Several hundred people rallied around messages like “Enough
is Enough” and “Give Me Liberty, Not Debt” during
a Tax Day Tea Party rally Wednesday in Boone.
Local events were held at Hardee’s on Blowing Rock Road and
on the Appalachian State University campus, part of a network
of numerous “Tea Parties” held across the country to
commemorate the deadline for filing federal income taxes.
Several hundred people gathered
for a “Tax Day Tea Party” in Boone Wednesday.
Photo by Scott
Nicholson
The protest was primarily against mounting federal debt and the
federal stimulus package, though attendees also touched on taxation
and what some see as a deterioration of the U.S. Constitution.
Jade Templeton of Boone said it was her first political action.
A Republican, she said wanted to be present because she didn’t
agree with any new tax in any income bracket.
Susan Barhite of Fleetwood said she was protesting the “extreme
spending” and said Congress was not listening to its constituents.
“We’re pouring debt on our children and grandchildren,”
she said. “You can’t spend your way out of this mess
we’re in. That’s not the way I’d budget my household
if I were in this shape.”
Barhite, like many of the protesters, said it wasn’t a matter
of party affiliation. She said she was fed up with the way the
federal government was conducting its business.
Carol Isquith of Boone said she was a registered Republican who
would be changing her affiliation to independent. “it’s
not about party anymore,’ she said. “If a Republican
Congress was taking us down the same path, I’d be doing the
same thing. There’s too much debt and spending.”
Isquith said she had considered going to a tea party in Charlotte
until she learned one would be held in Boone. “Enough is
enough,” she said. “We hope that Washington (D.C.) is
realizing their actions reach out to the little cities. We do
have a Constitution, but I don’t think they have been following
it. I was hopeful (Pres. Barack) Obama would lead us in the right
direction but I don’t think we’re on the right path.”
David Blust, a former Republican county commissioner, said he’d
long believed that spending at local, state and federal levels
had gotten out of control.
Hugh Sturgill said the issue wasn’t “Democrat or Republican,
not really conservative, not really liberal, it’s about how
many people want to preserve the Constitution.” He called
for implementation of a “fair tax” that placed tax on
consumption instead of income, and said there should be term limits
for all elected offices because politicians supported the continuation
of the current financial system because of campaign contributions.
William Pinkerton of Banner Elk said he was concerned that current
spending would place a burden on him and his descendants. “Why
do we want more taxes?” he said. “I don’t want
all this debt. Sooner or later, China is going to stop buying
our bonds.”
Catherine Mikkola of Boone said it was her first civil action
and she hoped it made a difference.
“We’d like to change the financial outlook of the country,”
Mikkola said.”The Federal Reserve loans money to the federal
government at interest. The federal government should be printing
its own money.”
She said she supports the end of income tax and the Federal Reserve,
saying “money should be based on gold rather than someone’s
whim.”
Jill Pinkerton, a self-described conservative, said “Even
Republicans have gone crazy. People should organize together to
have a say that we want to go back to the Constitution. It’s
not about parties.”
Joe Ruppe of Blowing Rock, who wore a tri-corner porkpie hat commonly
worn by men during the Revolutionary War era, said he didn’t
like the current federal spending. “I don’t think it
was done for the stimulus,” he said. “Some people wanted
to do it anyway.”
Signs at the event ranged from mass-produced and Internet-downloadable
slogans to handmade messages like “Honk If I’m Paying
Your Mortgage” and “We Want Our Country Back.”
Some people had tea bags dangling from their hats or signs.
The Tax Day Tea Parties were based around the historical Boston
Tea Party, which generally depicts protesters as throwing British
tea into the harbor because they had been taxed by the British
government without being given a legislative voice.
Carol Isquith of Boone said she was a registered Republican who
would be changing her affiliation to independent. “it’s
not about party anymore,’ she said. “If a Republican
Congress was taking us down the same path, I’d be doing the
same thing. There’s too much debt and spending.”
Isquith said she had considered going to a tea party in Charlotte
until she learned one would be held in Boone. “Enough is
enough,” she said. “We hope that Washington (D.C.) is
realizing their actions reach out to the little cities. We do
have a Constitution, but I don’t think they have been following
it. I was hopeful (Pres. Barack) Obama would lead us in the right
direction but I don’t think we’re on the right path.”
David Blust, a former Republican county commissioner, said he’d
long believed that spending at local, state and federal levels
had gotten out of control.
Hugh Sturgill said the issue wasn’t “Democrat or Republican,
not really conservative, not really liberal, it’s about how
many people want to preserve the Constitution.” He called
for implementation of a “fair tax” that placed tax on
consumption instead of income, and said there should be term limits
for all elected offices because politicians supported the continuation
of the current financial system because of campaign contributions.
William Pinkerton of Banner Elk said he was concerned that current
spending would place a burden on him and his descendants. “Why
do we want more taxes?” he said. “I don’t want
all this debt. Sooner or later, China is going to stop buying
our bonds.”
Catherine Mikkola of Boone said it was her first civil action
and she hoped it made a difference.
“We’d like to change the financial outlook of the country,”
Mikkola said.”The Federal Reserve loans money to the federal
government at interest. The federal government should be printing
its own money.”
She said she supports the end of income tax and the Federal Reserve,
saying “money should be based on gold rather than someone’s
whim.”
Jill Pinkerton, a self-described conservative, said “Even
Republicans have gone crazy. People should organize together to
have a say that we want to go back to the Constitution. It’s
not about parties.”
Joe Ruppe of Blowing Rock, who wore a tri-corner porkpie hat commonly
worn by men during the Revolutionary War era, said he didn’t
like the current federal spending. “I don’t think it
was done for the stimulus,” he said. “Some people wanted
to do it anyway.”
Signs at the event ranged from mass-produced and Internet-downloadable
slogans to handmade messages like “Honk If I’m Paying
Your Mortgage” and “We Want Our Country Back.”
Some people had tea bags dangling from their hats or signs.
The Tax Day Tea Parties were based around the historical Boston
Tea Party, which generally depicts protesters as throwing British
tea into the harbor because they had been taxed by the British
government without being given a legislative voice.
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