I feel that if a person isn’t part of the solution he or she is part of the problem . To be a part of the solution an American that cares will be in the tea party or another pro constitution group that is fighting politically to return America to her greatness and more important , to deserve it . What is an American ? An American loves his country , a constitutional republic , his fellow citizens included , but is intolerant of those that would destroy our republic as well as our heritage . You do not HAVE to be a Christian , but you must support our Christian heritage by respecting our moral standards , you must deserve freedom and to deserve freedom you have to be resposible for ALL your own actions . As with fire , you want the minimum amount it takes to keep you warm , government is that fire , it has to be kept as small as possible so that you control it and it doesn’trage out of control . But just as important you must remember how many have given their lives and limbs to earn it and keep it . There is NOTHING more expensive than freedom except slavery .

The Constitution is the lifeblood of the American Tea Party Patriot. They are the Son’s and Daughters of this Nation of Liberty and Grace, and the Law. They will defend it with their Last Breath, it is their Birthright.

The Tea Party Patriots have no doubt, it is not only their Birthright, it is their natural born Duty to Stand. Indivisible and United, for these ideas, on this battlefield, have already been won!

Without Liberty , Grace, and Equal Justice, our Republic shall forever suffocate beneath a nation of Men above law, and their Social Justice. We believe it is tyranny they have now bestowed on us, with the currently required redistribution of Wealth and Health. For their description, of the Welfare of all Men.

The history of the Progressive’s on both the Left and the Right is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these States. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

They have refused to abide to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. They have forbidden their governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance.

They have refused to enforce Federal laws for the protection and security of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish such enforcement in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

They have called together judicial bodies to litigate unusual petitions against States in the Republic distant from the depository of Federal jurisdiction, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with their measures.

They have dishonored the reputation of representatives of law enforcement repeatedly, for supposed invasions on the rights of the people.

They have refused for a long time to accept, in the present conflicts, as enemy combatants. Enemies that come from many nations, wear no uniforms, and use unconventional weapons, whereby giving them rights with powers, to make them incapable of annihilation, they have returned to terrorize the people at large for their exercise; the States remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

They have endeavored to encourage the illegal population of these states; and then obstructed the laws for naturalization of foreigners; by refusing to secure our borders, they encourage their illegal migration hither with promises of amnesty, only to be enslaved by having to work illegally in agriculture, and other labor intensive industries for wages so low they cannot breath freedom within the golden door, then to add injury, insult hard working Americans by claiming it is work they will not do.

They have obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing to enforce laws for establishing fair practices in elections, thus encouraging intimidation at voting places.

They have hired a multitude of new offices, Internal Revenue agents, various Health Care panels, Czars or Presidential advisers, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass or tax the people, and to decide what medical needs the Government thinks adequate, while forcing their participation, and thus eat out their substance.

They have combined with others to subject us to entitlements foreign to our constitution, while not required be subjected to them themselves.

For suspending our State legislatures and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

In every stage of these oppressions we will petition and protest for redress in the most humble terms: thus far our repeated petitions and protests have been answered only by repeated insults and injury. A President, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the President of a free people.

This is becoming long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object reveals a design to reduce us under absolute tyranny, it is every Americans right, it is their duty, to vote out such government, and to vote for new government for their future security.

And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

I, too, am the Tea Party. I have been with you since this first started. I am not able to spend as much time here now because I’ve been really involved. I became a Precinct Chairman because of ColdWarrior, I became the Chairman of the Republican Party in my county in NM, I am on the State Central Committee, and hope to be a delegate to the State Convention in March. I AM THE TEA PARTY!

The Tea Party is a large cross section of the demographics of the nation. The protest are civil and nonviolent unlike the OWS crowed supported by the liberal left wing groups calling them akin to the Tea Party.
Well lets put a stop to this comparison wright now. The Tea Party goes to a city and stay in hotels and other accommodations. They are organized by self esteem and a common message of nonviolent protest for constitutional rights. When the protest ends and the people leave their is no visible sign of them being their.
The Ows crowed live in tents in park spanning rat infestation, drug use and rape. Their protest are targeted against authority and many times through violence with property damage and policemen and law enforcement to have to baby set to control these actions. When the protest are over the trash and destruction are evidence of their presents..Nuff said.

