Time for a tea party

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By Candace E. Salima

Americans citizens have had enough already. The course the nation's government has taken over the past few decades has slowly slid away from the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.

The executive, legislative and judicial branches are running roughshod over the American people. It was only a matter of time before the American spirit rose up to fight against the rogue federal government; the T.E.A. (Taxed Enough Already) movement grew out of that vital American spirit.

Conservatives were troubled when the Democrats took the majority in Congress and President Obama won the White House. We feared the worst with the executive and legislative branches suddenly free of checks and balances. But we truly could not have anticipated the speed with which Mr. Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the rest of the gang in Congress have shredded the Constitution, forced federal programs upon the states and wreaked havoc on an already crippled economy.

The Obama overtax-and-deficit-spend philosophy has crushed businesses and local economies in favor of the pet projects of liberal insiders and the politically well-connected. Phone calls, e-mails and faxes have poured into Washington by the millions, only to be completely ignored.

The tallies running in congressional offices reportedly showed overwhelming numbers against the plan to spend wildly to "stabilize the economy" - known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - and yet the wishes of Americans have been ignored and legislation enacted anyway, without even being read by most members of Congress or by the president.

Enraged at these irresponsible acts by the federal government, the Silent Majority began to stir. Inspired by the Boston Tea Party and those patriots who took action in 1773, Americans began throwing tea parties across America. Smart Girl Politics took those isolated parties and called on conservatives from every state to connect across the nation and unite in a single voice on April 15.

The message on that day was clear: We have been "taxed enough already" and cannot, nor will we, bear the higher burden demanded by the government. Cries of "No socialism," "No to higher taxes" and "Yes to smaller federal government and restoration of states' rights" rang out against the early spring skies.

Hearing those cries, states began asserting their rights and sovereignty. Montana, Texas, Utah... one by one, state legislatures began examining ways to check the federal government until there were more declaring their sovereignty than there were willingly entering the cage created by Mr. Obama.

What was the response of the federal government? Mr. Obama said he had his own things to do and knew nothing about any tea parties. Mr. Obama and Congress moved briskly forward with their anti-growth, anti-jobs agenda, passing one piece of legislation after another, which added trillions upon trillions to the national debt and piled greater tax burdens on the American people. Small businesses started closing, larger corporations laid off huge numbers of their work force, unemployment climbed to 9.4 percent, and it is expected to go higher.

On July Fourth, Americans will gather again. This time, people from all parties are joining the movement to restore the U.S. Constitution as the fundamental rule of law and to stop the unchecked rush toward complete financial ruin for America. More than 1,300 parties are scheduled across America on July Fourth, and this time, millions are anticipated to join in a concerted effort to make a statement to Washington: "Restore the Constitution as the rule of law, or you're out of work come November 2010."

Groups and organizations have popped up all over the nation, uniting tea partiers under various causes. But what they all boil down to is the restoration of the U.S. Constitution and the republic that was the United States of America. We will not stop. We will not surrender this cause.

On July Fourth, 22 tea parties will be hosted in Utah alone. for there is no greater way to celebrate America's Independence Day than to stand in defense of our liberties. As such, Utah is fighting for America in true Western style. We will have speeches, music, food and fireworks.

The citizens of Utah stand with our fellow Americans across the nation. We can no longer stand the unprecedented burdens Mr. Obama and Congress are placing on us. We cannot stand silently by while the Constitution is destroyed. We cannot stand quietly when the sacrifices of patriots past are dismissed as romantic naivete. We cannot stand still while this great nation is systematically dismantled. We will continue to speak. We will continue to sing. We will continue to educate. We will continue to organize.

The republic that was the United States of America must be fully and completely restored, with the U.S. Constitution upheld as the rule of law. The tea partiers of America will accept nothing less.

Candace E. Salima is an author, public speaker and blogger.