Tea Party at War with Congressman Morgan Griffith

Edited by Lewis Loflin

Follow @Lewis90068157

The Southwest Virginia Tea Party and associated groups were instrumental in getting 28 year Congressman Rick Boucher out of office. True to their philosophy they are staying right on our new Congressman Morgan Griffith. They will not be bought off by pork or wasteful federal programs.

They mean just what they cut the waste and balance the budget. In fact their pickets has gotten the attention of the local press from Bristol to Danville. They are being felt in Washington as the Republican leadership is having fits dealing with them.

The Southwest Virginia Tea Party Just released the following:

Patriots:

The Abingdon/Bristol & Chilhowie Tea Parties are joining up for a "Don't Raise It!" Rally on Saturday, April 2nd at 12 Noon. These rallies are planned throughout District 9, Roanoke and up through the Shenandoah Valley. We are still working on a location for Wash. Co, but it will likely be at one of the nearby parks. I am checking into permits.

There are rallies tomorrow in Charlottesville at Hurt's office and on up into the Hampton Roads area. These are LOCAL tea parties doing the same thing that we're doing, in an effort to get the Republican leadership to grasp the urgency of America's dire fiscal situation. Are you as content as they seem to be with $10 billion in cuts made over the last five weeks, which is equal to 0.07% of the national debt and the equivalent of what the United States (not counting unfunded liabilities) borrows every two and a half days?

Congressman Griffith told Roanoke radio 910 news yesterday that he would like talk to the Tea Party. I am aware of no Tea Party leaders whom he has contacted. Please read the important news from Pulaski County Tea Party below, both from their efforts to learn Griffith's schedule during Congress' spring break and the Cap and Trade update. Please click and sign the petition! Yes, this battle is still ongoing.

We will update you as plans finalize for the upcoming April 2nd rally. Please plan to attend! I have attached a rough draft of the petition that will be signed by everyone and given to Griffith's office. Your input is welcome!!!

In liberty, Cathy Turner www.swvateapartyab.org

Date: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 4:37 PM
Subject: Cap and Trade Battle Heats Up this Week
To: Pulaski County Tea Party

Simple way to do it all this week! Freedom Works is doing awesome work to help us have a coordinated message and plan of attack (metaphorically speaking of course).

I called Mr. Griffith's offices in Christiansburg, Abingdon and Washington to see if he had any Town Halls or public appearances scheduled this week. The C'burg office had a message that they were in training so couldn't talk to anyone. Abingdon office told me they had no idea and that I should call Washington. Washington office told me that he had already had several appearances in the district this week and that they didn't know his schedule. I was told to check his site for press releases, but there weren't any.

My pals at the Bristol Herald Courier reported this on March 16, 2011:

The support of Tea Party activists was a big part of U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith's election in November, but some have become former supporters who say they are experiencing buyers' remorse. Tea party groups held two protests in Virginia's 9th District on Wednesday, outside Griffith's offices in Abingdon and Christiansburg.

"We feel disappointed and betrayed," said Catherine Turner, chairwoman of the Southwest Virginia Tea Party Patriots of Abingdon and Bristol..."

What is amazing about this is the Herald Courier during the election showed complete hostility towards Cathy and fellow Tea Party types and did everything in their power to marginalize and ignore them. Now they admitted what I've said all along that the Tea Party was instrumental in getting Griffith elected. I've also warned he was not a Tea Party candidate and was just another corrupt Republican.

I also have to wonder if what the Tea Party (and myself for that manner) want is even achievable? The economy has been so damaged by both parties in concert with Wall Street that to really cut government spending wouldn't send the entire economy crashing. The Tea Party people need to ignore the myth that just letting big business do whatever they want will result in jobs and prosperity for all.

This nation is already a corporatist state as it is and like in this region government in partnership with business has diverted and wasted millions on pork, pet projects, and corporate welfare that seldom benefits the general public.

This region is typical in its over reliance on government spending and transfer payments. Millions in economic development dollars have simply not created anything close to a viable private sector economy. It's created a welfare state and massive political corruption as the local elite fight to control that flow of millions of tax dollars to their friends and associates.

The Herald Courier article can be read at http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/mar/16/2/tea-party-groups-hold-protests-outside-rep-griffit-ar-910071/

Here is a message put out by Cathy Turner March 17 that the Herald Courier seemed to have gotten wrong:

*There is a problem with a quote in the article. Congressman Griffith is quoted as saying that his office in Christiansburg did not call the police. In fact, the Chief of Police was inside the office and waiting for their arrival. He then goes on to say that they were just "enacting a new policy"....one that includes calling the police.*

*Some of us are having a very difficult time processing the fact that five months ago, we were getting calls every few days by the Griffith Campaign team asking us to assemble a crowd of supporters to rally for Griffith. Yesterday, Tea Party protestors were greeted with law enforcement.*

*The Chief of Police insisted on a permit to assemble. Much of the group dispersed, one member left to go fill out paperwork and a few members stayed, citing their Constitutional right to assemble and were willing to be escorted to jail in order to observe their right to do so. They were not arrested.*

Update Morgan Griffith responds, sort of, March 18, 2011:

Many of my constituents have shared with me that the federal government needs to move faster when it comes to getting America's fiscal house in order. While I tend to agree, as long as Congress is cutting spending, the American people are winning.

Unfortunately, it will take time to change Washington's spending culture, from one of excess to one within our means. We must make significant and substantial cuts, but it requires the Senate's cooperation and the President's signature.

The House of Representatives is just one-third of one-half of the federal government. So far the Senate and the President have stuck their heads in the sand and ignored the House's $100 billion cut to discretionary spending from the President's budget request for 2011.

While short term fixes are not the ideal solution, Congress has managed to cut $10 billion in spending over the past five weeks. This week I voted in favor of a three week Continuing Resolution (CR), which will fund the federal government through April 8th.

It was important to get the cuts that we could right now. My hope is that this CR will give House leadership and the Senate time to work out a plan to fund the remainder of 2011 that includes even more serious spending cuts.

This year alone it is predicted that we will face a $1.5 trillion budget deficit. The federal government is borrowing 40 cents for every dollar spent; meaning all spending after July 27 will be borrowed money. By necessity, spending cuts must be deeper in the upcoming 2012 budget.

It's time for the President and the Senate to join us in reining in spending. If they continue to ignore the problem, House Republicans will have no choice but to fight. Americans deserve nothing less.

As your representative in Congress, I want to you hear from you. If you have concerns or wish to inquire about legislative issues, feel free to contact my offices. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at www.morgangriffith.house.gov. You can also call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671.

That $100 billion is phony. Excuse me? Didn't he know about the earlier protests outside his offices? I was afraid of this as the Republicans are back to their old tricks.

Contact Catherine Turner, Organizer
Southwest Virginia Tea Party Patriots Abingdon/Bristol
Website: http://www.swvateapartyab.org is down.

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