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Several days after the election I made a trip to Washington DC to take part in a national event organized by the Tea Party Patriots (TPP) organization and hosted by its Co-Founder and National Coordinator, Jenny Beth Martin. It was billed as the 2012 Tea Party Patriots Freshman Orientation and Local Coordinator Conference which is an opportunity to meet newly elected Freshman Congressman who will work with the Tea Party Movement as well as to meet other Tea Party Patriot members and organizers from around the country to discuss strategies moving forward. The event had many speakers including, consultants, Congressman, Senators, past State Representatives, representatives from multiple organizations and other Tea Party Patriot members; it was an outstanding several days. I distinguish between Tea Party Patriots and the Tea Party Movement in that there are several other organizations that carry the Tea Party name but all are not the same and thus I distinguish Tea Party Patriots, the organization hosting the event I participated in, verses other Tea Party organizations that may participate in the overall Tea Party Movement - Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government, Free Markets.
The event was designed to begin Friday and conclude Sunday however, I flew in on Wednesday night so I could participate in a special all day Thursday event labeled as a National Security Brief. The entire event was outstanding but the Security Brief was by far the highlight for me and I will post another story summarizing that briefing later. Friday was the Freshman Brunch where we met many new Congressman and heard from Jenny Beth, Bill Norton on the Constitution, Dick Morris on Property Rights, Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Jim Jordan. Both Senator Paul and Congressman Jordan spoke to the freshman Congressman to be wary of the DC speak and attitudes and stay connected with their constituencies back home. In fact, Senator Paul implored each new Congressman to "go home" as often as you can, every weekend if possible, so you stay grounded and in-touch.
One of the more emotional talks was by Congressman Jordan as he discussed a moment in his political life where he had to choose between what was right for the country verses what some key supporters of his wanted. He told us about his time during the initial TARP bailout and how a personal friend, who was also a large monetary supporter, was asking him to vote for TARP. Congressman Jordan told him he had read the Bill and it was not right for America but this supporter continued to urge him to vote yes. They continued their phone conversation until at the end the Congressman told him that he truly liked him, that they were friends but he would have to vote NO on TARP as it was the right thing to do and they hung up. He thought he had lost his friend and he did until about a year later when his friend asked him to visit him at his place of employment and apologized to him. He told him that he had panicked and he thought TARP would be a good thing, he then saw a year later after it had passed it was not good and said he appreciates he had a Congressman representing him that did not panic, read the Bill and did what was best for the country and not what a large financial supporter and friend wanted him to do - very encouraging to hear there are some Congressman like Jim Jordan as we know there are so many that never stand up but always buckle to interest groups and the money.
One of the more emotional talks was by Congressman Jordan as he discussed a moment in his political life where he had to choose between what was right for the country verses what some key supporters of his wanted. He told us about his time during the initial TARP bailout and how a personal friend, who was also a large monetary supporter, was asking him to vote for TARP. Congressman Jordan told him he had read the Bill and it was not right for America but this supporter continued to urge him to vote yes. They continued their phone conversation until at the end the Congressman told him that he truly liked him, that they were friends but he would have to vote NO on TARP as it was the right thing to do and they hung up. He thought he had lost his friend and he did until about a year later when his friend asked him to visit him at his place of employment and apologized to him. He told him that he had panicked and he thought TARP would be a good thing, he then saw a year later after it had passed it was not good and said he appreciates he had a Congressman representing him that did not panic, read the Bill and did what was best for the country and not what a large financial supporter and friend wanted him to do - very encouraging to hear there are some Congressman like Jim Jordan as we know there are so many that never stand up but always buckle to interest groups and the money.
Saturday was the Local Coordinator Conference where we heard from a varied list of speakers. We heard from Diana Banister on Media Relations, Daniel Liljenquist on Public Pension Reform, Mark Herr on Building Credibility, Ernest Istook on Navigating Committees, Dr. Timothy Daughtry on How to Talk to a Liberal and then from Jenny Beth again on Working "with" the Republican Party.
Daniel Liljenquist's lecture was very interesting in that he initiated the first state reform of a public pension, telling us how he went about accomplishing that task. He was a state legislator in Utah and found himself heading a committee that in 2008 found itself managing a bankrupt pension system. Realizing they were heading off a fiscal cliff he promoted a change that would meet the state's commitment to current public employees but yet change it for future public employees that would keep the program solvent for all and not take the state down. He now works through a foundation promoting his philosophy to other states helping them rewrite their pension laws to obtain the same result.
Dr. Daughtry was an enlightening and witty speaker. He and his co-author, Gary Casselman, PhD, are doctors of psychology and if I can borrow a quote from Timothy Johnson, PhD, Founder and National Chairman, The Frederick Douglas Foundation, it sums up what his lecture and book is all about:
"Winning elections alone will never be enough to save our Republic. Daughtry and Casselman make a powerful case that we have to take our culture back from the dinner table to the halls of Congress. What's more, they offer practical methods to do just that."
