ABQ Tea Party
Socialize with us!
  • Home
    • HELP!
  • Action Teams
    • City >
      • Election Integrity
    • County
    • APS
    • Climate Change
  • Videos
  • About
    • Mission
    • Contact

A Fight Worth Fighting 

1/12/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
I remember the endless hearings on television when President 
Richard Nixon tried to cover up a burglary, and, because of his paranoia, used governmental agencies to gather information on his political foes. Then he used the power of government to attack 
people who opposed him.

For those under 45 years of age, the Nixon Articles of Impeachment were covered in a paragraph or two in their 500-page school history book. But to us older Americans, it was a big deal—an  aberration that demanded action by Congress—and act they did.  This event became known as the “Watergate Hearings”, named after Article 1 of that 
impeachment document. 

Less well known is Article 2 subsection 1 of that document which said of Richard Nixon, “He has, acting personally and through his subordinates and agents, endeavoured to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens,  confidential information contained in income tax returns for purposes not authorized by law, and to cause, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, income tax audits or other income tax investigations to  be initiated or conducted in a discriminatory manner.”—in effect, using the IRS as a political weapon to attack opponents.   

Jump ahead forty years.  Lois Lerner, a high ranking IRS official in the spring of 2013 admitted the IRS had targeted conservative groups who were seeking  a 501( c)(3)  or ( c)(4) tax exempt status.  By summer, Lerner was on paid leave, the head of the IRS was retired a few weeks before his planned retirement and President Obama was saying that this whole c3/c4 issue was ambiguous and needed clarification.  Seven months later, the Albuquerque Tea Party still awaits an adjudication (having waited over four years.) 

By the fall of 2013, the IRS had followed up on Obama’s request for “clarification” and rewritten the regulations governing 501 ( c) (4) entities.  The IRS re-labeled voter information activities of non-profits as “candidate-related political activities”—or CRPAs for short (though CRAP would fit the name of the regulation better).  Under these new regulations, the IRS will tax most everything a non-profit organization does that even hints of politics if the action occurs within 30 days of a primary race or within 60 days of a general election.  Donations made during those periods would be treated 100% as campaign contributions and be taxed.  



Also restricted would be voter registration drives, candidate forums and debates, voter guides, voting record listings of incumbents and public statements made by officers and leaders of ( c) (4)s which reference incumbents or candidates.  This is outright suppression and removes Freedom of Speech rights from those who oppose Obama.   The law also affects liberal non-profits, however all too often in the past five years, we have seen our President issue exemptions to his supporters. 

This new regulation must go through a comment period. Congress can block the regulation if enough people oppose it in the next ten days.  You can make your thoughts on this issue known by going to the federal website, www.regulations.gov and access docket “IRS Reg-134417-13”.  Click on the “Comment Now!” button and type out your opinion.  What Nixon did in using the IRS as a weapon was absolutely 

wrong.  What Obama and the IRS are doing today is equally wrong!  People who respect the rule of law and honor freedom of speech, regardless of party, should stand together to defend our country and its Constitution.  Make the call!  Light up your computers New Mexico. 

Rick Harbaugh, President 

Albuquerque Tea Party


1 Comment

Social Media Telling It Like It Is

11/7/2013

0 Comments

 
Don’t you get tired of the Progressives telling you that the Tea Party Movement is dead?  Then the blame starts:  the Tea Party is solely responsible for everything wrong in America!  Yet if the Tea Party is dead, how can we be responsible for all that mayhem?

Finally, we are seeing some good information about the Conservative Movement and the Tea Party.  It comes from John Cardillo, President and CEO of PsyID.  His company, among other things, does political polling—but in a rather unique way.  He does not ask people opinions!  Instead, he surfs Facebook, Twitter and other social media and pulls in opinions based on people’s comments on their social media messages.

When doing political polling, he operates on the assumption that Conservatives and Progressives each represent 40-45% of the electorate.  Neither can define the outcome of elections without the support of the Independent voters.  These are the people he focusses on in his polls.  Want a brief synopsis of his research?  The Tea Party is Alive and Well.  In fact, when you look at 3rd party voters, 47% are negative about the Tea Party while 53% are positive.

 What is fascinating is that when all Independent voters are considered, the numbers are 39% positive in regard to the Tea Party while 61% are negative.  That sounds bad at first blush, but when Cardillo looked closer he found that the Independents are not opposed to the Tea Party.  Instead, they are concerned about three weaknesses seen in the Tea Party Movement.  1)  No effective command and control nationally. 2)  No effective fundraising.  3)  No effective centralized messaging.   Its almost as if the Independents are quietly rooting for us to “come of age.”

Let’s look at some real positives:  Ted Cruz has a 66% favorable/34% negative stance among the Independents.  Comments on the social media indicate that even the Progressives respect him.  The Tea Party has always pushed controlling our national debt.  The Independents agree with us by a whopping 82%/18% margin.  We have supported the Second Amendment from Obama’s gun control efforts.  Among the Independents, their opinions are 64% with us/36% opposed.

