Tax Tea Party

Wed, Apr 15, 2009 (3 p.m.)

Over a thousand people attended a tax protest "tea party" at Sunset Park on Wednesday, April 15, 2009. The event was one of many tea party protests held nationwide.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By avatar

4/15/09 at 5:58 p.m.

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Warren Buffett, the 2nd richest man on the planet wants corporations to pay MORE taxes. Quote from 2006:

"Corporate income taxes in fiscal 2003 accounted for 7.4% of all federal tax receipts, down from a post-war peak of 32% in 1952. With one exception (1983), last year's percentage is the lowest recorded since data was first published in 1934. Even so, tax breaks for corporations (and their investors, particularly large ones) were a major part of the Administration's 2002 and 2003 initiatives. If class warfare is being waged in America, my class is clearly winning."

Buffett and many others agree that corporations are not paying their share.

Example: Nevada gold producers sell $6 billion (gross), net $2 billion (profit) and send Nevada $25 million (a 1% royalty on a precious metal that can never be replaced)

Can any idiot out there see the real problem?
By theSmirk

4/15/09 at 10:07 p.m.

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I was at Sunset and Eastern from 12-7. I don't know where you people are getting your numbers from, but there were no more than 150-200 people there at any given time. There was another 40 or so at the post office down the road.

As a matter of fact, people were complaining all day about it being the 'media's fault' that no one was there! When I mentioned it took a 2 second google search to find out there were 4 different events (3 within 2 miles of each other), the typical response was 'I don't need no internet, just my Winchester.' Are you kidding? Maybe attitudes like this are why conservatives are feeling so lost, helpless, and scared right now. I was sure to point out it was their OWN fault for choosing the remain uninformed or being too lazy to do a little research. I mean, if they would have combined their events they might have pulled a 'whopping' 300 or 400 together. Silly teabaggers. Of course, that's still just a tiny amout of the population of Las Vegas isn't it? And FAR less than the 1000 people your website is incorrectly reporting.

And what was up with all the anti-immigration and pro assault rifle talk? I thought all this teabaggery was about higher taxes? No wonder right wing extremists are being targeted - they seem to be spreading their influence into the mainstream apparently. I have some pics of signs I took today that would make your more rational readers stomachs churn. Apparently being a fear monger screaming for the impeachment of a President that has been in office 4 months is what being a teabag is all about! Oh, and it was amazing how many of these paranoid FOXbots were worried that I was sending their pics to Homeland Security. Don't flatter yourselves wingnuts, but I will be sure to post your racist, angry signs in various spots.

These same people would have called this treason a year ago. I call it sour grapes. Just remember: you're the (less than) half of the country that LOST.

Smooches!
By BalaVent

4/16/09 at 6:01 a.m.

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"Smirk" is defined as "an affected, often offensively self-satisfied smile". An appropriate username, given the tenor of your posting.

Some of your comments are so egregiouly wrong that they demand refutation.

First, I don't know which event you were watching, but I was there, and there were clearly more than 1,000 people in attendence.
Most likely a great many more. In all fairness, at one point we did receive a report of THREE counter-demonstrators, so we can't count them in the total.

Given your demonstrated competence with numbers, you seem well qualified for a highly placed position in the Obama Treasury Department.

Second, I and many others are strongly pro-immigration, but we are strongly anti-ILLEGAL immigration. It is a vital distinction, which those on your side are rarely willing to acknowledge.

As to assault rifles, the supreme law of the land is the Contitution, including the 2nd Amendment, (not to mention the 9th and 10th, which also are often not given proper respect).

Every president, every member of congress, takes a solemn oath to protect and defend said constitution. Too many disregard those oaths. In my opinion George W. Bush did so, and Barack Obama is doing so.

The main point is, Smirk, is that it's not ONLY about taxes. It's about a president and a congress attempting to radically alter the relationship between the government and the people.

Attempting to greatly increase the power of the government OVER the people. I object to that. Millions of Americans object to that. And we will not be silent simply because we "lost".

We will attempt, legally and peacefully, to stop the statist crusade of the current government, which can only result in the diminishment of our country.

One more thing, regarding your final statement. WE didn't lose. The entire country lost. Your side just hasn't fully realized it yet.
By theSmirk

4/16/09 at 8:59 p.m.

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The facts are 'millions' of Americans didn't object to anything yesterday. Tens of thousands did. Or, if you believe that alarmist Glen Beck, 300,000. Still not nearly a million or 'millions' (as you described). And a couple hundred of those were in Vegas, and a huge portion of those were fringe righters with agendas that had NOTHING to do with tax outrage. Just that their guy didn't win in the election.

Better luck next time, might wanna find a pacifier to tide you over 'til then.
By BalaVent

4/17/09 at 7:34 a.m.

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Please don't put words in my mouth. I never stated or implied that "millions" of people took part in the "Tea Party" protests.

Look, in the presidential election, Obama received over 66 million votes, and McCain received over 58 million. It was a landslide in the Electoral College, but it was by no means a landslide in the popular vote.

