As I mentioned yesterday, several hundred people are planning to gather on the Diag tomorrow at 1:00 to voice their disapproval over Governor Rick Snyder being named U-M’s Spring commencement speaker. While it promises to be an exciting event, it now looks as though the real action tomorrow is going to be in Lansing, where preparations are presently underway for a big rally. We may not be as far along as our brothers and sisters in Wisconsin are, but the momentum is definitely building. This afternoon, over 1,000 seniors gathered on the steps of the Capitol to protest Snyder’s budget proposal, and, at this very moment, Democrats are attempting to take over the Capitol building. There’s no way of knowing how many will be in Lansing tomorrow, but, with Michael Moore offering free transportation, one hopes that it will be significant.
Here, for those of you who missed it, is Moore’s plea to his fellow Michiganders.
Friends and neighbors,
The call has gone out and I’m asking everyone who can to take Wednesday off and head to the State Capitol in Lansing to protest the cruel and downright frightening legislation currently being jammed down our throats.
What is most shocking to many is that the new governor, who ran against the Tea Party and defeated the right wing of his party in the primaries — and then ran in the general election as “just a nerd from Ann Arbor” who was a moderate, not an ideologue — has pulled off one of the biggest Jekyll and Hyde ruses I’ve ever seen in electoral politics.
Governor Snyder, once elected, yanked off his nice-guy mask to reveal that he is in fact a multi-millionaire hell-bent on destroying our state and turning it over to his buddies from Wall Street.
In just 8 short weeks he has:
* Gotten the House and Senate to pass bills giving him “Emergency Management” powers such as the ability to appoint a corporation or a CEO who could literally dissolve town governments or school boards, fire the elected officials, nullify any local law and run your local governmental entity. That company then would have the power to immediately declare all collective bargaining contracts null and void.
* Proposed giving business a whopping 86% tax cut while raising everyone’s personal taxes by 31%! And much of that tax hike he believes should be shouldered by — I kid you not — senior citizens and the poor! He says these two groups have not been “sharing the sacrifice” the rest of us have been burdened with. So his budget proposes a $1.8 billion tax CUT for business and a $1.75 billion tax INCREASE for the rest of us, much of it from the poor, seniors and working people — even though the top 1% in Michigan ALREADY pay a lower state tax rate than everyone else does!
* Together with the legislature, introduced over 40 anti-labor bills in just the first two months of this session! They have wasted no time and have caught most people off guard. Much of this is being rushed through right now before you have a chance to raise your voice in objection.
These actions are breathtaking when you realize they will drive our already battered state straight into the ground. What we needed right now was an inspiring leader to help us reinvent Michigan and to find creative ways to create new jobs and lift us out of our economic depression. The rest of the country may call what they’re experiencing the “Great Recession,” but few argue that Michigan is suffering a “one-state Depression.”
I know many of you are filled with a great sense of despair and a justifiable loss of hope these days in Michigan. But you must not let things get even worse. You must stand up against these Draconian measures and this outrageous attempt to rip our democratic rights from us by turning our state over to well-paid hacks from Wall Street and corporate America. They see our state as one big fire sale — and they are licking their chops to get their hands on what is still a state rich in natural resources and industrial infrastructure.
Please show up at noon on Wednesday for our first mega-rally against this insanity. Hundreds of groups are already organizing car pools and buses. You can right now just declare yourself an organizer and get your friends and neighbors committed to being in Lansing. If ever there were a day to call in sick, Wednesday is it (because this IS sick). Students, if ever there were a day to cut class and become a participant in your democracy, Wednesday is it. This event needs to be HUGE — and I believe it will be if you will simply be there and take a stand.
Much attention has been paid to Wisconsin in recent weeks. Well, they got nothing on what’s going on here in Michigan. Rick Snyder is Scott Walker on steroids. There’s never been what even the AARP calls “an all-out attack” like this on us. Trust me, you will rue the day you sat home and did nothing while thieves posing as politicians stole your Great Lakes State from you.
