At noon, close to 100 protesters descended on the Capitol Rotunda to protest our federal government’s out-of-control spending. Dozens of signs showed up, from one on a stroller that said “Keep Spending. It’s On Me”
to “Chains We Can Believe In”, to “Vote Yes on HJR 17” (a resolution calling on the federal government to stop bailing out private industry and start showing some fiscal discipline).
Organized by David Kirkham, this rally was also called a “Tea Party”, one of dozens being held around the country to protest increased taxes, budget deficits, the recently passed federal stimulus package and trillion-dollar bailouts. As he addressed the cheering crowd, Kirkham said:
“Politicians of both parties, like the Roman Senate of old, promise bread and circuses as they line their war chests with our children’s money. Bush’s bailout boondoggle and Obama’s attempt to decorate the earth with dollar bills forebodes another haunting specter. Inflation lurks in this madness”
He concluded his remarks by saying: “Common sense tells us that if you find yourself in a hole you stop digging. We are here to say to 
Mr. Obama, ‘Put down that shovel!’”
Several legislators also took the opportunity to address the crowd. Representative Chris Herrod congratulated the crowd for being up there and for being heard. He also cautioned: “The silent majority better stop being silent or they might find they are no longer in the majority.” Duly noted.
Representative Craig Frank, sponsor of HJR 17, talked of placing our children and grandchildren in debt and said “Let’s get government out of our pockets!”
Kaysville resident Michelle Scharf spent her birthday there and said: “I could not think of a better way to spend it. I wanted to letting my voice be heard.”
I was also there not just to take pictures or to blog about it, but to participate in saying “Enoug
h is enough.” It’s time to stop bailing out companies whose executives fly to DC in 3 separate private jets to ask for handouts and then go home and lay off 45,000 workers. It’s time to stop saying the “stimulus” package will rescue the economy in the short-term when that package has less than 5% allotted for infrastructure and has some items that won’t even fund until 2014 and later. It’s time to stop deficit spending. It’s time to stop thinking that the American people can be fooled by empty promises and wasteful spending. It’s time to stop proposing budgets with almost 9000 earmarks dropped into them. It’s time for our federal government to become fiscally responsible – on BOTH sides of the aisle – and stop this madness.
March 8, 2009 at 8:10 pm
[...] More blog coverage on the Capitol Hill “Tea Party” from HollyOntheHill. Link HERE. [...]
March 9, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Allowing our voices to be heard is the appropriate use of our stewardship. It was a diverse crowd, an educated crowd and most importantly filled with familes teaching their children to take a stand when something is wrong, instead of talking to a TV set that cannot hear you.
What amazes me is the people I talk to that passionately feel the same way about this issue. When I ask them if they know who their representative is they don’t even know. We must end the apathy in the Nation before it is too late.
This out of control behavior must end. It was a great way to spend my birthday!
March 9, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Those are wonderful pictures of some really cute kids (I might be a little prejudiced). Thanks for such a great summary of the event; I was excited to be there but a little busy with the kids to hear everything. Thanks for writing it up!