National Tea Party Convention Forum

[JoAnn Burritt]

Dear all,

JoAnn and I have been chosen by the Twin City Tea Party Patriots to represent them in the upcoming convention in Nashville, Tennessee on February 4-6, 2010. We are honored. We pray for inspiration.

The purpose of this forum is for you to give us ideas and questions to bring to the convention. We are looking for help from all the Southwest Mi. Tea Party group. We are rookies at this and need your council and direction. We will try to represent the group and bring back great ideas for advancing the cause.

Let us hear from you!

Harry and JoAnn

[R. George Dunn]

I am jealous. May it be the greatest experience.

1. Solidify the two planks Constitutional Conduct & FairTax

2. Unite all teaparty by gathering under the name Patriot with each State having the hash mark of PatriotMi, their State after Patriot. From hence forth be the teaparty movement be known as the Patriot Coalition.

3. Establish one website Nationally for posting , a communications Center.

4 Convention ask each State create a State Communications Center

5. stress getting Patriots on the Primary ballot, especially State AGs

6. Push this group for getting Republican Patriot delegates in every precinct in the nation and to go to State and National Conventions http://www.nationalprecinctalliance.org/thankyou.html

7. Have all candidates be vetted by Independence Caucus to measure who is the best or is a Patriot http://ourcaucus.com

Insist that any third party push be done only if the 2010 election provides evidence we ahve too. Better to retake this GOP Tent and hang a sign over the zentrance, which can be another feature fo the Convention:

"Entrance!
Constitution
Rules Here~
All are Welcome"

[Dennis Hollingsead]

I agree with the previous message on all points, especially the issue of starting a 3rd party. Do NOT do this! It will doom all efforts to true reform by splitting the parties. Historical evidence abounds that 3rd parties always fail and cannot even come close to controlling the outcome. By working within the existing party structures, we can be much more effective and hold each party accountable. The Patriot Coalition/Tea Party Movement is just that - a movement across all existing parties. We must continue to hold elected official's "feet to the fire" until they either get the message or have to "get out of the kitchen" as Truman used to say.

The most important thing I would say in addition is that a reasonable and measured plan needs to be made whereby congress MUST be made to be open and honest in the process of making and passing legislation.

1. Make EVERY Congressperson responsible to "We the People" by making them read into the public record on C-Span, the complete text of ALL earmarks added by them into any bill.

2. Make an on-line sign up viewable by "We the People", for ALL lobbyists stating the company or organization they represent, the Congressperson with whom they are meeting, and the length of the visit.

3. Other suggestions for "holding their feet to the fire"?

Desperate times call for desperate measures and "We the People" know for a certainty that the times are very desperate. "We the People" MUST take control of Congress and DEMAND that government expansion cease and actually retract in size and scope. The current percentage rate of government expansion, just like all the percentage increases in entitlement programs CANNOT be sustained.

Dennis Hollingsead

[Dave Smith]

George Dunn Hit the nail on the head. The Patriot/State designation is great for branding our fellow Patriots. And..Better to take over existing party positions where we can with Constitutional Patriots (GOP or Dem). Although I personally prefer the GOP we need to make room for Constitutional Patriot Democrats and where necessary be ready to push both parties out of the election when we can't get good people on the ballot. We have to recognize that some folks will need time to get over emotional biases at their own pace and spend time grilling candidates on the hard issues to see what they are made of.

Also, while I sympathize with the need for a 'fair tax' or "flat tax" or some other simplified tax. Let's solidify our existing Constitutional principles...like State Sovereignty, 2nd Amendment, etc. before pressing our favorite issues.

Thanks, for representing us Harry & JoAnn. God Bless.

[Rose Rook]

Have a central webb site for all Patriot's to go to , I agree with Dennis's recomendations 100%

[Marcy L. Jankovich]

I lived in Nashville for 10 years and how I wish I could join you! It is a fine town - and the State of Tennessee has NO income tax! I would suggest that you make a list of your core values and 3 top priorities before you go, then seek opportunities in keeping with your list. I personally would like to know more about state nullification of federal mandates (states rights issues) and organizational structures from the precinct level up. How to organize well yet not foster weariness with too many meetings & events...and to have a priority agreement. For me, the first priority should be STOP SPENDING....followed by BALANCE THE BUDGET and AUDIT THE FED. I am, for example, ardently pro-life and that used to be my top priority. I now know that in all of government we need to follow the money because without the money they cannot do their dastardly deeds. I am not mad at Wall Street for handing out big bonuses...I am mad at GOVERNMENT because if government had declined to bail out Wall Street the money would not BE THERE for those bonuses.