Don’t let it happen. Be at the capitol by noon on Wednesday for the largest demonstration the state has ever seen.
Go Spartans! Go Wolverines! Go Everyone Else In Between!
So far, it looks like busses will be leaving from Kalamazoo, Traverse City, Taylor, Flint, Grand Rapids, and a number of other cities. The Ann Arbor busses will be leaving from The Cube, at the corner of East Jefferson & Maynard, at 1:00. (The busses are scheduled to return by 7:30 PM.) If you would like a seat, RSVP to amandahcaldwe@gmail.com or call 734.904.6522. (For those of you outside the Ann Arbor area, follow the “Michael Moore” link above to find out more about busses leaving from your city.)
21 Comments
I’ve heard that the police were able to clear everyone out of the capitol last night. That didn’t stop people from staying outside though. A few made it through the night.
http://yfrog.com/gydp0edj
I’m not sure where this belongs, but I wanted to share this interesting news item from Ohio.
http://www.wdtn.com/dpp/news/politics/state_politics/kasich-forbids-broadcast-of-budget-announcement
Live footage of the protest, looks like a pretty good turnout
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mmflint
Is anyone from MM.com going? If so, could you post something about the rally?
The Free Press is saying that there are 100s in Lansing right now. Judging from the photo, though, I’d say it was close to 1,000. And the buses from Ann Arbor and elsewhere aren’t there yet.
http://www.freep.com/comments/article/20110316/NEWS15/110316015/Field-hundreds-gathers-rally-against-Gov-Rick-Snyder-s-budget
There were at least 20 on the diag today.
As of 6:15 p.m., TV news is reporting that the Michigan State Police are attempting to clear protesters from the Capitol Building. A small group is resisting has linked arms and is resisting — for now.
My understanding was that the Capitol Building was open to the public 24/7 every day except (I think) Christmas and New Year’s Day. I’d be curious to know what rationale is being used to remove peaceful citizens from the building.
Daily Kos: Snyder’s anti-union power grab is unconstitutional:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/16/957075/-Snyders-anti-union-power-grab-unconstitutional
So what does it mean to be a Tea Partier?
Well… Depending upon whom you ask you will probably receive a variety of answers from;
Patriots, Patriotic Americans, Conservative Constitutionalists, Defenders of Liberty and Freedom
To;
Racist Bigots, Angry White People, Right Wing Nutjobs, Fringe Right Wing Extremists, Radical Right Wingers, Anti Government Extremists, Hate Mongers, and let’s not forget the oh so famous “Astroturfer’s”. I’m sure that there are also those names that are only completed with the use of colorful metaphors to place added emphasis to the degrading sentiment of many
What I find so amazing and yet not at all surprising is the blatant effrontery through way of a calculated and concerted effort by the Elected Representatives of the several States aided the Main Stream Media in their actions, responses, and treatment of those who claim to be and are a part of the Tea Party Movement
Those who attend the Tea Party Rallies are simple exercising their God Given Constitutioanal Right to Freedom of Speech by making their grievances known openly and in public as it is guaranteed within the Constitution of the United States and yet, these supposed “Champions of Liberty and Non-Discrimination”, The Main Stream Media along with the Pious Demigod Professional Politicians work together hand-in-hand by caricaturizing so that they can demonize these Patriotic Americans and the Tea Party Movement. With calculated and purposeful intent they are trying to stifle the Free Speech of anyone who is in opposition to them and their agenda but why?
Well …. The truth for the reason of this onslaught is as plain and simple as the proverbial “Nose On Your Face”, it is there but it is hardly noticed. If you look at it, (your nose), you see a vague transparent image or outline like a shadowy image that seems to appear in the corner of your eye and when you look, nothing is there. Unless you cover one eye and look or if you push or pull it to one side or the other you don’t really notice your nose but its there, really it is and if you’re not sure you can go look in the mirror.
