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Tea Party Talk: Racism, Palin, and the Hostile Takeover of the Republican Party

2010-07-20T04:42:00Z

Mayhill Fowler

journalist

Posted: July 19, 2010 08:22 AM

Sunday, July 18 was going to be wrap day for the Las Vegas Tea Party Convention, with speakers from Newt Gingrich to Sharron Angle, the Tea Party Express candidate who triumphed over a gaggle of Republicans for the privilege of taking on Nevada Senator Harry Reid in November. Instead, yesterday was excommunication day for the Tea Party Express and one of its leaders, Mark Williams, the guy who, among other things continuing this summer's run of social media implosions, posted on his blog an imaginary but all-too hateful and racist "letter" from "Coloreds" to Abraham Lincoln. (But then if you are reading HuffPost, you probably already know about that.) And so instead of gettin' down together in Vegas the the National Tea Party Federation expelled Mark Williams and Tea Party Express.

On Friday, Mark Skoda, one of the founders of the National Tea Party Federation, wrote on Facebook: "After reading the entirety of the [Williams] blog, I have come to the conclusion that a call for rebuke and removal is necessary. This is not the first time that Mark Williams has taken this approach. And while I can appreciate sarcasm, this "letter" is beyond the pale and reignites an issue that we were winning. I have already issued a press release from the Memphis TEA Party calling for his removal. As a leader he can either lead, or as an entertainer, entertain but he should not do both. This matter is too serious to let lie in such an incendiary environment."

Over the weekend, the federation held a conference call and decided to boot Williams and Tea Party Express.

Oh, the ironies here. First of all, this was to have been the weekend that showcased Sharron Angle for the Tea Party-at-large. But now it is difficult not to conclude that, as the Tea Party Express candidate, she has been crippled instead. In an email yesterday, Mark Skoda assured me, "I don't think this will hurt Angle, however, she won't want to associate herself with TPE after the controversy. At least that's what I would divine from the status of things. Reid has done a good job of beating her up while she has been raising money. This will be a race to watch!"

I agree with Mark Skoda that Angle v. Reid is prime time, but I am much less sanguine about her prospects now.

A further irony -- sort of a double twist -- is that the Tea Party was starting to become yesterday's news until last week in Kansas City when NAACP convention delegates, at play in the field of unintended consequences, gave the movement a boost with their resolution condemning the Tea Party for harboring "racist elements." A war of words spread as fast as a Kansas prairie fire. Mark Williams to the NAACP: You "make more money off of race than any slave trader, ever." Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), also to the NAACP: "All those who wore sheets a long time ago have now lifted them off and started wearing clothing with a name, say, I am part of the tea party."

Let me say straight off that I love Sheila Jackson Lee, although I do think that meeting her up close and personal is a requirement for appreciating her style, which is an acquired taste. I followed her around for a bit when she was campaigning for Hillary Clinton and learned to laugh off her larger flamboyances. Clearly, Mark Williams had not my advantage when he penned his penny-dreadful blog post. And now he and his TPE are pariahs.

But the larger Tea Party is back in the news. Even starchy George Will is defending the Teas against charges of racism. There was no need to gather in Las Vegas for renewed commitment, after all. And here's the irony. The Las Vegas convention was canceled because not enough people had signed up to go. Mark Skoda told me, "It's a long drive for a lot of people." I did not find that to be a completely satisfactory explanation. The hard slog for candidates had set in, and the sunshine patriots had fallen by the wayside. Among those who remained, who had the time or the money or the desire to trek to Las Vegas? So thank you, NAACP, for bringing us back together again, the Teas are saying.

Three weeks ago, I sat down in Memphis with Mark Skoda, who in addition to being a founder of the National Tea Party Federation is a local radio talk show host and multilingual businessman, to talk about a variety of tea party issues, including racism. Mark and I became acquainted last February when I convinced him in Nashville to grant me a press pass for the Tea Party Convention there. It did not take me (or any other reporter) long to figure out that Memphian Mark Skoda and not Nashville attorney Judson Phillips (the convention was his baby) was running things. Also, for a reasoned conversation about the Tea Party movement and politics, Mark is your guy. And so I sought him out for a second, longer conversation. Given Mark Skoda's role in the expulsion of Mark Williams and the Tea Party Express from the national federation, and given Skoda's comments to me about racism and the party, this is a timely moment to share some of that interview. Coincidentally, I began where the current NAACP Tea Party troubles began: in a disagreement over what happened when a few members of the Congressional Black Caucus walked through a Tea Party rally in Washington, D.C. last March:

Mark, if I understood some of your emails correctly, you were at the health care protest in D.C. at the end of March where John Lewis claims that he was dissed by Tea Partiers.

Yes, that's right. In fact I was one of the organizers of the Code Red Rally during the week and also took the town halls to Washington and of course joined in the major rally, which was held on the Capitol Steps--actually was there when they [members of the Congressional Black Caucus] sort of walked the walk--and observed that. Was a bit confounded by it, because clearly it was an attempt to create a situation. I had been to the National Capitol Building often times from the House; and obviously you always do that underground, with a high level of security. So there was a clear sense there that there was an attempt to create an event. Yeah.

So exactly what happened?

As you probably know, I'm also one of the co-founders of the National Tea Party Federation. And we actually did some investigation, along with BigGovernment.com. And Andrew Breitbart's organization produced a number of videos, which refute not only the allegations but call into question the veracity of the charges being made. Not by Congressman Lewis per se, although I think he was sort of used, in particular. We subsequently sent a letter to the Congressional Black Caucus calling for any evidentiary documents and or videos.

I saw that letter.

And what we got was, as the Christian Science Monitor reported and actually called the Congressional Black Caucus. What they found is not only were they [the Caucus] angered by the letter and their inability to produce any documentation but also they [the Monitor] began to question some of the videos. And as it subsequently came out, there was no evidence of any--

You mean the Christian Science Monitor questioned the veracity of the videos--

Correct. Yes. The videos of the charges. Because they also saw the videos, and it was also clear that there was at least two political staff who were actually filming during the entirety of that event, walking in line with Congressman Lewis actually. And so it was clear that it simply did not happen.

And they never released those videos that the staff made.

No. They did not.

We understood very clearly what was attempted there. And as was presented by a number of videos, on [the] BigGovernment site and other Breitbart sites in particular, which had been submitted not only by people who were there but [from] numerous angles and [with] very good audio and in one case high-def video--there was simply no indication of any altercations whatsoever. And particularly of any suggestion that anyone used the N-word.

So that brings me to racism in the Tea Party in general. I notice at the convention in Las Vegas there is going to be a session on how to deal with charges of racism.

