The Tea Party Disengages From Roots, Dissapoints

That afternoon, five years ago, many ADEQ employees, made their way up to the third and fourth floor windows, of the newly constructed Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality headquarters, located at 5301 Northshore Drive, in North Little Rock, AR. The building is L.E.E.D. Certified, and a beautiful work of architecture. It allows natural light through all of the glass walls, while offering several gorgeous views of the Arkansas River.

Other views are Northshore Drive, going toward Crystal Hill Elementary, and the Arkansas Surgery Center, next door to A.D.E.Q. Everyone was curious about the Tea Party crowd, lining all the way up and down the road. Different ones in the crowd, held signs. Many of the signs were derogatory toward the President of the United States, and their main focus seemed to be taxation.

My boss, was in agreement with the majority of the three hundred plus activists, in the streets, who disliked the President, and would have attended the event, had she any more sick days. She was in concert with most of the employees at ADEQ, as Democrats, turned GOP Republican. I just observed.

At first, I was a bit proud to hear about what the Tea Party was doing. Puzzling over the fact that Republicans were becoming activists, it still sort of thrilled me. I have my own preferences, and political leanings, but it is always thrilling to see people stand up for what they believe in, even if it is opposite of what I think.

That day, it was pretty hot, and the Tea Party protesters, were picketing about taxation without representation, and a bunch of other lines about the government overreach. Okay, they had their day, and they had their say. If they were so proud of it, why is it impossible to find any information on their past activities?

It is important to listen to those who oppose one’s way of thinking. If an argument, or debate is enough to lose a person’s ability to promote their cause, or party or belief, then it isn’t very solid to begin with. Giving an opponent a voice, strengthens one’s own resolve

• Personal Property Tax - Abolished?
• Tax on Food - Abolished?
• High Income Tax - Lowered or Abolished?
• Unfair Taxation for the Middle Class wage earners - Abolished?

Cigarette, fuel, road, city, State and Federal. Not one of these taxes have ever been protested by the Tea Party.

No taxes that press the lower income earners unfairly, has been acted against, nor actions taken. There has been little talk of taxes, unless it is the horror shared by the 99%, at the States who are lowering taxes for the Uber wealthy. While raising taxes on everyone else.

This is G.O.P., Tea Party participants who are doing this.

I used to be what people referred to as “trailer trash.” I would be the first person in my family to go to college. There were many weekends I spent at “Beer Camp.” shooting the crud out of cans, snakes and other wildlife.

I am not proud of my ignorance. I was a redneck. My education included a G.E.D. earned in 1983, cancelling my status as a High School drop out. (1977). A voracious reader, my mind was more open than many of my contemporaries, but a half-learned, back bar, motorcycle shop knowledge was my operating system.

I didn't know an nth of what I thought I did. There was a lot to learn.

Even though I was a redneck, the people I associated with, were mostly compassionate when it came to the poor, more than any other group. No matter what ethnicity, if there were kids involved, we did not care, we helped.

Since most of us were considered “sinners” by the religious right, our "type" believed in a higher power, and counted democrats as the kinder party, and Republicans never talked about God or sex.

The rednecks, hippies, Mexicans, Blacks and Natives would have never decided to picket, and sacrifice for the Republican party. Ever. If one was a caring, or empathetic person, in politics, if you had faith, and liked good old Jesus, you were Democrat.

We didn't care about gun laws, and we didn't tell anyone we had them.

The only time someone found out about our Second Amendment stance, was due to the arising of a “situation.”

IF the firepower had to come out, it was serious business.

Flashing fire power, is unprofessional, and lacks class, unless there is a direct cause.

Many of us trailer park types, sweated out the summers together, we camped and hiked, fished and hunted. We were very close to the land. We cared about, and contributed to the clean-ups, and well being of our city, State and Federal Parks whenever we visited.

Back then, my good ole’ buddies, and I would scream through a forest, blind and drunk on the back of a Quad 4X4, in the middle of the night, camp out, eat, drink and make merry. Even though what we were doing was not environmentally friendly, us old country girls would not have thought it was cool to ramp up our pick-up trucks to billow black smoke, against those wanting clean air.

We would have let the “liberals” be,

ignored them,

but respected their Right to Free Speech.

They really did make things better for everyone. If they wanted to work for it, we were glad to hitch the ride. We had more pressing matters to attend to, like how we could buy new school clothes for the kids, all the supplies, and maybe get some beer for the campsite. Could we get enough gas to last us the week. Car insurance, tags, inspections. It was all we could do to make ends meet.

Today, in 2014, for some crazy reason, those old running buddies would just as soon take me out, for supporting President Obama, and / or the Democratic Party.

Finally, I was intimidated enough, and removed my Obama / Biden sticker, because some "Patriot", had violently taken away my First Amendment Right to Free Speech, and scratched off, the name Obama, and left me a threatening note.

These same "New Patriots", do not allow any other Americans to claim the Right to Free Speech, or the pursuit of happiness.

By 2009, I had quite a bit of training, education and life experience. No longer trailer trash, I was a more conservative Democratic, Green Party leaning voter, not concrete about political party, but the candidates, and how they actually work for the people, was how I vote.

Today, our year of 2014, has gone past the halfway mark. Because I live in the South of North America, I am affected in most aspects of my life because of the Tea Party power here. I am witness to the erosion of personal freedoms, except carrying guns.

A terrible trend is the de-funding of non-profits, and not-for-profits, and instead, more money is being funneled to billionaire corporations. Earning an expensive education, has not given me a higher quality of life, just a life of debt and worry.

As I watched A.C.O.R.N. destroyed in one fell swoop, I was concerned that poor voters would not have information, or access to vote. ACORN, taught the disenfranchised to organize, helped neighborhoods to become home to many, and did a lot of good. There was not much sticking up for them at the time, because of all of the other political b.s. that simply disappeared a helpful, and mostly caring organization.

What has the Tea Party done for Arkansans?

We still have to pay Personal Property Tax on stuff we have owned for years.

We are supposed to asses all of our furniture, pictures, clothing, electronics - EVERYTHING, but it has basically trickled down to a tax on anything requiring a license.

A tax on Personal Property, is an unfair, and over-reaching tax. It is not fair, and any Tea Partier should be up-in-arms over it.

Not a whisper.

How about tax on food? Highways, Fuel, Phone Use, 911 tax...There has not been a peep about these taxes that over-burden the poor, and middle class. The only tax talk we have heard is how Tea Party members fight for billionaires not to pay any taxes.

Very phony, and extremely disappointing.

For shame.