A lot of discussion starting today is going to focus on what’s next for the Tea Party movement, both nationally and here in Nebraska.

Tom Becka of KFAB has been constantly referring to the Tea Parties as ‘political masterbation’ because he does not seem to think there is a goal for the parties. Thus, all we are doing is just venting our anger and not willing to do more.

We need to prove him wrong.

First and foremost, the http://nebraskateaparties.com will continue. As events are planned supporting the conservative cause in Nebraska and Iowa, please let me know. I will be putting up a contact form here shortly to communicate to me when events are happening so I can get them up and posted on this website. This includes things from the 9:12 Project, Minutemen, Nebraskan Advisory Group, Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom and other organizations.

Second, we have a mayoral race in three weeks between a liberal Obama supporter in Jim Suttle and Hal Daub. Even though you may not like his personality, or you may not like some of his politics, but Hal Daub is who needs to be supported in this two horse race.

Third, more nationwide events are planned. July 4th is the next major nationwide event. I hope the 9:12 Project and other organizations step up to the plate to improve on what we just saw on April 15th and join Don’t Go Movement, Top Conservatives on Twitter, Smart Girl Politics, and other national organizations that worked hard, including helping to send press releases to our own local press, and who set up groups such as netcot.ning.com and dontgo.ning.com.

Fourth, become more involved individually. Join Twitter, where much of the national planning took place. Listen to conservatives on Blog Talk Radio, including myself, who talk about the issues beyond just the major radio networks. As the ‘fairness doctrine’ comes into being, it is the Internet that will become the place to listen to the conservative voices such as Pajamas TV, the BCast, and the like.

Lastly, we need to look to 2010 and Ben Nelson. Senator Nelson attacked our tea party on the Lincoln television station website article. His statement was filled with lies about where the organization came from, and repeated the liberal lie that we were not upset at Bush. Nelson needs to be sent a very nice message that reads ‘Sit Down. You are no longer our Senator.’

One thing that those proposing more government waste can’t get a handle on is the appeal across party lines for things like We Surround Them and the Tea Parties.

Fiscal responsibility does not need to be ‘Left’ or ‘Right’, it is a moral imperative. It is populist in scope. If the spenders claim to be ‘progressive’, how is destroying the economy for our children and grandchildren anywhere close to being ‘progress’?

Whatever you may think of people like Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, or Joe the Plumber, they have been born out of this populist sentiment, what some call the center-right origins of our country, and all three appeal to those of us not sitting at cocktail parties in Washington DC on Wednesday nights. All three are attacked by those we can label as ‘country club’ politicians and pundits because they aren’t highbrow in origin or attitude. So, instead of attacking them on their substance, they are instead attacked on their style.

Well, for me, the country has been led by the country clubbers in Congress and in the Presidency for a number of years now, and look where we are. With the overreaching by the new President, and frustration at being locked into our party designation prior that caused us to not be vocal, the people have decided enough is enough.

I’m glad Glenn Beck is sponsoring the We Surround Them meeting today. I am glad organizations like the Dont Go Movement, Smart Girl Politics, Top Conservatives on Twitter, Michelle Malkin, and other groups are joining together to hold Tea Parties.

We will not be silent any longer.

–
David West
Northwest Regional Coordinator
#dontgo Movement/News Platoon

Newly elected chairman of the Republican Party, Michael Steele, tried to distance himself and the party from the speech of Rush Limbaugh’s at CPAC Saturday.

On Friday, few if any Congressmen took part in the various tea parties around the country. No Senators participated that I am aware of in the protests against Obama’s tax and spend policies.

 Of course, neither group nor the chairman of the RNC at the time (Mike Duncan) ever said a word about the wasteful spending underneath the Bush administration, either.

This is why the Republican party is in so much trouble, and why the three organizations planning the tea parties: Top Conservatives on Twitter, Smart Girl Politics, and DontGo Movement are poised to do the the Republicans like what MoveOn.org did to the Democrats. For a number of years, now, we fiscal conservatives have been blatantly ignored and taken for granted. As the tea parties have shown, taking us for granted is at the Republican party’s peril. 

For years, the Republicans have spent their way into a hole, and then the Democrats led by Obama, Pelosi, and Reid have decided to not only drill that hole deeper, but all the way through the world. Suddenly, the Republicans start talking about fiscal responsiblity. Yet, over 40% of the earmarks in the proposed boondoggle of a budget are Republican. You can’t have it both ways.

Over the next few years, Republicans as well as Democrats in power and allowing this garbage to happen are going to be forced to answer to a rising tide of opposition from the center-right fiscal conservatives. We may not be successful at first, but then neither was MoveOn. We don’t have millionaire backers like MoveOn has, but what we have is conviction and the moral high ground the Republican party sacrificed through the Bush administration.

We were told to shut up during the Bush administration, and some have told us to shut up this time.

That won’t happen ever again.