You know I think -- I would tell you that there is an attempt -- I mean, after the Washington event there was a whole flurry of activity by various people including our own [TN] District 9 Congressman Steve Cohen to raise the racism charge, and to raise, quote unquote, the militia charge. But the racism charge is particularly problematic because there was no objective evidence of that, and I think there was an attempt, albeit now feebly, to project that. I think the truth of the matter is that when you look at what's happened, the only racial hate crime that's occurred was with SEIU representatives who beat a black conservative in the St. Louis rally that took place earlier this year.

So my sense right now is that, to be sure, there were voice mails that we heard and suggestions that, quote unquote, people made these allegations and used slanderous terms for various nationalities, ethnicities -- but I think the ability to associate those to the Tea Party people just wasn't obvious to me. One of the things we've done, and particularly in formation of the National Tea Party Federation, was specifically to require that for membership the various groups have to refute any racism and any acts of violence, any charges of birtherism and or truthers, because quite frankly this is a responsible, patriotic movement.

Can we eradicate anybody who has any feelings perhaps against a particular culture or ethnicity? No. But the truth of the matter is America is bound by its racial diversity and is also encumbered by that racial diversity, inasmuch as people's differences sometimes are inappropriately associated with various hate crimes and/or simply derogatory comments. Which frankly have no place in my view in the public dialogue. We have been very clear about this.

You bring up the birthers. And I notice that Joseph Farah's coming to Las Vegas.

That's right. And he's going to speak strictly on the issue of unity. I think Judson Phillips [organizer of the Nashville Tea Party convention] has done a good job in talking to him about that. We don't really want to have any discussions around the legitimacy of this birthright [sic], etc. Frankly it's irrelevant to the discussion. He's our President. I can find plenty to disagree with him on, on his administrative actions and his policies--

You're talking about President Obama.

That's correct. Which obviously -- look, one has to get beyond that at this point, to have a serious dialogue. There is so much to challenge in this administration's policies that we really don't need to go back to that question.

I was surprised that Joseph Farah is coming to the Tea Party Convention in Las Vegas, because I remember that you in particular were dismayed by his birther comments at the convention in Nashville.

Yeah. I made my voice known to Judson. He's actually a friend of Judson's, and Judson Phillips, who is the organizer, has made his point to Joseph Farah, as well. I think, practically speaking, you're going to hear a very reasoned dialogue from Joseph Farah.

Okay. We'll see how that works out.

Indeed.

So changing the topic a little bit, how do you square--there was a New York Times poll in April that got a huge amount of secondary press showing that members of the Tea Party are wealthier and more educated than average Americans.

It's interesting -- when you look at the Tea Party demographics 55% are women, and as we know there is a great deal of wealth in the female population of America. I think that the sort of cartoonish association of Tea Partiers as being old white males, Southern, illiterate--

Which you still read--

Which we still read, is simply untrue first of all. I think the obvious nature of the activism in such a short period of time speaks to, I think, the organizational skills of the Tea Party movement and the leadership and indeed the ability to embrace technology, to embrace organization, which are obviously skills that don't come out of lack of education, lack of intelligence. The reality is that the Tea Party is making a major change. We are seeing that in election after election -- not a hundred percent -- but as Reagan said, "If you are with me 80% of the time, I'm with you."

And I think that -- the experience I've had certainly -- is that there are people that are involved in this movement [who] came out of -- not what I call a disaffected population but a group of people who heretofore worked every day, paid their taxes, sent their kids to school, went to church and did it all over again the next week. And now they recognize that it's no longer sufficient to expect their legislative representatives to act on their behalf. In fact, they are antagonistic to them. So as a result, they are now in the streets, if you will, organized and making a difference on a local level, statewide and then nationally.

Why do you think in the press, even this week, you still read most Tea Party members are male?

Yeah, I think it's again, the narrative doesn't fit the reality. Right? And if you want to have an antagonistic approach, you cannot have it against women, right? It's the idea you don't hit a woman. And the reality is that the Tea Party movement is so overwhelmingly led by women, and so positioned as a majority by women that if they recognized that, then all these antagonistic and derogatory comments are essentially focused on those women. And it will in fact diminish their own credibility. They cannot admit the truth--this is the problem with so many liberal policies -- if you look at the facts, and the facts don't align with your narrative, then you simply ignore the facts. And -- look -- the Tea Party doesn't commission these studies -- we don't commission the fact that 13% of the Tea Party is Democratic, roughly 37% are independents, the rest are Republicans. That fact also doesn't get out in the news. And 55% of them are women doesn't get out in the news. And the fact that they're wealthier and smarter on average, more educated I should say, on average doesn't get out in the news, 'cause it doesn't fit with the narrative of the derogatory, dumb Southern hick mentality racist -- which is essential to their [liberals] ability to disparage the movement, and diminish its effectiveness -- which is obviously not happening because we're seeing too many successes. . . .

You mentioned "Reagan and the 80%." About the faithat the Tea Party is losing supportlures that the Tea Party has had, there has been a recent Washington Post poll showing .

That's a very cheap poll. Actually, I worked with Michael Leahy on analyzing that poll, and it was disproportionately Democrat sampling. I forget the exact number, but it was almost 60% Democrat sampling. So you had a skewing of the data once again, and the Washington Post, which has been no friend of the Tea Party I believe, was not clear about that skewing. I think, I've read other polls which still see a very strong support. I think what is happening, it will agree, is that those who are typically independent perhaps may see -- may see -- that the non-partisan nature of the Tea Party, which frankly is a conservative movement, is trending Republican largely because you're not going to vote for a third party. This is not a third party movement. So as that evidence becomes apparent, those who were perhaps left-of-center leaning may feel that way. But in general I think it is frankly a testament to the use of statistics, as I say, "figures lie and liars figure. . . ."

In a strange way that brings me around to another question. The relationship of Sarah Palin to the Tea Party movement.

It's interesting, I had a long interview with AP on this very issue. AP Alaska was talking to me, and I think that when we look at Sarah Palin, she's sorta been called the Queen of the Tea Party, I think that Sarah Palin is a good voice which resonates with the Tea Party. I don't think that she is a representative politician of the Tea Party. I think that at the end of the day she is a practical conservative. She's pragmatic. She has judiciously used her skills to endorse certain candidates --

Not all Tea Party candidates -- not in California, not in Texas --

That is correct. Which is perfectly fine. Again, I actually believe in democracy. A democratic republic. Therefore, 80% with me is with me. So I think that what she does -- the interesting thing about Sarah Palin now I think, with Haley, is that we're beginning to see some extraordinary conservative women. I mean Meg Whitman, of course. And Carly Fiorina. And Sharron Angle. And we're seeing these extraordinary conservative women -- what I'm excited about -- and quite frankly incensed that the MEN in our Senate and Congress have shown little to no leadership skills--save for perhaps a Jim DeMint. And yet these conservative women are coming forward, who are extraordinary, who are charismatic, who have their skills and their background. And interestingly, they are coming forward at a time when the Tea Party itself is maturing, in terms of its political clout, to a degree. And one almost sees that this 55% number that I spoke about earlier is being reflected in the general election demographic as well, because women are seeing the necessity to step up and to lead where they have gotten tired of men who have longed played the "old boy" game.

