FRANKFORT, Ky. — Around 700 people showed up on the state Capitol steps on Independence Day to stage their own TEA Party and voice their displeasure with policies of President Barack Obama and Congress.
TEA stands for “Taxed Enough Already,” and that was a theme of most speakers and their supporters in the crowd, but there were plenty of complaints about Obama who many said is leading the country “on a path to socialism.”
Miranda Davidson, 16, of Greenup carried a sign which read: “Obamanomics: Chains You Can Believe In.” She said her primary concern is the federal debt.“I don’t like being put in debt before I even have money,” she said. “When me and my sister get older, we’ll have to pay for all the bailouts and we have no say in it.”
Her father, Jeramie Davidson, said it isn’t just Obama, not just Democrats who are the problem, but both parties and the whole government.
“I’m tired of all of the government sticking their noses in our business and taking away our freedoms,” said the elder Davidson. “You’ve got the radical left-wing in control of everything and we’re fed up about it.”
John Brown of Flatwoods told the crowd that nationalists are in power and distinguished that philosophy from patriotism.
“A nationalist is a person who loves his government,” Brown said. “A patriot is a person who loves his country and I am a patriot.”
He went on to say it is “foolish to keep returning to power” the same political leaders who have created a “central government out of control.” He said the people have the power to change things, the power of the ballot.
Most of the speakers primarily blamed Obama – who lost both the Democratic primary and general elections badly in Kentucky – for unemployment, high taxes and creeping socialism. But several sprinkled in boiler plate conservative social issues, including abortion and second amendment rights.
One of those was David Carr of the King of Kings Radio Network, a conservative Christian broadcasting group. Carr, of Somerset, talked about abortion as well as economic issues and said at one point that “members of Congress have no right to appropriate public money.”
Several in the crowd held small signs that said Democratic Kentucky Congressmen John Yarmuth of Louisville and Ben Chandler of Versailles should be replaced. Others held up signs critical of Obama, including some recalling unsubstantiated campaign charges about Obama’s citizenship.
“Where’s the birth certificate?” read one held by an elderly lady.
Dan Miler, a Lexington attorney and partner in The Conservative Underground Company, was doing a brisk business selling T-shirts with a large “O” over the word “crap” and “Don’t Blame Me – I voted for McCain” bumper stickers.
He said, “Business is booming,” but he said it wasn’t just anti-Obama buyers boosting his take.
“Based on my sales, it’s more anti-tax, anti-government,” Miller said, pointing to T-shirts which bore those kinds of messages. “The O-No and O-Crap shirts are selling well but anything with McCain isn’t selling.” One bumper sticker that was selling was “Sarah 2012.” That would be Sarah Palin, John McCain’s vice presidential nominee and Alaska governor.
Palin announced Friday she’s resigning as governor. She’s a popular choice among some conservatives to run for president in 2012.
Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com.
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July 4, 2009
Frankfort sees large 'TEA Party' protest; Pulaski's Carr among number
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Pulaski carries Girdler to win
In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.” - Local Democrats diss Obama
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