Our original plan for the 2010 Chicago Tax Day Tea Party was to again hold it in Federal Plaza, site of the first Tax Day Tea Party in 2009. Unfortunately, we needed to change those plans when we were notified Federal Plaza would be under construction the week of the Tea Party (insert conspiracy theory here).
Daley Plaza actually turned out to be a great location. We had a massive crowd that would not have fit in Federal Plaza, and even more people who needed to hear our message had a chance to.....because we were right outside their window.
Mayor Daley Agrees with the Tea Party
Thousands of concerned Americans gathered right across the street from Mayor Daley's City Hall office on tax day and he heard us loud and clear. Daley estimated the crowd at the Chicago Tax Day Tea Party at 20,000 people. I nominate Mayor Daley to provide the official crowd estimate for all tea party rallies from now on, particularly in DC. But the numbers that really matter are the trillions of dollars being spent by government at every level: federal, state, county and city.Mayor Daley proposed a budget this year that cut costs slightly and did not raise taxes. City employees are earning less money in this economy because they are being forced to take furlough days. Daley himself has taken 29 unpaid days off this year, his cabinet has taken 24. Daley criticized Washington and Springfield at his press conference this week. Daley pointed out, "There isn’t one state employee or federal employee taking any time off. You wonder, why not?" Why not indeed.
Daley went on to wonder, "Don’t they realize that this is a national recession? Don’t they realize that people are suffering? There’s where the disgruntled attitude is — that they don’t get it. ... They’re living in the Washington or Springfield bubble.”
Daley is not the only politician that noticed
Forrest Claypool's campaign staffers were in Daley Plaza at the Tea Party collecting signatures for his independent run for Cook County Assessor. A message for Commissioner Claypool: you're running an independent campaign against higher taxes, corruption and politics as usual - so are we. We are open to your message and look forward to hearing what you have to say - hope you do the same.
Sadly, Pat Quinn still does not get it
While a select few Chicago and Cook County pols are hearing the Tea Party Movement message of lower taxes, lower spending and lower deficits, the same can not be said about the unelected Governor of IL, Pat Quinn. He is still proposing a 33% increase in the income tax and tried to impose a tax on iPhones and digital downloads. Even Quinn realized what a horrific idea the iTax was and quickly backed off the very next day.
Maybe it's time for the Chicago Tea Party and the other 50 groups in Illinois Tea to pay a visit to our representatives in Springfield. We can not afford a tax increase in this economy. We can not afford the job losses that would occur as a result. The public sector unions were not shy about going to Springfield to demand more money.
Is it time for the people to go to Springfield? What do you think?
Steve Stevlic is the Chicago Coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, Organizer of the 2010 Chicago Tax Day Tea Party and contributor at Chicago News Bench.
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