National Tea Party Convention
Did you miss it? Here is part of what you missed ...
(You must register with Pajamas TV at not cost in order to view)
How to Organize a Tea Party
How to Mobilize the Youth Vote
Prologue
We have been following the Tea Party Nation and the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville for some time. Our first reaction was negative, based upon what seemed like the exorbitant cost of their convention. We immediately checked their bona fides, expecting to find that they were just another group that had thrown together a website and declared themselves to be the "national leaders", with no history organizing the grassroots or putting on a Tea Party. Instead, we found that they were already on our distribution list for Tennessee. They have been organizing Tea Party's in middle Tennessee since last April.
So we called them and objected to the cost. The organizers, Judson & Sherry Phillips, understood our concerns but insisted that their intent was not a mass meeting of primarily local people, but a smaller meeting of people from every state. We could agree to disagree about the approach to building a nationwide network of conservative organizations, but not about the goal. So we made a few suggestions and decided to give them the benefit of a doubt. When a couple of our members asked if they could go as our representatives at their own expense, we agreed with that as well.
Since then the Tea Party Convention has received national media attention, and the predictable political flack from the left. If you get mud slung on you by the media and Nancy Pelosi wants you investigated, you must be doing the right thing.
Nonetheless, two of the main speakers had to back out. Sherry got back to us on our suggestions and put The Voices of America, the people whose precinct organizing training we have been promoting throughout Ohio, on the program. She also agreed with our suggestion to put HomeMakers for America - Abigail Adams Project on the program. We are very pleased to have played a part in making the Tea Party Convention an important training opportunity for conservatives throughout the country.
Following is our "on the scenes" report from our distinguished delegates to the convention.
Update from Nashville:
Val and I are in Nashville attending the National Tea Party Convention. Busy passing out MCFAN cards to all the people we have met- and we are meeting people just like you in Medina with the same concerns. We have met them from San Diego to Massachusetts, Florida to Idaho. They are here from the whole United States.
Besides all the speakers (who are donating their time, except Sarah Palin who will re-donate her fee to conservative causes) the thing that I find impressive is this:
This TEA PARTY MOVEMENT is of historically important concern, WORLDWIDE. Reporters and TV crews are here not only from the US (FOX, CNN, ABC, ESPN Spanish, etc) but from Spain, Italy, Germany, Croatia, Russia, Japan, Brazil and a few other places I don't know about. This is being broadcast throughout the world.
This TEA PARTY MOVEMENT is important and getting recognized. You in Medina, Ashland, Akron, Mansfield, all over Ohio and the rest of the country are leading a sea change that is recognized and will have to be dealt with. With your members of Congress, you no longer ask for something, you can demand it.
One of the concerns the media asks, Who is the Leader? Who is in charge? Tea Party Members, YOU, are in charge. The various Tea Parties throughout the nation have some very common goals- and you know them in your heart- are becoming a federation. We are in charge and joined by like minded folks.
Last night we heard from Tom Tancredo, ex rep from Colorado. Ray Stevens, Country Music great brought his whole band to sing Patriotic songs--all at his expense, because he feels so strongly about the Movement.
Heard a presentation from the head of the GOP of California giving a talk on expanding participation. He, unlike Ohio's political elites, embraces the Tea Party Movement.
The highlight will come tomorrow, when Sarah Palin will address the group. It will be live on at least pajamas tv. If you can find that. It will be live around the world, but you know US media isn't likely to present Sarah.
All for now.
God bless you all, and God Bless America
John and Val