Here’s the good news: I’ve had to beat my phone and inbox back into control with a stick. Interest in the event has far exceeded my expectations. To keep everything under control, I’ll answer a lot of frequently asked questions here –

Q: Where’s the tea party?

A: In Hartford at the Capitol between noon and 3PM July 4th.

Q: Can we bring signs?

A: It’s encouraged.

Q: Can I bring flyers, leaflets, ect?

A: Yes, if you clean up in the event any fall on the ground. The same goes for anything else. If you bring it, make sure it leaves with you or someone else.

Q: Who will be speaking?

A: Andy Rule will be reading the Declaration of Independence to start the event. Other speakers include myself, Deborah Stevenson, Vincent Arguimbau, Robert Jones, Matt Daly, Peter Schiff, John Mertens, Joe Markley as “uncommitted” for US Senate and G. Scott Deshefy. That’s the final list. Speakers will not include recycled politicians who were part of the problem, voted for spending increases and suddenly decided to run for senate. It’s not happening.

The final schedule for speakers goes as follows –

12:00 – 12:20 Andy Rule (reading of Declaration of Independence)

12:20 – 12:25 Robert Jones

12:25 – 12:45 Dan Reale

12:50 – 1:10 John Mertens

1:10 – 1:30 Joe Markley as Uncommitted for Senate

1:35 – 1:45 Vincent Arguimbau

1:45 – 1:50 Estelle Stevenson

1:50 – 1:55 Matt Daly

2:00 – 2:20 G. Scott Deshefy

2:25 – 3:00 Peter Schiff

Q: What can I do to help?

A: We need to make sure the Capitol grounds stay clean. Bring trash bags just in case. We could also use a back up microphone, sound system or amplifier. If anyone has a camcorder and a Youtube account, post a video of this event.

Q: “With the exception of Schiff, your platform looks like a coalition of European Social Democrats…how do you explain that?”

A: Three Republicans, one from the Green party, four Libertarians and one independent candidate who chairs the Connecticut for Lieberman party… I don’t follow, but even the big government people think taxation and spending are out of hand. The government isn’t just on the edge – that’s where it’s summer home away from the asylum is. We’re up the creek without a paddle if we can’t get all hands on deck unified against $100+ trillion in crazy.

Q: I heard that FBI agents were recording license plates at these events. Is that true?

A: Maybe, but it’s nothing 18 USC 241 and all other applicable charges can’t take care of if it goes beyond that. If you see anything like this, notify myself and the Capitol Police immediately.

Q: Is this event sponsored by or designed to promote a candidate for office?

A: No. Although we have candidates speaking, we’re going on the record as being united against fiscal recklessness.

Q: I’m with the media. Who do I talk to.

A: That would be me.

Q: What if it rains or we have bad weather?

A: Bring an umbrella. The least we can do, given that many of Washington’s troops stayed in Valley Forge without shoes or food, is tough it out. And it was really bitter cold.

Q: I heard there was a parade after your event. Is true?

A: Not at all. We haven’t organized a parade.

Q: I have a question that isn’t listed. Where do I ask?

A: Add a comment to this post.

And yes, I’m running again.

HR 2454 Passed…

The bill went through Patriot Act and bailout style, including a 300 page amendment filed at 3:09 AM the day of the vote. The original was 15 pages shy of Lord of the Rings. I’m a fast reader, but there’s no way to get through the final version, including the amendment while checking it against existing US code, in less than 24 hours.

It’s supposedly meant to create energy independence, jobs and less pollution. From what we had time to find out, it does the opposite.

Here are the highlights –

1)       Its proponents say it will cost everyone, taxpayer or not, approximately $2,500 per year.

2)       Fuel costs will jump by approximately 74%, excluding inflation coming down the road.

3)       We have to cut carbon emissions, including carbon dioxide (life giving gas) and carbon monoxide (the actual pollutant) whereas China, India and others must do nothing.

4)       All remaining industry will be driven out of business.

5)       Federal building codes.

6)       Additional housing inspections.

7)       It increases burdens for state and local governments in violation of the Tenth Amendment.

       It creates more Madoff style speculation in carbon credits, including carbon credit derivatives.

9)       It means selective enforcement of sanctions and selective disbursement of government funds to select industries and firms.

10)   It preempts local and state law.

11)   Higher electricity costs, as if we don’t pay enough.

12)   Zero protections for low income families, who are hit the hardest by current inflation and job losses.

13)   It’s an expensive way to produce a result equivalent to giving all homes and businesses free fluorescent bulbs (too simple, can’t let it happen).

14)   It increases housing costs.

15)   According to the Congressional Budget Office, the original bill would cost $821 billion alone at the federal level.

16)   It ships US money in the form of carbon credits around the world, as if we have plenty of it.

17)   It’s a bipartisan failure – the Republicans could have stalled this.

18)   Profits a very few at the cost of the many via government intervention.

19)   A multitude of offices and swarms of officers to eat out our substance. Sound familiar yet?

I’m not sure what everyone’s conversation was at dinner, at the office water cooler, in the bars, at the local VFW or wherever on June 26^th. But if it was Michael Jackson, something is terribly wrong here. Congress just voted to tax your entire life.  

If I were Rep. Boehner, I’d have been talking about it all night instead of limiting myself to three hours, which he could have. The Republican party deserves an equal amount of contempt for enabling, if anything, the very fashion in which this bill was passed by setting the precedent when they were in power. They alienate their rank and file members who stand for fiscal restraint just as much as Democrats alienate their rank and file who oppose the war in Iraq.

Add this latest outrage to $99.1 trillion in unfunded Medicare and Social Security obligations. Add this to the bailout, which has already exceeded the total amount required to pay off every mortgage and credit card bill in the US. Now, Congress has voted that we become carbon offset sharecropping debt serfs.

This is in a country where we’re told that change and hope come from indebtedness to moneyed interests.

They dare to ask this of a people whose jobs were actively off shored under NAFTA, CAFTA and GATT. They have created a system that deprives the sick and dying of potentially life saving treatments as it gouges doctors and patients, but that’s not enough. They dare to ask this of a people whose median income has not seen an inflation adjusted increase since 1973. And they do it in the name of environmentalism while ignoring the very real environmental dangers this centrally planned system has created.

Americans need to stand united against looting. This is why a transpartisan coalition among left, right, centrist, libertarian and even statists are coming together on July 4^th. It’s long overdue.

To my fellow Tea Partiers

It looks our July 4^th Tea Party at the Capitol will proceed. Nearly all the arrangements have been made.

Our speaker final schedule will be –

12:00 – 12:20 Andy Rule (reading of Declaration of Independence)

12:20 – 12:40 Dan Reale

12:50 – 1:10 John Mertens

1:10 – 1:30 Uncommitted for Senate/ Comedy Intermission

1:35 – 1:45 Vincent Arguimbau

1:45 – 1:50 Estelle Stevenson

2:00 – 2:20 G. Scott Deshefy

2:25 – 3:00 Peter Schiff