Grassroots cultivated at caucus

Some folks showed up over an hour before our precinct caucus was called to order Tuesday night. Either they were excited to vote in the presidential straw poll, or they relied on a postcard they received with the incorrect time shown! By 7:00 pm, when state law dictates the caucus is to be called to order, our convener had misplaced his agenda which specifies several items that must be addressed, also per state law. The room where we met had no American flag, but fortunately our convener brought a desk-sized flag for just that contingency.

The rest of the caucus went much more smoothly!

Our voting in the presidential straw poll reflected the statewide totals: Rick Santorum, 23 votes; Ron Paul, 15; Mitt Romney, 10; Newt Gingrich, 4. If anyone wondered whether the Tea Party is still relevant in Minnesota (or Missouri or Colorado), there's your answer.

We had over fifty persons sign in, plus one observer. In non-presidential election year caucuses, attendance is sometimes so low that we can't elect our allotted number of delegates. No such problem this year: we elected a full roster of delegates and alternates, who will represent our precinct at the first post-redistricting BPOU (Senate district) convention in March.

The youngest attendee will turn 18 in time to vote in November. Several Vietnam veterans were there, as was a Russian immigrant who fled Communism—only to encounter, to his chagrin, ever-growing statism from both American political parties. I recognized many from previous years, but as always there were also many first-time caucus goers.

Judging by the conversations, the top issues that brought folks out on Tuesday night seemed to be election integrity, the national economy, the right to life, and right-to-work. We had so many sign up to be election judges that we had to use a couple of pages from a yellow legal pad when the printed sign-up sheets were full.

In addition to the presidential candidates, several local candidates had letters, literature, or signs at our caucus: Congressman Erik Paulsen, Rep. Sarah Anderson, state Senate candidate Norann Dillon, and Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek.

Resolutions to the party platform were mercifully few this year. My resolution to greatly streamline the platform failed on a close vote that required a division of the house. A resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to make Minnesota a right-to-work state also failed on a close voice vote. While I recognize the need for a party platform, I find the current platform too long and detailed, and the resolutions part of the convention agenda a marathon exercise in contentious hair-splitting.

Our biggest challenges will be, as always, fundraising and volunteer recruiting, and forming a new BPOU after the redistricting maps are released (by February 21). It seemed on Tuesday that there is enough dissatisfaction with President Obama and the economy, and positive energy from the Tea Party, to keep the grassroots fed and energized through the next nine months of conventions and campaigns.

Tea Party, nor not?

Yesterday's Tax Day Tea Party rally at the Minnesota State Capitol helped to put some perspective on the self-proclaimed Tea Party movement, a little over a year after Rick Santelli's famous rant on CNBC put "Tea Party" into the twenty-first century political vernacular.

In a remarkably tone-deaf speech, Lt. Col. Joe Repya said that the Tea Party movement must become a permanent political party, or face irrelevance, "like Ron Paul" supporters. Apparently Repya failed to notice or chose to ignore the Ron Paul supporters in the audience, including one holding a large "RON PAUL WAS RIGHT" sign behind the lecturn. To the shout of a few "boos" from Ron Paul supporters and non-supporters alike, with a just few words Repya may have sealed his own irrelevance within the Tea Party movement.

Not only is the Tea Party movement not a political party in the traditional sense, its members are generally against the idea of it ever becoming one. Leaders at yesterday's rally in Saint Paul stated that they will not endorse any candidates, although one of the headline speeches was delivered (via telephone from Washington, D.C.) by U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN6), and representatives from various campaigns, including those from Republican gubernatorial endorsement candidate Tom Emmer, were present. Emmer's chief rival, Marty Seifert, appeared at the Rochester Tea Party rally.

The rally itself experienced some of the planners' rookie logistical mistakes, after a stellar opening act featuring our fellow bloggers and Northern Alliance Radio Network personality Mitch Berg and HotAir.com's Ed Morrissey, local entrepreneur and speaker Katie Kieffer, and Bachmann. (Rally organizer Toni Backdahl acknowledged wearily, "I learned a few things.")

The Tea Party movement is not at its core about winning elections. That is the function of political parties. As radio talk show host Jason Lewis has explained, many conservatives are disillusioned with supporting politicians and parties with the initials GOP who, once elected, seemingly abandon core principles (fiscal responsibility, limited government, low taxation) in favor of political expediency (some would say "necessity.") Governing is certainly more difficult than campaigning. While avoiding political party status, the Tea Party also avoids having any incumbents and their baggage of voting records and political history.

