"Occupy Rose Parade" A Failure On Any Measure

Occupy protesters march at the end of the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade on Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena Monday, January 2, 2012 [ctrl-click image to see "Occupy Rose Parade" slideshow]. Image Credit: SGVN/Staff Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz/SXCITY


"Occupy Rose Parade" A Failure On Any Measure

On observation, the Occupy Wall Street's attempt to gain sympathy and support for their movement ended up being a complete failure on most any measure one wishes to apply to the display and its execution.

First off, very little media attention of their actual display and end-of-parade walk for the first mile and a half of the five and a half mile parade route was to be found on a Google search of "Occupy Rose Parade" - total postings and RSS feed pick-ups show only 24 listing Results. Any New Media writer knows that when one self-publishes, one must self-syndicate in order to increase Google search results on the title or subject of any article ... 24 item Results after 24 hours of an event is weak by any standard, let alone the platform the Rose Parade provides to a world audience. An estimated 40 million people viewed this year's procession of 43 floats, 16 marching bands and 22 equestrian troupes on U.S. television alone.

The first Rose Parade took place in 1890 and was attended by 2,000 people. The attendance has grown to one million parade goers lining Colorado Blvd. over the last few years.

Upon reading the stories leading up to the actual event, the "Occupy Rose Parade" organizers were hoping for tens-of-thousands of people turning out to participate in their side-bar, soft sanctioned, end-of-parade event. The initial projections provided by spokesman and organizer Peter Thottam estimated that 40,000 Occupy Movement (OWS) sympathizers would attend the demonstration but in hours before the parade, settled on the number of 3,000 demonstrators which the MSM press services of AP and Reuters picked-up and used as the template for all of their postings used by newspaper and television news broadcasts on the subject.

Actual estimates of the people who marched in the parade came to about 400 people. The official policy of the Pasadena Police Department is that they do not issue crowd estimates but when pushed, the Pasadena Police Department estimated that no more than 400 "Occupy Rose Parade" protesters marched the route and were joined by people from the crowd leaving the parade event, which made the actual protest seem larger.

Lastly, about the only people who took notice of this soft sanctioned, end-of-parade event were the real political activists who actually have a message people can relate to, and, to be frank, did not have to show up to act as a counter-weight to the "Occupy Rose Parade" protest effort. The Pasadena Tea Party Patriots, also known as TEAPAC, were upset by what they felt was the politicizing of the Rose Parade event and promised to stage their own protest if the city and the Tournament of Roses did not keep "Occupy Rose Parade" from demonstrating within the actual parade.

TEAPAC leader Michael Alexander said, "Occupy has no business in the parade, and neither do we. "But fair is fair and if the city and the (TofR) allow the parade to be politicized then we are going to be there."

So, the last failure of Occupy Rose Parade was that they were unable to have TEAPAC (and other serious political action organizations) take the bait and swell their protest crowd with a sizable counter-demonstration for the corporate media wire services to write about.

One has to ask - If 400 people in a parade and crowd of over 1,000,000 people represent "the 99%", just who are the rest of the parade and crowd of over 1,000,000 people ... the 1%?

The weather was perfect, the parade was beautiful, the Rose Bowl game came to a perfect conclusion with Oregon winning over Wisconsin in the highest scoring Rose Bowl game ever (Oregon Ducks, 45 - Wisconsin Badgers, 38), and 400 ineffective politically-progressive agitators were adsorbed (and nearly erased) by the general public as they left the parade route to get to their cars and get on with their first business day of the 2012 year holiday, happy being personally-free Americans.



<Article first seen as “Occupy Rose Parade” A Failure On Any Measure at Technorati>

Tea Party Nation: Of Palin, Progressives, New Deal, and party politics

Sarah Palin as she give the Keynote Speech to end the first political convention to recognize the Tea Party Movement - Tea Party Nation. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks from C-SPAN broadcast (2010)

Tea Party Nation: Of Palin, Progressives, New Deal, and party politics

Talking heads and news cast pundits are unanimous ... the Tea Party Movement needs, or has a leader in the visage of former Alaska State Governor, Sara Palin after her rather pointed keynote speech she delivered at the first, official convention put on by the Tea Party Nation organization (one of many grassroots organizations that have sprung up after seeing people gather in protest to this current Government's "progressive" expansion and spending agenda).

