They didn’t dump any tea into Boston Harbor like American colonists did in 1773, but folks who attended the TEA Party rallies in Oxford April 15 had the same complaints as their forefathers ? taxes are too high and nobody in the government is listening to them.
‘I don’t like the direction we’re heading in at all,? said Pam Reynolds, of Oxford. ‘The government thinks it knows how to spend our money better than we do. That upsets me greatly.?
An estimated 150-175 people attended two rallies (one at noon and one at 5 p.m.) outside the Oxford Village offices at 22 W. Burdick St. to protest against a variety of things ? excessive taxes, big government, out-of control-spending, the loss of freedoms, a perceived slide toward socialism and out-of-touch politicians.
‘I’m here because I am protesting our government, period,? said Pam Gould, of Oxford. ‘I think they are doing so many things that offend us and violate the Constitution. Everything (the politicians) do is against what this country was founded on. I’m here to voice my opinion and this is my opinion, ‘Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.??
Organized at the grassroots level, TEA (or Taxed Enough Already) Party rallies went on in about 1,900 communities across the U.S.
Oxford’s rallies drew many locals as well as folks from Addison, Clarkston, Lake Orion, Holly and Bloomfield Hills.
‘It’s encouraging, even a small group like this, because these are going on everywhere,? said Clarkston resident Jack Britton, who also attended the TEA Party rally in Lansing.
Protesters waved homemade signs and American flags as drivers passing by honked their horns in support.
‘I hope it makes a difference, us being here,? said Alan Mrock, of Oxford. ‘What Washington’s doing is legalized stealing. I’m tired of it and a lot of my friends are, too.?
Indebting the future
Most of those in attendance indicated they showed up out of concern for future generations.
Holding her 2?-year-old daughter Liliana, Oxford resident Jennifer Knapp said she’s opposed to ‘big government? and ‘more taxes? because ‘this little one here is the one that’s going to pay for it.?
‘I’m trying to save her from that,? she said. ‘I don’t want my kids to have to clean up this mess.?
‘I don’t have any grandchildren yet, but I think they’re going to be the ones stuck paying for everything that we have squandered away,? said Addison resident Cindy Horky. ‘They didn’t realize you shouldn’t spend more than you have and we did, unfortunately.?
‘I’m a new grandma for the first time and I just don’t want to see my grandkids having to foot these kinds of bills,? said Sue Senyk, of Addison. ‘It’s just ridiculous.?
‘I think they’ve already spent all (the grandkids and great-grandkids) money,? said Phil Hale, of Oxford. ‘I’m 70, so I probably will get Social Security, but I’m not sure they’ll get anything except taxes. That’s why I’m here.?
‘I think if we’re not careful we’re going to spend ourselves to the point where our children and grandchildren will never get out of debt,? said Oxford Twp. Trustee Melvin Cryderman.
No more taxes
Taxes were, of course, a major issue among the protesters.
‘I pay enough taxes,? said Jim Burr, of Oxford. ‘We’ve been silent long enough. I don’t know if this (rally) will do any good, but here I am.?
‘I don’t mind paying my taxes, but I don’t want the government to feel they’re entitled to everything,? said Jean Rachel, of Lake Orion.
‘They’re taxing us too much,? said Bonnie Mrock, of Oxford. ‘There has to be a stop to it. We have to say something.?
And it wasn’t just federal and state taxes upsetting some protesters. Hale wished to send a message to the Oxford Board of Education about any future plans it might have to once again ask voters to approve a school bond proposal, given the $70 million one just failed in February.
‘We don’t want to keep voting until we get it right,? he said. ‘We voted it down. Let’s just leave it as it is.?
‘I’ve lived here 40 years. They just keep coming back as long as you don’t vote right,? Hale noted.
Stop the spending spree
Those attending the protest were not at all pleased with government spending, specifically how the public’s money is being spent and the amount being expended.
Addison resident Sue Senyk was upset with the $410 billion spending bill signed by President Barack Obama in early March because the legislation contained more than 9,000 ‘pork-barrel projects.?
‘This kind of spending is going to destroy our nation,? she said. ‘The debt is enormous and we’re not addressing it. They say they’re going to address it, then they add in pork, which they said they weren’t going to do.?
The $787 billion economic stimulus package approved the federal government back in February also wasn’t very popular amongst the crowd.
‘I was against the stimulus package,? said Lake Orion resident Marjorie Harper. ‘It was way too much money and we didn’t have the chance to vote on it. No one even read it.?
Lake Orion resident Chuck Brandon said all this increased government spending is not going to get the troubled economy moving again.
‘I’m most certainly no financial expert, but if history is correct, no country has ever spent their way out of a recession. None, ever,? he said.
Most felt the best way to jump-start the economy is to simply let average people keep more of their money.
‘Give us the money, we’ll create the jobs,? Reynolds said.
Marching toward socialism
There was a genuine concern among the protesters that the U.S. economy is becoming more and more socialist.
‘I see the country going so fast and furiously toward socialism,? said Jody Risher, of Clarkston. ‘One of the big deals for me was when our president fired the CEO of General Motors. It had never happened before and I thought it was way, way over the top.?
Kathy Hale, of Oxford, also saw Obama’s firing of GM’s CEO as step toward socialism.
‘If he can take them out, he can also hire them and when he hires them, then he can control what goes on with our businesses. That’s socialism. I don’t want that,? she said.
?(Government officials) don’t know how to run their own business. How can they run the car companies?? Bonnie Mrock said.
Fading freedoms
There were those in the crowd who felt government’s increasing size and control is imperiling their freedoms.
‘I’m here to strike a blow for the freedom we used to have and the freedom I’m afraid we’re losing,? Horky said.
‘I’m losing my country. That’s exactly how I feel,? said Britton, who served in the Marines from 1969-72 and did two tours in Vietnam. ‘It’s not the country that I’ve known.?
Lake Orion resident Todd Rachel was protesting the ‘taking away of gun rights and many, many things President Obama’s doing that run counter to the American culture.?
Out of touch at the top
Many at the rally felt the politicians elected to represent their interests are doing everything but these days.
‘They’ve become so acclimated to their life-style they don’t realize what real life is about now,? said Oxford resident Dallas Acker. ‘They lost the people. They don’t see it. They don’t know who we are anymore except at campaign time. Then it’s just a brief moment and we’re forgotten again.?
‘It’s all the politicians,? Brandon said. ‘They’ve got theirs. They’ve got their raises. They’ve got their pensions. They’ve got their health care. And the rest of us are going to be out there fending for ourselves.?
‘We voted the people in, we pay their wages and we should be able to have a say in what they are doing,? said Clarkston resident Karen Braun. ‘Please, please pay attention to us.?
‘I think things are out of control,? said Sandy Hale, of Oxford. ‘No one listens to us. We write them, we call them, nothing ever changes. They just do exactly what they want to do. I hoping someone will start listening because I’m very concerned about the country and our grandkids.?
Oxford resident Bruce Pierce said it’s time ‘to put the servant back in public servant.?
‘We elect them to represent us and lead us, not to go there and rule over us and do whatever comes to mind.?
Beyond party lines
Despite claims by some politicians and figures in the major media, the people participating in these TEA Party rallies said they weren’t partisan protests.
‘It’s more than just a Right or Left issue, although it’s the Left that’s got control of the government now,? Brandon said. ‘Republicans aren’t any saints in this either.?
‘It has nothing to do with Republicans or Democrats,? Britton said. ‘It has to do with our government failing us.?