Unfortunately it’s not just the main stream media that denigrates the Tea Party movement and its members. Criticism has come from moderate Republicans as well. It’s as though they feel a certain embarrassment at the thought of being associated with our movement, and even resentment. Most of us in the Tea Party movement are concerned with the broader constitutional issues that affect all of us, while the RINOS are more interested in preserving their own turf and power structure. It’s a not so subtle internecine struggle, and their resentment of us is palpable. They know they need us to get elected, but once in office they quickly disassociate themselves in favor of the elite power structure. We have no idea of the pressure brought to bear on some of these newly elected officials to go along to get along. They know they have to abandon many of the principles that are dear to us in order to survive politically once in office. Few are able to withstand the pressures. We, on the other hand, have to be careful not to demand impossible standards of behavior in trying to find the perfect conservative.candidate. It’s often said “follow the money,” and that’s what we’re seeing in this election cycle. The ‘money ‘ is on Romney and it’s sad to say that money can actually buy an election. But we’re a party of ideas if we’re anything. There have been so many ‘sellouts’ in favor of Romney to end the contest and consolidate. Again, unfortunately, there’s more going on beneath the surface, and one goal of the power structure is not just to get Romney elected but to destroy our movement, relegate us to obscurity, render us irrelevant and at the same time take out Newt, Rush, Mark Levin, et al. This is not paranoia; it’s been the opposition’s stated objectives. They’ve already done a great job on Sarah Palin. So my advice is not to get hung up on moral purity at this juncture, but leave that to an individual’s own conscience and vote for someone who has the courage, the convictions, the talent and the stamina to withstand nearly a billion dollars worth of lies and distortions that will be coming his way.. I saw Mitt Romney fold under the scrutiny of Fox’s own Bret Baier, calling him “unfair.” If Romney folds under Bret, and he’s nominated, then God help us, and America. I say let the vetting continue; we don’t need to crown Romney right now because there is no advantage to any of us. .

Great Article and also some very good comments!

Darla, if you wrote that piece about who and what is the Tea Party, I am impressed. Well said. Core principles unite. Fringe ideas divide.

Where was I? I was there!

the tea party WAS a grassroots group of citizen patriots who want limited government in our lives, fiscal responsibility in Washington, and free markets (as in interest rates)….but we cannot compete with politics as usual and the fact that money is power in politics. sadly, the original tea party organizers have had to beg for $ nonstop just to be heard. and they and we are drowned out by partisan big money.
I don’t know what the solution is…except maybe putting the dollar back on the gold standard. to force fiscal confines on everyone.

I am proud to be a part of this great movement! I have been since it started in Feb. of ’09. We have gathered together with many proud Americans who feel like we do. We are worried about the future of our country. We are concerned about the massive debt. What are we going to leave for our future generations? MASSIVE DEBT!!! Our liberty is being taken away by the minute. Our tea party tries to inform others on important issues that will and are effecting there lives. We go to school board meetings in an effort to reign in the spending there that is skyrocketing our property taxes. We try to get people involved in the election process by informing them about the candidates. We are just Americans worried about the direction of our country. We are tired of screaming at the TV! We are fighting back for our liberty! We have joined with other groups and we want to be a force for GOOD! We need to join TOGETHER!! It’s not about us, it’s about the GREATEST COUNTRY ON EARTH!! For those who want to transform us, well did the majority of Americans say they wanted to be transformed?? Evil forces are working to destroy our great country and we can’t let that happen. Many have got there heads in the sand thinking that it can’t happen. But IT CAN HAPPEN HERE!

I am the “Tea Party” and proud of it; thanks Darla. I am also with a proud member of the Patriot Action Network. I truly believe in my country but have little faith in a lot of our elected officials as they have forgotten about the constitution and their constituents. I will vote appropriately but wish we could mount a big drive to show we are not disappearing or languishing on the vine. We need the candidates to know we are just as viable now as we were in the 2008 elections. We need to make more noise and be more visible to our candidates and opponents.

I “borrowed” (The Washington euphemism for stole) the following from another blog. I thought it fitting to share among friends. .

Congress suffers from a terminal condition. “It is the politics of delusion.”

“Lavishly paid, well expensed, and deeply immersed in the trappings of imagined power, even when they grandstand to give the impression of heading in a worthy direction they still manage to demonstrate their ignorance of the situation they and their predecessors have dragged us into.”

Darla, we have been on the same page since before the beginning of this magnificent, historic movement. There are many millions of Traditional Americans who will not label themselves “Tea Partiers” because of the media painted stigmas on us. You recognize that fact by using a different name while being a major Tea Party voice. Two years ago we recognized this problem, which prevents our voice from being an entity with full volume.