The truth about this Tea Party Movement is that it does not need a leader to follow, just a recognition of what many term American constitutional principles and American Culture. What has most people upset with our current political landscape is the direction embraced by politicians from both political parties. Simply stated, a progressive STATE-IST solution to all governance ... there is a governmental solution to all perceived problems in our society, culture, and process that effect our lives.

The problem with this view is that it does not match up with what is stated in the document that is the keel-board upon which our country was founded ... the United States Constitution.

We have had many attempts to turn this country into a fascist, socialist, "PROGRESSIVE" paradise starting at the turn of the last century, reaching major strength through the Herbert Hoover' 31st Presidency, through the Franklin Delano Roosevelt five terms as President (and the main reason why the elected office of President has been term limited to just two terms), and now with a one-party Democrat Congress (House of Representatives & Senate) and 44th Presidency of the politically radical Democrat Party Obama Administration.

Democrats, however, are not the only politicians who can lay claim to a progressive agenda, many recognized Republican Party standouts are very "Big, Bigger, Biggest Government" state-ist as well. Chief among them are George H.W. Bush, the 41st President, Geoprge W. Bush, the 43rd President, Colin Powell, former military Chief of Staff and one-time presidential hopeful, Charlie Crist, former Governor of Florida and Senate seat hopeful, the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, William Weld, former Governor of Massachusetts, and the jury is out on the politician and successful business mogul who replaced Weld as Governor and 2008 presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, and current United States Senators, John McCain (his progressive stand cost him the 2008 presidency), Lindsey Graham, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins.

The Tea Party Movement is not Republican, Democrat, or Independent registered voter driven or, for that matter, owned. That really is the issue here, the Tea Party Movement is about washing out Progressive politics and re-establishing a Constitutional Government that is smaller and attempts to be responsive -- to, for, and by the voting citizen!

Sarah Palin seemed very much in her element addressing the crowd of 1,100 conservative activists, who had each paid several hundred dollars to see the former governor deliver her most-anticipated speech since the 2008 campaign. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks from C-SPAN broadcast (2010)

This partial definition of the Tea Party Movement excerpted and edited from ABCNews-

Palin: 'America Is Ready for Another Revolution' Ex-V.P. Candidate Assails Obama at Convention, Fuels Acolytes' Passion
By STEVEN PORTNOY - NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 7, 2010

former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said the Tea Party movement is the "future of politics in America," and it's got Democrats "running scared."

Delivering the keynote address at the first-ever National Tea Party Convention, Palin brought the audience to its feet several times, taunting the Obama administration, mocking its supporters and warning Democrats that their agenda is "out of touch, out of date, and if Scott Brown is any indication, it's running out of time."

Referring to the Republican who won the late Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in the Bay State, Palin told activists, "If there's hope in Massachusetts, there's hope everywhere."
----
"I caution against allowing this movement to be defined by any one leader or politician," Palin said, calling the conservative populist Tea Party "bigger than any king or queen."

"And it's a lot bigger than any charismatic guy with a teleprompter," Palin said, delivering her first of many swipes at President Obama and his administration.

Taunting those who voted for the Democratic ticket in 2008, Palin asked to laughs, "How is that 'hope-y, change-y stuff workin' out for ya'?" While criticizing the administration for its record of transparency on stimulus spending, and accusing Democrats of committing "generational theft" amid a sharp rise in deficit spending, Palin saved her strongest rhetorical fire for the president's handling of terrorism.

"We can't spin our way out of this threat," Palin said, referring to Obama's reticence to call the effort against al Qaeda a "war on terror."

"To win that war," Palin said, "we need a commander in chief, not a professor of law standing at the lecturn." The line brought her another standing ovation, and some of the biggest applause of the night.
----
The Tea Party movement, Palin argued, is "about the people. Who can argue with a movement that is about the people and for the people?"
----
Palin took questions submitted in advance to the Web site of Tea Party Nation, the group that organized the event at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.
----
Palin urged a return to fiscal restraint, an expansion of domestic oil exploration, and for leaders to not be "afraid to kind of go back to some of our roots as a God-fearing nation."

