'Tea party' draws protesters from across Peninsula
Residents from Jefferson, Clallam, Kitsap and Pierce counties showed up for the first "tea party" held at the Chimacum Grange in Chimacum on Saturday. -- Photo by Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News
'Run, Sarah, run!'
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sarah Palin declared "America is ready for another revolution" and repeatedly assailed President Barack Obama on Saturday before adoring "tea party" activists, a seemingly natural constituency should she run for president.
"This movement is about the people," the 2008 GOP vice-presidential nominee said as the crowd roared. "Government is supposed to be working for the people."
Noting Democrats' recent electoral losses just a year after Obama was elected on promises of hope and change, she asked: "How's that hope-y, change-y stuff workin' out for you?"
Her audience waved flags and erupted in cheers during multiple standing ovations as Palin gave the keynote address at the first national convention of the tea party coalition, an anti-establishment, grass-roots network motivated by anger over the growth of government, budget-busting spending and Obama's policies.
Filled with Palin's trademark folksy jokes, the speech amounted to a 45-minute pep talk for the coalition and promotion of its principles. The speech also was rife with criticism for Obama and Democrats who control Congress, but delivered with a light touch.
But, aside from broad conservative principles like lower taxes and a strong national defense, it was short on her own policy ideas that typically indicate someone is seriously laying the groundwork to run for the White House.
Palin suggested that the party should remain leaderless and cautioned against allowing the movement to be defined by any one person.
"This is about the people" and "it's a lot bigger than any charismatic guy with a teleprompter," she said, jabbing at Obama.
The former Alaska governor, who resigned from office last summer before completing her first term, didn't indicate whether her political future would extend beyond cable news punditry and paid speeches to an actual presidential candidacy.
All she offered was a smile when a moderator asking her questions used the phrase "President Palin."
That prompted most in the audience to stand up and chant "Run, Sarah, run!"
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sarah Palin declared "America is ready for another revolution" and repeatedly assailed President Barack Obama on Saturday before adoring "tea party" activists, a seemingly natural constituency should she run for president.
"This movement is about the people," the 2008 GOP vice-presidential nominee said as the crowd roared. "Government is supposed to be working for the people."
Noting Democrats' recent electoral losses just a year after Obama was elected on promises of hope and change, she asked: "How's that hope-y, change-y stuff workin' out for you?"
Her audience waved flags and erupted in cheers during multiple standing ovations as Palin gave the keynote address at the first national convention of the tea party coalition, an anti-establishment, grass-roots network motivated by anger over the growth of government, budget-busting spending and Obama's policies.
Filled with Palin's trademark folksy jokes, the speech amounted to a 45-minute pep talk for the coalition and promotion of its principles. The speech also was rife with criticism for Obama and Democrats who control Congress, but delivered with a light touch.
But, aside from broad conservative principles like lower taxes and a strong national defense, it was short on her own policy ideas that typically indicate someone is seriously laying the groundwork to run for the White House.
Palin suggested that the party should remain leaderless and cautioned against allowing the movement to be defined by any one person.
"This is about the people" and "it's a lot bigger than any charismatic guy with a teleprompter," she said, jabbing at Obama.
The former Alaska governor, who resigned from office last summer before completing her first term, didn't indicate whether her political future would extend beyond cable news punditry and paid speeches to an actual presidential candidacy.
All she offered was a smile when a moderator asking her questions used the phrase "President Palin."
That prompted most in the audience to stand up and chant "Run, Sarah, run!"
By Tom Callis
Peninsula Daily News
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The Jefferson County Republican Party held the political demonstration at the Chimacum Grange.
Many protesters came with signs criticizing national, state and local policies seen as infringements on property rights and overly burdensome for taxpayers.
"Give me liberty, not debt," read one sign.
"No new taxes," said another.
Speakers, including residents from Jefferson and Clallam counties and two Republican Party candidates, also touched on a range of issues from a conservative standpoint, with a particular focus on land use regulations.
Best stewards
"The best stewards of the land are the people who live on it," Dennis Schultz of the Olympic Stewardship Foundation told the crowd.
Larry Carter, Jefferson County Citizens Alliance for Property Rights president, criticized the state-mandated shoreline master program.
"It will cost you a fortune to build on your own darn property," he said, referring to environmental setbacks.
"It's not fair," he added to applause.
The demonstration was the first organized in Jefferson County, while several similar rallies were conducted in Sequim and Port Angeles last year.
Sequim resident Evangeline Rivera-Levine told the crowd Saturday to remember that change comes through the ballot box and encouraged them to support conservative Republican candidates.
"We can't lose interest," she said. "Tell your people to vote."
Rivera-Levine is a member of Concerned Citizens of Clallam County, which she described as pro-property rights organization.
The two political candidates to speak were Jim Boyer, who has announced candidacy for the seat now held by Jefferson County Commissioner John Austin, a Democrat, and Doug Cloud, who aims for the seat now held by Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, of the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula.
The primary race is in August, before the general election in November.
Boyer, 63, of Port Ludlow, encouraged those in attendance to keep engaged in politics for the sake of future generations.
'Concerned about country'
"I'm genuinely concerned over the kind of country our kids are going to grow up in," he said.
Cloud, who announced Tuesday that he is challenging long-term Congressman Dicks for the fourth time, said while speaking to concerns over property rights that he is frustrated by "leftist" policies at all levels of government.
The Gig Harbor resident told the Peninsula Daily News that he expects that such conservative political demonstrations criticizing government spending and regulations, known generally as Tea Parties, will maintain momentum through the November elections.
"It's been building for years," he said.
"But the flash point is the economy."
There were a few signs and comments made at President Barack Obama's expense, but a three-foot tall Obama "weeble wobble" was left unjabbed.
National debt
A Port Ludlow resident, Paul Moseley, criticized the federal government for increasing the nation's debt but didn't direct blame to anyone in particular.
"I don't think we can keep this up," he said. "The government is spending money like it's going out of style.
"And it is."
Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman Ron Gregory told the PDN at the beginning of the demonstration that there were no plans for future Tea Parties at the time.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: February 07. 2010 12:37AM
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