Yesterday several thousand Wichitans and folks from all over Kansas met on a windswept field to register their discontent with Washington policies.
The crowd heard from some great speakers, some of which you can see at the WichitaLiberty YouTube channel.
Citizens had opinions, too. Common themes of frustration included too much spending, pork-barrel spending, and too much taxes.
Critics of the tea parties wonder why people are protesting against taxes now, just as President Obama is cutting taxes for the middle class. I think that people realize the tax cut is just an illusion. As long as the government keeps spending and creating huge deficits, someone has to pay that bill later on.
As pointed out in the Wall Street Journal article The 2% Illusion: Take everything they earn, and it still won’t be enough, taking all income from the nation’s most successful people won’t be enough to pay for Obama’s spending.
Plus, I believe protesters are worried about all taxes and their effect on the economy, no matter who has to pay them. It’s more than just worrying about one’s own self.
Critics also level charges of “astroturfing” at the tea parties. Astroturf, being fake grass, symbolizes what those on the left think happened: events driven from the top-down instead of the bottom up. Leftist think the tea party protesters are deluded and being used.
I didn’t get that feeling from anyone. Protesters were there with a wide range of opinions. An informal poll by a television reporter reveled that less than half the attendees were Republicans. It’s true that Americans For Prosperity played a large role in organizing the event in Wichita. I’m glad for that, as organizing an event like this takes time and skill.
The crowd was well behaved, but not shy in expressing their displeasure. Rumors that people might attend in order to disrupt or confuse the message didn’t materialize.
When the event ended, someone remarked “This is amazing. People automatically picked up trash and took back their folding chairs.”
More coverage is available at the Voice For Liberty in Wichita.