2009 TEA PARTY - "This meeting can do nothing more to save this country!"

This past Wednesday, April 15th, I had the privilege and honor of addressing over 2000 patriots who braved the cold and snow in Salt Lake City to raise their voices in union to protest a federal government run amock with out of control spending and taxation, socialism and nationalization and anti-federalism. Many have asked for a copy of my speech. Because of the weather and outdoor noise, I gave an abbreviated version of the following speech.

I. INTRODUCTION – A History Lesson

The original Boston Tea Party occured on Decemeber 16, 1773 as 7000 Americans stood all day on the wharves of Boston Harbor braving the the damp cold and icy winds refusing to let the East India Compay onload their shipment of tea off three ships. Parliament had created a tea monopoly in East India Company, and tried to trick the colonists by lowering the price of tea but keeping it taxed believing the Americans would not give up the tea but they would “have them” if they paid their tax. On that historic day, the Crown appointed Governor refused the ship captains’ request to sail away with their cargo. And a stalemate insued.



Just up the street at the Old South Meeting House, the leader of the Massachussetts Sons of Liberty, Samuel Adams gave the final secret mesage to the raiding party: “This meeting can do nothing more to save the country," signalling that the time for talk was over, and it was time for ACTION! We gather here today for the same reason and with much the same purpose. Last night on KSL Nightside Project the host said that he will declare today’s participants are "hypocrites" if all we do is talk and take no action and make no changes in Congress.

And so at the signal, the other Sons of Liberty leader, Paul Revere, led 200 Sons of Liberty down to the dock disguised as Mohawks and threw the tea into Boston Harbor. King George III was particularly angered at this insult to his authority. It so angered him that he had Parliament pass the Intolerable Acts which: 1. Closed Boston Harbor so food couldn't get in or out (justice, common defense, life, liberty, property) ; 2. the colonists couldn't hold town meetings without government approval (free speech, peaceably assemble or petition for redress of grievances); and 3. New Quartering Act so colonists HAD to house British troops (3rd and 4th amendments).
Just sixteen months later on April 17th, 1775 Paul Revere set out on his famous ride to warn the country side, including Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington, that the British were coming to arrest them and to capture the weapons, guns, cannon and powder stored in Concord.

Share with me in the spirit of that night through some of the the words of Longfellow's famous poem, Paul Revere’s Ride,

"…You know the rest. In the books you have read

How the British Regulars fired and fled,---

How the farmers gave them ball for ball,

From behind each fence and farmyard wall,

Chasing the redcoats down the lane,

Then crossing the fields to emerge again

Under the trees at the turn of the road,

And only pausing to fire and load."

A few weeks ago I walked along that road and felt the spirit of those brave minutemen who answered the call when their country needed them. At the dedication of the minutemen statue, George William Curtis said the following about these men:

“The Minuteman of the Revolution!—he was the old, the middle-aged, and the young…He was Deacon Josiah Haynes of Sudbury, eighty years old, who marched with his company to the South Bridge at Concord, then joined in the hot pursuit to Lexington, and fell gloriously… at Bunker Hill. He was James Hayward of Acton, twenty-two years old, foremost in that deadly race from Concord to Charlestown, who raised his piece at the same moment with a British soldier, each exclaiming, “You are a dead man!” The Briton dropped, shot through the heart. James Hayward fell mortally wounded. “Father,” he said, “I started with forty balls; I have three left. I never did such a day’s work before. Tell mother not to mourn too much; and tell her whom I love more than my mother, that I am not sorry I turned out. This was the minuteman of the Revolution, the rural citizen trained in the common school, the church, and the town meeting; …whose gun, loaded with a principle, brought down, not a man, but a system.”

I also walked across that "rude bridge that arched the flood" in Concord and offered a prayer of gratitude to those men who there met and turned away the greatest army in the world, the conquerer of conquerors. The words of Concord Hymn by Ralph Waldo Emerson are imortalized in the statue and pillar raised in honor.

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood,

And fired the shot heard round the world.

You are today's Son's and Daugthers of Liberty, modern day Minutemen and Minutewomen who stand up and step forth to demand a return to the Constitutional and democratic principles of self governance that made us the greatest nation on earth.

II. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. (The Promise.)

he proper role and purpose of government was set forth first in the Declaration of Independence that Governments are instituted among me for one purpose only: to secure our God-given rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness! Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. Those in Washington need to be reminded that they are not our masters, but our servents. Glen Beck is absolutely right when he reminded us that “WE SURROUND THEM!”

III. CONSTITUTION (The Fulfillment)

Today is Tax Day and We are Here as Patriots to Lodge our Protest.

