Member of several freedom-oriented groups came together on the steps of the Capitol building Monday to let legislators know the Tea Party movement is still around, it won’t go away, and it won’t be quiet. The event, called “Convergence on the Capitol,” allowed attendees to meet and encourage lawmakers to support legislation which would nullify what they view as unconstitutional federal laws, ease midwifery licensing, bring Idaho back to a sound currency system, and continue the right to bear arms, respectively.
The event, orchestrated by the group Sovereign Idaho, was the combined effort of several smaller groups across Idaho. The Pocatello Tea Party, Idaho Freedom Foundation, and the Campaign for Liberty All worked together to make the event happen. According to Mark Balzer, the co-director for Sovereign Idaho, 42 people made the journey from the Pocatello area to rally against what it characterizes as oppressive government. Balzer said the event was his own “screwy idea,” which he didn’t believe possible back in September of 2009, when he first proposed the idea.
The group gathered at the step heard from several legislators, including Rep. Raul Labrador, Rep. Lynn Luker, Rep. Phil Hart, Rep. Pete Nielson, Rep. Russ Matthews, and Rep. Lenore Hardy Barrett. Labrador and Matthews spoke about freedom and limited government, while Luker talked about health care legislation he plans to propose to nullify any possible health care reforms. Labrador even thanked the group for helping to hold elected officials accountable.
Hart and Barrett spoke on sound currency, both proposing Idaho look into returning to precious metals as a form of payment. Hart said the Federal Reserve is a “monopoly “and a “cartel” and called for an audit and abolishment of the agency.
Nielson, who served on a committee which enacted tougher licensing restrictions on the midwife industry last year, admitted to the crowd the Legislature got it wrong and said he would work toward loosening the restrictions this year.
The event faced criticism that it pre-empted other activities celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. day. To those critics, Balzer said he didn’t mean to pre-empt anything, and said the group simply picked the second Monday of the legislative session to hold the rally. More so, Balzer believes King would have approved of the Tea Party gathering.
“I believe King would have supported what we were doing here today,” said Balzer. “We were working for freedom and individual liberty, which he dedicated his life to.”
The freedom gathering wasn’t without critics of its actual message, however. Five protestors stood behind the group holding signs critical of “Tea Baggers.” Boise resident DJ Albert, 16, was particularly critical of the Tea Partier’s stance on health care.
“It’s kind of silly they don’t want everyone in America to have some form of health care,” said Albert. “Everyone needs to be healthy and everyone has a right to that.”
Albert, self-admittedly an avid supporter of President Barack Obama, expressed disgust over the Tea Party’s influence in politics today.
“It’s kind of a shame they actually have political pull,” said Albert.
Following the rally, Tea Party protestors were encouraged by Balzer to meet with and lobby legislators on behalf of ends of freedom-oriented ideas. Protestors also had the opportunity to attend an orientation on the how the legislature functions by Idaho Freedom Foundation executive director Wayne Hoffman. They were also invited to a legislative forum moderated by Elizabeth Allan Hodge, a former state legislator from Canyon County.
We can simplify the debate. Obama said community interests are more important than are individual interests, and in this we find the differences between tyranny of the elite few over the many and individual freedom. There are only those two sides. Obama relates to the oldest, longest-running political system in the world, against the newest formed almost 400 years ago and proven worthy of a free people since, in America only. See Save Pebble Droppers & Prosperity on claysamerica.com.
It should have been mentioned that, as it says on your About page, that this site is “a product of the Idaho Freedom Foundation,” one of the sponsors of the event you’re reporting on.
Not a huge deal, but “crowd estimates” are typically part of this kind of report. I heard numbers from 150 to 400, and just going by your photo, it looks like the small end of that range.
Since it was the federal holiday and all (and yes, even Idaho has recognized it now, even though the Legislature was conducting business), you might also have dug a little deeper than one fellow’s comment about the intersection between this apparently randomly scheduled event and the history of civil rights activism in this country.
Randy Stapilus had an estimate of 150 and counting the heads in an enlargement of this photo I’d say he he pretty darn accurate.
I went to the tea party and Wayne Hoffman’s presentation. I learned how to find out the facts and participate in my government. The legislators were very supportive to have our individual input and felt welcomed to participate. It was great. If we can get the power back to the state level, we will have the opportunity to participate as a community. My hope is that we could work together for the good of all – this constant political bickering is like a bunch of bratty kids all trying to get their own way regardless of outcome. The negative ads turn neighbor against neighbor unneccesarily. We all want a clean planet and Americans are the most generous of all people. We don’t need to give our money to the government to squander it – I want it to go to the best use and i want to decide what programs I give my money to. If the government only controls the common areas – police, fire, roads, administration etc. that limits the corruption and bribary of politicians. Special interest groups, lobbyists, and unions won’t be there trying to get their projects funded, they will have to go to the people to raise the money.
Albert has a good start to be into politics at an early age. It seems he doesn’t understand the tea party movement. it is kids his age I am trying to protect. I paid into social security for 43 years and now see declining benefits as the program goes broke. Albert may pay into the system for his entire adult life and get no benefit at all. If Albert paid into a retirement program on his own he could retire a multi millionare instead of a government poverty level pitance. People need to learn history for themselves and see how this has worked around the world and then decide what type of government they want. I don’t want to pay 70-80% of my wages and let bureaucrats decide my fate.
Well I do understand the “tea party”. It’s a bunch of people who can’t stand to see a liberal in office, so naturally they all organize so they can all hold hands an bitch together.
The ideas of your party are imperically flawed, look at the gillded age, virtually no goverment regulation, that erra is viewed as the worst part of America ever, and for some reason that’s a good thing? U guys should be called the regressors. The original tea partyers were foward thinkers who wanted to benifit everyone, not just the ritch. Actually bassacly the complete oposite of u guys.
The good thing is u guys will never amount to any real movment becuase even the conservitives think u guys are to radical and regressive now.
Also more like 75 people were their not 400
here is my final question to u. Seeing how their are so manny glaring issues in today’s world, wouldnt it b better for us to progress past them not wallow and be completly unproductive?