Matt works for Premiere Speakers Bureau.

Good news: Matt says the photos of our contributors with Glenn Beck, should be in the mail sometime this week!

What is the Bandera Tea Party Up To?

Got the an interesting item from "Trap," AKA Chuck Warner, of the Bandera Tea Party. Trap is taking part in the July 4th March For Liberty on Washington, D.C. The article he wrote is in the form of a Microsoft Word document, with a bunch of illustrative links included. You might want to give it a look at Boiling in the Melting Pot.
(Published with the permission of Gail)

Boerne's Flag Day Celebration

The good folks in Boerne are working on a Flag Day celebration!

Boerne Texas Tea Party
Rallying for Liberty and a Return to the Constitution

*Time:* June 14, 2009 from 3pm to 6pm
*Location:* Lake Country Homeowner's Park
*Organized By:* Joni Schmidt

*Event Description:*
Details are being ironed out. So far, there will be a Flag Day Rally/picnic sometime on June 14...more details forthcoming!

See more details and RSVP on the Boerne Texas Tea Party official web page
(published with the permission of Gail)

Take The Challenge!

Do you think you know the history of the US Constitution? Mark Weisberger put together this "small quiz for the US Constitution from a 'Tea Party' perspective." It's almost sure to surprise you!

Give it a try: http://www.webdbcf.com/HomeworkGrader/TakeATest.cfm?TestSelected=10165

Watch out--I only scored a 64%--it's a tough quiz!

(Posted with the permission of Gail)

No Racist Emails, Please

A person to remain nameless is sending around a "joke" picture entitled "Historical Keepsake Photo." It shows a small photo of each President of the United States. But--in the last photo, there is just a set of eyes on a black background.

This is not funny.

This is not helpful.

The Tea Party movement is about the overreach of the federal government; it is not about race.

Do not send us racists "jokes." We don't want them. Please don't send them to anyone else, either. You'll just be hurting our movement. My response, by the way, included this:

You will please IMMEDIATELY remove me from your email lists.

Further emails from you will be referred to our counsel (who has been included by blind-CC).

Robin Juhl
San Antonio Tea Party
Chairman

(Post with the permission of Gail)

San Antonio's Independence Day Tea Party

The San Antonio Tea Party Executive Committee is in negotiations to secure the Rio Cibolo Ranch as a venue for a traditional 4^th of July celebration, as part of our continuing program of rallies, gatherings and protests. The Rio Cibolo Ranch is located near the old town of Zuehl, just off IH10 East, about twenty-five minutes drive from downtown San Antonio (see this map).

A day of traditional Texas summer activities and games is being planned, with barbeque and live music, all culminating with a firework display after sundown. All of this is a backdrop for the serious purpose of the Tea Party, which is to educate attendees and their families on the limits and responsibilities of the government as outlined in the Constitution.

This event follows our wildly successful Tea Party Tax Day protest on April 15^th in Alamo Plaza, and is timed to coincide with other 4^th of July Tea Parties which are scheduled or being planned, both locally and nationally.

Other possible venues are also being explored in case an agreement cannot be reached. These other venues might also be used for other Tea Party events.

(Posted by permission of Gail)

Memorial Day in Boerne

Joni sent me this. Not a bad idea!

(Posted by Robin with the permission of Gail)

Support our troops! Show Congress our fallen heroes, and our current military members, are our true National Treasure.

Time: May 25, 2009 from 11am to 12pm
Location: Boerne Cemetery
Organized By: Chuck Allen

Event Description:
Please join us as we honor our fallen soldiers this Memorial Day. This year, make Memorial Day a special day - one in which you demonstrate to your children how very important our military has been to the survival of our liberties.

Hosted by the Boerne VFW, they look forward to seeing many citizens at this ceremony.

We've Got (hate) Mail!

Somebody decided to send me a postcard. Unsigned and no return address, of course!



On the back, was this message (click on it to enlarge; and yes, I removed my home address from the image):


Let me be clear here: I had barely heard of Glenn Beck before his name came up as a suggestion of someone we should approach as a speaker. Here's what actually happened, as best I can put it together:

Joni Schmidt, who put together the 1,200-strong Boerne Tax Day Tea Party, actually held the first Tea Party at the Alamo Plaza on February 27th. She organized it via Facebook. I heard about the rally afterward, found Joni and the Facebook group through a Google search, and joined Facebook to be a part of it. We realized not everyone is willing to sign up for Facebook and the movement needed a publicly available web site, so I created TheyThinkYouAreStupid.com.

