‘Teabaggers’ bemoan

bail-outs and stimulus packages

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA —About 300 spirited people with tea bags sewn on their hats or on their clothing gathered in Central Park at noon on April 15, Tax Day, and called it a “Tax Day Tea Party.” Describing the event as part of a grassroots movement that was occurring all across the nation, it harkened back to the Boston Tea Party. The day was promoted by Fox News and several conservative radio hosts for several weeks.

The partisan crowd booed any mention of President Barrack Obama’s name and any citing of Congress, due to discontent with the passing of legislation that bailed out large banks, insurance companies like AIG and the American automobile industry. It spurned the administration’s 2010 budget.

“It’s socialism,” said Linda Brown of Dyberry. “We don’t like tax dollars to bail out companies. We all have financial problems and we still have to pay taxes. This is out-of-control spending.”

Brown’s message was repeated by many who were interviewed at the gathering.

“Government needs to listen to what the citizens are saying,” said Lorie Sheard of Boyds Mill. “They’re running the country irresponsibly, spending our money on their pet projects. They’re bankrupting our future, taking money out of our pockets and the pockets of our children and grandchildren. They’re expanding the role of government without citizen approval.”

In other words, said the protestors, this is taxation without representation as in the Boston event.

“There’s too much spending in Washington,” said Alberta Babailus of Hamlin. “They should let GM fail and not give money to business. I’m against bail outs. They should let the companies go under.”

A series of speakers addressed the crowd for over an hour. The gathering cheered when a speaker criticized the “liberal media” and, in contrast, got a rousing response when he urged them to “listen only to Fox News.”

Other speakers bemoaned the threat that the new administration would take away guns from citizens and the mention of God in schools and public events. Another speaker railed against the notion of “global warming,” suggesting that this phenomenon was caused by natural weather cycles and was being used by “liberals” to promote legislation that harmed business.

Several other speakers said that market capitalism should be allowed to solve the country’s economic problems. Other speakers urged that tea parties like this one should be repeated several more times.