As their book tells us, "we have trusted the dogs of the political class to guard our lunch, and they have eaten it. Mainstream Americans, the sleeping giant of American politics, have been asleep for too long." We need to wake up and take our country back from the politicians and elite who look to enslave us on the government plantation.
Jenny Beth then spoke again seeking from the participants their help in outlining a path for the future of TPP. This is truly a grassroots organization. Although Jenny Beth heads up this organization she really looks to the people within the organization to guide where it will be going in the future. As she brought up possible directions she purposely gave no opinion so as to not influence anyone during the discussion. When someone brought up a negative on one thing, she would also point out the positive aspects of that direction. If negative points were heralded by someone, she would remind of the positive aspects. I give her full credit for not imposing her personal views as it is truly admirable, but wonder if now is not the time to create some small "guiding" committee that can discuss direction and "guide" the TPP? The TPP has grown considerably over the past 4 years and may need some definitive direction so as to not succumb to wonder based on the whims of its members. America can not take it ending up like the Tiananmen Square protesters in China who stayed because they had the minority vote dictate the direction they would go - resulting in many of their deaths, imprisonment and destruction of their freedom movement.
If you have not considered getting involved in your local Tea Party Patriots organization I ask you to give it strong consideration. It truly is non-partisan and in fact CAN NOT and DOES NOT endorse political candidates as it would violate its structure with the IRS. It is a professional organization that is setup as a non-partisan, social welfare organization, established under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Once again, all Americans should consider participating in TPP to keep the flame of liberty burning brightly not only in your lifetime but in your children's and grandchildren's lifetimes as well. America IS the shining light on the hill for the world and it is our challenge to maintain that beacon for all to see. TPP's Mission Statement says it best; To attract, educate, organize, and mobilize our fellow citizens to secure public policy consistent with our three core values: Fiscal Responsibility - Constitutionally Limited Government - Free Markets.
Daniel Liljenquist's lecture was very interesting in that he initiated the first state reform of a public pension, telling us how he went about accomplishing that task. He was a state legislator in Utah and found himself heading a committee that in 2008 found itself managing a bankrupt pension system. Realizing they were heading off a fiscal cliff he promoted a change that would meet the state's commitment to current public employees but yet change it for future public employees that would keep the program solvent for all and not take the state down. He now works through a foundation promoting his philosophy to other states helping them rewrite their pension laws to obtain the same result.
Dr. Daughtry was an enlightening and witty speaker. He and his co-author, Gary Casselman, PhD, are doctors of psychology and if I can borrow a quote from Timothy Johnson, PhD, Founder and National Chairman, The Frederick Douglas Foundation, it sums up what his lecture and book is all about:
"Winning elections alone will never be enough to save our Republic. Daughtry and Casselman make a powerful case that we have to take our culture back from the dinner table to the halls of Congress. What's more, they offer practical methods to do just that."
As their book tells us, "we have trusted the dogs of the political class to guard our lunch, and they have eaten it. Mainstream Americans, the sleeping giant of American politics, have been asleep for too long." We need to wake up and take our country back from the politicians and elite who look to enslave us on the government plantation.
Jenny Beth then spoke again seeking from the participants their help in outlining a path for the future of TPP. This is truly a grassroots organization. Although Jenny Beth heads up this organization she really looks to the people within the organization to guide where it will be going in the future. As she brought up possible directions she purposely gave no opinion so as to not influence anyone during the discussion. When someone brought up a negative on one thing, she would also point out the positive aspects of that direction. If negative points were heralded by someone, she would remind of the positive aspects. I give her full credit for not imposing her personal views as it is truly admirable, but wonder if now is not the time to create some small "guiding" committee that can discuss direction and "guide" the TPP? The TPP has grown considerably over the past 4 years and may need some definitive direction so as to not succumb to wonder based on the whims of its members. America can not take it ending up like the Tiananmen Square protesters in China who stayed because they had the minority vote dictate the direction they would go - resulting in many of their deaths, imprisonment and destruction of their freedom movement.
If you have not considered getting involved in your local Tea Party Patriots organization I ask you to give it strong consideration. It truly is non-partisan and in fact CAN NOT and DOES NOT endorse political candidates as it would violate its structure with the IRS. It is a professional organization that is setup as a non-partisan, social welfare organization, established under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Once again, all Americans should consider participating in TPP to keep the flame of liberty burning brightly not only in your lifetime but in your children's and grandchildren's lifetimes as well. America IS the shining light on the hill for the world and it is our challenge to maintain that beacon for all to see. TPP's Mission Statement says it best; To attract, educate, organize, and mobilize our fellow citizens to secure public policy consistent with our three core values: Fiscal Responsibility - Constitutionally Limited Government - Free Markets.
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