Dear Senator McConnell and Congressman Boehner,
Last Monday, a small group of non-Tea Party, non-conservatives, released a letter, trying to claim leadership of the Tea Party movement and purporting to tell you what the Tea Party movement wants.
We, the undersigned, are leaders of mainstream Tea Party groups. We are the people that helped get conservatives elected on November 2. While we do not speak for this movement as a whole, we are a large cross section of this movement and we want to tell you what this movement wants.
First, we want Obamacare defunded. There is no compromise on this issue and it is not negotiable. We do not want Obamacare lite. We do not want it “tinkered” with. We want it repealed. We realize the chance of Obamacare being repealed before 2013 are slim, but it can be defunded. That is the next best thing.
Second, we want serious reductions in spending. A spending cut is not simply a reduction in the amount of the increase. It is a reduction in spending. America cannot afford Washington’s spending sprees any more.
The question is where to start. Here is the answer. Let’s start by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse from the budget. Billions of dollars are wasted through programs that are unneeded, unnecessary and exist only to benefit special interests. Let’s go through the budget line by line and eliminate these programs.
We in the Tea Party are ready to help on this one. We know you have staffs. We have thousands of volunteers who are prepared to rip the budget apart and help you. All you have to do is ask us.
The left will whine about every spending cut, coming up with some story about how horrible it will be. Americans are very charitable but cannot stand the thought of their tax dollars being wasted. This is the proverbial low hanging fruit.
Third, we must dismantle the liberal-political complex. Liberal groups such as Acorn and Planned Parenthood receive millions of dollars in federal monies every year. This must stop. Most of the members of this movement would probably describe themselves as pro-life. Regardless, abortion is a multibillion-dollar business. Why is the government paying Planned Parenthood anything, much less almost $1 billion from 2002-2009?
Fourth, if the debt ceiling is to be raised, this is the last time. Uncle Sam’s credit card must be cut up. America cannot afford Obama/Pelosi/Reid’s spending spree. We urge you to raise the debt ceiling only if a spending reduction plan is in place prior to that time. We do not want to see the ceiling raised in exchange for a promise to cut spending later. We Americans now regard those promises as credible as those emails we get telling us we have won the lottery.
Fifth, taxes must be reduced. The Bush tax cuts must be extended for everyone, made permanent and the burden the government places on small businesses must be drastically reduced so that small businesses can grow and start hiring unemployed Americans.
Sixth, there can be no amnesty. America has always welcomed immigrants. Legal immigrants. We want you to oppose the DREAM act and any other effort for amnesty. In 1986, President Reagan agreed to amnesty, in exchange for the promise the border would be secured. We got amnesty then and twenty-five years later, the border is still not secured. This time, we have to insist the border be secured and illegal aliens leave and then reapply like everyone else. We need to change our immigration laws and require that before specialized workers are brought in, there must be conclusive proof that no American is available to do that job. We also need to change our immigration policy so that the top criteria for someone immigrating to America is what they can do for America. The diversity immigration lottery must be eliminated.
Seventh, we want you to fight the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The policy has worked well for the last fifteen years. There is no reason to change. While there are many ways to debate an issue, sometimes you can judge the validity of a proposal by who supports it. Various radical leftist groups such as Code Pink support the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. These groups have one goal. They want to weaken the United States Military. If these groups think this is a good idea, that is a pretty good indication, it is not.
We, the members of the mainstream Tea Party movement have a lot of expectations for you in this Congress. We realize the limitations you face. But we also realize the tools you have at your disposal. America is a conservative country. We expect conservative leadership from our country. The Republican Party had its head handed to it in 2006 and 2008 because it departed from its conservative base. Now is your chance to return to your roots and govern, as we the people want you to.
We are here with you, we are here supporting you and we have our eyes on you. Do not disappoint us.
Sincerely,
Permalink Reply by Kathleen M Caso on 
Permalink Reply by Shirley Eliakis on 
Permalink Reply by MuneShadowe on I know I'm a little late on this one but I need to say something.
