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"IM HET" is my captcha.  LOL.  NOT!

Not sure where you were BB, but at the Liberty Bell downtown there were at least 1,000 people demonstrating their dissatisfaction with government in general, disdain for bailouts, dismay at massive spending programs and dislike of globalism, higher taxes, fat cat bankers, rewarding the incompetent and the "change" our country is currently undertaking.  All generations were well represented, including young children, teenagers, twenty-somethings on up to the octogenarians.  Perhaps you should have actually driven by, instead of just emailing in your "story".

Horatio, there were at least a THOUSAND protesters downtown? There is gonna be some major civil unrest soon. The BPD had better staff an extra 4 officers to deal with all those crazy radicals....

Speaking of radicals, the Department of Homeland Security released an interesting report April 7 about right-wing "extremists" - those who are against abortion and illegal immigration - it makes for an interesting read:  http://www.huffingtonpost.c...

After perusing the other blogs, I now see it's already been posted.  My bad.

So lemme get this straight ..a man that has worked since he was 15 years old suppirting a family at 18..joined the service for 4 years and fought for his country to keep your sorry arse free..works and pays his taxes until hes 65 to help pay for the roads you drive on and the schools you send your kids too..cause your sorry tail didnt pay for them ..Im guessing from your ignorant post that most schools are older than your are.......

Your saying this man or men..dont deserve any compensation for what they did when they are too old to carry your lazy butt and the other lazy butts in this country in your eyes..

man are you one screwed up nut job..how old are you BB cause you write like you have the mind of a teen that knows it all and your selfish ignorance leaves you mentally challenged..

That's telling him, Sioux. I was at the party and, as Channel 17 confirmed, there were thousands there. I had expected maybe only a couple of hundred, so I was pleasantly stunned to see the turnout. None of them looked like extremists to me, to boot.

Why do teabaggers hate America?  Instead of protesting those dirty hippies should get a job!

Ramona...10 bucks and an old pair of boots says you dont have one..not  by the time of your post..nor are you going to school..a prime example of whats helping to kill this country...

Just a couple old men eh BB hahahaha

funny how certain people laugh and make it into a giant sexual connotation joke when a group of people want to express their views through what is allowed in the constitution.

who really hates America?

Ramona, why DO you hate America?

Sshhhh Nancy..Ramona's takin a siesta

..

OK, I'll whisper.  Ramona, why do you hate America?

hahah I LUB you Nancy...you made my eyes water and the corners of my mouth turn up  till they ache..I hope a thousand people come through here to see and appreciate how witty you are...

As usual, it appears that another Obamadroid made up their version of events and posted them as fact simply because they didn't WISH the reality to exist. I planned on going but had to work late. A few friends and acquaintences went and all were surprised by the turnout. All said you couldn't hear the speakers because they weren't allowed to use amplification? I didn't know what. It doesn't matter, they were there and that's the real issue. People are voicing their displeasure, not at current taxes, but at what is surely to come if this administration has its way.

BB..This has nothing to do with anyone giving anything up in SSI. That is simply another failed social program that will run out of money no matter what the government does to try and rescue it. Modern medicine has made it possible for people to live longer than there is money to support them. Guess FDR figured everyone would smoke five packs a day like he did and die before enjoying what they have coming.

I wonder if Neo Janet had operatives in the crowd to supress and/or arrest all of those pro-life, anti-illegal immigration, NRA whacko revolutionaries she has on her Kern County hit list?

LOL I take it the term teabagging led to all the edits.

There's always been a lot of teabagging going on downtown...like at the Padre.

People are voicing their displeasure, not at current taxes, but at what is surely to come if this administration has its way.

People were voicing their displeasure because, to paraphrase the British Airways pilot, "*YOU LOST THE BLOODY ELECTION.*" 

Republicans don't *LIKE* democracy.  If they did, they'd be Democrats.

moto, There was in fact amplifiers there. They just had to wait til after 5:00 to turn them on. It was funny. Mary K Shell was standing near us before it started. When the guy came up on stage and explained that they couldn't use the amps until after 5:00 when the workers got off work at the court house, she said that was a bunch of whooy. She said she remembers lots of times amps were used out there by the liberty bell prior to 5:00p.m. Amazing how a group of that size can leave the premises without garbage strewn all around. Huh, must be the kind of folks these people are. It would be nice to know how many people really were there. I'd bet the police wish all demonstrations were so peaceful. 