So I must say that's what I find encouraging. And Sarah Palin, to a large degree I believe, broke that barrier, and created that opportunity for conservative women to step forward. That's where I think she has been a true change agent in the political environment.

So you would say she had the moment, the charisma that, say, a longtime politico like Kay Bailey Hutchison didn't.

It was Grandma versus the girl next door. That's right. She is the next generation. I think, having been able to sit with her at the convention, --

Palin --

There was this great -- as I observed her -- there was this great sense of fragility in her demeanor. She is so, how do I want to say this, seems so vulnerable, but yet she is so very strong. And she has a spiritual element about her -- her conviction is evident -- and when she gets up, she is extraordinary in her absolute certainty about who and what she believes. And therefore, I think that, as we said, the moment of her selection, her having campaigned and what I think now is a continuing crafting of her skills which we're seeing, not as far as she needs to go, but she's got plenty of time if she wants to run for president. But she's crafting those skills and getting better at sort of addressing the issues. Her experience on a national level is improving. I think it's a very positive result. But that is why I believe it has opened the door for so many people to run in this particular cycle -- so many women I should say.

One of the things I thought was interesting at the Tea Party convention in Nashville was--I observed a nuanced relationship between the conventioneers who were there and Sarah Palin. So many of the conventioneers left before the night she appeared and spoke. Partly for financial reasons -- not everybody wanted to spend the money. But also when I interviewed people, not everybody who came to the convention and wanted to learn better ways of running their local tea party -- not all of them were huge Palin supporters.

I even pointed out to the AP interviewer, I said, you know, from my own view I would like to see Sarah Palin get into the secondary and the tertiary levels of discussion. She tends to run a risk of becoming too cliched. She's on these what I call "quick hits" -- whether it 's a pundit on Fox or her interviews. I would like to see her more on a "Meet the Press." I would like to see her get into those secondary and tertiary levels of discussion on policies, whether it's the Gulf oil spill, which she should have great insights into, given her relationship with the oil industry, and be able to discuss what was problematic. Not that Obama screwed up, but here is what I would have done had I been president. You know, those are the things I think that if she is to be a credible presidential candidate, she is not by any stretch of the imagination a lightweight intellectual, but she is in my opinion put in positions that do not allow her to generate the kind of, what I call, weighty analysis --

Gravitas--

Gravitas, yes. I think that's so important for the next president, because we are not going to trust hopey and changey things anymore. We're gonna ask for the bona fides. And you better be able to back it up.

Well, if you see Sarah Palin again, Mark, you can tell her that Jake Tapper wants her on his Sunday morning talk show. He tweeted her supporters to ask her to come be on. Just for that reason. . . .

But seriously at the end of the day, the Tea Party holds people like [TN Senator] Corker and [TN Governor] Alexander accountable for their actions. And so in that sense I think what we're saying is that the movement says, 'Look, Republican Party, we have no illusions about trying to create a third party. That is basically a stupid idea. On the other hand, we're not going to take over the Democratic Party because it's too ingrained in this liberalism. In fact, it's been co-opted by the Marxists, okay? And the far left progressives. So, if we look at the Republican Party, it is, as I referred to, the infrastructure and the associated power positions to help that and to support, to promote various candidates.

So you might as well do a hostile takeover of the Republican Party, by getting people into these seats. Utah did it. Where a large majority of the Utah Republican Party representatives are now Tea Party members. We are beginning to do that here in Tennessee. You are going to see more and more of that, where the Tea Party people are coming in to contend for these seats. So that we can vet candidates, support candidates that are more aligned with those three key goals that we have as a movement.

You can say I'm aligned with the Republicans. I agree. The Tea Party movement must be aligned with the party in order to win -- that's how you win elections. So are you gonna align with the Republicans or with the Democrats? Nothing over there in the Democrat Party that I embrace, so I'm gonna align with the Republicans. But it's gonna be aligned with responsible Republican leadership that actually insures it is responsive to the people which we have not seen thus far, on either side of the House, and the Senate. And it's gonna be aligned with core values: smaller government, less taxation, less spending, free markets.

When we see people like Corker and others, even Richard Shelby, trying to figure out compromise on this financial re-regulation, which we know is going to be detrimental. Which we see the kinds of efforts that are being undertaken with respect to accommodating through cap and trade as South Carolina Senator, um --

Lindsey Graham--

Lindsey Graham. I mean these people! Right now this party should not have been the "Party of No," it should have been the "Party of Hell, No!" In fact, pass nothing until after 2010 elections, and then let's see where we're at. Let's see what the ballots look like and then begin to work a compromise. Because today there is no compromise in the House and Senate. There is no compromise from the Left. This is the most partisan White House and administration ever. They do not include the Republicans in any form or fashion of governance. In that sense, you have to object to everything then, hold your ground, let the cavalry come in and then figure out what you have to have a more balanced compromise possible. Compromise takes both sides. Right now the Left sees this as their progressive nirvana. My view is it's build a firewall and hold them off. . . .

The truth of the matter is it wouldn't change my attitudes about what I'm trying to do. There's a conviction, I can make the case. I'm not going to attack you as a person. That was why I was so against the "birther" notion. I'm not attacking Obama as a human being. On my radio show, I'll do sarcastic commentary, you know, but that's sort of entertainment. But I will not attack him in terms of my role as a Tea Party leader. I will attack his policies, because I think they're wrong for America. And they are wrong because they increase debt. And they restrict my freedoms. Or they err, in my view at least up until the Supreme Court reviews [them as] constitutional. And I think things like abrogating bondholder and shareholder rights in the takeover of Chrysler and General Motors was problematic. . . .

We have to get people who listen and are willing to work to take the hard decisions. That's a challenge. That's a multi-election-cycle effort, to be sure. It's not gonna happen in 2010, or 2012. But we have to start. If we were to throw up our hands and say "reform is dead, walk away," then we would be foolish. . . .

It's this whole issue -- when I looked at how the Los Angeles school district was penalizing Arizona -- supposedly, right? I found it amusing because at the end of the day California gets so much of its energy from the state of Arizona. . . .

This is the problem whenever you try to balkanize relationships -- this is why I'm anti-boycott. You have to realize you have a pile of dollars, and they are not your dollars, federal and state government, they are our dollars. And I agree we have to pay a certain level of taxation because we are enabled by federal and state and local agencies to have good quality libraries and schools and public infrastructure and all. I don't disagree that those are things that are necessary and desirable. But I also believe when that is dealt with in a reasonable fashion, those same governmental agencies have to recognize "there is no more. . . ."

Just one final question. What would be a scenario where you think -- you talk about the need to get around balkanization -- a Tea Party group of leaders could come together and talk with a group of Daily Kos or MoveOn? Is that too pie in the sky?

