Van Tea Party Looking Forward
by Stephanie Nalls - January 3, 2011
Fellow Patriots,
The Tea Party Movement in Action |
I find it hard to look forward to the new year without looking back on the old one. 2010 came in with a whisper rather than a bang as Tea Parties quietly strengthened our roots by grooming conservative candidates for the March primaries. Three weeks after those promising elections, I wore black to work, mourning the death of my country at the hands of Obamacare, yet another blow to us who believe in fiscal responsibility and limited government.
If the primaries weren't enough, Tea Party meetings all over the nation on Tax Day brought us back to the forefront, reminding our elected servants what we are all about. Unfortunately, they still didn't get the point and instead passed financial reform legislation in August, full of earmarks, governmental control, and everything else we oppose.
On the heels of Elena Kagan's ridiculous confirmation to the Supreme Court by the Senate in August, millions attended Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally on the National Mall in Washington that was horribly misrepresented by mainstream media. Only a month later, a massive PR campaign initially assisted by our own John Cornyn resulted in Alaska's Lisa Murkowski putting herself in the Senate race (and was subsequently victorious) in spite of having been voted down in primaries. Washington had heard our voice and blatantly ignored it, so we quietly continued building our arsenal.
As fall rolled in, the Republicans seemed to be getting nervous and responded with the "Pledge to America" in hopes of maintaining their coveted seats in Congress, but the People are no longer fooled by lip service and petty declarations. We demand action now, and we took our own on November 2nd, handing the Democrats a "shellacking" in both Texas and Washington. Our goals were finally being realized, but the work was not done.
In the lame duck session, we saw our servants still talking out of both sides of their mouths, extending Bush tax cuts, but not without $8 billion in earmarks and increased taxes on small businesses. The START treaty is nothing more than pandering to the rest of the world by reducing our ultimate leverage.
Only days from now, those Senators and Representatives we elected in November will take office, and our work will continue. We are not clockmakers, having created a small masterpiece then standing back to allow it to function properly without our interference. Rather, we are monitors of an old machine, constantly watching and repairing, making adjustments and downright overhauling the parts that need it.
In 2010, we finally began to see the changes we so desperately want and need, but it is still "only the beginning." In 2011, I encourage you to become an expert in two areas you are passionate about, and dedicate time every day to those to causes. Keep yourself informed and inform others, don't be afraid to speak your mind, especially when it goes against the standard way of thinking. What good is being passionate if you don't start a grassfire with it?
Stephanie Nalls
Van Tea Party Chairman
and Concerned Citizen
www.VanTeaParty.org
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