They used you, abused you and they will attempt to shut the party down. If you are going to teach the republican party a lesson you need to start a party of your own. Let them scream and yell that you are giving the socialist party a chance to win but you need to let them hear you.
The Tea Party needs to be involved in the hierarchy of the republican party big time, I know you are all idealists but they are going to do their best to just throw you a bone and say "good dog now run along". They will stab you in the back and still do their best to burn the organization well just don't be surprised if you constantly hear the phrase "that's just politics" and that is what is destroying this nation.
Permalink Reply by Vincent Calderone on You are right. That go for all members of the Tea Party, they will try to use us all for what good for them. If we let them, that is.
Permalink Reply by David J Edwards on Practical reality suggests this -
'Find people who will become Trojan Horses, pretend to be part of the 'Good old Boy' network orf theives, deceive the Repub Party while remaining loyal to AMERICA ... weasel their way into the GOP's ruling inner circle... take over from within, and once this secret society of Patriots is in place in sufficient numbers to dominate votes in the RNC and in Congress... lower the BOOM... toss out and destroy the old guard ... return the USA to a small, constitution-based, Federal syle of government of the several states."
I like it. The hard part is finding people intelligent enough and strong willed enough to pull it off. The temptations are great ... terribly corrupting. Idealists are like Honor... in very short supply in this world.
I am outraged by the Republicans December vote on many issues especially on expanding Government control of our lives, such as food and safety, net neutrality, Home land sec involvement in environment issues, FCC, START and so on, they are letting the Democrats chip away at our freedoms and I don't like it, We must remember every December vote and hold them accountable, they stoped the 1.1 tril budget, they could od stoped it all exceot for the rouge RINOS.
Permalink Reply by Christopher Mahon on While I share most of your 'outrage', I think what many in TPs didn't realize that most GOP conservatives, like democratic progressives are believers in 'big government'. The only difference is philosophically. The GOPC causes are different than the DEMP causes. We need to redirect the conversation and focus to 'Constitutional Alignment'. Only 15 of the 37 cost accounts in the 2009 GOA financial statement are legitimate constitutional federal powers. The rest should be relinguished back to the states. We should bring up 'nullification' in regards to defenses the states have against unconstitutional federal actions. Interesting, as I'm writing this, Chris Matthews on 'Hardball' is railing about those in the Tea Party movement (Me) who are discussing powers of the Constitution that were common place pre-Civil War. He is vilifying those who challenge federal powers, because to governmentalists in both parties, limited federal power is a direct threat to their collective philosophy, understanding of 'individual liberties' and in most cases - their livelihood as politicians, educators, lawyers and media pundits.
Permalink Reply by David J Edwards on It is good to see that somebody *GETS* it.
Too many cannot see the forest for the trees, so they keep on getting lost even though they want to do the right thing.
There is no GPS for finding one's way politics. It takes clear thinking like yours.
Keep reminding people, please.
Permalink Reply by Dan on IT A GAME OF CARDS WHO LYES BEST WINS.
WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT. DO NOT LET THIES PEOPLE SCAR YOU.
THATS WHAT THEY WANT IS ALL TO BE UPSET AND TAKE ACTION, WE CAN NOT JUMP LIKE THAT.
LOOK AT THE 60 THEY FAILED NOW THE SAME PEOPLE UNDER OBAMA, HAS LEARNED TO GO SLOW. BUT THEY WERE NOT EXCEPTING WHAT HAPPEN NOV. GEORGE SOROS IS IN BED WITH ALL THE FOLKS IN dc, HALF OF THE 60, PEOPLE THAT WAS INVOLED IN THE PROTEST WORK IN THE WHITE HOUSE. NOW
SO THEY HAVE A 30 YEAR JUMP ON US, BUT NOV 2012 WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENS HOW THE WORLD WILL WORK.
Permalink Reply by bigmac on Judson, A fine letter, a bit heavy-handed, but necessarily so. It is vitally important that the people in DC understand EXACTLY what is expected of them. And they need to see and understand that the whole friggin bunch of them are on parole. The smart ones will listen. Wonder how many are smart?
Permalink Reply by Jim Hunt on © 2013 Created by Judson Phillips.
