Dear Readers: I normally don’t comment on other Tea Party group activities or organizations, but there are many items arising today that drew my attention and called out for some remarks. It also gave me a wonderful excuse for another Star Trek/Original Series post! 🙂
My theme today will be based on one of my favorite episodes, the Enterprise Incident. In this story, Spock charms a lovely Romulan Commander to obtain the all-important “cloaking device.”
Some of you may of heard that there is a newly formed “Federation” of Tea Parties. Needless to say, I am not that impressed. I have always thought that citizens action entities functioned best as leaderless organizations. More details can be found HERE and HERE.
One of the most active organizers in the Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition, Sarah Bond, had this to say:
In my opinion, the new “Tea Party Federation” is just a power grab by the bullies and profiteers that keep trying to co-opt the movement from the legitimate, local grassroots organizers. I don’t believe a WORD they say about not creating a power structure…the major players in this have ALWAYS advocated for central structure…which local coordinators and TPP has always resisted. Be wary..
Dana Loesch, Co-Founder of the St. Louis Tea Party group that we have followed closely from San Diego, concurs:
We have elections we should be focusing on; we allow ourselves to become distracted by taking the bait and focusing our efforts on battling state-run media rhetoric. It doesn’t matter if there is a group, a leader, a whatever, the opposition will say what it’s going to say and it’s bad strategy to let them define the narrative. You validate by organizing strictly to combat that. The various sovereign tea party groups around the country have done a fantastic job so far of handling themselves and speaking for themselves. Every person in this movement is a leader, a founder. Take ownership and you work harder for it. The independence is the spirit of the awakening.
So, if I don’t join this “Federation” does that make me a Romulan?
I know many of my readers like the Tea Party Express, so I rarely comment on them on my blog. However, I have personally witnessed the domination, domineering, and authoritarian nature of the TPE leadership via their contemptible treatment of my compatriots at a grassroots event in Sacramento. It has been obvious to many of my friends that Tea Party Express is invested in making Tea Parties an extension of the GOP — and we have already heard threats that Ron Nehring, California Republican Party Chairman, indicate that he was ..and I am paraphrasing here.. “going to take over the Tea Party or destroy it.” More GOP/TPE background information is HERE.
I am a Democrat. I know many of my Tea Party friends are Republican, and that doesn’t bother me. The only thing I ever want a Tea Party group to do is to be honest in representing itself. That means, if your group truly believes the GOP is the “knight-in-shining-armor” that will save the country from the dragon of progressivism, then be candid in that fact AND where you plan to spend the monies obtained via donation.
Right now, a group of disaffected Tea Party Express organizers are creating a new website: TEA PARTY EXPRESS LIES. I encourage Tea Party activists to check in on it, if for no other reason than to be fully informed.
Today, I discovered that a hard-hearted individual has decided to target a personal hero of mine, and a true patriot, for a mini-smear campaign. I have had the pleasure of meeting Mark Meckler (national coordinator for Tea Party Patriots) and his lovely family in Sacramento. Mark has made every time, money, and energy sacrifice that a Californian could possibly make in getting sensible propositions on our ballot and information on toxic legislation out to fellow citizens. In my quest for information on an article, I came across this calumny: Tea Party Leader Was Involved With GOP-Tied Political Firm.
Mark Meckler: A Real Patriot!
Republicans are not the source of all evil. And, due to the small government/fiscal responsibility focus of the Tea Parties, many of them are active in these groups. Mark is no exception. As the Democratic co-founder of the Southern California Tax Revolt Coalition, I can attest to the fact Mark has been waging a valiant battle to prevent Nehring’s desired take-over of our Tea Party groups.
Again, let me stress — I am a TEA PARTY DEMOCRAT. Mark has been nothing but honorable AND non-partisan in his handling of Tea Party Patriots.
My fellow-co-founders also have this to add:
Dawn Wildman:
This is old news. I knew about Marks professional past over a year ago.; he hasn’t worked for these people in over a year.
I know Mark past professional history as an internet privacy attorney and I am comfortable in his place in this movement. He is always professional and respectful at every step and a huge asset of our team. Mark has sacrificed his personal income to become a leader in this movement at much financial cost to himself and his family.
Sarah Bond:
Mark has always been open about his time doing this…and as far as I know, it is part of why he won’t take a salary from TPP…to keep his motivations clean.
I would like to close this post with a quote from “The Enterprise Incident”, which I direct to TPE, Ron Nehring, and others who want to “take over” the Tea Party movement:
“The Enterprise takes no orders, except those of Captain Kirk, and we will stay right here until he returns. And if you make any attempt to board or commandeer the Enterprise, it will be blown to bits along with as many of you as we can take with us.”
And, the YouTube of this wonderful episode:
One last think: My compatriot Left Coast Rebel remarked he would like to see the Tea Party groups campaign to remove current national chairman, Michael Steele. I want LCR to note that Nehring is actively campaigning for that position, so I would really rather keep Steele there instead, thank-you. That is, if the GOP is inclined to take advice from a humble Democrat activist. 🙂
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MUT’s News and Views:
Hot Air: Surprise: Obama nominee for Office of Legal Counsel withdraws; Breaking: SCOTUS Justice Stevens to retire; Wipeout: Crist raises less than a third of Rubio’s total in March
Michelle Malkin: The Pfleger-ization of the Catholic Church; Farewell Friday trifecta: WH withdraws radical law prof Dawn Johnsen’s DOJ nomination; Snort: Huffpo writer moans about Left’s lack of “women of any wattage”
Gateway Pundit: Unreal. Barack Obama Snubs Czech & International Hero Vaclav Havel at Nuclear Summit; Sarah Palin Fires Back– BLASTS “Community Organizer” on His Nuclear Experience (Video)
HILLBUZZ: Question: Could a “Moms to the Rescue” ticket win in 2012?
Thank you for covering this Goddess!! I am slammed today and you said it all far better than I ever could.
Oooh as a Bab5/Firefly fan I never liked statist Star Trek anyway. I do not join federations!
I love it!
Right on.
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