Tea Partiers Rally for Less Spending
By: Phil Drake | 2010-03-03
HELENA – State lawmakers were given a stern warning Wednesday to be more fiscally responsible and cut back on growing budgets or face the wrath of voters at the polls.
A rally of Tea Party organizations from across the state drew a crowd that event organizers estimated at 175 people. Some people stood on the front lawn of the state capitol building waving flags, many were toting signs - and almost all were carrying a grudge against modern-day politics.
One of the highlights of the event was a symbolic slashing of the budget in which a chainsaw was used to hack away government fat from a tree representing Montana’s spending plan.
Jay Anderson, a Big Sky Tea Party organizer, stood outside the front door of the capitol and welcomed the protesters.
“Our purpose here today is to help the people that we hired to work in the building behind us to fiscally restrain themselves and operate within their means and the guidelines we set for them,” he said.
The rally took place on the same day many lawmakers returned to Helena for a training day on the state budget. Gov. Brian Schweitzer has proposed cutting $40.5 million to balance a budget shortfall.
A recent CBS News/New York Times poll found that nearly 20 percent of Americans identify with the Tea Party movement.
Members of the grass-roots organization call for fiscal responsibility, limited government and free markets.
The Tea Party movement may trace its roots to CNBC’s “Squawk Box” show on Feb. 19, 2009, when financial news analyst Rick Santelli criticized President Barack Obama for what Santelli claimed was unfairness in his $75 billion housing bailout proposal. He said the idea promoted “bad behavior.” Santelli said he was thinking of having a tea party in Chicago that July to protest.
In February, nearly 600 people met at the first Tea Party Convention in Nashville, where former Alaskan Governor and GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin gave the keynote address.
In Helena on Wednesday, Henry Kriegel of the Bozeman Tea Party, encouraged members to stay involved and to monitor the budget situation.
“There are plenty of disaffected Democrats who are joining our ranks,” he said. “Find your place in this movement.”
Don Hart, 69, of Bozeman clutched an American flag as he stood in the audience and listened to the dozen or so speakers. He said he hoped lawmakers were also listening.
“I hope they get a little message that a lot of people out here are concerned about how they are spending our money,” he said.
Tom Burnett, of Bozeman, told the audience that state spending has gotten out of control. He said of the state’s 12,500 employees, 780 will make more than $100,000 in 2011. He said in 2009, 500 state employees made more than $100,000.
Jim Walker of the Big Sky Tea Party used a log to show protesters how much state government has grown over the years.
He said he knew his teaching methods may be obscure, but “we decided what better example than a nice Montana native beetle-kill log,” he said.
First, a crosscut saw was used to trim money from the log. Walker, wearing a badger fur cap, then called for a chainsaw to be used, saying that the overspending was so massive.
Carl Graham, president of the Montana Policy Institute, a Bozeman-based nonprofit think tank, told the audience not to believe bureaucrats who claim there is not enough money coming in.
“It’s a bunch of hooey,” he said. “We do not have a revenue problem in this state. We have a spending problem, and it’s out of control.”
Several lawmakers took a break from the training session and spoke to the Tea Party members, including Rep. Scott Sales, R-Bozeman. He said he could save his colleagues some time in all their training.
“What they need to learn is we spent too much money and it needs to be cut,” he said.
Not everyone at the rally was a Tea Party enthusiast.
Jim Rogers, 57, of Polson, says he has attended several rallies and does not agree with the Tea Party philosophy.
“I think government is inherently good,” the retired teacher said. “I like our public schools.”
Rogers said he hoped to find a common ground at the rally.
“Then we can find ways to get past the highly partisan atmosphere,” he said. “You have to listen to the other side. I wish the other side would do the same.”
Comments 
John Behl
Posted on: 2010-03-31
We had our very first TPP meeting in Lewistown last week and it was successful. Don't let anyone tell you this grass roots organization is not affective, we know better.
Go TPP Go !
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