The Tea Parties And Taxes

Grass Roots movements can be very effective and can change policy and change the outcome of elections and that is good. especially if it is a true grass roots movement. However the whole Tea Party idea, which has been touted as a grass roots movement, has been promoted by FOX News commentators and by prominent wealthy Republican. As one blogger on the Atlantic Magazine's website said, "a real popular grassroots movement wouldn't need to rely on a corporation like Fox News to get its message out."


What people are forgetting is the fact that already 95% of working Americans are receiving tax cuts. They are seeing more money in their paychecks as a result of the Obama policies. The taxes have not been raised on ordinary Americans and in fact taxes have not yet been raised on the wealthiest Americans.


No one likes paying taxes but also what these people involved in the Tea Party movement are thinking about is the jobs that have already been realized by projects funded by the stimulus bill. All over the country workers are being called back to work or new jobs are being created in construction. Over 2000 projects have already been approved by the Department of Transportation. That represents thousands of jobs!


In order to track how the Recovery and Reinvestment Act money is being spent, the website http://www.recovery.gov/ is excellent. This website also has links to the various departments where one can see in more detail how the money is being allocated. Also the website http://www.whitehouse.gov/ has very up to date information on the President's policies and a very easy way to contact is office. I have taken advantage of the contact form quite a few times. It offers an easy way to allow your voice to be heard.

President Obama is having his financial team look at the very complicated tax code to see where loop hopes can be closed and how to make filing taxes easier. I don't mind paying taxes if I know everyone else is paying their fair share too.

So, I have a word to those who protested through the Tea Party events. Look around at your neighbors and at yourselves and see who is benefitting from this Recovery and Reinvestment money and stop being goaded into action by people like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Shaun Hannity. They are using you for their own purposes and could be considered dangerous to your health with their rantings and ravings and innuendoes about revolutions and rearming America. They are promoting fear and one thing we do not need is fear of our neighbors. or of our government.