We collected a group of strong conservatives, Tea Partiers, to begin offering a grassroots tool for the whole movement which we call The Traditional American Movement. We built a fully powered website on bootstrap nickels designed as a Common Ground, available to anyone or any group in the movement to use for free ranging talk and coordination.

We offer the site as a tool. No one can claim ownership of this movement because it is individual sovereign citizens who all protest being ruled by government, all singing the same song in our own key and with our own voice.

Let me offer our tool to all here. Cross link, promote your activities, use our interactive calendar, scheme and plan, coordinate actions, get out alerts. Please check us out and use our tools as you wish. http://www.forums.traditionalamericanmovement.com/portal.php

I can be contacted at fred@traditionalamericanmovement.com with questions and details.

I appreciate every American who is part of our movement. We are answering America’s call. Each of us has some effort to add. The time is now.

Fredbhouck (hoodoo)

In the beginning:

After the formation of the Nation by the coming together of the original 13 colonies to form the United States of America, various other ‘territories’ chose to coagulate into additional States in their own Right, and as equals to the original 13 States.

The new territory/States could not protect or defend their borders and any lands not held in Private ownership were held in Trust, and protected by, the federal government until such time as the States became strong enough to provide for their own defense against foreign aggression.

The original 13 States were not forced to cede any lands to the federal government as a condition of Statehood, nor should any State that formed and joined the United States as Sovereign States in their own Right and EQUAL TO the original 13 States.

Now, we have States with lands that are ‘claimed’ as “federal lands” fully contained within the borders of Sovereign States simply because the federal government failed to relinquish the “lands held in Trust” to the States in which they were located.

As it now stands, those States, and the Sovereigns/Citizens are held in contempt by the federal government on the pretense of “federal ownership” of lands not actually “OWNED”.

In nearly all the Western States huge percentages of land are denied to the States and the People.

It makes no difference which particular State in which you live, the following applies equally to all.

Each State with large percentages of ‘federal lands’ has a State Level ‘bureau of land management’ that controls and manages the lands using localized formulas and methods unique to each area of management.
While the federal bureaucracy DEMANDS that all lands are to be ‘managed’ according to a federal “BIBLE” that takes no local needs or circumstances into consideration. Grasslands, wetlands and desert are all equally mismanaged according to the dictates of a bureaucrat with zero knowledge of individual areas and the needs of the land.

Each State maintains a “forest Service” and manages forest lands in a manner that takes into account the needs of the lands in questions.
Meanwhile… the federal government maintains its policies of micromanaging from afar with no knowledge of the lands.

Each State maintains its own “Parks and Recreation” departments and manages the State Parks according to the needs and unique qualities of the Park Areas, as well as the Recreational aspects of each area.
Meanwhile, the federal government destroys, corrupts, and damages the Parks and Recreational areas under its control through blatant abuse of power and ignoring the needs and uniqueness of the areas.

Each State maintains its own Fish and Game department with due diligence and attention to the unique needs of each individual area of need.
The federal government throws its weight around trying to enforce unreasonable laws and regulations that were dreamed up by bureaucrats in Washington DC to justify their six figure income plus benefits..

Each State maintains its own EPA that watches over any ‘environmental damage’ that may occur within the borders of the State and ensure adherence to “LOCAL” environmental needs and dangers.
The federal government created a monster with no limits or controls that is ‘self supporting; inasmuch as the ‘fines’ they generate are used to further “Their own agenda” through regulatory terrorism even though the ‘violations’ are entirely located within the confines of the States Sovereign territory. The Constitution strictly forbids the federal government any power or authority within a State.

Each State maintains its own “Public School System” as does each individual county or city. Each school district knows, and understands the unique needs of their own areas, and the curriculum that should be taught to produce highly educated, intelligent young people that understand the real world and are equipped to enter society with full knowledge of what is needed from each to further the nation as a whole.
Washington DC maintains the theory that only the federal bureaucrats are capable of dictating what should, or should not be taught to OUR CHILDREN. (Does ANYBODY know of any school district that is actively engaged in “Interstate commerce?)

The same holds true for each federal government intrusion into the lives of the Sovereigns/Citizens of each State so affected by the overhanded abuse by the federal government.
(Refer to Amendment X of the Constitution)

It is the Duty and Responsibility of each State to protect and defend her Sovereigns/Citizens by ensuring that all residents and workers are there with the knowledge and consent (under the jurisdiction of) the State and local governments. Any illegal aliens found should be arrested and given permanent “Persona Non Grata” status and turned over to the federal government who is ultimately responsible for GUARDING THE NATIONS BORDERS.

