Taking it to the Streets

On 09/12, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in protest of what they feel is an out of control, reckless, and out of touch government. The biggest of the tea party rallies took place in our nation’s capital where an estimated 75,000 people turned out in protest.

So what is at the heart of this widespread, growing sentiment? I think it can be traced back to three specific things:

First, people voted for change and they have not received that. President Obama promised fiscal responsibility, distance from special interests, and the elimination of corruption. Instead, we have record deficits, a seemingly co-op between the White House and GE as well as the Treasury and Goldman-Sachs. Additionally, we have scandal after scandal just eight months into a new presidency … several cabinet appointments involved in tax issues, Van Jones, the czar appointments, ACORN, etc. People are feeling duped.

Secondly, people are outraged at the behavior and tone of those in Congress. They are fed up with the elitism and being insulted by those who are supposed to be our “representatives”. Additionally, there is frustration and downright anger of the waste of taxpayer money. Here is a good example. Senator John Murtha (PA) was able to have $150M of taxpayer dollars earmarked for an airport in his home state, bearing his own name. Last  year, only 6,700 passengers utilized this facility, mainly Congressman Murtha and his staff travelling back and forth to Washington. By comparison, 37,000 passengers went through the Barlow Airport in Alaska … 320 NORTH of the Arctic Circle. A vote was held last week to defund the John Murtha Airport. The vote was defeated and the taxpayers will continue to pump $20 million annually into a gigantic boondoggle.

Finally, people are just flat out afraid. They are concerned about what this government is doing … the careless and unaccountable spending of money, deficits as far as the eye can see, plus the inevitable tax increases and inflation that await. Despite being talked down by their government, people continue to come out in protest … hoping that their voices will be loud enough that even those who have their fingers in their ears will eventually hear them.