YOU LOST THE BLOODY ELECTION.*" 

keep on telling yourself that ...again making up something that helps keep your world seemingly right

kat-rowe.livejournal.com/24175.html

yes, he said both the dems and reps suck....and the biggest cheer came when he said the republicans suck....has nothing to do with losing the election

as a matter of fact...isnt that the path YER BOYZ take when they lose an election?  al gore...the couple hotly contested rep seats.....  dont like the results?  cry like a baby until you get your way.

funny how the same thing, applied to both sides of the aisle, coming from you, turns out to be two different outcomes

BTW to any of you that were there...any agent provacatours there?  antis trying to start ish? 

How exactly is social security a failure? You plan on telling that to all the non-starving senior citizens? They sure as heck don't think it's a failure. In fact, it is the single most effective social program we've ever seen. If a lot of seniors weren't receiving money, they would be homeless and starving, but I suppose that's their problem, right?

keep on telling yourself that  

Obama 365 electoral votes, McCain 173 electoral votes

The facts *STILL* have a liberal bias.

as a matter of fact...isnt that the path YER BOYZ take when they lose an election?

What, court action to overturn the election?  Like

Bush 2000

Coleman 2008

Tedesco 2009

Nope, Republicans all.

How exactly is social security a failure?

Greatest government-program success story in US history.

Random: "Greatest government-program success story in US history."

...after the military.... and the Interstate system...

Well...if you want to drag *SOCIALISM* into the picture, maybe...

I wonder why they edited my pictures?  I own the copyright.  Freedom of speech!  Call in the ACLU!  Aaaah!

Small crowd? According to the BPD there were approx 2,000 people at last nights gathering. What do you consider a small crowd bb? That is a lot of folks for the location. Can't help but wonder how many may have kept driving when they seen how hard it was to find a close parking spot.  After all, it is not easy getting around with a walker. LOL

My dad and step-mother attended, which surprised me. He's not one to be politically active in such venues; behind the desk has always been his preference. People who remember a different America are concerned for their grandchildrens' future. 

Greatest government-program success story in US history.

Considering it is the perfect example of  a short sighted and ultimately unsustainable government program, I suppose you are correct in your statement in a round about sort of way.

Proam: That size crowd is what we get when there is a new restaurant, bet when Hooters open there will be a bigger crowd,,,LOL

Without giving too much opinion politically...I have a comment for those that used up unauthorized parking downtown in order to protest.  I have a child at the downtown child development center on 17th and I couldn't park at all even though parents and employees are the only ones "allowed" to park.  That is rude.  Your hustle and bustle about not wanting to pay taxes caused a burden to those trying to work and take care of their kids.  And, you made me late to soccer practice.  If you don't want to pay taxes...could you at least pay for parking and park elsewhere?

And, I heard a school bus driver at my son's field trip carry-on about how he attended the protest rally.  Hello!  Where do you think you get your paycheck pal? 

msjenny, Do you know of any other event that was organized to take place in front of the liberty bell that drew that kind of crowd.? I had commented on the size because of Bb saying it was small, and lots of old people. Maybe Bb is a teenage and everyone over 20-25 is old to him/her? It could in no way be characterized as all old folks either. Matter of fact, part of my enthusiasm was due to the fact that there were so many young folks there. This rally was not just about taxes. Americans are pissed off about a multitude of things. Obviously all pertaining to how our Government is being ran off into a ditch.

Tracy, it is unfortunate tha some were inconvenienced parking wise but your comment about the bus driver wasnt fair.  Is he not allowed to protest higher taxes just because he works for the school system?  Are you saying he doesn't get a voice?

As for the parking we intentionally parked furture away so as to leave spaces nearer to the event for less able bodied people. We parked across the street from Leon bail bonds.

Proam: its just a joke my sense of humor, I personally don't care about the amount of people that went, I am happy people did go. I would not go to this but thats me. 

NancyII.  Everyone gets a voice.  But, it should be a bit more educated voice.  School district employees across the board in this county are hanging by a thread.  Most get fully paid health benefits and PERS retirement.  A lot of school employees are losing their jobs right now because there is no money.  Property taxes are fizzling and the state has cut a lot from schools.  We are in a bad economy and sometimes we should just say, "thank God" for our jobs and good fortune that we are not part of the 15+% unemployed rather than holding a sign at 4:30 p.m. on a Wednesday.

