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Thousands Pour into Landing Tea Party (UPDATE)

@ April 15, 2009 5:45 AM Permalink | Comments (20)

From the First Coast to the West Coast, taxpayers are using Tax Day as the background for demonstrations against government spending. Modern day "tea party" protests drew thousands from northeast Florida.

"We've had enough," Dr. Jim Nealis, host of Brainstorm on WOKV, told a crowd that rivals concert attendence at the Jacksonville Landing. "We've had enough government waste. We've had enough overtaxation, people in Congress who spend billions of dollars without a second thought or in some cases even reading the bill."

An estimated 1500-2500 took a long lunch or the entire day off to participate in a Tea Party at the Landing. The event featured a wide-array of speakers, including WOKV Smart Money host Hank Madden.

Tens of thousands of tea-partiers are expected at hundreds of demonstrations from coast to coast. Rallies in Orange Park and St. Augustine wer also planned for the noon hour.

"This is not a bunch of extreme, crazy people," Landing Tea Party organizer Billie Tucker said. "We're Americans who love their country. We're tired of them spending money and putting that debt on our children."

Wearing shirts that said "I'm Too Young to be in Debt," a group of elementary-aged kids dumped pitchers of river water (symbolic, but environmentally friendly, tea) into the St. Johns. Chants of "Freedom!" and "USA, USA" quickly followed.

The nationwide tea parties are not without their critics, many asking where these demonstrations against wasteful government spending were when Republicans ran up a deficit during the Bush administration.

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What others are saying

Now the Real Work Begins
I too attended the Tea Party yesterday. It was a wonderful event and very uplifting for me and my friends that attended with me.

Now, if we want the party to have any real meaning, we need to get to work. Please send an email message or call your senators and congressman and tell them about the great turnout and how the silent majority has been awakened. We need to let them know that our future votes DEPEND on whether they support traditional conservative American values or not. They need to know that they will GO if they support the "progressive" agenda and do not control spending.

If you don't do let them know, then the Tea Parties will have no effect and will have ultimately been meaningless. This is what the CNN, MSNBC and other drive-by media hacks have been saying all week; lets not let them be right!
By Dave Porter @ 04/16/09 12:28:24 PMreport abuse
Try Reading, Chip
Chip, a couple of suggestions.

First, read (or have someone read to you) the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Sorry, not many pictures......

Second, Bush is Gone. Give it up, Dude

"Collectivism is Slavery" -F. Hayek
By DJ @ 04/16/09 10:24:49 AMreport abuse
Tea Party
Our daughter is home-schooled. This was not only a protest, but a civics assignment. She was the young lady with the "DEPORT OBAMA" sign. I was impressed with the showing at the Landing and was impressed with the parents who brought their children. The differance between this protest and the liberal protesters is that we want the government to leave our money and lives alone. No one smoked dope, had love-in's or burned an American flag, burned a politician in effigy or praised a foreign and waived his flag. That is why the liberal media has down played this event and criticize it.
By Bill Higdon @ 04/16/09 07:26:16 AMreport abuse
Uneducated, Chip?
Exactly what university did YOU graduate from? Hmm? I wont make this a personal attack, Chip. rest assured, that the educational demographics show that conservatives are FAR better educated than liberals. Keep drinking your Obama Kool-aid. that traiot to this country has spent more in 90 day than 3 years of the Bush admin. ( oh, by the way, if you REALLY want to know who got the ball rolling on this economic crisis, Look to your Savior Billy C.. it was HIS administration that started the whole housing for peopole who cant pay for it nonsense)
By Mark M @ 04/16/09 06:54:14 AMreport abuse
name calling usually indicates a lack of a good argument
The mess we are in is a result of liberal social engineering, not the republican party, although, they were very disappointing with their overspending as well. This is what most republicans were NOT happy with Bush about;however Obama and congress are way out of control and they are going to creat hyper-inflation if they don't stop printing money! Barney Frank (dem) said the people resposible for the housing crisis should be put in jail. This guy has some huge cajones.
He DEFENDED Freddie and Fannie when When Republican(Bush included) were trying to rein them in. HE should be in jail I suppose since he wants those responsible in jail.
By joseph @ 04/15/09 11:10:21 PMreport abuse
Tea Party
I find it funny that the socialist uhh I mean democrats talk about the spending of president Bush but Obama has spent as much in only 60 days. Obama is a socialist. He wants more social programs. That means socialist. You are retarded if you think other wise. Unfortunatly the democrats are not educated enough to see that.
By Jeff @ 04/15/09 10:53:20 PMreport abuse
RE; Chip
Chip , uneducated Republican Voters?
Did you not see the video where voters who just pulled the lever for Obama hardly knew what was going on? I am sure there are some Liberals who know what they are doing, however the masses on the left are largely under and miss informed, I know...I was one of them untill I did what a good liberal is suppose to do..I opened my mind and started thinking for myself.
By Daniel @ 04/15/09 09:55:02 PMreport abuse
Tea Party
I was there and I enjoyed it, I was overjoyed to see the ground floor,grass roots start of something that is sure to FINALLY get someone in Washington to finally listen to the PEOPLE again.
Thank you to everyone else who was there and god bless!!!
By Daniel @ 04/15/09 09:48:59 PMreport abuse
Go WOKV
WOKV, thank you for covering this event! Best station in Jacksonville! And to everyone who came to the event, you are patriots!
By J! @ 04/15/09 05:57:49 PMreport abuse
Thank You
I agree with everyone else. Most people had to work today and couldn't attend this historic event. If I were a small business owner, I would have shut down business today and gave my employees a ride downtown!! Hey this is effecting us ALL!