Discussions progressed via email and Facebook, and on 17 March, Joni decided to handle Boerne and asked me to take over the San Antonio planning. We discovered the Alamo Plaza was reserved by the Fiesta Commission, so that was out. We first met in person at the Lighthouse Cafe's patio on 21 March. There were just six of us, and we wondered how we could manage to get a few hundred folks out for a protest. Eric Adam told us then that he was working on a video.

I posted the notes from the meeting on the web site and things began to happen. On Thursday, 26 March, Eric Adam got his now famous video posted on the 9/12 Project website. The next day, 27 March, Glenn Beck played Eric's video on his Fox News show and commented on wanting to be at the Alamo. That Sunday, members of the newly-formed Executive committee (about 14 people) met with two folks from the Texas 9/12 project, then went to the publicly advertised organizational meeting. We were meeting at the patio of a restaurant that was closed on Sunday and what a surprise we got. Over 120 people showed up, from all walks of life! We spent the next week trying to get a good venue and even reserved a park. One man, Matt Perdue, just walked in to ask the Fiesta Commission for permission to use Alamo Plaza. He says it took less than sixty seconds to get to “yes.” At about the same time, Glenn Beck surprised us by saying he was coming to do his show here and would be at our Tea Party.

THAT was the point at which we started coordinating with Fox News. (Yes, Glenn Beck eventually helped us. He sent the folks from Premiere Speakers Bureau to help us and then we paid for their expenses. Yes, he agreed to do the fund-raising luncheon for us and that was our biggest source of money--but all that money all came from the citizens of San Antonio (and wonderful people who came here from all over America!) who wanted to both hear Glenn and help us.)

That Sunday, we filled the 160-person capacity room at the Magic Time Machine. A week and a half after that, there were 20,000 people in front of the Alamo.

What help did Fox News provide? ZIP, ZERO, and NADA. They were adamant in not allowing us to use their resources. As Matt Perdue put it: "They wouldn't even let us use an extension cord!" They had their stage and we had ours. We let them use our stage and our jumbotrons. But when Glenn Beck's show was done, they packed up their equipment. That's when we discovered the people between our stage and the Alamo couldn't hear very well. They'd been listening to the Fox News audio system all day and ours didn't cover that area.

We cannot help it that Fox News decided to bill four of the Tax Day Tea Parties as "FNC Tax Day Tea Parties." This was the first I've heard of it.

Now, to answer the question "How stupid do you think we are?" That depends. If you really believe that these Tea Parties were not a spontaneous outburst of anger by those who are horrified at the implications of bail outs by the Trillions, a budget deficit that's over four times the previous record, and the imminent doubling of a debt that's already at $11 Trillion, then you aren't stupid--YOU'RE NUTS! If you believe that these Tea Parties are a spontaneous thing but want to continue to accuse us of Astroturfing, then you're not at all stupid--you're just someone who puts his party before the country and shame on you! If you just don't care if these Tea Parties are a spontaneous thing, THEN you are stupid!

BUT -- If you believe that these Tea Parties are a spontaneous thing and you want to make a rational argument as to why you think we're wrong, then you aren't nuts and you aren't stupid--you we can talk with! By the way, you can save the 27-cents and contact us through the web site's "Contact Us!" page next time.

--
Robin Juhl
San Antonio Tea Party
Chairman
(Published by permission of Gail; updated on 4 May as was promised by Jeanette)

A Resignation

We have regretfully accepted the resignation of J. Scott Larson from the Executive Committee.

We are, however, overjoyed by the reason. He's running for congress! He tells us he's planning to run in Texas district 23 against Ciro Rodriguez. Since we are a non-partisan organization, he cannot serve as both a candidate and an Executive Committee member. (That, and there's the small matter of our "NO POLITICIANS!" rule. Hey, we turned down both the Rail Road Commissioner and the Governor!)

Speaking of partisanship: No, I don't know what party banner he will be running under. I don't care. It's more important that the right people be elected than what banner they run under. if you know someone with the right attitude--driven by a desire to serve, not a desire to advance themselves--please urge them to consider running, no matter their party.

(posted by Robin with the permission of Gail)