I think that right now we're trying to fix the conservative movement, right? What I have found from my own experience is, when I was discussing things with the New York Times and several other more liberal papers -- one thing I was very clear about, and I felt I was treated very fairly in the interviews, the reflection of my comments in those interviews. One thing I didn't do was attack them or their institutions. I didn't have to, I didn't want to. I can disagree with you, but I can disagree graciously. And what I found was, in that opening, which I was very clear about in any interviews I took, is that people respected me for that -- I think. At least, were willing to have the dialogue. And reflect fairly my comments without making me to look like a cartoonish figure.

I believe that ultimately that is something that needs to happen. I think we are so polarized right now, it's going to have to happen later. It's going to have to happen under a different president. Because this president has very effectively balkanized this nation. Very effectively. In a way I don't think we've ever seen a more divisive figure. To go from what was "hope and change" with a lot of folks voting for him, 62 million folks voting for him, to where he stands today. Without having simply misled that group of people. And when you have imbued that level of emotion, and that level of expectation in an individual and that individual fails you, you -- I know a lot of people that were of that ilk -- they are hurt, they are unwilling to talk about it, they are unwilling to admit the problem. And until you get to that point, it is hard to have those dialogues. I would love to have a chance to talk, but just not right now. I think it would be good to have that dialogue -- not on the record, but to have that dialogue.

We talk about it here -- you and I had lunch in this city -- we have a very demographically bifurcated -- a very large African-American population here, and in South Memphis, and a very white population in the suburbs, although a number of suburbs like Cordova and Bartlett are not. It takes an effort to make those connections, to work together. It's something that we do on a local basis, that I do on a local basis. And so why wouldn't I want to do it on a political basis? But right now I have so much work to do in my quote unquote own party and the efforts I am undertaking, I don't know if I have enough energy or time for that today.

We are in a battle of hearts and minds, and I would like to say that the battle can be had in a way that is respectful but tough, very tough -- and we'll see how it turns out in 2010.

Three days after my talk with Mark Skoda, the Tea Party Convention in Las Vegas was officially canceled -- or rather, postponed until October. But I will be surprised if it takes place. For some reason, most of the media bought the official explanation that it was determined to be too hot in Las Vegas in July for a convention. (Tell that to Netroots Nation.) I have yet to figure this out.

The full interview will be online later today at mayhillfowler.com. Mark Skoda holds forth on Sarah Palin's future, Sharron Angle, Angela McGlowan's defeat in Mississippi, the Memphis races, Glenn Beck, California and (surprise) the need to raise the Social Security tax to the level of all earned income.

Follow Mayhill Fowler on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Mayhill

Sustainability of the Tea Party Movement

2010-05-02T16:15:00Z

Recently, Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania commented that the Tea Party movement was fizzling out. His premise was that the emotion rendered in the rallies and protests and town halls was now diminished. And as the economy improves, he further suggested, the movement would finally dissipate much as did the Ross Perot third party efforts in 1992 and 1996.

Interestingly, Rendell's comparisons and those of other pundits are out of step with the context of the current activism displayed by the Tea Party movement as well as other groups who have energized the conservative electorate. George Bush's lack of a use of the Presidential veto and the resulting increase in spending was problematic for most Americans. However, it was the election of Barack Obama and his "stomp on the pedal" spending upon taking office that became the Pearl Harbor moment for those same conservatives.

The reality is that the Tea Party movement is comprised of people who represent the deep convictions of American exceptionalism and is focused on fiscal responsibility, Constitutionally limited government and free markets. Unlike the "celebrity centric" third party effort of Perot, the entirety of the movement is now animated by what it sees as the government's antithetical actions to these core principles. Ideas always outlast personality, and the Tea Party movement is a set of principles, internalized by its activists. In this context, the movement is a reaction to a set of actions by its representatives that its members find objectionable. And unlike the Perot candidacy, the Tea Party members and the movement are connected through social networking, the internet, chat and through a self organizing approach to leadership that is far more powerful.

Evidence is beginning to develop that suggests the movement is maturing from the visceral rally orientation to an organized effort to influence local, state and national elections. As an example, the Republican Committee in the state of Utah is now run by a majority of Tea Party members. In other states, including Tennessee, more Tea Party members are running for these committee chairs at the local and state level. Essentially, this approach is allowing for the Tea Party to take over the levers of power of the Republican infrastructure rather than create a third party. Ultimately, this will begin to take place within the Democratic representative infrastructure as well. However, most Tea Party activists recognize that you don't try to create a new structure, you simple do a "hostile" takeover vis-a-vis the seating of people in these positions.

Recently the National Tea Party Federation was formed, which now has over seventy organizations aligned with nearly 500,000 members represented by their leadership. The National Tea Party Federation is focused on messaging and collaborating across its membership to push back on narratives that disparage the Tea Party movement as well as act to consolidate and synthesize ideas that the Federation will promote nationally, such as healthcare, Cap & Trade, budgeting, etc. Collaborating with the new media and the mainstream media, the NTPF has already launched an effort to call out the Congressional Black Caucus on Congressman Carson's allegations that racial epithets were shouted at the CBC during the D.C. "Code Red" rally. The federation is still waiting for a response.

The conjunction of a more ordered approach to media within the movement and the recognition that change takes place at the ballot box are forces that will sustain the movement beyond the early emotional energy that ignited that same movement. And in the end, the Tea Party "brand" will become a moniker to align like minded Americans, forty percent of which are independents and Democrats and fifty-five percent which are women. With such political demographics, we can begin to see that the aforementioned core principles, focusing on spending and liberty, are values that will not ebb.

The Tea Party movement has motivated and energized people to move off the couch and into the streets and our country's capitols in a way that is unprecedented in recent history. The people of this nation, who are largely represented by and in the movement, are unwilling to go back to sleep allowing a government to overreach and diminish the future for their children and grandchildren. The Tea Party movement is about the zeal for liberty and freedom that our Founder's represented in the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. Recalling the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 18, 1787, a Mrs. Powel anxiously awaited the results. As Benjamin Franklin emerged from the long task now finished, she asked him directly: "Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" "A republic if you can keep it" responded Franklin." The Tea Party movement is committed to keeping that republic!

The Nexus of the TEA Party Movement

2010-01-28T13:15:00Z

In recent weeks, I have watched as the "noise" related to the convention in Nashville has escalated. From criticisms about the cost of the convention to personal attacks on the organizers and the assumption that something is "rotten in Denmark". Actually, something was - Olympics and Climate Change . But I digress.

The criticisms and the perceived slights to the movement have often been amplified by the press and in particular, the left leaning publications. The blatant attempt to discredit a worthy effort cries out from the Democratic playbook - divide and conquer - while at the same time has enlisted an unlikely accomplice, TEA Party leadership itself. As a conservative, I am unconcerned with the commentary from the left and the blatant attempt to strip the legitimacy of the people who are attending. I can unequivocally state that over twenty-five people are coming from The Memphis TEA Party membership and I am pleased that they chose to do so after simply being invited to participate.