"It would be wise of us to start seeking some divine intervention again in this country, so that we can be safe and secure and prosperous again," Palin said.
----
Addressing the notion that the Tea Party should become the nation's third major political party, Palin instead said, "The Republican Party would be really smart to absorb as much of the Tea Party as possible."
----
Palin urged fellow conservative politicians to "plow right on through" attacks by the "irrelevant, lamestream media."

"The political potshots that they want to take at you for standing up and saying what you believe in and proclaiming the patriotic love that you have for country -- a lot of those in the 'lamestream' media, they don't want to hear that."

But, Palin said, "At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter what they have to say about you, because I really believe that there are more of us than they want us to believe."
Reference Here>>

Q & A with Sara Palin after Tea Party Nation convention Keynote Address. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks from C-SPAN broadcast (2010)

Jay Carroll Jenks, a gentleman who resided on North La Brea Avenue in Hollywood, California and lived through the last great expansion of Progressive Government in the FDR era and suffered through "The New Deal" as an independent letter-set printer (and my Grandfather) left notes describing his frustration copeing with a control, over personal freedom approach tucked in an envelope titled on the front "PET PEEVES ... thru 1938"

Here is a sample of what was written in his own hand:

PET PEEVES against the NEW DEAL from start to and through 1938

F.D.R. and Mrs. F.D.R. -- Too much GAB

Roosevelt Family -- Too much GRAB

CAPITALISTS -- Although blamed for Retrenching - who wouldn't with unsound Democratic Principles being involked every week, and no encouragement to plan for the future

EXCESSIVE TAXES -- in Higher Brackets - discouraging to Big Business, with no incentive to make Sky the Limit

REORGANIZATION THREAT -- Another retarder of Big Business

RELIEF -- Too easy to start with - then too much Politics mixed in

RADIO and SCREEN -- overflowing with Propaganda and Soft Soap

Nat. LABOR BOARD -- Too Much POWER - Too Much C.I.O. [Congress of Industrial Organizations] - Too Much MEDDLING / All Reaching for Regimentation
POWER -- Too Much given to all Federal Bureaus and Agencies - Usurping States Rights
TARRIFFFF -- Too Hard to keep out (too low) Forign Goods which are produced much cheaper than possible in U.S.A.

AGRICULTURAL CONTROL -- Killing Hogs. Restricting Production, etc. Killing the "Land of Plenty" and creating a "Land of Scarcity"

CONGRESS -- Rubber Stampers. Thinking more of Vote Baiting than of the Needs and Welfare of their constituents

PURGE -- what a Mess of Tripe. What the Beginning of the End of all of the above (I HOPE)
OBSERVATION -- HITLER obtained a "SEEMING" Victory. I don't believe it! The English are noted for their DIPLOMACY and the eventual result (in Time) will prove that the "Chess Play" of Chamberlain, et al, was "premeditated" to the Nth degree

--END OF LETTER--

We all know what happened after 1938 ... the World became involved in a bloody world war, the second of the century, and the progressive policies that preceeded WWII were eclipised with the purge of McCarthyism and a free enterprise flood of pent up demand and creativity.

The Tea Party Movement is a response to many of the same type of reflections our country is going through right now ... as if it were 1938. The more things change ... they remain the same.

Let us all get back to the Constitution and the pursuit of happiness.

TeaPAC 2010 - Pasadena Patriots begin the year

TeaPAC logo - Taken from the Pasadena Patriots political networking website. Image Credit: Pasadena Patriots

TeaPAC 2010 - Pasadena Patriots begin the year

Last night, a tea party organization that spawned from last year's reaction to the incredible spending legislation, marked by the Stimulus and Omnibus bills passed by the Democrat Political Party led Congress, held its 2010 kick off organization meeting to take back the 29th Congressional district. More importantly, the meeting was the first of many to help people of all political strips who wish to maintain their freedoms in the face of an unparalleled expansion of centralized governmental power.

