Tyler Tea Party's website has been going through some changes.  Come see what you think...and watch us grow!  You can now sign up to receive the latest up-to-date information from the Tea Party network directly from the website!

www.tylerteaparty.org

There has been a lot of talk lately about class action lawsuits against ObamaCare.  One being pushed here in Tyler costs $100 to join.  In the the interest of fairness, there is another one that doesn't charge money to join.  I don't know that any of these lawsuits will be effective.  But I do like an attorney willing to work pro bono for the cause of liberty rather than insisting on a million dollars up front.  And I would prefer to put my money somewhere besides a lawyer's pocket!

The link below will take you to a website to a class action suit.  It currently has  27,000 signers.  I'm one of them.  Check it out and decide for yourself.

http://www.obamacareclassaction.com

There are many Tea Party demonstrations scheduled for cities across the country on April 15th.  Tyler will be among them.   Considering the unwarranted (and unsubstantiated) attacks against Tea Partiers in the past year, and the ramping up of the attacks over the last couple of weeks, it would be wise to consider what may be coming and prepare for it.   And don't think that Tyler is immune..there have been numerous attempts at misdirection in the local media, the most recent being a severe misquote on the issue of the census.

A recent website (crashtheteaparty.org) indicates just how far the left is willing to go.  The plan?  Infiltrate demonstrations as Tea Party Patriots and provoke incidents for the sole purpose of providing "proof" of extremism. 

With that in mind, we need to do a couple of things:

1.  Don't allow yourself (or anyone around you) to be taunted or provoked!  This is how they operate...provoke you into saying or doing something that puts the Tea Party in bad light.  Please be vigilant here...we must take every precaution to be civil, no matter what!  Our best bet?  Ignore any inappropriate behavior. 

2.  Be prepared to record any untoward incident.  Bring a video camera and/or voice recorder to record faces and words. This can be used later as proof for civility on the part of Tea Partiers.

Tyler Tea Party will be notifying local police about the rally.  We are hoping for a police presence for the purpose of protecting citizens.  If there are any incidents, let the police handle it!!

Remember, the left is on the attack.  And like a pitt bull, they refuse to let go.  If we will have any hope of saving American freedom and values, then we must not use the same tactics as the left.  We must take the high road!

In a CNN/Opinion poll, 56% of people questioned said they think the federal government has become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens.  Sound ominous?  Imagine what it would sound like to our founders!  To make the matter more succinct, let's look at the definition of Liberty in the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary:

Lib'erty, n. (L. libertas, from liber, free)

     1.  Freedom from restraint, in a general sense, and applicable to the body, or to the will or mind.  The body is at liberty, when not confined; the will or mind is at liberty, when not checked or controlled.  A man enjoys liberty, when no physical force operates to restrain his actions or volitions.

     2.  Natural liberty, consists in the power of acting as one thinks fit, without any restraint or control, except from the laws of nature.  It is a state of exemption form the control of others, and from the positive laws and the institutions of social life.  This liberty is abridged by the establishment of government.

     3.  Civil liberty, is the liberty of men in a state of society, or natural liberty, so far only abridged and restrained, as is necessary and expedient for the safety and interest of the society, state or nation.  A restraint of natural liberty, not necessary or expedient for the public, is tyranny or oppression.  Civil liberty is an exemption from the arbitrary will of others, which exemption is secured by established laws, which restrain every man from injuring or controlling another.  Hence the restraints of law are essential to civil liberty.

           The liberty of one depends not so much on the removal of all restraint from him, as on the due restraint upon the liberty of others.

Are we exempt from the arbitrary will of Congress?  Are the laws they are passing necessary or expedient for the public?  Congress would have us believe so, but common sense indicates otherwise!  Overwhelming public debt can only lead to national ruin.  Excessive legislation and regulation stifles growth of business, industry and innovation.

The federal government, formed by the states with specifically enumerated powers, has thrown off the chains that were meant to bind it.  The average person has 20-45% (low range of estimates) of the fruit of their labor taken by force through a system of progressive taxation.  The citizenry is further taxed in almost every area of life.  Our currency has been systematically devalued and is being made worthless as our government is now printing more than has ever been printed!  By the definition of Noah Webster, we have entered into a state of tyranny.  By the definition of any sane man, we have been in this state of tyranny for many years.  And yet, only 56% polled see the threat to their rights and freedoms! 

"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority.  It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions.  There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern.  They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters." - Daniel Webster

The Democrat majority in Washington DC is threatening the "Nuclear Option" (a 51% simple majority vote) on the Health Care debacle.  We've been here before!  In 2005 the Repuplicans held the majority and tried the same thing.  The Democrats screamed "Foul".  Here are some interesting quotes from that time:

"That's just not what the founders intended" - Obama, 04/25/05.

"The nuclear option is ultimately an example of the arrogance of power" - Biden, 05/23/05.

"That's a bridge too far.  We can't go there.  You have to restrain yourself, Mr. President" - Hilary Clinton, 05/23/05.

"The checks and balances which have been at the core of our Republic are about to be evaporated by the Nuclear Option" - Schumer, 05/18/05.

"You may own the field right now, but you won't own it forever.  I pray God when the Democrats take back control we don't make the kind of naked power grab you're doing" - Biden, 05/23/05.