Vice President Joe Biden during the campaign said it is “patriotic” for Americans to pay more taxes. What do you think of that?

Like 18th Century England and the East India Company, our Congress created and maintained a government sponsored monopoly in FANNIE-MAE and FREDDIE-MAC
and through government protectionism, over-regulation and meddling in the real estate free market, social reengineering through such laws as the Community Reinvestment Act, not to mention manipulation by the FED – they created the artificial bubble which burst and now they want you and me and our children and grandchildren to pay for it!

England feigned its “benevolence” by lowering the cost of tea believing we would be sucked in and so grateful to have our “spot of tea” that we wouldn’t mind the taxation (and hence tacit support of the Crown and Parliament.)

Congress has feigned its “benevolence” by pork and earmarks (as it has done for decades) and has now proposed $5 TRILLON IN NEW SPENDING (thank you for taking care of our every need from cradle to grave… wipe our nose… put a Band-Aid on our booboos, make sure we can’t fail, and put a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.. and they expect us (1) to be grateful for their benevolence and (2) to pay for it - $1.4 TRILLION IN NEW TAXES!

In response to our Tea Party here today, the Chairman of the Utah Democratic Party is quoted in the paper this morning as saying we should be grateful for all the wonderful things the current Administration and Congress have done for us.

Obama and his Congress have decided we ALL need to be more patriotic and pay more taxes.

RNC Chairman Michael Steele: “Taking your hard earned dollars to redistribute the wealth; put our kids and their kids in hock to pay for the spending and destroy the savings of middle class Americans. I love the bumper sticker I say yesterday: "President Obama: I’ll keep my Money, my Guns and my Freedom – you can keep the “Change!”

But it isn't just the current Democratic leadership of our country we protest here today. I love this sign up front here that says, "I'm not a Republican or a Democrat, I'm an American." The prior Republican administration and our Republican in Congress our as much at fault for where we are today.

Of the hundreds of Tea Parties right now across this great country, It's an honor to be with you great patriots here today who like Sam Adams and Paul Revere and the 200 men who boarded those three ships in Boston Harbor, cheered on by 7000 on the dock, who are not fooled and who will not sit back quietly and watch as our income, and our freedoms our stolen from us by the unprincipled and un-American actions of a few Washington D.C. You are all great Americans who may I add have the good fortune of right now standing in one of only three states in our union that had the good sense to reject the 16th income tax amendment to our Constitution. Some of you might call for a repeal of the 16th Amendment. At the very least, it's time for a simpler, tax structure: A flat tax, or a national sales tax, just about anything is better than what we have now.

Our Constitution for more than one hundred years prohibited a graduated income tax and the fourth amendment expressly preserved "the right(s) of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers"; which in turn prohibited a tax audit from ever occurring.

Prior to the 16th amendment, which gave congress the "power to lay and collect taxes on income from any source whatever..." Federal taxes were apportioned per population of the states and mostly gathered by the states and then sent by the states to the Federal government. That is was what the founding fathers believed: A balance of power consistent with the creation of power. Government of the People.

But now things are different. Frankly now things are a mess. And I'm not talking about the economy, which is awful. I'm talking about the state of our nation: The balance of power between the Federal government and the States - the balance of power between government and the people.

How is it that as nation we have awaken to find ourselves embracing socialism? The government now thinks it is its duty to make the citizens happy rather than preserve our liberties so that we can pursue happiness on our own. And it goes about accomplishing its errant pursuit by plundering those that through their labors have been successful by means of excessive taxation and redistributing wealth to those who have achieved less success. The most notable, recent example that comes to mind is the TARP $700 billion bailout of Wall Street last October: A perfect example of government reaching beyond its power, compelling the taxpayers to go into debt to give to Wall Street.

I wonder how it is that most of the leaders in Washington have forgotten what it is that made this nation great?

Is it our social programs or entitlement programs? NO!

What is it? One Word: FREEDOM! (Ask them to repeat.)

Its our freedom to innovate, to succeed, to create jobs, and -- dare I say it -- earn a PROFIT and use that profit to take care of our families, neighbors and friends.

The nation must be very careful about the tax burden it places on the citizens. It was predicted by Karl Marx that our form of government would slowly change to socialism, which is naturally just one step away from communism. And the catalyst for that change Marx said is higher and higher taxes.

Have the leaders in Washington forgotten why they are there?

Who are they there to serve? WE THE PEOPLE!

Why are they there? To grant us rights and privileges?

NO – TO SECURE OUR GOD GIVEN RIGHTS!

John Adams reminded us that "we are a nation of laws AND NOT OF MEN!"

