11/16/2009 - Dan Pool

Candidates for the 9th District Congressional seat, the state house, and a Governor candidate heard wide ranging and often impassioned sentiments delivered by voters Saturday in Talking Rock.
The Highway 515 TEA Party Rally in the picturesque downtown drew around 100 citizens who waved flags, applauded and took turns at the microphone during the four-hour rally.
On hand were candidates seeking the local state house seat including Rick Jasperse of Pickens County and Truett Moss II of Gordon County and a host of the candidates for the congressional seat including Bert Loftman of Pickens, the current state representative for this area Tom Graves, state legislators Lee Hawkins and Bobby Reese and former state transportation board chairman Mike Evans. Other Other candidates on hand included Ray McBerry, running for governor, and Darwin Carter, a candidate for state Agriculture Commissioner, who drove from south Georgia for the rally.
The politicians sat, listened and took notes while a steady stream of public speakers took the microphone to endorse the basic TEA philosophy of fewer taxes and less government. Many members of the public broadened their remarks to the staples of conservative politics including anti-abortion views, opposition to a national healthcare plan and the need for Washington D.C. to be more responsive to the will of the people.
Joyce Barrett, an organizer of Saturday’s rally, lead off the day with an explanation of what the TEA Party movement is about.
She said they were the former silent majority, who is fed up with government as usual and are no longer silent.
“We were silent when government grew beyond the intentions of our forefathers and we were silent when our taxes grew beyond what was fair and when our tax money was spent wildly and foolishly and we were silent when God’s name was removed from our schools and public places. Oh, we complained to our friends and family but we didn’t do anything,” she said.
She said the ease of organizing online enabled the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) movement to grow and to facilitate large marches on Washington demanding change from lawmakers.
Barrett said she spends 20 minutes each day using a cell phone, to avoid long distance charges, calling national office-holders.
“That is what the Tea Party is all about – doing something,” she said. “We urge members to tell the lawmakers what we want by making phone calls, e-mailing, faxing and peacefully demonstrating. Don’t let your neighbor or your parents do it for you. It is going to take everyone to make a change.”
Members of the public then took the microphone under the pavilion at Talking Rock.
Jack Foster of Marble Hill said he wanted to see a clean sweep of incumbents in the next election.
A 80-year-old legal immigrant from England was applauded when she praised America for coming to Britain’s defense during World War II and now she wants to see this country close its borders.
Ted Duncan, a founder of the Pickens TEA Party, called for a complete freeze on government spending. “Everyone wants to say that their services are essential, but now we ain’t got the money.”
Margaret Williamson, a Canadian immigrant, said with the debate on national healthcare, “affordable” needs to be defined. “What you can afford [referring to the congressional candidates] and what I can afford are worlds apart.”
One speaker asked those holding office and seeking office to demand a birth certificate be verified for President Obama to show that he is a natural citizens and eligible to be the president.
One speaker said more important than taxes, healthcare or the economy is the right to life for the unborn. This speaker said the sanctity of life is the most important issue facing the country.
A nurse said anyone considering the national healthcare plan should look at the poor treatment veterans receive through their government provided healthcare. ‘We need to let doctors and nurses make these decisions, not politicians,” she said.
Millie Winston said the representatives in congress now are thumbing their noses at the American people.
One speaker decried the efforts of state officials to attract federal assistance following emergencies. “I don’t want FEMA, an unconstitutional government agency, here, “ she said. “God will take care of us.”
Another speaker ask that people who don’t have children be excluded from school taxes.
The candidates followed the speakers, some directly addressed the speakers concerns like former DOT board chairman Mike Evans who had jotted down notes with the speakers’ names and concerns. Others, like State Rep. Tom Graves, addressed the concerns more generally.
Graves said the TEA movement has the same kind of energy and passion as the original American revolution.