This is a sick and corrupt system populated by hypocrites!!

The Battle of the Alamo began on February 23, 1836.  Approximately 1500 Mexican troops descended on the Alamo mission in San Antonio de Bexar.  All but two of the Texian defenders perished.  Thanks to modern television (or maybe not so modern), many people know about the Alamo.  But what do they really know?

The Constitution of the United States of America was still a new document having been signed in 1788.  The American Revolution was a recent war.  The American settlers had been free "Americans" for only 48 years.  And they were used to freedom. 

Mexico had been using a Federalist model of government and in 1824 had even adopted a Constitution.  President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was shifting the government away from a Federalist model with increasingly dictatorial policies.  In fact, he had revoked the Constitution in 1835.  At that time, the area now known as Texas was largely populated by immigrants from the United States.  Free people.  And those free people spoke up against an increasingly centrist government.

In October of 1835, Texians began ousting Mexican troops.  Santa Anna was bent on teaching these upstarts a lesson and headed to Texas to squash the rebellion.  He vowed he would take no prisoners.  At the time, the Alamo had less than 100 defenders.  Sam Houston could not spare the men to mount a successful defense.  So he sent Jim Bowie to destroy it.  Once persuaded that the Alamo held strategic importance, Jim Bowie chose to stay and defend it, saying "...we will rather die in these ditches than give it up to the enemy." 

Santa Anna and his army arrived at the Alamo on February 23 and raised the blood-red flag signifying no quarter, at which time Travis responded with a blast from the Alamo's largest cannon.  And the seige began!  The Battle of the Alamo lasted 12 days.  Reinforcements never came.  The vast majority perished.

Despite their losses at the Alamo, the Mexican army still outnumbered the Texian army by almost 6 to 1.  Common sense would indicate there was almost no chance of success.  But news of the massacre spread and Texians rallied.  The battle cry "Remember the Alamo" became a driving force that went with the Texians as they won the Texas Revolution and gained independence from Mexico.

174 years later, Liberty has become a quaint notion.  Our own Republic is falling to a centrist ideology.  Many Texans think they have no voice, and no choice.  In spite of a plethora of facts and historical precedence proving that freedom leads to prosperity, many Americans are unaware of the basic principles of Liberty and the attacks upon it from our Federal Government. 

As Texans, we have a particular duty to remember the Alamo.  A duty to it's defenders and the sacrifice for Liberty that they made.  And we have a duty to our children to pass on a free society.  Will we give up our Liberty to those bent on enslaving us with Socialism?  Or will we be willing to "die in these ditches rather than give it up to the enemy"?  Where is our "line in the sand"?  Do you "Remember the Alamo"?

December 16th marks the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.  On that date in 1773, after officials in Boston refused to turn back three ship loads of taxed tea (as had been done in other colonies), a group of Patriots risked their life and liberty by boarding the ships and throwing the tea into the Boston Harbor.

236 years later, Tea Party groups across all 50 states are recalling their sacrifice and patriotism by protesting a Federal Government gone rogue.  Many of these brave souls give unselfishly of their time and personal resources for the cause of Liberty.  Stand with us today and be one of the New Patriots!!

     What if you are worried about the state of our union, but are happy with your elected servant?  What then?  The other reps from other districts DO vote on issues that have a direct impact on you, your family, your business and your town. They don't want to hear what you have to say...you're not in their district, so you aren't a possible vote. That's pretty much how we feel here in Tyler.  So in response the attitude of reps in other districts, we're going outside of ours!!

What does it mean to "Adopt-A-Lib"?  Well, it's adopting a lib to help them get booted out of office. You do that by supporting his/her opponent.  For example:  Send a birthday card that says something like:  "Happy Birthday!  I hope you're not still in office on your next one...and to help with that, I've donated $25 to  your opponent (whoever you choose).  Best wishes for an easy transition back into the private, tax-paying sector!"

Tyler Tea Party is planning to focus on just a few.  The thinking is that we can have more of an impact by keeping focused.  We're selecting the ones listed below because they're all a little closer to us, which can make it easier for us to actually go to the district as "boots on the ground", but any of the fools that legislate are up for adoption!

Lloyd Doggett:  District 25 (Part of Austin, San Marcos, Lockhart & Gonzales)

2008 Election margin: 66-30

Birthday:  October 6th

Opponents:  Dr. Donna Campbell (drdonnaforcongress.com)

                      George Morovich

Chet Edwards:  District 17  (Cleburne, Waco, Bryan, Hillsboro, Madisonville)

2008 Election margin: 53-45

Birthday: November 24th

Oppenents:  Rob Curnock

                      Chuck Wilson

Ciro Rodriquez:  District 23

2008 Election margin: 56-42

Birthday:  December 9th

Opponents: Fransico Canseco  (www.cansecoforcongress.com)

Solomon Ortiz: District 27

2008 Election margin: 58-38

Birthday: 

Opponents:  James Duerr

More information will be filled in as it becomes available.  For example, there are more opponents than are listed here and the research is being done to provide lots of options.

The forum is a great place to discuss activities.  It's also where we'll list publications we can write to in the districts in question.  Give it a try!