Second, I would like to say Thank You VERY MUCH to the WOKV team for not only covering this event, but also for giving us Michael Savage(9-12PM), Neil Boortz and Rush Limbaugh, etc ... For the first time in my life ... I am addicted to radio!

PS: I'm a truck driver and when I get to Georgia or Maclenny, the radio signal dies out. Please give your listeners some amps so we can continue to enjoy this great station!
By Ward @ 04/15/09 04:40:28 PMreport abuse
Fair Tax promoted at landings tea party
Taking a hint from Neal Boortz I collected up about 30 Fair Tax books from used books sources to distribute at the Landings. Sorry for those I didn't get to they were all passed out before I got into the actual area....
By Michael @ 04/15/09 04:08:17 PMreport abuse
Call 202-456-1111 Wash D.C.
Great Event Can't wait til the next one!If you can sit quiet about what's happening get ready for the worst.
By Rick @ 04/15/09 04:04:58 PMreport abuse
jax tea party
For all those idiots wondering why we weren't protesting when the republicans were running things, I was one of those griping about the drift away from conservative ideals. lower taxes less gov't.
however the doubling of the national debt in just one year? come on everyone should be out there protesting that!
Welcom back Carter.
By william knight @ 04/15/09 03:35:36 PMreport abuse
Taxed Enough
Great event, had a good time. Took the day off. People who could not attend-there is a virtual tea party on Facebook.
By Lynne @ 04/15/09 03:30:56 PMreport abuse
hahaha
Your party is hillarious. A bunch of sheep led by a bunch of crooks. I hope your leaders walk off a bridge so all of you will follow. The mess we are in is due to the uneducated Republican voters who put Bush in office. Where were these protests of spending over the last 8 years? Losers
By Chip G @ 04/15/09 03:23:23 PMreport abuse
tea time taxing
The problem with the timing is that most Conservatives have this thing called a JOB that we have to show up for- unlike the unemployed (usually by choice) left, who bilk this great country for all they can. Dump some tea in for me!
By Steve @ 04/15/09 01:59:24 PMreport abuse
I was there!
Awesome event! I'm pumped!
By Kyle @ 04/15/09 01:37:55 PMreport abuse
tea time
Does anyone know how long people will be at the landing? I can't be there until 3pm and wonder if that's too late.
By Judi @ 04/15/09 12:53:51 PMreport abuse
Tax Tea Party
I plan to attend, but if we are in the minority (which we are), what difference does it make? We will consistently be out voted by the majority that we are paying for!
By Amy @ 04/15/09 10:43:28 AMreport abuse
tea party
I wish it wasn't being held at noon - I can not go then. How about something during the evening hours?
By LNK @ 04/15/09 10:18:36 AMreport abuse