It is time for each State legislature to pass laws that regain control of lands that RIGHTFULLY belong to the States and the People of those States.
It is time to claim our State’s rights by the return to the Constitution, Article 1, Section 3.

It is PAST time for the State legislatures to DEMAND “Enumerated Powers” authority for any and every federal law, regulation or rule before it can be implemented in any State.
Any federal edict that cannot be validated by the “Enumerated Powers” shall not be allowed to be in use or enforced in any State.

By passing bills, and having governors sign them into law, the ‘need’ for the federal bureaucracies diminish until there is no need for the duplication, resulting in a smaller, less expensive, federal government.

States 14 through, and including 50, deserve exactly the same  treatment as the original 13 – Very small percentages of ‘federal lands’ under the iron fist of an out of control federal government.

The ‘batf’, drug enforcement agency, depts of agriculture, labor, education, and the welfare alphabet agencies will become extinct unless they can PROVE “Enumerated Powers”, and/or “Over riding national security” in their own right.

No STATE will be forced to send money to Washington DC to be redistributed to other States for ‘feel good’ programs. All taxes collected for education, will be kept instate and used/spent in State.

Numerous Western States have vast tracts of lands designated as “Military Installations” and primarily used for weapons testing and proving, as well as Training facilities.

Since these areas are for defense and national security reasons, ALL other States will pay the State(s) in which those areas are located based on the States population. Ie: if a State has 15% of the total population of the nation, that State will pay 15% of the ‘leased lands’.

It’s a work in progress.
Drew Dickey
President, GJResultsTeaParty
Grand Junction, Colorado

Being a full time Tea Party Patriot, I have had the honor of know who were on those conference calls and learning how the real Tea Party movement was founded. I have been fighting those that wish to jump on the Tea Party movement, which results in muddying up how the legitimate Tea Party movement was created and organized. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to take to task those that believed that Ron Paul is the father of the TP movement. Some claiming the movement was officially started in Boston on Dec 16 (or maybe 17th) 2007. What they misunderstood was that Boston was celebrating the original Tea Party from the Revolution. Something they do regularly. However Paul has never created a TP organization and only travels to some of their chapter meeting in the hope of winning voters for his campaign. Let me say that again, Ron Paul is not one of the founders of the Tea Party movement.

In communicating with those were on those original conference calls in late 2008, and who later came up with the idea for an organized multi-city demonstration to take place on the same day. Even the founders were amazed by how many patriots across the nation felt like the same as the creators of the Tea Party Movement did. I do not believe any of those who were on those calls had any idea the movement would develop the way it has.

The other wish I would like to communicate is, that the founders of the Tea Party Movement created the movement because of TWO (2) main reasons. Those two reasons were…1. Governments out of control spending and its failure to halt this now huge threat to our nations security… and 2. The leftist socialist move to the left from our conservative right that the Republican Party Establishment and its ruling elite have done over the last couple decades and have failed to halt and reverse that trend.

The above two reasons are the reasons why the TP movement was founded.

For those who are active within the Tea Party movement, make sure to ask your fellow TEa Partiers about the above reasons, and if they say differently, tell them whoever told them is wrong and get the above reasons understood to all your fellow patriots.

We must educate the above if we wish to mobilized beyond the education phase and work to get the Tea Party candidates elected on a local, county, and state level, which will then result in getting the TEa Party candidates elected to Washington and begin the process of truly saving this nation from those ultra liberals whose goal is the destruction of our Constitution and the country as we know it was and should be.

Core Tea Party Principles:

1. Limited Government

2. Fiscal Responsibility

3. Constitutional Governance

4. Free Markets

I agree that these are the principles that the TP stands firmly upon ~ they are basically a litmus test for anyone seeking our vote –
Personally, in a candidate, I look at what they have been for the last 20+ years – what did they vote for? What did they compromise on? (In government – when a conservative “compromises” – it means we lost! ) Do they follow convictions or sway with the polls?
All this to say that I have been deeply saddened that so many that consider themselves aligned with the TP could support 3 of the 4 current candidates for the nomination. I firmly believe that wanting ANYONE but BHO, is the greatest mistake that we can make. History, substance and conservative convictions are what matter… 3 of the 4 are opposed to the 4 founding principles of the TP, which also happen to be the Founding Principles of our Nation… Think about it – there is a great deal of history available to see where they really stand (firmly)!!