Many members of the decentralized, amorphous Tea Party movement will choose to channel their energies to working within a traditional political party, support like-minded candidates, influence the public dialog, and move public policy back to the center right for many years to come — while at the same time thinking of themselves as outsiders and enjoying the freedoms of that status. They may sometimes seem a bit disorganized, but like the ragtag revolutionaries of 1776, the modern-day Tea Partiers may someday win against the odds.

The peasants are revolting

I am seeing more and more examples lately of why you should not let your political adversaries define you.

The latest meme circulating around the press and liberal circles (including President Obama) is this idea that the Tea Party patriots, Sarah Palin partisans, Republicans, and mid-America in general are stupid and/or evil. They learn everything they need to know about conservatives by watching Saturday Night Live, reading the newspaper, and from political scientists at leading liberal universities.

A perfect example of this is the BBC article "Why do people vote against their own interests," in which two "exasperated Democrats" tell the BBC that "the politician with the best stories is going to win," and "many of America's poorest citizens have a deep emotional attachment to a party that serves the interests of its richest." I urge you to read the excellent rebuttals by Ed Morrissey and Charles Krauthammer on this subject.

Another example of the media defining conservatives Kevin Diaz's Star Tribune article, "Michele Bachmann does delicate political dance."

Diaz characterizes Palin as "the former Alaska governor who electrified down-home conservatives as the GOP's nominee for vice president in 2008," and Rep. Michele Bachmann (MN-6) as "the envoy of a populist movement born in church basements, at race tracks and gun shows across the country." If this story had a soundtrack, it would be "The Ballad of Jed Clampett!" I don't know about you, but even though I support Bachmann, I have never been to a political rally at a race track, a gun show, or a church basement. I have been to several at the Minnesota State Capitol, however.

A third variation of how the left defines the right is when they helpfully point out how Republicans are hurting themselves politically. Almost without exception, it's actually just the opposite.

Example: the Tea Party movement. In Diaz's article, sources say "the Republican Party has been hijacked by the Tea Party movement," and "This is a grass-tops [as opposed to grass roots] movement." Diaz blames the Tea Party for causing the Republican party to fret "whether to tack to the right or the political center." He reports that "Divisions over ideological purity already cost the GOP a congressional seat in New York last year, after Tea Party activists rallied around a Conservative Party candidate who ended up splitting the Republican vote," while neglecting to mention stunning Tea Party supported, Democrat-to-Republican flips by Sen. Scott Brown in Massachusetts, Gov. Chris Christie in New Jersey, and Gov. Bob McDonnell in Virginia.

Diaz also neglects to point out that it was big-spending Republicans who "hijacked" the Reagan Revolution, broke the Contract with America, and cost the party majorities in Congress and the White House, not to mention elections in the various states.

How should one respond to these inaccurate portrayals of the ascendant conservative movement in the United States? By following Sarah Palin's example of positive leadership and grace, an unwavering dedication to our country's founding principles of limited government, low taxation, free markets, and liberty, and by avoiding an Obama-like cult of personality or allegiance to party over country.

Is Congress listening to the people?

By Brian W. Grogan

Is Congress listening to the people? The British didn’t during the 1770s.

Under the Stamp Act (1765) and Townsend Act (1767), the British government attempted to impose taxes on the American colonies. The colonies refused to pay the levies claiming they had no obligation to pay taxes imposed by a government in which they had no representation.

In response to the colonies' position, the King and Parliament, rather than wisely granting representation, choose instead to enact a back room deal which eliminated the taxes but imposed a duty on tea (a hidden tax). By refusing to acknowledge the American people’s fundamental right to representation, the British government encouraged our country’s act of defiance (The Boston Tea Party) and the eventual war of independence that was first started and fought in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Ironically, there are similar feelings occurring today and again it is the citizens of Massachusetts sending the signal to our elected leaders in Washington, D.C. Will our leaders in Washington acknowledge our sentiment or will they act like Britain’s arrogant leaders of 1774?

Recent polls and the election results in Massachusetts clearly show people are upset with the failure of our elected leaders to represent the American people. We sense the elected elite craving power over us rather than serving us.

We are a nation of people who want elected officials of moral character and truthfulness and who will listen and serve the people. We want minimum government interference and the freedom to pursue endeavors that offer personal and financial rewards.

We believe our economic system is the best at rewarding hard work and the opportunity to succeed regardless of background, race, religion and education. We want a government that provides the framework to succeed by putting the strength of our nation with the people not the government.

Many Americans today do not believe our elected leaders stand for these fundamental rights. Thank you, citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for once again sending a clear message to our elected leaders.

