Critics of Tea Party Leadership

[taxidave]

Critics: Tea Party movement does not require top down leadership
By Alex Pappas - The Daily Caller 02/06/10 at 6:21 pm
Three men who were involved in the early stages of planning of the National Tea Party Convention — but who eventually resigned over disagreements with the organizers — showed up to the event Saturday and blasted its organizers over a number of issues, including its emphasis on top-down leadership.

Tennessee Tea Party Coalition member Mark Herr, along with Anthony Shreeve and Robert Kilmarx, said the convention’s high-ticket prices kept the average grassroots activist from being able to attend.

“I just can’t afford to come,” he said just steps from the convention’s ballrooms at the Gaylord Opryland Resort.

The critics are now part of the Tennessee Tea Party Coalition, a loosely aligned network of Tennessee based Tea Party groups consisting of 34 groups and 18,000 members, Herr said.

Herr also criticized yesterday’s announcement by convention organizers Judson Phillips and Mark Skoda that they would be forming Ensuring Liberty corporation, which will include a political action committee that will support Republican candidates across the country. Herr said the movement should not pledge to only support Republicans.

Asked about the critics, convention organizer Judson Phillips “go ask the people here if it is grassroots.”

Phillips said the convention was meant for leaders — and not grassroots activists — and that’s why the ticket prices and extravagances at a luxurious Nashville resort were appropriate.

Critics: Tea Party movement does not require top down leadership | The Daily Caller - Breaking News, Opinion, Research, and Entertainment

[Old Hippie]

They're there to raise money to back candidates who will change Washington. They have limited space and big bills -- and it only makes sense to target those with big money to contribute. Its not like there hasn't been a billion Tea Bagger rallies that cost nothing.

[PapaG]

The" National" Convention is a for profit created and copyrighted by a lawyer. If that can be changed then it might get support. I really think it does not represent the true Tea Party movement. Costs for TP events are supported mostly by local people.

The one I am in, and the two others that we mutually support pay for our own expensive. There are PAC's we can support, we do not need more division, the Democrats would love to see happen.

[PapaG]

Our next meeting -pot luck dinner is Tuesday. I would think this is how many groups are. This is the email from our group.

Agenda items:

Straw Poll for up coming election.

Vote and discussion about Tea Party organization type.

Possible nomination and election of officers and board.

Other business as needed.

Howdy Folks,

Well, another month has passed and the TEA Party movement is growing at an alarming rate. Alarming for the opposition that is. It is given credit for the election of Scott Brown. There is even a new anti-TEA party site coming to confront our movement. Also the press is starting to announce that there are divisions in the movement and that things are starting to fall apart. What does all this mean for us?

First of all, what I tell people when I talk to other people about the TEA Party movement is that there is no one leader, however we are all lead by ideas that things are not working in this country and that we want to get involved to make a difference, That we want the government out of our lives as much as possible. I have been to almost more than 20 TEA Parties from all over the state and there is no single format. The most successful ones tend to meet at least monthly. While they may have individual leaders, the group centers around ideas from the founding fathers and other conservative thinkers.

The direction of our group my lead to some disagreements, but we should always be respectful and listen. We must always remember that education using clear ideas and purpose will change hearts and minds. Anger leads to closed minds, both ours and theirs. Our goal should not be just about winning elections, but to steer the direction of this country back to safe harbor. Like a large ship, changing direction takes time. A slow steady hand if preferable. Fortunately we have a great group of people in our group.

The problem with just winning elections is that by not changing the people's patterns and core philosophies, the elected are easily corrupted and we have the same problem again. We need a public that stays active long after the voting stops. That is how TEA Parties can affect the most change in this country. We meet and exchange ideas in an informed and respectful way at our meetings and then hold rallies and protests to sway outside opinions and remind the politicians that we hold them accountable for their actions.

Our TEA Party in Burleson County is unique. We have a solid core of around 100 members that meet monthly. The average meeting has over 60 people. When we held the outside rallies we had about 250 people show up. We discuss issues in depth to educate ourselves an others. One of the problems we have is that we are outgrowing our facilities. If we had the financial means to rent a larger facility then we could double our group in no time. One of the discussion items will revolve arround where we want to meet. Bring your ideas.

[GaryS]

The Republican leadership is running full tilt to get ahead of the people, but they don't understand that they need to pick up a pitchfork and join the crowd, not grab a microphone and preach the party mantra.

As long as I keep getting idiotic surveys from the RNC, they won't get a penny from me. I'll work to get rid of the local RINOs and support candidates...either Republican or Independent...who understand the Constitution, but the national party is off my Christmas list until they show they have become something different than the Dems.

[PapaG]

Support your candidates directly. The RNC may not.

[karbuildr]

I'm with GaryS on this. I keep getting the same surveys and requests for donations, and I keep sending them back with the same message, no more donations till they stop supporting RINO's. Apparently they aren't listening, because they keep sending the same stuff and saying the same things. It has to start at the local level and it's up to us to vote these people out.

[G Smith]

Just get rid of democraps and Rinos. Without that, the Republicans in office will be short lived.