We never really notice or pay any attention to our nose unless it is in pain or discomfort from a physical injury, a cold, allergies or a sinus infection, so, in an analogical sense the Tea Party has caused pain and discomfort to the Political Party Machinery by shaking up and defying the “Status Quo” of the GOP and the DNC, we’ve hit them square on the nose and told them that we’ve had enough of their corruption, we’ve told them that we’re tired of the odor and foul stench of their rotten and decayed political practices of backroom, closed door secret meetings and they don’t like it.
We make them uncomfortable whenever we assemble in public and demonstrate and let them know that we are fed up with their status quo dictates and they know and realize that people are listening and waking up to the truth and so these establishment politicians and their crony enablers who hate and despise the truth that is being revealed must attack the enemies of their agenda. But it is not only the Tea Party Movement and the Tea Partiers themselves that they are attacking, they are attacking “The Message of the Tea Party” and all that it is comprised of, The Mode, The Source, and The Reason for The Message”. These deluded individuals are so self-centered and self-absorbed that they cannot see clearly enough to realize that it is “They Themselves” who have brought about the resurrection of the sentiments of the original Tea Party and given it new life
The Democrat and Republican Parties, The Media in general, Political Pundits and Analysts, Teachers and Professors, Actors and Actresses have all made attempts to explain, characterize, tag, and label the Tea Party Movement and its people even to the point of showing themselves to being overtly biased and hatefully slanderous as well as being degenrately condescending and malicious but I ask again, why? What is it that motivates them?
They are motivated by “Fear” and if this is the case then truth and logic dictate that there must be a source of, or for this fear. The source for this fear is again plain and simple and is as old as time itself, it is Power, Greed, and Control
Politicians and their respective parties on both sides of the aisle believe that they are “Entitled” to the places, positions, and status that they have risen to and attained thus they believe that they are of a privileged class and they feel threatened by any attempt to remove and take away their entitled position. (This was made evident by the reaction of the GOP during and after the primary elections when we said “NO” to their “Chosen Prince’s and Princesses” through the victories of Tea Party and Conservative Candidates that We The People chose). They have long since forgotten the meaning of their Oath’s Of Office and the fact that they are “Servants” of The People and not our lord and masters. They fear losing the Power, Control, and Wealth that they have found and partaken of while being in the Federal Government
The Main Stream Media believe that they are the sole owners of the airwaves and that this “Entitles” them to be considered “Prophets Of Truth, The Chosen Messengers” thus allowing them the sole privilege of being the disseminators of the words of truth and knowledge to the masses. They fear losing their Power and Control over the ability to blanket the earth with what they want people to see and hear on daily basis on a global scale
Political Pundits and Analysts, Teachers and Professors believe that their Educations, Degrees, Titles, and Doctorates have elevated them to the status of “The Perfected Embodiments Of Knowledge and Learning”, an enlightened class above question or reproach and that they alone are gifted with the Understanding, Ability, and Foresight to teach and educate the masses concerning the intricate workings of a complex global society and its political systems, philosophies, along with life itself. They fear losing the Power and Control that allows them to indoctrinate both young and old alike throughout the world
Yes fear, is the motivating factor. The fear of losing Power and Control, The fear of losing Status and Wealth, they fear the message of truth because it shines light upon their deception and so this fear stimulates them, it compels them, it drives them it provokes them to act in a manner that is irrational while bordering on insanity as well as being unscroupulous, and shameful to our Nation as a whole. But their actions in turn reveal their true character so in anger they lash out and work doggedly and intently to spread the same fear to others as they work hand-in-hand with each other.