The fact that attendees are arriving from as far away as Hawaii and Trinidad speaks volumes about the desire to be involved and to have a professional and reasoned convention in a wonderful location with great learning and great speakers. In fact, it is likely that the volume will be turned ever higher by those in opposition to such a convention with the report by Zogby that Sarah Palin is now the leader in a field of Republican contenders for the Republican Primary with 22.2 percent and Governor Romney a close second at 19.4 percent.

In fact a recent comment to Newsmax by a Democratic pollster sums up the reality:

"It suggests to me that reports of her political death are exaggerated," political strategist and Democratic pollster Douglas Schoen tells Newsmax. "In American political life, politicians have not only second and third lives, they have nine lives. And Sarah Palin is on her third or fourth life."

Sarah Palin, upon accepting the invitation to speak, had not yet embarked on her book tour, her many interviews or took her position as a Fox News contributor. And she certainly hadn't been the leader in the 2012 primary in any poll. But to paraphrase Sarah Palin, if you're not the lead dog in the sled, the view doesn't change very much! In this context, I would suggest that the attendees are getting very good value for their money - they have bet on the her sled to come in first and it is now leading!

So as we are but one week out, we are now inundated with over 100 inquiries for press credentials, calls to let in liberal bloggers and news outlets and the criticism that the event should comp tickets, rooms and provide other venues to allow various participant accessibility. It would appear that the TEA Party and its association with Sarah Palin and other conservatives has piqued the interest of the national and international media. And at the same time, resulted in many of our TEA Party leaders merrily making their way to their convention to enjoy Nashville, the networking and the event itself. This sea change is a result of the continued populist and common sense message of Sarah Palin in conjunction with the desire of two local TEA Party leaders to hold a well organized and desirable convention. For that we can thank Sherry & Judson Phillips, who upon taking on this monumental effort, aspired to organize an event like no other in the TEA Party movement!

There are those who suggest that this isn't "grass roots" enough or that their "for profit" TEA Party Nation is somehow tainted by actually wanting to use the profit motive to extend the conservative movement. It is most amusing to hear people calling out that this capitalist idea, with its costs, expenses and fees to speakers, is somehow out of line with the TEA Party movement itself! Have we so embraced the socialism of the Obama administration that we can't celebrate the success of the movement when two entrepreneurial people create such an event? Are we so blinded by the curtain of lies and deceit that this administration, the MSM and the Democrat playbook espouses that we would not cheer for such actions? At the least, one should be glad that actual dollars are supporting a local business and its employees to the tune of nearly $600,000. Now that's real job creation and economic stimulus! And you don't even have to provide a tax subsidy or bailout!

But no is the answer. In fact, conservative, even "grass roots" conservatives, have always had the habit of "eating their own". Michael Steele can fly the RNC staff to a "meeting" in Hawaii, invite a leader of the new media to discuss the very nexus of the TEA Party and the RNC and then revoke this invitation upon finding out that a smart kid who is innocent until proven guilty, may have "tainted" his speech. I thought it was only the Democrats that trampled the Constitution. But we have indeed come to expect this from people who believe that they matter more than the movement. I can almost hear some of these purists spouting their theology - "We are the way the truth and the light and no one comes to the TEA Party except through us".

Indeed, I am proud to be associated with this event. I have no dog in the hunt and paid my $549 to attend. I am privileged to be able to train and speak about things that matter to organizing the movement. And in the end, while we may see commentary that is derogatory or derisive of the people and the organizers participating, this will be a great event with a great cast of "we the people". For those who would wither under the criticism, they weren't in the battle to begin with. But for those who steadfastly make their voices heard, they will indeed enjoy the nexus of the TEA Party movement in Nashville!

In closing, I recall the old adage, "no one marks the second time". It's always the first time we do anything that we cherish and this event apparently is now being pursued like it will be the first time for many!

The TEA Party Movement - "No Head, No Beheading"

2010-01-18T05:25:00Z

Recently, much has been written about the TEA party movement and its leadership. It would appear, based on the talking heads that so often comment, that they seek to find the titular leader of the TEA party movement. In fact, this has been problematic from the beginning. For the political establishment in particular, the lack of an evident leader in the TEA party movement has been one facet of this grass roots effort that has resulted in frustration. And in particular, to those who would attempt to dismantle it! No more has this been evident than in looking at the political ruling class and their commentary, which seemingly moved from the intellectual to the derogatory in a matter of moments, referring to the movement as "tea baggers", racists, rednecks or "birthers", et al. while the same time suggesting the illegitimacy of people who turn up to make their voices heard at town halls, local meetings and even Washington DC. This lack of clarity in the leadership of the movement is one element that is both a strength and sometimes a weakness.

Perhaps it is instructive to review the existence of Tea Party Nation and its founder, Judson Phillips. In crafting a rather interesting, important and certainly fun TEA party convention in Nashville, Phillips' only "crime" is that he had the audacity to actually invite Sarah Palin to such a meeting. And then to hold that meeting at a very fine facility, the Gaylord Hotel, in a city that's known for its music, it's fun and it's hospitality. But his crime was not the fact that he invited her or decided that he would indeed have 600 jovial TEA party leadership arrive in Nashville for such a convention and a big dinner; no his crime was that he actually decided to do this within and through his Tea Party Nation.

Tea Party Nation is nothing much more than a social website through which members can collaborate, share ideas, provide their views and post messages as well as events in their own location. It was indeed a vision of Judson and his wife, Sherry Phillips, that this Tea Party Nation site could be a way in which leadership would collaborate. The site itself is powered by common off-the-shelf software and indeed running the site is the key job of Tea Party Nation, its advisory board and the various volunteers who are contributing to that effort. However, Judson Phillips and his wife were also able to lead and develop the idea of a convention for TEA party leadership. With great speakers such as Michele Bachmann, Joseph Farah, Marsha Blackburn, Phil Valentine and others, and of course the keynote speech by Sarah Palin, the left went into apoplexy. And there were those, who in their attempt to find the individual who might be the "heir apparent", began disparaging Mr. Phillips and his family.

But they fail to understand the real power of this movement. Unlike Organizing for America, where the more than billion dollars raised by Mr. Barack Obama and his ilk have crafted a real Astroturf movement, the TEA party grew out of a frustration and a visceral reaction to the Obama "hope & change - bait & switch" rhetoric that he professed during his campaign. From the now famous Rick Santorelli "rant" on CNBC to the million and a half people that showed up in Washington DC, the movement has grown from the few to the many. And yet, in between all those moments, people who heretofore have never been involved in politics or grassroots movements or even in their government, suddenly became acutely aware of the liberties that they had so taken for granted and which now required fighting for!