The original Boston tea party was to complain about taxation without representation.  King George was stockpiling his own wealth off the backs of colonists who did not have representatives in Parliament.  We have representatives.  We have an election system. 

You talk about not liking big government.  But, shall we imagine a day without government systems in place?  I don't support all approved legislation at the state or federal level.  But, I support our country and way of life.  We have the best possible system in the world even on its worst day.  It is time for us to grin and bear it.  We have a $3.0 trillion bill to pay for Iraq and Afghanistan and a mounting deficit.  I'm not in love with the bailout of the auto industry and financial institutions also...but I also don't want to see my neighborhood vacant due to more job loss.  Are there better solutions during such times? 

Perhaps we should witness what real suffering is in other countries in order to appreciate all that we have....even during our worst time...

I'd like to see some honest figures as to how many people supported the several trillion dollar bailout.  I'm not talking about Huffington or that ilk, I mean a grass roots survey with no partisan issues involved.  I have liberal friends who are very unhappy about a lot of thes bailout stuff but that's beside the point here.  That bus driver has every right to protest pork/earmark spending as anyone else.   My guess is a good share of the pork isn't going to create a single job.

Even that doesn't matter in light of our constitutional guaranteed right to protest when we feel the government is wrong.  And before someone jumps in with "what about Bush" all I can say is if people were that unhappy with Bush they had the same right and opportunity to protest as we (and the bus driver) have now.  The thing is, Obama is president now, not Bush. 

I GET it that the banks needed baling out.  I GET it that auto makers had to be bailed out to save jobs.  What I DONT get is why every one of them (politician wants their hand in the pot for their favorite project...and with all that pork, that's what they'll get.

Sorry, I didn't address the "other country" remark.  It didn't work for your mom when you were a kid and she told you to eat your ________(insert your hated food here) because children in other countries would be grateful for it.

Most of us GET it that we have it better than a lot of other countries but that has nothing to do with pork barrel spending by a government gone nuts.

Sorry if I sound harsh but I get really tired of people making excuses for out of control spending by government.  I don't WANT bigger government, I want responsible government.   And what an oxymoron that is.

There are many right now that are suffering. Many have lost their homes, lost their jobs, and some have even lost their families due to the irresposibility of the goons running our country. ALL POLITICIANS!. We don't want to have to live like people in third world countries. Our way of life is going to change for the worse in the near future. Our Government can't keep spending, spending, and spending. Just because our politicians want something doesn't mean we can afford it. The rich are not the only ones that will carry this burden. Try for a minute to equate the spending that is going on in Washington, to how you run your own finances. The interest alone will bury us. You can't keep borrowing, and borrowing. If you do, you end up in bankruptcy. China is not going to allow us to get off this hook. 

You know, somewhere in all this is a sensible argument about appropriate government policies, but we never seem to get to it. Nancy's idea of what government is and should be is far different from mine. When you've convinced yourself that government is the problem (ironically, stated by a guy who is...ahem...a government employee), and you want to "shrink it to the size that you can drown it in the bathtub," to quote Grover Norquist, you're not really interested in actual, real world solutions that might make it better for the majority of the populace.

You know, it is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. If you've got a gripe, you can complain. Better still, do something constructive besides mailing a teabag to your Congressman, or protesting on a Wednesday afternoon. Run for office. Work for a candidate you support. Volunteer to help. Do all those things you don't want government to provide. There's a really good reason our government has grown to the size it has: it's because private enterprise pursues those things that are profitable, not necessarily those things that need to be done, regardless of whether those products and services are needed. Who is his right mind wants to build a bridge? Or a road? Or a hospital? If you can't put them on a for-profit basis, they're not even going to get off square one.

Social Security and other safety net type legislation and agencies came about because private charity wasn't sufficient, and whatever retirement income had been set aside was lost in the economic downturn of the late '20s and early '30s. Private enterprise isn't always the best solution, just as government isn't always the best solution. There is room and a need for both.

Those who talk disparagingly of government policy apparently don't like clean water, safe food supplies, a legal system to redress grievances of product and service, public safety from police, fire and military, roads, ports, and so on and so on. I simply don't fathom the ignorance on display by what seem to be otherwise intelligent people.

