They Still Don't Get It

On April 15th Thom Forsythe, his daughter Ciera and I went to a party in Sacramento, a Tea Party. Thom and I do a couple of Community Access Television shows at NCTV, Channel 11, so our intent was to interview anyone we could and get enough footage for two or three half-hour shows on NCTV. I interviewed and Thom ran the camera while Ciera went off and shot background. I guess we shot about three hours or more for future editing. My conservative estimate of attendance is 12,000 to 15,000. These people felt it necessary to take the day off from work and participate in sending a message to our elected representatives in California and Washington. Will it work? Only time will tell. It is a good start and we must persist through any venue we have.

We conducted 50+ interviews and, without exception, those interviewed were polite, well versed and respectful. They were also very angry at the way they are being treated by their elected officials. I spoke with electricians, plumbers, carpenters, teachers, newscasters, celebrities, homemakers, equipment operators, mechanics, sales people and as many others as I could. Only one person refused me an interview and I’ll talk about him later. The responses to questions were very much along the same line; too much spending, wasteful spending, lack of respect for the taxpayer and working man, out of control elected officials, too high taxes and too big of a government. The one question that I asked almost all of the persons interviewed was can we sustain this momentum and the answer was most always “ we must”.

There were those who thought that the police presence was over the top. I did not think so. There was a mounted unit, a bicycle unit, four shooters on the roof of the Capitol, but their rifles were never in view, six or more CHP patrolmen, who were very low-keyed and I’m sure there were a requisite number of undercover officers mingling with the crowd. To those who think this was over the top, I might remind them that there were, by my count, less than 30 Law Enforcement personnel to control more than 12,000 demonstrators. Further, it is the duty of the CHP to protect the Capitol and it is the duty of Law Enforcement to assure that our right to protest goes unhampered. The officers that I saw were pleasant, friendly and congenial. I was glad they showed a presence at this event.

Several politicians spoke at the event, as did some celebrities. Eric Hogue, KTKZ 1380AM, was the general emcee. Our own Representative, Tom McClintock, was a key speaker, among others. Most of the state legislators, with the exception of Assemblyman Dan Logue and Senator Sam Aanestad, hid under their desks and refused to come out and meet the people. Dan Logue, against the advice of his staff, left a meeting for a short while and came out to see the people. I saw Sam Aanestad standing on the steps of the Capitol talking to folks. I interviewed Tom McClintock, a Fox 40 newscaster, the chair of the Republican Chairman’s Association, our own County Chair Bill Neuhardt, McClintock’s field rep Kim Pruitt, Vets just back from Iraq, a WWII vet who was stationed in Alaska, Eric Hogue and Mike Reagan(twice). What a class act they all were, particularly Mike Reagan. We interviewed Mr. Reagan early in the day but had some technical problems and lost the interview. Later, as we were packing up I saw him walking down the steps of the Capitol. I explained our technical difficulties and asked if he had another minute or two. He graciously consented and we got our interview. What a classy guy.

Nobody there could have considered this gathering anything but a grassroots rally and protest; except, of course, the likes of Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi who referred to all of us as funded by the high end. Pelosi said of the Tea Party, “We call it astro turf. It’s not really a grassroots movement. [Supported] by some of the wealthiest people in America, to keep the focus on tax cuts for the rich instead of the middle class.” Liberal economist Paul Krugman said, “The tea parties don’t represent a spontaneous outpouring of public sentiment. They are AstroTurf (fake grass roots) events, manufactured by the usual suspects.” Krugman went on to indicate that we were all dupes to “the work of a party hi-jacked by hard liners and financed by the usual right wing billionaires.” If you were there, you know that Pelosi and others still don’t get it.

The absence of public officials and elected representatives, except for the few I mentioned, speaks volumes for their concern for their constituents and we heard it loud and clear. Where were they? They were actually in session working on very important legislation; spaying and neutering of animals and smog checking motorcycles were two subjects that were brought to my attention. Where was their staff? These brave emissaries (staff) of the public wishes for their Assemblymen and Senators, they were hiding in the Capitol, but all peering out the windows and ready to hide under their desks at the appropriate time. What an opportunity missed for them to explain their view to a group of concerned citizens who were participating in the government forum in the only way guaranteed by the Constitution. The excuse I’m sure was that the crowd would have become unruly. I assure you that had Eric Hogue introduced any one of these less-than-brave legislators with the statement to the demonstrators to be respectful and listen that would have been the case. But to the contrary, the courageous men and women of our government, instead of being part of the solution, chose to remain the problem. They still don’t get it.

Finally, I said previously that there was only one person who refused me an interview and ran away (he didn’t run, but he walked really fast). This person was the brave leader of the California Republican Party, Mr. Ron Nehring. I introduced myself to him as being from a conservative public access television show, which should have been a clue that I was a friendly, and asked for a couple of minutes for an interview. Mind you, when I saw him he was casually standing on the steps of the Capitol, apparently just watching the show. He became, upon my question, very nervous and said he had business elsewhere and would return shortly. Then he scurried off to the north, never to return. He may still be scurrying for all I know. What I do know about Ron Nehring is that he has been invited as a speaker on numerous occasions to Republican events here in Nevada County and has never once accepted. Further, I know of several attempts to contact him for information regarding substantive issues that were never responded to. This guy is the head of the CRP, he can really scurry, he is part of the problem and he still doesn’t get it. Let’s all of us keep the momentum going until they all get it. God bless America.