It was this idea, formerly non-political people joining together for the very first time in their lives, that resulted in a massive and concerted effort to take back their government. They began to understand the nature of the Founding Fathers and the true passions of those "fifty-six" men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Many had not understood, in the context of the history of our own Revolutionary War and the lessons learned, that a significant few can influence extraordinary outcomes. They were angered by the results of elections, unconvinced by the spending of a nearly trillion dollar stimulus package, a $2.6 trillion budget, spending for healthcare, Cap & Trade and numerous other initiatives which burdened America and sullied the great liberties that we as a nation enjoy. We are indeed, as Americans, fiercely independent in our views and our lives. The actions of previous administrations and in particular, Obama, were sufficient to awaken the sleeping giant. In fact, I would argue, Barack Obama became the "Pearl Harbor" of the conservative movement. Regrettably, for people like James Carville who would suggest that there was to be a 40 year "rule" by the progressive left, found those same Democrats within the time it took to have a baby, on the other side of history!

But it is the TEA party movement itself and the lack of leadership that is not clearly understood by so many in the mainstream media and the left in particular. They seek to find that individual or organization, whether it's FreedomWorks and the likes of Dick Armey, or perhaps Eric Odom and the TEA Party Express or other groups such as Tea Party Nation, that would represent the coalition in a way that constitutes a clear leadership position and head. However, I would argue that this indeed is not required of all grassroots movements. In fact, the TEA party movement itself is about individuals organizing at the community level, something that the left and in particular this administration should have understood, as it has prided itself on its own community organizing skills. It is a most instructive element of the TEA party movement that we simply have co-opted the tactics that were effectively deployed so often by the left. And at the same time, the TEA party movement has assembled real passion, real effort, caring for their community, love of their family and defense of their liberty. Not all moments in a grassroots movement are perfectly executed and in particular we will find a few weeds amongst the strong turf. However, in reviewing a number of the hit pieces that have been shared throughout the blogosphere while railing against Tea Party Nation and its leader Judson Phillips, one gets a sense that some commentary is beyond the pale. Such indignation should be met with a bit of skepticism for it was Judson Phillips who simply had the boldness to ask a woman, indeed a former governor, as to whether she would come and speak!

And in that one act, there has evolved a firestorm of criticism, jealousy and rage. However, it has also resulted in another effect that we see before us now. The TEA party movement is becoming a force to be reckoned with and, in my opinion, something akin to the evangelistic movements of years gone by. It is as much about people coming together with differing views, forming and dissolving, developing extraordinary efforts to impact their local government, support candidates, recruit people into primaries and general elections. And of course oppose, with their greatest energy, this administration's march to the left! And in that sense, the TEA party movement in particular, needs no titular head; it needs no individual leader. Instead, it acts more like our Founding Fathers did in the Revolutionary War where only twelve percent of the Colonialists actually fought against the British while nearly twenty percent remained Loyalists. The rest were at home watching "Dancing with Stars", well maybe not, as TV wasn't actually invented then! However, a massive war of Independence was fought on the basis of a significant few with the support of the general population. They saw fit to attack those elements of the Crown that restricted their own desire for liberty and freedom and they were successful. They fought a different type of battle against the Redcoats. It was the first use of guerrilla warfare, hiding from behind trees, taking their tactics from their colonizing experience and taking their shots accordingly. And in the end, they defeated the British, subsequently earning the right to create the United States of America.

Today we see a similar revolution, a peaceful revolution. The TEA party people, having endured name-calling and pejoratives lobbed at them by the left and its leaders, are fighting back in the blogosphere, at the voting booth and in the street. It is not lost on this author that the course of the contest in Massachusetts, where perhaps on Tuesday the balance of power will be changed by the win of Republican Scott Brown, is akin to the "the shot heard 'round the world" of Concord fame. To be sure this movement is real. It is not, as Nancy Pelosi and others have suggested, Astroturf. It is not coordinated by the Republican Party. Indeed the Republican Party would have preferred to be seen as so smart and capable that it had maneuvered such a movement to do its bidding! However, that is not the case and one is lead to contrast this movement to Organizing for America, MoveOn.org and other far leftist organizations. They remind me of the character, Scar in the animated movie Lion King, where when he could no longer have the lionesses hunt and the green grass was gone and left with nothing but barbs, his minions attacked the false leader.

In the end, the TEA party movement's approach to leadership is different, it is localized, it is effective, it's quick to react and in fact prides itself on the looseness of those local organizations. And yet it learns the skills necessary to collaborate, to use technology effectively and resources skillfully, to consider and embrace the common view of the movement's first principles of smaller government, fiscal responsibility, less spending and greater liberty. It is, inherently perhaps, these principles that effectively operationalize that same movement. I am reminded of the theory of self organizing systems and how appropriate this view of the TEA party movement is in describing the power and effectiveness of people's actions. The self organizing nature of systems and in particular communities and societies is so evident that the TEA party movement itself, without knowing these basic tenets, has been able to achieve something that the political parties have not yet fully grasped. It is, in a sense, the proof point of the theory. And as such, without a central leader or leadership structure, the left cannot strike the movement directly. They may torment the individual as they attempt to tear down people like Judson Phillips, who themselves are simple battalion commanders. But the movement does not need the generals to direct the grand strategy or direct its operations. Its very nature is local, its very existence is built upon these small cells, organizing, developing and carrying out actions individually but mindful of the first principles of the movement. A movement like the TEA party has no head. And where this is no head, there can be no beheading!

Contrast that to the "hope and change" crowd who place the entirety of their emotional, intellectual and political expectations in the man, Barack Obama. A man who had never exposed his background, who had hidden with great effort all of the things that he was heretofore except that which he preferred them to know. And as he lurched to the left, attempting to take the country by force, while at the same time deal with the vagaries of the world in his progressive fashion, he has failed with his constituents. He has indeed, as the leader of that very same liberal and progressive movement, simply let them down. And now the "hyenas" have turned and attacked!

I believe that this is why the TEA party movement will be sustained. Over time, it will likely become more sophisticated in tactics and the use of power. But the groups making up this community, organizers in the TEA party movement itself and those local leaders who stand before their members, are bound together by love of liberty. They ignore the name-calling and pejoratives, they refuse to accept defeat or be defined by the mainstream media's definitions and are therefore undeterred. They have awakened to the realities of the limitations of their government and the fallacy of reliance upon that government for those unalienable rights ordained by our Creator. They are the true patriots, that activist minority who are willing to fight in the revolution and they will overcome the "loyalists". To be sure, those dispirited progressives will rejoin in an attempt to overcome that very movement once more. But the passion and the truth of their conservatism will sustain them through the fight. And for the remainder of those who indeed are watching "Dancing with Stars" during this revolution; they will finally delight in the success of these revolutionaries and in the success of the elections to come. And most of all, the country will embrace the accountability of those who are given the right to govern by these same patriots. For the fundamental difference in the TEA party movement above all else is the expectation that the first principles will be embraced by those who would govern from our cities, our states and nationally. And they will stand as guardians, never to allow our liberties to be trampled again.