Our laws are based on that inspired bedrock charger: the Constitution, which set the parameters and established The Rule of Law!

The Constitution is the fulfillment of the promise of the Declaration of Independence and it purpose is to form a more perfect Union and to, among other core functions, to secure the blessings of liberty (life, liberty, and the possession of property – granted us by our Creator.)

An illustration of this principle is in order. Can you go to your neighbor and demand that he pay for your mortgage payment if you get behind and are in jeopardy of losing your home? You may ask him to help, but can you compel him to make the payment or even a portion of the payment? Of course not! You have no right and no authority to do so. For the right of your neighbor to keep his property and enjoy the fruits of his labor is natural right.

To compel a man to part with his money in your behalf would be in violation of the most basic of laws: Thou shall not steal.

It is just as the great philosopher John Locke said, “For nobody can transfer to another more power than he has in himself, and nobody has an arbitrary power of himself, or over any other, to destroy his own life, or take away the life or property of another.”

Yet isn't that what government is doing when it takes your earnings and gives it to another to pay down their mortgage. And by so doing Government steps beyond the power the people hold and sets itself up to be our master; when in fact, it us that should be its master.

Through its tax laws and policies, it has legalized the plunder of your wealth and become an accomplice to the feat through the collection of excessive taxes that are redistributed to those who have earned less and who government deems should have more.

Let me give you another example, can a father legally indebt and obligate his son of less than 18 years to pay for the debt incurred by the father today? Of course not, in modern history there is no legal precedent for that.

But again, isn't that what the federal government is doing now? Our government is running record deficits without regard for growing the national debt as it tries to be the guarantor of entitlements to all people. And who will pay for this debt, our children and grand children, some of whom have yet to be born. This generation's life style of excesses is the next generation's burdens of debt – and it is wrong and it’s immoral!

During the Presidents inaugural address, he said “we must be careful to not burden future generations with a debt they cannot pay.” Say what!!?? He’s got it wrong! Our duty is not to estimate what level of debt future generations are capable of paying, rather our duty is to leave them with no debt at all!

Of course that line of reasoning is hard to find in the halls of congress today.

For as government’s desire has grown to provide for the actual well being of its citizens rather than just for preserving the opportunity to fare well, so has its unquenchable thirst for your tax dollars grown. That’s just the way it is. Government is not a producer – It’s a consumer. It needs you and I to fund its every whim.

And don’t think for a second that Government is going to selflessly give you back your money. They will find a way to blow it. The only way to slow the growth of government is to do as Ronald Reagan said and “put government on a diet.” And that means tax cuts, across the board. It also means a balanced budget amendment. No more government IOUs to be paid by future generations. And if you think about, how can the future generations not yet of adult age protect themselves from today’s tyrants. Did they vote the tax and spend culprits into office? No, nor can they remove them. So how then can today’s politician claim the power and the authority to obligate future generations to pay for today’s gross lifestyle of consumption? They have no power. They have no authority. It’s time for a balanced budget amendment. And it’s time to balance it based on tax cuts and less spending!

Back when congress and the nation were considering the 16th amendment, the running joke about it was to refer to call it the "soak the rich" amendment. The less affluent thought they could get rich off of someone else's production. But the last laugh was on them. Affluent people are smart. They didn't get their money by accident. They got it through industry. Do you think that the rich are going to let the people just take their hard-earned money. Of course not, they are going to lobby for favorable laws to protect their earnings. It's a constant back and forth of special interests between those that have accumulated property and those who covet their property.

For example, take the community reinvestment act which requires loans to be made to people of lower incomes whom the bankers know would likely default. These are people who should have been renting. And many of those loans were guaranteed by the quasi-government “government sponsored” organizations known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Of course, when the loans began to default did the financial institutions who made those unwise loans take the hit? No they did not. They came to our agents, the Federal government, and to your Senator, and your Representative asking for you and I to help them recoup their loses through a taxpayer, financed government handout.

Some of you may be familiar with the late pastor, Dr. Adrian Rogers. He truly said it best when he said, “You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of the nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

Let me repeat, “you cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

Now, If you think government has NOT usurped more power over the people than the people have granted it, if you think we are still the masters of government in a free market society, I ask you only to look back to last October again. When congress was considering the bill to authorize billions of tax dollars to bailout Wall Street the people made their voices known. Calls by the citizens to their representatives and Senators were grossly in opposition to the action. Some reports had it that over 80% of the constituent calls to Congress were opposed to the bailouts. The results of survey from national pollsters overwhelmingly echoed those same sentiments. But despite those reports of opposition government thought it knew best and Congress passed the bailouts into law. The majority of congress showed us exactly where they think we the people stand in the pecking order. Well those congressman's names are known and while we have devolved into a quasi-socialist state, we have not yet lost all power. We still have our elections (Declaration, “deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,”) and we will make our voices heard and they will know where we stand.

