TEA Party Patriots Hit Congressional Offices

By 5th Estate Celt

March 16,2010, Washington, DC: Hundreds of health care "reform" bill protestors attended what was called a "surge" against the ill-conceived unpopular "Obamacare" bill.

Following a pep rally at a small park, six of us from Maine and New Hampshire fanned out to go to congressional office buildings. Once, we mastered the confusing building directory, we visited the offices of our state reps. Four of our group met with Rep. Carol Shea-Porter and articulated their opposition to the bill. They spoke out about the mounting national debt and how this bill will inflate that terrible debt, making our children and theirs debt slaves. Further government control of the private sector and the unconstitutional tactics being considered to ram this faulty legislation through were other pointed they voiced.

Joining up with Ms. Don't Mess with Texas

While treading the corridors we met up with a Texas fireball, armed with a list of potential swing vote reps. We joined her patriot pack and hit numerous offices. Mostly, receptionists told us that aides were too busy to see us, as this was the time in Congress they call "March madness." We were mad alright, but not in the way they meant. They asked us to leave written comments. Writer's cramp soon set in, but we continued penning KILL THE BILL messages wherever we stopped including Speaker Pelosi's office.

Respect for the Patriot is Alive and Well Here

Charles "Chip" Gardiner, Jr. is a credit to the citizens of Minnesota. Chip, legislative director to Rep. James Oberstar, of Minnesota's 8th District, took time from a busy schedule to meet with us in a conference room. He offered us glasses of cold water and made us feel at home. And he listened attentively to we the people for over a half hour. He accorded us the respect granted to the soverign citizens of this country under the Constitution. He merits our profound appreciation. Please email him and thank him for graciously receiving 11 concerned and often animated patriots representing all of you in our nation's capital. (chip.gardiner@mail.house.gov)

TEA Party Attracts Notice of Japanese Educator

Around 5 p.m., as we headed to N.H. Senator Jeanne Shaheen's office, we were joined by a Japanese professor of interactive communications. Intrigued by the notion of we the people rising up to get big government out of their lives, he wanted to observe TEA Party patriots in action. Along the way, we passed Utah's Senator Orin Hatch being interviewed by Fox News. After the interview, Hatch spent some time with us. He was very cordial and urged us to keep up the good fight.

At Shaheen's office, a young aide was about to leave for the day. But she took about 10 minutes to speak with us. With the professor taking notes and observing, we made it clear that, outside the bubble that is Washington, DC, the people we interact with on a daily basis don't want this bill passed. Shaheen apparently feels that health care coverage is a right. We disagreed and called for free enterprise solutions, individual choice and responsibility. We also pushed for tort reform and selling insurance across state lines, among other practical measures that work within our open market system.

KEEP THE PRESSURE UP

While we were visiting all offices, the phones were ringing off the hook. Weary aides were taking notes galore. Reportedly, call volume was so high that no one could phone out on land lines. Way to go, America. Keep up the pressure!