You may indeed call out this movement in terms which are derogatory, diminishing, dismissive; but you cannot win a Revolutionary war by doing so! Our founders understood the great power of people and the great power of ideas. The left subsumes all of its power and all of its efforts from men like Barack Obama and George Soros. The conservative has placed his faith in God as did our Founders. And while this may seem quaint to some, it is indeed something understood by conservatives, in fact most conservatives. Unalienable truth needs no head and therefore there can be no beheading! TEA party on!

The TEA Party Movement & Republicans - "Getting To Know You"

2010-01-07T20:39:00Z

We've seen much discussion around the relationship of the TEA Party movement to the Republican party. Some of the so-called pundits have suggested that the TEA Party movement embrace the creation of a third party. Others have stated that a rift exists between the party faithful and the TEA Party activists. And still others, journalist David Brooks, have stated that the TEA Party movement is anti-intellectual!

I have refrained from weighing in on this dialogue but felt that comment could add value at this time. There is clearly a difference of opinions within the various TEA Party organizations. I have personally taken the view that there are few to no conservatives legislators who are also Democrats and who will vote for conservative principles when they are faced with the arm twisting and bribes that are presented to them by their leadership. I am unconvinced by the current argument that the TEA Party should ever approach the DNC for any reason. And while I laud the antiseptic and non-partisan approach of many of our leaders and their membership, the localized approach to politics and leadership allows for differences of opinion.

In this light, arguing the finer points amongst each other seems to me to be an exercise in “mental masturbation”. If you are convinced that associating in any way with the Republican party pollutes your local strategy, then don’t! However, to suggest that the Republican party is somehow a problematic relationship is just nonsense. I don’t know which elections can be won without supporting one of the two parties that contend. And as I do believe that the DNC platform is antagonistic to all things conservative, I have to place my bet with the RNC. Now this is not to say that the party is correctly approaching our movement, the electorate or governing in a way that amplifies the conservative message. To the contrary, the party has sorely disappointed many of us in their expansion of government and excessive spending. Indeed , they often appear just like the “Apple Dumpling Gang” in their governance and representation of their constituents.

But, I also believe, based on an objective review of voter turnout statistics, that those same constituents have been remiss in carrying out their most basic duty as citizens – voting. We recently supported our preferred candidates in a special election here in Memphis. With over 151,000 eligible registered voters , just over 10,000 actually voted. The complaints of the electorate ring hollow when we see voting rates on a local basis approaching 10% participation in many races and just over 50% in national races. With this as the background context, I have to ask the question why would we not welcome any discussion with the party that “professes” to be conservative and whose official platform expresses the principles of the TEA Party movement. We must animate those self identified conservatives to take a decision first to vote and to vote for a party that is “reformed” and reflects those same first principles. In this effort, our priority should be to establish these TEA Party distinctives and negotiate our desired outcome. And where those negotiations or responses fail, we need to progress our agenda in any appropriate and responsible way to achieve those same objectives.

However, we should always think about winning elections, changing the makeup of the legislative leadership and holding them accountable throughout their political careers. In this way, the TEA Party movement can morph and adapt to the realities on the ground and respond to our local aspirations while keeping an eye on the national stage. With the exception of those of you who live in Tennessee, influencing our elections at best is limited to phone banking or GOTV by supplying people to local party activities. Any strategy must incorporate the tactics and operational execution required to achieve results. This of course also requires what I refer to as the “necessary and sufficient” capacity to serve. That is, the organization, the single mindedness to focus on outcomes and the energy, skills and execution to achieve the strategy.

And while I applaud the openness of this dialogue, Michael Steele isn’t the enemy or some foreign dignitary, he is a key leader in the RNC who has the control of the apparatus that supports the conservative party in the US, the Republicans. For my part, I welcome associations with the RNC, the NRCC, the NRSC as well as local party affiliations, clubs and relationships. I do this so as to engender cooperation and increase influence for the TEA Party and to act as a change agent within the party at my local community level. And in the process, the Memphis TEA Party gains power to change minds, advance ideas, influence candidates and win elections. This approach may not be appropriate for a given organization, but it is the approach we have taken here and one which is beginning to pay dividends.

The idea of being co-opted by the RNC or by the local Republican leadership is only problematic when TEA Party leadership is uncertain of its own strategic objectives. This is why mission, objectives and tactics become so important to achieving our mutual success and ultimately taking back our country. It is also necessary to retain the mantle of legitimacy and the high favorability rating that we now enjoy! Therefore, we should strive to support each other in our communications and through our actions lest we risk diluting that very same good will. And in that same vein, we must ask, “who would benefit from my commentary outside of the TEA Party movement”.

In the end, you may disagree and even oppose my reasoning, but I welcome your views. And most of all, I encourage you to reflect on your objectives in context of your own local movement and energy!

God bless America!

All The President's History - "Release The Birth Documents"

2009-12-10T16:15:00Z

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

By: Michael Johns

Contact Michael at Email: michaeldjohns@gmail.com

One of the most constructive developments of the past eight months is that tens of millions of Americans appear to be reawakening to the critical importance and relevance of the U.S. Constitution. The brazen growth of the federal government, which now controls sizable portions of the economy (automobiles, banks, health care, mortgages and other industry segments), violates the tenets of free market capitalism, the system that has been the foundation of our nation's globally unprecedented growth and prosperity. But this debate is not merely a policy one. Increasingly, as millions of Americans associated with the burgeoning Tea Party and 912 Project movements are demonstrating, the debate is about whether such expansions of federal powers are even Constitutionally permissible.

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the dangerous disregard for our nation's founding legal document began. It certainly predates this administration. But the culture upon which it rests might be best exemplified in the apparent Congressional and media group think that our 44th President holds no obligation to respond to questions about his Constitutional eligibility, under Article II, Section I of the Constitution, to hold the office to which he ran and was elected. This Constitutional provision states unequivocally that no person except a natural born citizen shall be eligible to the Office of President.

Is Barack Obama a natural born citizen of the United States? Probably. But because Obama is going to great lengths to conceal the documents that would settle this issue definitively, it is impossible to say for sure. Since October 2008, Obama has spent in excess of $1.35 million in legal fees to file protective and privacy motions in at least eight federal lawsuits to avoid releasing the documents--his mother's hospital admission record, his Hawaii certificate of live birth, his educational records during his four years of residence in Indonesia, his Indonesian citizen status at that time and the time of his subsequent reentry to the U.S., and his college and law school admission records--that likely would definitively establish his Constitutional eligibility. Congress, the media, and even many Obama opponents, meanwhile, have failed to exert any pressure on him to halt his pro-active legal measures to avoid disclosure of these documents.