Together they propagate their fears outward by telling the masses that they will lose; Welfare, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Housing, Prescription Drugs, Entitlements, College Tuition, Jobs, Food and anything else that will have the effect of creating and promoting “Terror” within the hearts and minds of the listener, all so that they can hold on to their power and they use these tactics to demonize and slander the Tea Party Movement
I cannot personally speak for anyone else as to what it means to be a Tea Partier nor would I attempt to because those of us who are part of this movement come from many different walks of life. We are from different races, We are from different Political Parties, We are from different Faiths, We are each motivated and concerned by different issue’s and yet we are bound through the most unique and unfathomable of commonalities
We Are Americans “ALL” and we believe in our Constitutional Form of Government and we want it back. We are a unique and exceptional people but we do not believe that this uniqueness and exceptionalism makes us superior to our fellow man but that it is a blessing from God because unlike many others around the world when we are born, we are literally born into Freedom. A freedom that is a hope and inspiration to the oppressed and afflicted while at the same time it is an enemy and a threat to Tyrants and Dictatorial Governments. It is a freedom that many can only dream of, that few realize, and that many will sadly never experience
We as Americans are born into this freedom, it is a living part of us that God intended in His creation of mankind that we are privileged to know and understand. But with this freedom we also have placed upon us the weighty responsibility that comes with it. The responsibility of being part of a Citizen Governemt, one in which the Elected Representatives are in actuality servants of The People and not the lord and masters of The People. It is a Government that, if it is to continue to exist, is dependent upon the Continual Active Participation of the Citizenry lest tyrants rise up either covertly or overtly from within or without and overthrow our Government through deceit and subterfuge enabling the placement of the shackles of slavery and servitude upon the Citizenry
It was the intent of our Founders that we understand that God created us free with a free moral agency to truly choose the course of our lives. God does not nor will not force Himself or His will upon anyone because He has given us the Right of Choice, the choice to serve Him or reject Him. Our Founding Fathers understood this and grasped the revelation that this very God Given Right to Freedom of Choice to serve or reject is in point of fact the same freedom that fueled the flames of Liberty through the understanding of the Laws of Nature and of Natures God or Natural Law. This is the same Liberty and Freedom that they pledged to each other their “Lives, Fortunes, and Sacred Honor” to secure not only for themselves and their families but for the myriads of innumerable souls that would inherit the fruits of their labors to be a Free Nation and Citizenry to Freely Self-Govern
Common Sense and Logic thus dictate that this Great and Wonderful gave us the choice of Self-Government and so our Founders with Gods help and guidance established not just a unique government but a unique working and functional Self-Government of the Citizenry, Blessed by God Almighty with laws, statutes, and boundaries that would help to protect and guarantee the rights and liberties of every individual American while enabling them to the pursuit of “Life, Liberty, and Happiness”
Do I really believe this? Yes I most certainly do with all my heart, and this is why
First and Foremost, I am a Born Again Christian, I am or was an Assistant Pastor and Worship Leader and I believe and agree as our Founding Fathers did that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the instrumental and guiding source in the founding and establishment of this Nation and, That if it hadn’t been for Gods Divine Intervention on behalf of those first American Patriots that it is quite possible that this Nation would not exist
I believe and agree as our Founding Fathers did in the “Firm Reliance of Divine Providence” as it is stated in the first of our three Founding Documents
I believe that this affirmation of their faith was a guiding principle in their endeavors to become a free people and nation and that it was an invaluable asset to them in the construction of our Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights
I believe and agree with the principles of our Founders of a small and limited Federal Government and that those who are elected as Representatives are in fact the servants of The People and not the lord and masters over The People
I believe that our three Founding Documents; The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights are second only to the Inspired Word of God, The Holy Bible and I believe that these three documents were and are inspired by that very same God as I firmly believe that His loving eyes still watch and gaze upon us and that His strong and mighty unwavering hands are still stretched out to this lost and weary child nation to grasp and take hold of in this our great time of need
I believe in our Nations three Founding Documents along with their original intent and meaning and that this belief does not make me an Fringe Right Wing Extremist but rather, that it signifies and clarifies me as a Condtitutional Patriot who loves his country enough to not only realize and cherish with great honor and respect the Rights, Liberties, and Privileges that they guarantee but to accept and perform to the best of my abilities the responsibilities and duties that these very same Documents place upon me as an indivdual American Citizen regardless of the difficulties and hardships
I believe that my country has been hijacked and placed on a pathway towards Socialistic Communism by Progressive Revolutionaries who hate, despise, and loathe this Nation of Freedom and Liberty and that I as an individual, as a Free Man Will Not Bow My Knees To Them nor Will I Go Quietly Into The Night
I firmly believe as a follower and disciple of Jesus Christ that Christ and God are our only real hope in turning this Nation around and while many may disagree with this statement, the truth of the analogy between this Nation and the Prodigal Son as found in Luke 15:11 – 32 cannot be logically denied
E Pluribus Unum = Out Of Many One
I am a Tea Party Patriot and I am simply one individual in a myriad of individuals who make up the Tea Party Movement. We are a Local, State, and National Movement and “We ARE” a force to be reckoned with. We have no central leadership because “We The People” as individuals are the leadership and we are in control of the wagon and we enjoy the fact that this drives those who oppose us crazy, because they have no one individual to corner and attack, they must take us all on or not at all. We stand united in our cause, We are not a flash in the pan or simply a fad for the times, We Are Real, We Are Here, We will Not Fade Away, We Will Not Disappear
I guess I must apologize as I said I would not speak for anyone else
I love my country and fellow Americans and I am thankful that God allowed me to born an American and that my friends is great, great privilege.
