North Carolinians fed up with record deficits, wasteful spending, and the ever-expanding power of the federal government will have an outlet to vent their frustration this Tax Day — about two dozen of them, in fact.
Feeding off a movement that began during the federal stimulus debate early last year, thousands of residents across the state will join forces April 15 in a series of grass-roots protests modeled after the famous Boston Tea Party. Rallies are planned in 20 Tar Heel cities, ranging from Asheville in the mountains to Kill Devil Hills on the coast.
Similar protests will take place in small towns and large metros across the country. The movement, though much criticized by congressional Democrats and the traditional press, has brought together a nonpartisan group of citizens concerned about America’s future.
“It’s pretty awesome to see all these grassroots people come together and have spontaneous rallies,” said Matthew Ridenhour, organizer of Charlotte’s Tea Party scheduled from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Queen City’s downtown.
Ridenhour said he expects around 2,500 people at the rally. He says a “second wave” of people are getting involved this year due to the raucous health care debate.
“Their spark to get involved was health care passing,” he said.
Laura Lane, who is spearheading the Tea Party rally in Raleigh starting at 5 p.m. at the State Capitol, says she was prompted to get involved early last year from a feeling that America was in trouble and no one knew what to do. She launched a meet-up group, Triangle Conservatives Unite, to help coordinate activism around the metro area.
Ignited in February 2009 when CNBC pundit Rick Santelli suggested a Chicago “tea party” to decry wasteful government spending, the idea caught on in hundreds of cities and towns from coast to coast. Initial criticism was limited mostly to spending and deficits, but it has since expanded to health care reform.
That issue pushed tea partiers back into the national limelight in March. It also presented foes of the movement a chance to accuse them of racism.
During rallies on Capitol Hill, members of the Congress Black Caucus said that Tea Party activists yelled racial slurs at them, and one claimed that a protester spit on him. Event organizers condemned the incidences.
The movement hasn’t suffered from the negative press, though. A Rasmussen Reports poll from late March found that over half of voters say the average Tea Party member has a better grasp on current issues than Congress (compared with 30 percent who say Congress has a better understanding), and nearly half say members of the movement are more ethical than Congress (compared to 26 percent who say Congress is more ethical).
The cause is also gaining momentum. Rasmussen says that 24 percent of voters now consider themselves tea partiers, compared to 16 percent a month ago.
While health care has emerged front and center, the economy is likely to dominate activists’ focus going into the midterm election, according to N.C. State Political Science Professor Andrew Taylor.
“[The movement] latched itself onto the health care issue, but it’s an expression of a lot of anger that’s out there, a lot of insecurity,” he said. “People are upset with the direction they see the country going in, and this is an expression of that. And health care is just one part of that.”
The rallies in North Carolina aren’t confined to Tax Day. Events are planned in Whiteville and Jacksonville on April 16 and 17, respectively, while West Jefferson and Columbus will hold events on April 24.
Ridenhour said he’s hopeful the movement will lead to positive change. “People are fired up. They think we’re so low, there is no other place to go but up,” he said.
David N. Bass is an associate editor of Carolina Journal.