In response to TracyAlk:

I have a child at the downtown child development center on 17th and I couldn't park at all even though parents and employees are the only ones "allowed" to park.  That is rude.  Your hustle and bustle about not wanting to pay taxes caused a burden to those trying to work and take care of their kids.  And, you made me late to soccer practice.  If you don't want to pay taxes...could you at least pay for parking and park elsewhere?

Most of the "hustle and bustle" was not about paying higher taxes, but more about the uncertainly of the global economy as our new President pledges change in the form of astronomical debt on the backs of our children. Isn't the development center you speak of funded by all taxpayers? Why do you have priority parking? That's really too bad that you were late for soccer practice. You've made it pretty clear what your priorities are.

On May 1, 2006, I was going about my daily business and was ambushed by a mob of teenagers on their way to the courthouse. At the intersection of Truxtun and Chester, I had my vehicle spat upon, sprayed with shaken-up soda bottles, jumped on, shaken side to side, and scratched with metal objects. My only offense, as far as I can tell, is that I am a white (and Native American) woman driving a Land Rover. 

 School district employees across the board in this county are hanging by a thread.  Most get fully paid health benefits and PERS retirement.  A lot of school employees are losing their jobs right now because there is no money. 

Why do you suppose that is? 

You talk about not liking big government.  But, shall we imagine a day without government systems in place?

A bit hyperbolic, perhaps?

Isn't the development center you speak of funded by all taxpayers? 

Not completely.  I am a private pay participant and I pay full tuition.  I also am in one of the highest tax brackets and pay my taxes without complaint.  My tax bill was enormous and we no longer qualify for child tax credits or even benefit from my student loan interest.  You are right about my priorities.  I want to contribute to the economy rather than fuss about it during work hours.  At the current rate, I think my family will be part of the 5% that receives tax increases.  We will have to deal with it.  My husband's business will need to make adjustments. 

On May 1, 2006, I was going about my daily business and was ambushed by a mob of teenagers on their way to the courthouse. At the intersection of Truxtun and Chester, I had my vehicle spat upon, sprayed with shaken-up soda bottles, jumped on, shaken side to side, and scratched with metal objects. My only offense, as far as I can tell, is that I am a white (and Native American) woman driving a Land Rover.

That stinks!  Now that is RUDE.  That is ruder than not being able to park to pick up my baby.

Now for a minute...why wait now to protest big government and wanton spending?  Wasn't there pork in Bush spending packages?  I guess I just hate the frenzy.  I really like noneisabovethelaw's post.  If we want to change our system, then we need to engage ourselves in the system.  If you think your leaders are ineffectual, then write letters, make phone calls, and vote them out of office.  Don't spend one afternoon complaining with nothing to show for it afterwards.

If you don't like people on welfare, then set up some other system.  Get your church, synagogue, or other religious institution to start feeding the homeless and providing services to single mothers.  If there is no need for government to serve as the nanny, then the money won't get spent and extra taxation won't be necessary.  As a high tax payer, I have to tell you the contribution to charity is tax deductible and makes you feel good when you do it. 

Anyway, sorry for my whining.  Have a great day.

Tracy, There are some on here, me being one of them that spends plenty of time doing just as you suggest.  Writing letters, sending e-mails, calling, and faxing with the help of organizations like Numbers USA, and CAPS. If they do respond to you, it is in cookie cutter form.  I'd spend every afternoon I could rallying if there were a worthy cause, and I thought just by chance said cause would get some attention. One thing I learned first hand was how slanted the media really is. Seeing as though I can only watch one channel at a time, I thought maybe the bias was overblown. Nope, it's not. Having the MSM outlets calling those of us that saw fit to go, racists, and only right wing radicals, republicans, only old white people was all lies. They are literally sickening. If you have to lie to get people to side with you then that is pathetic. As for the welfare gig, I help others to the best of my capabilities. As much as my pocketbook will allow. The biggest reason for my getting involved to the point I do is out of concern for the tomorrow my Grandchildren will live in. I'd make a wager that most that attended these tea parties could say most of the same. Am I to surmise from your post that when you make over a certain amount of money you can no longer get child tax credits? I guess we truly do learn something new everyday!