Out of that 58 million, as well as third party voters, non-voters, and even some Obamas voters , I think it's reasonable to assume that at least a few million people object to the radical direction in which the administration and congress are taking the country. Quite probably much more than a few.

Attempts to paint opposition to the current government as consisting of a few fringe crazies is simply dishonest.

We are a very divided nation, and I fear that won't soon change, especially when the government is seeking to push the country in a direction that a large part of the population doesn't agree with.

And regarding your rather mean-spirited and entirely gratuitous "pacifier" remark. Save said pacifier for yourself. It is the liberal, pardon me, PROGRESSIVE mindset, in which one finds the rather infantile yearning for the government to take care of all the people's needs.

The following has been attributed to Jefferson, Paine, and Thoreau. Regardless of who first said it, it is without question true:

"That government is best which governs least"
By theSmirk

4/17/09 at 9:30 a.m.

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I think it's funny that a person who objects to people carrying anti immigration, anti abortion, anti gay rights, pro assault rifle signs (again, REAL CLASSY in light of recent events - especially that paranoid Hannity/Rush/Beck fan that killed 3 police officers in Philly) and shouting things like 'impeach the president' and passing out propoganda like 'How to take our country back and keep it!' Being called fringe crazies (which they/you are), yet has no problem whatsoever as describing the new administration as 'radical'.

Guess that's why you right wing exteremists are being watched by Homeland Security! I personally feel A LOT safer knowing that fact. Have fun with your failed revolution, Timothy McVeigh! Try not to blow anything up.

Or you could just grab that pacifier and stop your whining already. Or, since you guys are such fans of teabagging, maybe a stop at an Adult Super Store would be better. I'm sure they have some nice ball gags there.

Have a nice day, you silly teabag!
By BalaVent

4/18/09 at 11:37 a.m.

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It has become clear that attempting to engage in intelligent converse with one such as you, Smirk, is futile. Ad hominem attacks don't advance the discussion. It's obvious that you're more interested in name-calling than in an exchange of ideas. And it's apparent that the Sun is not moderating this discussion, or else their threshold for "abusive" language is very high. To blithely compare someone with whom you disagree to a terrorist like McVeigh is foul in the extreme.

I will simply say this, and that will be the end of it, as far as I am concerned:

Your first paragraph is a rhetorical and logical disaster. The things you are ascribe to me have no basis in anything I've written in this forum. The only exception is that I have stated that the Obama Administration is radical. And it is. Consider the level of control the government is now exercising over the banking, automotive and insurance industries, with even greater control most likely on the way.

There is a word for a system in which the government exercises such control over private enterprises, and it's not capitalism.

And are you really happy that the government is apparently engaging in surveillance of Americans who are engaged in peaceful assembly for the purpose of expressing dissent?

It seems a lot like what the FBI did in the sixties to members of the anti-war movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, etc.

Do you really think it's all right now because the targets tend to be conservative? Is that really what you meant to say?

Left-wing or Right-wing, dissent is an act of PATRIOTISM.

Oh, and one more thing, I see you managed to introduce profane sexual innuendo into your diatribe at the end. Bravo. That was one variety of boorish verbiage you had heretofore avoided.
By theSmirk

4/18/09 at 1:04 p.m.

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You objected to me calling teabags (aka, the few people who showed up at Sunset Park) fringe righters, so my first paragraph pointing out that they were waving pro assault rifle (maybe NOT in the best taste considering recent events), ultra Christian (real End of Days type stuff), anti immigration (gee, if you're not Native American this sign makes you look especially goofy), anti gay (I know gay people that don't like high taxes - were they not invited?), anti abortion signs (hey - less unwanted babies born, less of a burden on TAXPAYERS, right?), and passing out flyers like 'How to take our country back' and 'Oscar a Jew for Jesus?' (which basically says he NEEDS to acknowledge Jesus to make the pamphlet maker happy) does make sense. I'm pointing out that the teabaggers are indeed the 'far right'. Sorry you can't deal with that.

Fact is, those people are scary. And if we were nearly as divided as you say, there would have been more teabags trying to cram their opinions down our throats!

Instead, it was more like a gathering of racist militia types hanging out teabagging each other and crying about the mainstream media not covering their event (while newsvans were 100 ft away I might add!), and how they want to see that 'Marxist/Socialist/Commie pinko bastard' Obama impeached. You know, the president with the highest approval ratings in years.

Again, I say there were far fewer people out there than the Sun is reporting...but even if they were correct - that's a tiny portion of people that live in Vegas.

Oh, and yeah, I DO feel ok with right wing groups being monitered. Like you pointed out, its been happening to peaceful lefties for nearly decades! Now they finally have it right: watch the people that bomb abortion clinics, the gun nuts stockpiling weapons that shoot cops because Hannity/Beck etc got them worked up about *oh no!* gun control, the white supremists, people that blow up Federal buildings, people that want to overthrow the Obama administration (isn't that TREASON?), and all the other wingnuts that still can't get over losing the election.

Yup - you're STILL just a silly teabag (who more than likely watches too much Fox Brainwashing..er, News)!