[Apologetics] Tea parties descend on Capitol to fight Obamacare

[Art Kelly]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20091105/pl_politico/29183

Tea parties descend on Capitol

Jonathan Allen, Meredith Shiner Thu Nov 5, 11:14 am ET 
 
Thousands of tea party
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ttp://topics.politico.com/index.cfm/topic/TeaParty>  activists descended
on Washington Thursday to protest the trillion-dollar health care bill
and government spending, holding signs protesting Barack Obama's agenda
while aiming chants of "You work for us" at the Capitol building. 

The gathering was organized by local tea party groups around the
country, who are arriving in Washington this morning by the busload.
Conservative leaders in Congress, led by Rep. Michele Bachmann
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idnRnBHBvcwM1BHNlYwN5bl9zdG9yeV9wcmludF9jb250ZW50BHNsawNtaWNoZWxlYmFjaG0
-/*http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29165.html>  (R-Minn.),
have taken to the airwaves to encourage the activists to show up on the
Capitol steps and demand meetings with members of Congress. The crowd
grew to about 10,000 by noon - a significant gathering for a weekday but
far fewer than the 9/12 protests earlier this fall. Bachmann has
promised to lead some protesters to a press conference inside the
Capitol to express their opposition to the health care bill in person to
members of Congress. 

Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) actually invited the thousands of protesters
to go into the House buildings to try to meet their member of Congress
after the rally. 

"I invite you, when the rally's over, to travel in those halls, look at
the walls, find your [member] and walk in," she said. "Let them know how
you feel about this bill." 

Given the security of the Capitol complex, that might create a
logistical nightmare, so it's not clear how many of the protesters may
actually enter House office buildings. 

But shortly after the protests broke up, a GOP aide e-mailed POLITICO,
writing: "Pretty big crowd waiting in line (currently to Independence
Ave and more making their way from the Capitol) to get into Rayburn.
They are orderly and immediately looking at the posted directories to
get room numbers."

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) was a surprise guest speaker
this afternoon, holding up a copy of the Constitution as he rallied the
protesters. Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) demanded: "Madame Speaker,
throw out this bill," while some protesters chanted "burn the bill." 

Conservative leaders like Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council
showed up, along with celebrity conservatives Jon Voight and John
Ratzenberger. 

Voight invoked the Rev. Jeremiah Wright in his speech, saying, "The lies
and deception are blatant ... Maybe it was the 20 years of subconscious
programming by Rev. Wright to damn America." 

The protesters arrived as early as 8:30 a.m., by bus, car and plane -
from Bluffton, S.C., Des Moines and Dorris, Calif. - to rally with
conservative lawmakers and possibly roam the halls of Congress. Dozens
of Republican lawmakers gathered shortly after noon to offer a prayer,
say the Pledge of Allegiance and rally the crowd. 

"Can you hear us now!" the protesters chanted from the foot of the
Capitol as they awaited the arrival of their heroine - Bachmann
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ttp://topics.politico.com/index.cfm/topic/MicheleBachmann> . The crowd
also chanted, "We want Michele!" 

"She's very brave," said Nancy Holmberg of Dorris. 

"Palin/Bachmann 2012," came a shout from the crowd. The crowd is also
chanting Speaker Nancy Pelosi
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kN3A3BHBvcwM3BHNlYwN5bl9zdG9yeV9wcmludF9jb250ZW50BHNsawNuYW5jeXBlbG9zaQ-
-/*http://topics.politico.com/index.cfm/topic/NancyPelosi> 's name and
demanding that she come address them on the steps of the Capitol.

Another hero of the movement, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), has been
autographing tea bags for the crowd and is wearing a jacket covered in
pins and stickers reading "Yes! Freedom!" 

Pelosi obviously wasn't going to address the crowd, and her spokesman
said Democrats were busy trying to pass a bill while Republicans played
the role of obstructionists. 

"While the Party of No holds a rally to once again say 'no,' our health
insurance reform bill was endorsed by the AARP and the AMA, and on the
House floor, we are debating bipartisan legislation to create jobs by
extending unemployment benefits and extending the first-time-homebuyer
tax credit," Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said. "We are continuing with
our job or passing legislation that will help the American people." 

Speaking on conservative talker Laura Ingraham's radio show this
morning, Bachmann encouraged people listening to show up on the West
Front steps, but she said they should show up with "cameras" instead of
"pitchforks." 

In an unrelated incident, nine activists were arrested in the Hart
building, and they are being processed at police headquarters. Roll Call
is reporting that these were protesters from the opposite end of the
political spectrum - Code Pink. All the buildings in the Capitol complex
remain open for now. (The original version of this story incorrectly
reported which protesters were arrested). 

The protesters, who are occupying the patch of grass only a few yards
from where Barack Obama took the oath of office on Jan. 20, have also
chanted "You work for us!" Many are holding signs that echo their
distrust of Obama and their belief that he is pursuing socialist
policies. 

One sign read: "Obama takes his orders from the Rothschilds," a
reference to theories of Jewish world dominance centered around the
prominent Jewish family of Rothschilds. 

Last night, Bachmann reasserted a claim that Pelosi was considering
tightening security in preparation for the activists, which she warned
"would be a huge mistake." There has been an increased police presence
around the Capitol Thursday morning, and a Capitol Police officer told
POLITICO that protesters are allowed to march on the West Front lawn of
the Capitol but are not allowed onto the steps of the building. 

Mary Beth Bishop of Monument, Colo., spent $500 on a plane ticket to
lodge her complaints about the growth of government. 

"We need to show up and uphold the Constitution," she said. "It wasn't
written on toilet paper." 

Police patrolled the gates and stone walls, keeping the crowd in, but
there was little sign of trouble. 

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) shook hands at a wall line like a presidential
contender. 

"This is too great," he said. 

Daniel Libit and Martin Kady II contributed to this story. 




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