Before we go any further, I don't want you to think that I'm against all taxes. There are just causes for Federal taxation supported by our constitution. Like the raising of a military to defend us. Or at my request, the creation of an Attorney General Criminal Alien Strike Force!

It is our responsibility and our honor bound duty to pay for our fair share of our collective government’s protection. But our taxes should be uniform, they should be of a single rate, without diminishing deductions and prejudice based on a graduated income scale.

These days most of our Federal taxes are for services that should be rendered by the Feds, but by states or not at all. I believe strongly in this principle: Taxes should be levied at the lowest level possible, closest to the people where they can monitor and evaluate and mold how the money is spent. When the Federal government collects the taxes, well, then the Federal government gets to decide how it will dole it out to the states according to their notion of what is fair and what is needed. This is exactly opposite of what the founders believed and frankly I do not have a lot of trust in the Federal government right now.

So how did we get to be in this awful situation? We let our elected officials ignore the constitution. We let government grow its power beyond in rightful scope. And government has thanked us with higher taxes and entitlement programs for all.

Now, You may be asking yourself how do we get control back? How do we restore order to chaos?

We start today! At this very hour!

We’ll get the government we deserve back only if we stand up like those Sons of Liberty of old and say “We’re mad as hell and we aren’t going to take it anymore!"

May I propose that in taking action, we look to that great statesman, the former Secretary of the Agriculture, Ezra Taft Benson who decades ago saw firsthand where the nation was headed through unconstitutional socialist spending programs.

He suggested a three-step approach to getting control of our nation and our government back:

First, Freeze spending on unconstitutional federal programs.

Second, Do not renew unconstitutional federal programs after their funding runs out.

Third, Plan for and phase out unconstitutional federal programs, that are indefinite in nature.

And if I may be so bold to add a Fourth step: Put in place the safe guards to stop it from happening. Pass a balanced budget amendment.

It is up to us to do it. It may take years, or even decades to accomplish but it is up to us.

It is up to us to send statesmen to Congress who understand our constitution and who will chart a return course to its principles.

The stakes have never been higher. We must succeed or we will suffer the fate of all those governments that have failed before us – totalitarianism – being servants to the state.

The American experiment is not yet over. There is still hope.

Finally, let me return to the two leaders of the Massachusetts Son’s of Liberty who led the original Tea Party – and so much more, Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, with the hope and the prayers that they, if not I, will inspire you and motivate you to action.

“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you and may posterity forget that ye were once our countrymen.”

So through the night rode Paul Revere;

And so through the night went his cry of alarm

To every Middlesex village and farm,---

A cry of defiance, and not of fear,

A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,

And a word that shall echo for evermore!

For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,

Through all our history, to the last,

In the hour of darkness and peril and need,

The people will waken and listen to hear

The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,

And the midnight message of Paul Revere

It is a wonderful site to see all of you. You are my countrymen! We are once again in an hour of darkness and peril and need. Will you listen? Will you awaken? Our cry today is one of defiance and not of fear. Ours is a united voice in broad daylight. Let it be a knock on the door of the White House and the U.S. Capitol! Our voices united in Three Words that shall echo for evermore: WE THE PEOPLE! (Repeat it with me: several times so Obama, Pelosi, Reed and our own delegation can hear.) WE THE PEOPLE!

I hope you leave today committed to make a difference. Leave with a conviction of conscience to make every effort to be worthy of this constitutional framework that was given to us. America needs you to do it. Your family needs you to do it. Your future descendants need you to do it. The world needs us to do it. And it starts right here, thanks to the inspiration and leadership of patriots like Glen Beck and Adam Gardiner and Candace Salima. And it is a force today emanating from these Purple Mountains Majesty, and spreading across the fruited plain and growing in power and efficacy from sea to shining sea. It is the power of WE THE PEOPLE!

As our voices are in harmony, we must remain united in purpose. For as Alex de Toqueville so appropriately stated, “in a democracy, we get the government we deserve.” and we deserve only that which we defend.

And so I leave with you the last words that Samuel Adams spoke to the Sons of Liberty on a cold December evening in 1773 that sent them on their task that lit the match and ignited the fire that would end only in our independence and our freedom and the establishment of the greatest nation in the history of our world:

And so I say to you today, “This meeting can do nothing more to save the country!" The time for talk is over.

It is in your hands – it is time for action – and may God bless us in our just cause!