Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Tampa IRS Protests

Guest post submitted by the Tampa Tea Party.
"When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty." Thomas Jefferson
 Thomas Jefferson defined tyranny as "Oppressive power exerted by government".

Our Founding Fathers were prescient in warning of tyranny by an over-reaching, too powerful government.  The Tea Party has been warning of this tyranny since it burst on the scene in 2009 opposing the exploding size, scope and intrusiveness of government.  Today we see the reality of tyranny played out by the most feared government agency gone rogue, the IRS.




Photos from Tampa IRS Protest on May 21

Tampa Tea Party thanks everyone who participated in the protest rally yesterday at our local IRS office.  Various news reports stated up to 300 liberty minded protesters participated.  We appreciate all who stood in unity opposing the tyrannical, and what also appears to be criminal activities, the IRS took against Tea Party, 912, Patriot and Conservative organizations and individuals.  We will continue to demand the truth and to hold accountable those who participated in the activities, those who facilitated and created the environment for this to occur and those who knew long ago and did nothing.  We will continue to demand that a special counsel, independent of the DOJ, be appointed to get to the bottom of this issue.

Here are more pictures from the rally. Photos courtesy of Arthur Paul.

Thank you again for your support.  Stay engaged, stay energized and we will prevail!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

IRS Scandal highlights DC corruption

Joe Henderson's column today takes on the IRS scandal but is a lame description of the tactics we now know were being used since 2010 against Tea Party, 912, Patriot and other Conservative organizations and individuals.  Instead of lamenting "hyperbole" that he got 2nd hand, out of context from another reporter,  perhaps Joe should be reporting that those in the Tea Party movement are vindicated in our opposition to the size, scope and power of our government and our advocacy for limited government and Constitutional governance.

The media knew about the IRS issue since 2010. If this scandal (or any of the other numerous scandals swirling around the Obama Administration) had been associated with a Republican Administration, Americans would have been subject to daily "hyperbole" about the scandals with Nixonian comparisons from the Mainstream media and the Democrats.  But the media refused to investigate and report on the IRS issues during the critical 2012 election cycle. We are all left wondering how this scandal would have impacted the 2012 election if it had been investigated and reported last year.

So much information has recently come out and we now know that Senate Democrat leaders Schumer, Baucus and Durbin (who has since scrubbed his website urging the IRS to investigate conservative organizations) and other prominent Dems were urging the IRS to take this action too as this WSJ column reports.  In addition, the dots are also being connected to higher ups in the Obama Administration as another WSJ column reports.  And Kimberly Strassel goes straight to the top with her WSJ column.
"The IRS is easy to demonize, but it doesn't exist in a vacuum. It got its heading from a president, and his party, who did in fact send it orders—openly, for the world to see.
It appears Joe never contacted or spoke directly to a person or an organization directly impacted by the tyrannical tactics.  Was Joe paying attention that this issue has gotten broader and broader each day and it's not about the IRS "requesting more forms." The IRS targeted individuals not just organizations.  Perhaps Joe should've contacted the Founder of True the Vote in Texas who was on the Hugh Hewitt radio show last evening. It was jaw dropping to hear her story of having to deal not only with the IRS but the FBI and the ATF.   The Thomas More Society reports on this from 2009:
 “Coalition for Life of Iowa found itself in the IRS’s crosshairs when the group applied for tax exempt status in October 2008. Nearly ten months of interrogation about the group’s opposition to Planned Parenthood included a demand by a Ms. Richards from the IRS’ Cincinnati office unlawfully insisted that all board members sign a sworn declaration promising not to picket/protest Planned Parenthood. Further questioning by the IRS requested detailed information about the content of the group’s prayer meetings, educational seminars, and signs their members hold outside Planned Parenthood.”  
We certainly do not hear these tactics being used against Liberal, Progressive groups or Unions or their members. And Progressive organizations were given their tax-exempt status in record times, sometimes within weeks. Conservative groups languished for years, some given their status right after the 2012 election and some still waiting.

Democrats have been coordinating with Unions and Progressive organizations during elections for decades:
"Thousands of Democratic campaigns, progressive organizations, labor unions, and non-profits use VAN voter contact tools to manage their voter contact and civic engagement programs. Whether branded as VoteBuilder, SmartVAN, the Labor Action Network, or just VAN, these are the tools Democratic and progressive activists rely on."
Any outrage about that?  Has the media ever reported about their collaboration or do they simply ignore it and look the other way?

The IRS which is the most feared government agency, has become a "rogue" organization in the Obama Administration committing illegal activities.  It will now be the enforcer of 25,000 pages of ObamaCare regulations. How will they do that?  This IRS scandal alone should warrant a call for immediate REPEAL of the tax bill called ObamaCare.

The tyrannical tactics were more than simply "asking for more forms" Joe. They were used to target conservatives and conservative organizations for audits and to inhibit their ability to fundraise during a critical election cycle. All these tactics were used for one reason - to SHUT DOWN OBAMA/DEM OPPOSITION for the 2012 election.  Joe, what do you call these tactics?