Are you listening, leaders?

Brian Grogan, Minnetonka, Minn., is running for the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 43B.

John Kerry: Palin, Tea Party are threats

"If you think this movement is more circus sideshow than actual threat, you'd be mistaken. Republican candidates are falling all over each other to get [Sarah] Palin's endorsement, and the tea party movement is responding. Money is pouring in.

"Either we match the passion and activism of these new forces in the Republican Party, or they'll be choosing who's sitting in the Senate, steering our country's course...And the loss of even one or two would flip crucial votes in their favor and doom President Obama's agenda [author's emphasis]...The best chance we've had in generations to make positive change will have ended." —Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), in a recent Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraising letter

Because she is not currently holding or running for elected office (while having not ruled out the possibility), Gov. Palin is free to speak her mind and help conservatives get elected across the country. From now and into 2010 is the perfect time to leverage Palin's rising popularity and influence. Help "doom President Obama's agenda." Donate to SarahPAC.

Saint Paul Tea Party speakers call followers to action

Twila Brase, President of the Citizens' Council on Health Care: "Do we want to be the land of 10,000 bureaucrats?"

Jim Schottmuller, 2008 Ramsey County Commissioner candidate: "Get involved..."

Chris Baker, 100.3 KTLK-FM: "We're not going away."

Could Dave Thompson lead the MNGOP back to principled conservatism...

...or lead principled conservatives to a third party?

In the days after the national Tax Day Tea Parties, the GOP had better wake up and smell the tea. Within several weeks, thousands of everyday citizens organized themselves into hundreds of rallies in towns large and small all over the country, with the help of online social networking tools and talk radio, without the support of any political party. Indeed, many elected politicians and the chair of the Republican National Committee were denied the opportunity to speak at these events. The Tea Parties were nonpartisan, expressing dissatisfaction with the runaway spending and high taxation of Democrats and Republicans alike.

If the GOP fails to commit to shrinking government, increasing liberty, and reducing taxation, they could discover that the start of the Tea Parties marked the end of the Grand Old Party.

Thousands at Capitol say they are "Taxed Enough Already"

An orderly yet passionate crowd of several thousand gathered on the south steps of the Minnesota State Capitol yesterday evening for the Saint Paul Tax Day Tea Party to protest high taxes, deficit spending, and excessive government intrusion, especially from the federal government. The bright white capitol rotunda contrasted with the bright blue sky to greet the after-work crowd, many carrying homemade signs and American flags.

Speakers included Barb Davis White, former candidate for Congress; Dave Thompson, former talk radio personality and candidate for chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota; President of the Citizens Council on Health Care Twila Brase; 100.3 KTLK-FM personality Chris Baker; Taxpayers League of Minnesota president Phil Krinkie, and others. The program was emceed by KTLK-FM personality Sue Jeffers. Jeffers ran against Gov. Tim Pawlenty in the 2006 gubernatorial primary election. (That's the irrepressible Jeffers at the end of my video embedded in this article.)

Many in attendance dropped a tea bag into a wooden crate, to be delivered to the Minnesota Legislature as a symbolic statement opposing any new state taxes and spending.

Contrary to orchestrated liberal talking points repeated on the Internet and in the mainstream media, the protesters were obviously not opposed to taxation for legitimate functions of government such as roads, public safety, and veterans affairs. Contrary to liberal ad hominem attacks, the protesters were clearly educated, veterans, families, young and old, men and women, many of whom had never attended a political rally before (including some of the event organizers). Contrary to what the leftmedia and the Department of Homeland Security would have you believe, they were far from extreme in appearance or behavior (very different from your typical Code Pink rally, for example).

And contrary to Internet reports, the Saint Paul Tea Party, and hundreds like it across the country, was staged by volunteers, not by any political party, special interest group, or Fox News(!). Notably, the mention of politicians like U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) and Pawlenty were greeted with audible ambivalence.

Baker and others urged the crowd to think of the Tea Party as a beginning, not an end in itself. Another speaker encouraged everyone to see the web site After the Tea Party for ideas to continue the movement toward liberty, lower taxes, and limited government. Krinkie reminded the crowd of the May 2 Tax Cut Rally featuring nationally-syndicated talk show host Jason Lewis, beginning at 11:00 am on the Minnesota State Capitol steps. Additional rallies nationwide are also planned for Independence Day on Saturday, July 4.

For coverage of this and all other national Tea Party events, with video and tons of photos, see Pajamas TV and True North (the latter was a local Tax Day Tea Party co-sponsor). I will also post some additional video within a few days.