Much has been made about the Tea Party movement ever since it showed itself as a real and growing, grass roots political phenomenon starting first on tax day, April 15, 2009, when nearly two million people gathered in front of city halls and federal buildings around the country. Even though little was reported about the impromptu gatherings in the Main Stream Media (MSM), the New Media web portals like Examiner, NowPublic, Pajamas Media, and a host of nationally recognized blog sites posted expose's on the events around the country.

Last summer, the tea party movement began to pick up steam, literally, when people from political points of view and affiliation ranging from conservative, to moderate, to independent, to Democrat, to Libertarian, to Republican wanted to have a voice in the workings of our Government when, at Town Hall meetings with their direct representatives ... began to ask questions. They found out that they did not like what they were hearing and/or how their point of view was being represented by their elected official. Many elected officials did not hold summer break town hall meetings because they did not want to hear what the people, who they were elected to represent, had to say about their governance.

Last night, the Pasadena Patriots placed their standard into the ground seeking to reclaim the right to ... as the Constitution states - "To form a more perfect union".

This excerpted and edited from the TeaPAC website -

TeaPAC is dedicated to providing funds and resources to Tea Party groups and grassroots candidates across America. Financial support of the Tea Party movement is both urgent and necessary. When you support TeaPAC you are also supporting the Patriot News Network and Neighborhood Tea Parties from coast-to-coast. While contributions aren't yet tax deductible, donors will receive a patriotic TeaPAC bumper sticker. We hope you'll partner with us in the battle to restore limited Constitutional government.
Reference Here>>

Constitutionality IS what this is all about. To maintain the ability to be treated as equal in a country of equals in terms of opportunity.

Yesterday, a prime example of how far the leadership of our country is working against the Constitution in the governance of our country happened when the Obama Administration saw fit to EXEMPT labor unions from the proposed 40% tax to be levied on Health Care Insurance plans that cover a broader range of health care procedures than the level of care that this Government is planning to set as the standard of ALL care offered in this country ... in the name of Health Care Reform.

Many believe that this exemption exceptional, along with the Government's intention to levy fines and jail time for all citizens who do not purchase the authorized Health Care Insurance plans that become available for sale once the health care reform legislation becomes law.

Corruption in the processes of Government is at the root of this TeaPAC movement ... it is time to STOP THE SLIDE!

John P. Colbert for Congress 2010 - Candidate for US Representative, CA-29. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

In the 29th District, candidate John P. Colbert has committed himself to stop the slide of government corruption and he described, to those gathered at the TeaPAC Pasadena Patriots kickoff meeting, what aspects of his background experience has prepared him for this moment in time to help take America back. A CEO of a successful computer security and forensics software company combined with 13 years as an investigator in the LA County Sheriff's Department has John keenly aware of recognizing threats and how to dispose of them. If elected, John Colbert is committed to joining and/or forming a committee to address and prosecute corruption in Congress and government processes. He believes that this is the beginning of a war to take our country back to a limited and Constitutional central governance.

On the back of John P. Colbert For Congress 2010 business card is the following quote:

"...America must win this war. I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost, as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone" - Quote found in the diary recovered from the body of a World War One American solider, Martin Treptow.

This quote was first used by Ronald Reagan in a speech that helped to communicate to the citizens of the United States on his level of commitment to a Constitutional government.

Take the materials found at the TeaPAC website and organize community "Tea Parties" with people you know who wish to maintain their freedoms laid out in the Constitution and help to support candidates who pledge to stop the corruption that has taken hold of our governmental processes.

The TeaPac Toll: Add Dorgan, Dodd, and Ritter - Ten for '10

Eric Odom, a conservative online organizer who played a key role in sparking the original Tea Party movement this spring, is unveiling Liberty First PAC. The goal, said Odom in an interview with TPMmuckraker, is to raise $1 million to defeat incumbents who supported health-care reform -- which he called "very dangerous to the fabric of this country" -- and to elect a new crop of lawmakers committed to small-government principles in 2010. Image Credit: TPM

The TeaPac Toll: Add Dorgan, Dodd, and Ritter - Ten for '10

Starting on Tax Day 2009, the Tea Party Movement showed its first signs of growing when over one-million people showed up halls and Federal Buildings throughout the country to protest the process and spending the Stimulus and Omnibus spending bills passed by Congress and signed into law by Barack Obama.

