‘Tea’ protests flood America
Hundreds of anti-tax 'tea parties' have been held all over the US by protesters who think Obama's bank bailout and stimulus package are mortgaging the future for an easier present.
Pushed to the edge, and taxed to the max – on Wednesday April 15 financially-strapped US citizens borrowed a page from their colonial ancestors who, in 1773, in direct protest of the taxes imposed by the British government threw three shiploads of tea meant for Britain into Boston Harbor.
The modern-day tea parties raged throughout the country, with thousands of Americans simmering in anger.
The demonstrations, which attracted tens of thousands of people, didn't have the same rebellious power of their descendants protesting against the British prior to the American Revolution over two hundred years before. In addition, some of the protesters say that the word ‘tea’ should be better referred to as the acronym for ‘Taxed Enough Already’.
The demonstrators chiefly expressed anxiety over how the Americans’ money is being spent:
“We’re taxed more than once. We’re taxed on our income. We’re taxed on our property. We’re taxed on sales tax. There are too many taxes,” says former Teledata technician Dan Patton.
Now unemployed, Dan Patton joined the hundreds protesting at New Jersey’s state capital building. With the highest tax burden in the nation, Jersey residents accuse the government of stealing from the people and not representing them.
“It’s to wake up Americans before we don't have an America. America has been changing and we need to pull it back to what it should be,” says tax protester Patricia Tallarico.
Handing out constitutions, Patricia Tallarico says the Obama administration lacks transparency and puts constitutional laws at risk.
Regardless, amid the outrage, some entrepreneurs prevail. Sarcastic bumper stickers and t-shirts created by Eric Rosenberg are selling like hotcakes.
“The government is taxing us and running our business to the ground and I figure if you can't beat ‘em – join ‘em, and try to make some extra money on the side,” says Eric Rosenberg from weseethroughu.com.
Less than 100 days in office, President Obama is facing his greatest domestic crisis since coming to power.
“Somebody’s gotta tell the public this is what he said he was going to do, this is what he's actually doing. And this is not what we wanted. This is not the change we voted for,” says Amy Castela, Trenton tax day tea party organizer.
Protesters in New Jersey, New York and around the country are demanding that their government begins working for them. Washington, of course, hears these voices, but the question is: are the politicians actually listening?