Please accept my best wishes for safe travels. The Opryland Hotel is spectacular. If you have some free time check out downtown. I think they still have those "Trolly tours" and they are worth taking. Not far from Opryland is the Hermitage...plantation of President Andrew Jackson and if you love history it is worth seeing (especially stuff about the banking industry. Think of the Federal Reserve Bank and then consider these quotes:

Andrew Jackson quotes:
The bold effort the present (central) bank had made to control the government ... are but premonitions of the fate that await the American people should they be deluded into a perpetuation of this institution or the establishment of another like it.
Andrew Jackson quotes:
I am one of those who do not believe that a national debt is a national blessing, but rather a curse to a republic; inasmuch as it is calculated to raise around the administration a moneyed aristocracy dangerous to the liberties of the country.

[Gene Clem]

The best one I have found is www.teapartypatriots.org.

Rose Rook said:

Have a central webb site for all Patriot's to go to , I agree with Dennis's recomendations 100%

[Gene Clem]

The event at the Fetzer Center on the 19th is all about state nullification.

Marcy L. Jankovich said:

I lived in Nashville for 10 years and how I wish I could join you! It is a fine town - and the State of Tennessee has NO income tax! I would suggest that you make a list of your core values and 3 top priorities before you go, then seek opportunities in keeping with your list. I personally would like to know more about state nullification of federal mandates (states rights issues) and organizational structures from the precinct level up. How to organize well yet not foster weariness with too many meetings & events...and to have a priority agreement. For me, the first priority should be STOP SPENDING....followed by BALANCE THE BUDGET and AUDIT THE FED. I am, for example, ardently pro-life and that used to be my top priority. I now know that in all of government we need to follow the money because without the money they cannot do their dastardly deeds. I am not mad at Wall Street for handing out big bonuses...I am mad at GOVERNMENT because if government had declined to bail out Wall Street the money would not BE THERE for those bonuses.

Please accept my best wishes for safe travels. The Opryland Hotel is spectacular. If you have some free time check out downtown. I think they still have those "Trolly tours" and they are worth taking. Not far from Opryland is the Hermitage...plantation of President Andrew Jackson and if you love history it is worth seeing (especially stuff about the banking industry. Think of the Federal Reserve Bank and then consider these quotes:

Andrew Jackson quotes:
The bold effort the present (central) bank had made to control the government ... are but premonitions of the fate that await the American people should they be deluded into a perpetuation of this institution or the establishment of another like it.
Andrew Jackson quotes:
I am one of those who do not believe that a national debt is a national blessing, but rather a curse to a republic; inasmuch as it is calculated to raise around the administration a moneyed aristocracy dangerous to the liberties of the country.

[Tim McCoy]

I am wondering if first and foremost, that we should work on sending a message to Washington. Work to oust currently poor performing incumbents in the House and Senate, and tell them, "Your Fired." Most, seem to have forgotten how they became employed into the government. I only wish that they would have to go through the flaming hoops of unemployment collection as we do. I would love to join one of the tea party conventions, however, since I am currently entangled in trying to keep my unemployment going, I am nearly broke. I hope new ideas that would help the unemployed will be one of the topics.

[Daniel Bradt]

Here's a copy of an email that I recently sent to the Heritage Foundation. Pretty much sums up my feelings:

I just joined your Heritage Foundation today and I have a question. There are a lot of groups popping up these days because of what's happening to our country. The entire problem as I see it is with our elected officials. They were elected by us to represent us. Instead they just run amuck, doing what they want, selling us down the river and breaking laws, which brings me to my point. Why don't we have a group that watches politicians, not just how they vote, but what they are doing? How they are abusing their power, taking bribes, abusing expense accounts, and just plain breaking the laws that they pass on us. How come when they break the law they are not arrested like we would be. Have we allowed them to put themselves above the law? Can you imagine how quickly things would change for the better if every time a politician broke the law they were arrested and lost their seat. First of all the Congress and Senate would be almost empty. Their seats could be filled by someone honest and they would probably stay that way knowing that they are being watched like their predecessors. How can we go about bringing these folks back down to earth and undoing some of the sweetheart deals that they have given to themselves, like their multi-million dollar retirements, giving us government health care while they get to keep their second none policies, ect. I know it took a long time to get to where we are today. We had some good years, we turned our backs, and the politicians took advantage of it. We all know what's going on in Washington, when are we going to step up to the plate and fix it instead of just watching and reporting on it. We need a group like the NRA, they have done the job to protect our gun rights because they put us all together in one national organization. I think we need the same thing to put these politicians back in their place. One huge national group with millions of like minded people all donating to the same cause. I know we could make some changes. We have got to do something soon or we are going to loose what's left of our freedom. Do you think something like this is possible or am I living in a make believe world?

[R. George Dunn]

Daniel, your letter to Heritage and heritage would be a great group to create such a coalition.

Your letter also reminded of another thought.

If Campaign finance is changed to make it so only registered voter can donate to campaigns, then no longer will policitans be representing lobbyists and money. They will again represent constituents. That needs to be added to my first list.

[Patricia A. Sidnam]

I would like to know why congress and even the President will not listen to us re: this healthcare issue and why they ave giving some a better deal then others, that is not right at all.

[Beth Griffin]

I'd just like to convey my concern for the national group meetings to work together- a splintered and divided tea party movement just lets the Dems win.