As I said earlier, we have been born into this freedom but unlike our Founding Fathers many of us have not had to fight for our freedoms until now. We are in a battle that is both physical and spiritual and just as we need active participation on the ground on a daily basis so to we need prayer and prayer warriors in the spiritual realm on a daily basis. We must awaken the sleeping giant that is the American Patriot
I cannot nor will not mince words. We are in an age old battle, the battle of Right Vs. Wrong, Good vs. Evil, The Right vs. The Left and so I would like to give you a nugget of wisdom from the Word of God that deals with this age old struggle
Ecc 10:2 A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.
Pretty simple huh?
Gal 6:9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Gal 6:10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
Let’s take our Country back on Nov. 2nd
Endeavor to Persevere, Be Diligent to Overcome, Repentance and Prayer are our Greatest Weapons
May the Lord Bless You and Your’s
Mark, will you just make Tater here a thread or something so we can see if we can get him to actually talk about an issue, instead of just spewing his utterly pointless bullshit on every thread? I mean, my guess is he’s too much of a chicken-shit moron to debate much of anything, but it would be nice to give it a try.
Andy, if you can get him to send in a picture, I’ll dedicate an entire day to him.
Pete, are you serious about there only being 20 people on the Diag today? Last night, when I looked at Facebook, there were over 650 people that had said they would attend. I can’t imagine that only 20 would show up.
How bout it, Tater. All you have to do is own up to your little diatribes and you can have your very own thread. But I’ll go one step further. Once we let you get all this crap out, you have to promise to leave posts that actually have something to do with the issue being discussed. You don’t have to defend you outrageous claims, just ground them in what’s going on in the thread. All for one little picture of you. So, what do you say. Do you believe what you say enough to put your face behind it?
Mark,
There were 100 at the absolute maximum, if you include passer-bys that stopped to look. Definitely NOT 650.
It was pretty sad.
And they only “protested” for not even 5 or 10 minutes. All to the soundtrack of some unrelated people singing karaoke.
They should have told people that it was an open casting for the Real World.
Or a dance show at the Power Center.
Regardless, it was really half-hearted.
What about a three minute video segment that runs once a month called Tater’s Korner? I’d watch that.
As for U-M student apathy, I did hear that some of them were protesting at the administration building. Maybe there was a decision to move things there from the diag. Either way though it was nothing like the protests in England when the government there said that tuition rates would be rising. Maybe UM students are wealthy enough that they don’t care. Or maybe they don’t realize yet that rates are going to rise.
Maybe that explains why they left so soon. I thought that maybe they gave up.
Five students were arrested at the Capital yesterday for refusing to leave.
http://www.politicususa.com/en/tudents-arrested-michigan
Even the Communists are/were surprised by the radicalization of Wisconsin demorcrats and liberal minded workers towards communism! Now they should know why the American people are against them!
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/scary-even-communists-surprised-at-radicalization-of-wis-dems/