Quite obviously, the question of a President's Constitutional eligibility is serious business. It was serious business when, in February 2008, The New York Times called into question Senator John McCain's eligibility for the office because McCain was born on an American Naval base in the Panama Canal Zone, which was then under U.S. control. "It is certainly not a frivolous issue," The Times quoted Atlanta attorney Jill Pryor as saying at the time. The questions also were serious enough for the U.S. Senate to investigate them, with the Senate ultimately concluding in a unanimous vote that the U.S. administration of the Panama Canal Zone at that time meant that McCain was indeed a natural born citizen and eligible for the Presidency.

Whatever these records might reveal, Obama's extensive, year-long efforts to conceal them are now inexplicable, inexcusable and harmful to the nation. There is no innocuous explanation for his extensive efforts to conceal them, especially since their release is easily authorized and would settle the controversy, permitting the nation to move on with full confidence in his Constitutional eligibility and the Constitutional foundations of our nation in 2009. But Obama has refused to do this and, as a result, a frightening and growing number of Americans now understandably ask the question: What exactly is he hiding?

Let me stipulate that, despite following this issue for a year, I am utterly unable to answer that question. But logic dictates that one would not expend in excess of a million dollars in legal fees, as Obama has done, knowing that the only likely result is that a certain percentage of the American people will view such efforts as non-transparent, or even malfeasant. Conversely, it also is wrong to conclude, in the absence of these documents, that Obama has necessarily misrepresented anything about his birth location or Constitutional eligibility, as some critics of Obama's concealment of these documents continue to do. Under pressure to settle the issue during his Presidential candidacy, the Obama campaign ultimately produced a Certification of Live Birth in 2007, but that document, skeptics argue, is manufactured by the state and is not an unequivocal authentication of his birth location.

The most important point is this: No national interest is served by permitting these important questions to linger and persist. To settle them, Obama should cease blocking release of the documents sought by the plaintiffs in the various federal cases over his eligibility. And going forward, it seems reasonable to insist that our nation's Federal Election Commission (FEC), which is charged with regulatory oversight of Presidential elections, require Presidential candidates to submit, along with their candidacy filing, the documents that clearly establish their natural-born eligibility for the office. Americans' confidence in our Constitutionally-rooted democratic political system requires no less.

Elections Matter - "District 83 & The Memphis TEA Party PAC"

2009-12-03T18:23:00Z

The TEA Party movement began as a visceral response to the out of control spending in our nation’s Capitol. Rallies were held around the United States and people vented their frustrations in a peaceful demonstration of “we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore”. Signs were made, meeting and rallies were attended, “instant TEA” protests held and all culminated in the summer of discontent during the August recess of Congress.

However, while these rallies and events served to develop a sense of group outrage and a way in which the conservative values of millions of Americans could be demonstrated, the subsequent “what next” questions began to be asked.

It was clear that the MSM was not going to cover these events or even the movement. The over one million people who marched on Washington were ignored and even Obama stated that he didn’t know that a rally was going on as he jetted off to his healthcare rally in Minnesota. Up until this time, most people were content with their collective expression of anger and frustration. No matter that they were ignored! The political pundits believed that this too shall pass and given enough time, the TEA Party movement would collapse of its own emotional exhaustion.

However, early in the formation of The Memphis TEA Party, it was apparent to this author that the emotion engendered in these early activities needed to be met with a clear call to action if we were indeed going to make a difference in the body politic. To be sure, there were those in the movement who believed that the TEA Party had to be about keeping our “grass roots” orientation with no formal political affiliation. This fact resulted in some splintering of groups, even here in Memphis.

Nonetheless, our view was that in order for the TEA Party movement to be effective, it had to express the collective power of its membership in conjunction with the emotional energy that was being generated through rallies and other events. There were also calls to remain politically neutral to ensure that the movement wouldn’t be tainted by supporting one particular party or another. And while I agree with the notion of not becoming a subsidiary of the Republican Party, I also believe that, just like the old bank robber – you go where the money is, and that is where most of the conservative constituents and representatives reside.

In this context, The Memphis TEA Party recognized the need to create a PAC and so we formed The Memphis TEA Party PAC for purposes of developing candidates and supporting them through the primary election cycle through to their hoped for election to local, state and national offices. We launched a twice weekly radio show, Memphis TEA Party Live! For God & Country on the local AM station, KWAM990. In conjunction with this directed effort, we also began to formulate a strategy around the establishment of a Conservative Precinct Leadership organization that would be run by The Memphis TEA Party and therefore beholding not to any actual party organization. This overall approach would allow us to raise money, develop exploratory committees, recruit candidates and get out the vote during the election cycles. And while we would support various national efforts, such as the NY23 Congressional race with Hoffman, our focus would be on localism.

Our first efforts were to support a state representative candidate in his primary election here in TN for the TN District 83 special election. This position opened up after the incumbent, Brian Kelsey, decided to run for State Senator to replace the incumbent who had resigned in disgrace. Mark White, a solid conservative, small business owner who had always lived in the district and who I had the opportunity to meet through our TEA Party efforts, was contending against John Pellicciotti in the Republican primary.

In order to assist Mark, we had him on our radio show, Memphis TEA Party Live! For God & Country, to do morning and evening interviews, supported his fund raising activity and participated in his calling campaigns and GOTV initiatives. In the end, Mark won the primary by 300 votes and will contend for the general election on January 12, 2010 against the Democrat candidate. The district is heavily Republican and Mark should be able to win with the party and the TEA Party’s help. When asked about our involvement, Mark White stated, "It has been said that all politics is local. The strength of this nation has always been the individual in every community across our great country. The Tea Party Movement represents Grassroots politics at the local level. If we are ever to change the giant bureaucracy that Big government has given us it will be that "We The People" join together community by community and stand firm for the freedoms that our Constitution has given us."

Mark White is a perfect example of how the TEA Party movement can make a difference from the primary election cycle through to the general election and drive the change it seeks. To be sure, we do not believe that The Memphis TEA Party PAC was solely responsible for his election; however, we amplified his own campaign efforts and those of the Republican party throughout the primary cycle achieving our goal of electing Mark White.

So where do we go from here? First, we will help Mark White in the general election. Next, The Memphis TEA Party PAC has formed an exploratory committee to present a candidate to run in a largely Democratic, black district against the incumbent, Congressman Steve Cohen. We will be announcing her candidacy as we move along the vetting and exploratory process. And of course, we have the 2010 election cycle which includes our Shelby County mayoral race, the county commissioner races, sheriff and other elected positions that we will be engaged in helping candidates who reflect our conservative values and orientation towards fiscal responsibility and personal responsibility.

In the end, we believe that the TEA Party movement must focus itself on taking back the levers of power through candidate development, support and elections. There is no success in a third party movement. Our goal should be to establish PACs, collaborate across states, regions and nationally, but be focused on our own local elections to groom the future candidates for national office. The Memphis TEA Party is focused on bringing to bear the emotion, energy, ingenuity and conservative values of its membership in meeting the challenges of our nation and those who would represent us!