Over the summer, Tea Party rallies and town hall meetings were attended by millions of upset citizens wanting to have their representatives answer to them for their actions as opposed to voting in lock-step with the political party leadership ... especially if their representative did not read the legislation they were voting on to pass.

Democrats not wanting to face the music of their actions are now abandoning their political careers by dropping out of the next election cycle.Four top Democrats-including veteran Sens. Chris Dodd and Byron Dorgan - all prepared to pull the plug on their campaigns in a 24-hour period that began Tuesday, and in the process, offered an unnerving glimpse at the perilous election year ahead. With Dorgan's stunning retirement announcement Tuesday evening, Democrats are now facing their bleakest election outlook in years - and the very real possibility the party will lose its 60-40 Senate supermajority after the November elections.

On the House side, the prospect of heavy 20-30 seat losses is already looking as an increasing possibility. Dorgan's announcement was accompanied Tuesday by Michigan Democratic Lt. Gov. John Cherry's decision to end his floundering bid for governor, and by the revelation that both Dodd and Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter would announce today that they would not seek reelection.

The retirement announcements of two senior Democratic senators, and the suddenly altered landscapes in Michigan and Colorado, continue a wave of Democrat Political Party bail outs that began with a burst of retirements by veteran House Democrats representing competitive districts, followed by the stunning late December party switch by freshman Alabama Rep. Parker Griffith. ... Suddenly, the sad sack GOP is looking to have its best shot at being the party of change and representing the people's wishes in three election cycles and of making serious gains in November.'

TeaPac, the Tea Party Political Action Committees, may be our country's best beacon at finding candidates who wish to represent and protect citizens who want a country that listens to, and votes as the citizens they represent want them to vote. Less Government is better Government.

This excerpted and edited from California Tea Party Political Action Committee -

Just as the original Boston Tea Party was fueled by excess taxes imposed upon American Colonists, the 2009 Tea Party Tax Revolt is inspired by unfair taxes imposed by the United States and California Government. American Citizens are fed up with the excessive taxation and spending proposed by the Obama Administration. Additionally, the residents of California are now subjected to the highest tax burden in the United States with the recent $16 billion dollars imposed by the California Legislature and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Mission: The California Tea Party PAC, a California Political Action Committee, is a non-partisan organization that works to channel the energy of the grassroot anti-tax political movement and apply it to current California legislation and create real government change. All proceeds collected by the California Tea Party PAC are used to support the return to a reasonable rate of tax for all California citizens and fiscal responsibility in California Government regardless of political affiliation.
Reference Here>>

Back candidates that support Ten for '10 - a backbone of principles from which American governance can flourish.

This excerpted and edited from Laura Ingraham's website -

1) Taxpayers' Bill of Rights (TABOR). Limit federal spending growth to the percentage in population growth plus the rate of inflation; provide taxpayers the option of filing a post-card sized return using a low, flat tax rate of 15%

2) End Tax-funded abortions. Stop federal payments to Planned Parenthood and prohibit any taxpayer-subsidized health insurance plan from covering abortion

3) Defend American Borders. Complete America's border-protection initiatives using remaining funds from the so-called stimulus bill

4) King Dollar. Preserve a strong dollar so that Americans' savings aren't wiped out by inflation and the U.S. dollar remains the world's reserve currency

5) Empower American Business. Immediately slash corporate tax rates to 15% and scrap the capital-gains tax altogether

6) Defend America. Strengthen America to defend our homeland and fully fund an operational, layered missile-defense system

7) Statism Exit Plan. De-fund czars; immediately cease bailout payments to failed companies; ban future bailouts

8) End Generational Theft. As few believe America's entitlement programs will be able to pay benefits to future generations, provide younger workers the choice of diverting payroll/Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts

9) Restore America's System of Justice. Introduce penalties for frivolous lawsuits, where those who launch unsuccessful lawsuits are liable for the defendants' legal bills

10) American Energy Independence. All-of-the-Above strategy that embraces alternatives, expands and accelerates exploration and production of oil and natural gas, and jumpstarts dramatic increases in nuclear power
Reference Here>>

Jump in ... the water is fine! Take our country back.