Several dozen people opposed to the politics and the practices of the Boise Tea Party showed up to the Tax Day Rally at the Idaho Capitol. People held up signs supporting President Barack Obama and new federal health care laws, as well as broad ideals like compassion and civility.
“We’re just here encouraging civility and civil conversations around the issues,” said Duane Quintana of Boise, one of the leaders of Boise Coffee Party. “We’re really for all people and all voices to be heard, not just the loud.” Idaho branches of the Coffee Party movement started up in Boise and Pocatello last month. The Coffee Party USA supports cooperation and positive solutions in government.
Quintana said he’s never been politically active before organizing Boise Coffee Party. “We’re just really encouraging and creating opportunities for the average citizen to get involved in civic engagement and politics,” he said. “Trying to have an open mind, an open heart, and an open ear is really important to me and I think it’s important in politics as well.”
Lisa Semmler of Boise said she showed up at the Tax Party rally to remind other attendees that some Idahoans approve of the Obama administration. “Not everyone in Idaho is against Obama and against health care,” she said. “We actually do have people in the state that voted for change, which means health care reform and ending the war in Iraq.” She said that Obama has also lowered taxes for 95 percent of Americans, which likely included most of the rallygoers in Boise. “And yet, they’re out here arguing that their taxes are being spent and raised. They’re completely against their own messages.”
“I’m absolutely opposed to everything going on here,” said Michael Hayes, who was protesting the Tax Day Rally. “This isn’t what Idaho represents. This is a minority … These people are out here calling themselves patriots. I don’t know if they’ve ever really read the Constitution or the Bill of Rights.”
Eugene, Oregon Coffee Party is going to show up at the Tea Party Rally this afternoon.
Let’s get a list of great signs: I’m taking ‘Let’s be civil’ and ‘My constitution reads: We The People not I The Person or We The Corporation.
I’d love to gather some other great signs.
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It’s already been widely reported that Coffee Party founder Annabel Park is a hard-core Obama operative who in her personal Twitter Tweets has been anything but civil when discussing the “tea baggers.”
Go ahead, check out the “real” Annabel Park (her January and February Tweets) at http://www.twitter.com/annabelpark
As for her and her Coffee Party wannabees, it’s amazing that people who claim to stand for “democracy” and “the Constitution” can put down average Americans who have the audacity to exercise their First Amendment right to peacefully protest. Annabel makes no sense when she claims the Tea Party demonstrations don’t represent “democracy.”
What’s most hilarious is the Coffee Party’s claim that Tea Party members represent “a minority.” Oh, really? Call me crazy, but when Tea Party rallies routinely draw thousands of people, while Coffee Party meetings are lucky to draw a couple dozen, I’d say someone’s confused about the definition of “minority.”
Interesting that the Tea Partiers are so anti-government, unless there is something in it for them. Medicare, medicade, stimulus money, regulation of coal mines, federal school monies, ad naseum? But don’t tell them they have to have health insurance! God forbid. Frankly, it is my firm belief that the Tea Party movement is filled with anti-gay, anti-black, anti-FEDERAL government(why? because a black man is in charge), mean spirited people who look for any excuse to whine and complain. Come on folks, suck it up, and do the right thing, not the political thing.
[...] & Budget « Coffee Party, Obama supporters show up at Tea Party rally Minnick receives Tea Party endorsement, Ward blasts his record [...]
To the Amused Observer
I find it funny that you can have a protest on Tax Day, but no one else can legally protest. I didn’t see any signs in the photos that were putting you down. When did the Tea Party start owning a protest? I believe the Constitution allows the Coffee Party, the Tea Party and anyone else the right to assemble. Or does the Constitution only apply to a select few? I find it amusing myself that you feel you are speaking for the majority. When does a few thousand represent a majority of people.
The “coffee” party folks are parroting words without any knowledge of what is actually going on. Two of the founders of the tea party are black. My DIL is Nigerian and she is the one who convinced me to go to my first tea party. EVERY tea party group across this nation HAD NO VIOLENCE unlike any other protest group ask the police. In leaving an area tea party folks left the areas CLEANER than they were when they arrived. Compassion that causes an entire people into slavery is not my idea of compassion. Micro chipping is the step that makes everyone a slave to the government given to us by the health bill. I do not see any compassion in that either.
I am glad there are reasonable ppl out there that are willing to have a civil discussion. Where was the tea party when Bush outsourced jobs, gave tax cuts to the rich & spent trillions on 2 wars? Why didn’t the tea party protest then? At least Pres Barack in inventing money in the American ppl, right here on U.S. soil. Why isn’t the Tea Party advocating Wall Street Reform? Weren’t they outraged about the bailouts. Well Wall Street Reform will prevent future bailouts. What hypocrisy!
If the tea baggers are against socialism then when they turn 65 they should not accept Medicare. Tell the govt you will not accept Medicare because Medicare is a form of socialism. And when you get sick pay your medical costs out of your own pocket. Only then you will know how it feels to live without a security blanket called health insurance.
Get the facts about Healthcare.
This year, children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied health insurance coverage. Once the new health insurance exchanges begin in the coming years, pre-existing condition discrimination will become a thing of the past for everyone.
This year, health care plans will allow young people to remain on their parents’ insurance policy up until their 26th birthday.
This year, insurance companies will be banned from dropping people from coverage when they get sick, and they will be banned from implementing lifetime caps on coverage. This year, restrictive annual limits on coverage will be banned for certain plans. Under health insurance reform, Americans will be ensured access to the care they need.
This year, adults who are uninsured because of pre-existing conditions will have access to affordable insurance through a temporary subsidized high-risk pool
What’s hilarious is that the tea party claims to be an independent party when many polls indicate they are republican or share republican/conservative ideology. They go around town with signs that state “we want OUR country back.” Well I agree, give this country back to the native americans, they were severely cheated. The tea party says “hands off my healthcare.” Great idea, they can let the insurance companies rape them by paying high premiums. The tea party didn’t cry “SOCIALISM” when Bush institued the prescription drug program & didn’t have a plan to pay for it’s cost.