The Tea Party goes crazy over the waffling of some of our “conservative“ Congressmen.  The Independents agree with us.   Here are their opinions:

                        Boehner  63% negative (not trusted)

                        McCain 72% negative

                        McConnell  70% negative (viewed as another Harry Reed)

                        Graham  61% negative

Independents support Ted Cruz.  They support our stance on the national debt and on the second amendment.  They are making suggestions on how to make the Tea Party stronger.  Compare that favorability against the numbers for the GOP leaders and you can see why many Republicans view us as a threat worth attacking.  And if we are being attacked by the Rhino Republicans and the Democrats—they sure do not think our movement is dead!  Just the opposite is true!

Tea Partiers should be positive as we go into the 2014 campaign year.  The Independents are more and more being swayed to our perspective!  Our common sense perspective is being listened to.  The Conservatives and Independents can overpower the Progressives!  Keep the faith Tea Partiers!  And get ready for the 2014 campaign season!

Rick Harbaugh

ATP President 

0 Comments

Responding to Lujan-Grisham

9/30/2013

0 Comments

 
[Dear Albuquerque Journal,] 


It seems the liberal progressives like Michelle Grisham think it is their duty to continuously bash those with whom they disagree. Such was the case in your article of 9/28/13.  So, though the meter is not completely correct (at least I spelled "Wacko" correctly) here is my response to Ms. Grisham's latest trash talk.

I don't really like you either, Michelle- 
I don't get along with most Progressives, as well. 
I do not like the debt that they cause; 
Or the way they ignore our federal laws.

Obama's medical plan exempts all Congress. 
That's wrong. It's abuse and it's entirely outrageous. 
The unions want out too, but O shouts NO. 
When he makes up his mind, he says, "Make it so."

Five years in the making; our economy's a mess. 
They blame Bush and the Tea, but refuse to confess. . . 
It's their own stupid policies that are causing the rot. 
And they'll find many others to blame-yes lots.

Their behavior one must truly abhor. 
IRS, NSA, Benghazi and more. 
There's an arrogance of power in Mr. O's team 
That will hurt us all under his regime.

At $150 thousand a year in salary cost, 
Your poetry is expensive, but all is not lost. 
Once you learn to spell "wacko" in your colorful writing, 
We'll continue our fun in this verbal fighting.
0 Comments

What's Happening With the ATP This April?

4/3/2013

0 Comments

 
While recently driving to a Tea Party Meeting I came up behind a car which sported a bumper sticker which proclaimed, “The Tea Party is Dead.” I found that an amusing contrast to Representative Michele Grisham’s website which asks for donations to help her defend New Mexicans from the Tea Party. It seems the Progressives just can’t figure out what is going on with the Tea Party. Perhaps a little history lesson is in order.

The Albuquerque Tea Party was quite small in 2009. The organization felt it needed a venue to voice its displeasure with the direction our government was heading. About 30 Tea Party members decided to promote a Tax Day Rally on Montgomery at the Independence Grill near Louisiana and Montgomery. With a little advertising, some 7,000 citizens of Albuquerque on foot, along with several thousand curious drivers, rallied along a one mile stretch of Montgomery Blvd.

By the Tax Day Rally in 2011, a lot more people were upset with the direction their federal government was going. Some 50 Tea Partiers put on the 2011 event. That year, over 10,000 people lined Menaul for over a mile. Some of our local media questioned that 10,000 participation figure, but Tea Party volunteers placed self-adhesive dots on the lapels of over 10,000 participants that afternoon.

There can be no disputing that many who attended the 2010 and 2011 events attended simply because they were unusual: novelties in Albuquerque. On the other hand, hundreds of protest signs were also clearly visible and disappointment in the direction our government was taking was loudly proclaimed.

The 2012 Tax Day Rally only had 300-400 participants; about 60 of whom were the organizers with the Tea Party. I suspect this was because the novelty had worn off. Does this mean the Tea Party is dead in New Mexico? Not hardly. The number of local citizens who participated in the 2012 rally dropped off, but the members of the Albuquerque Tea Party has grown tremendously. The point: the core participants in these three events were but a handful of Tea Partiers. The rest were the independent citizens of our city.

Today, the Albuquerque Tea Party has several hundred core members and thousands who receive our electronic newletters and other messages. The organization has approximately 12 standing committees and their members are very active. For instance, many of our supporters made repeated trips to the Round House this winter to talk with legislators about our concerns and we are already gearing up for the 2014 election cycle.

The Tax Day Rallies have served their purpose. They woke up New Mexico about the Progressive Movement. But that approach is now behind us. We will not be holding an official Tax Day Rally this year. The Conservative Cause in New Mexico is taking other approaches as we evolve. There are now over twenty independent Tea Party groups in New Mexico. They maintain constant communications with each other and with the national Tea Party movements

such as the Tea Party Patriots and the Tea Party Express. There are now over 5000 independent Tea Parties nationwide. So who is right: our anonymous driver with the bumper sticker or Representative Grisham? Or are they both wrong? Conservative of the Democrat and Republican parties worked together to defeat many Progressive bills at the Roundhouse this year. The Progressive movement needs to fear conservatives of both parties AND the Tea Party as we approach 2014. All these conservatives have witnessed the destructive nature of the Progressive Movement in New Mexico and on the national scene. Perhaps Grisham should be looking inward at her own party AND at the Tea Party.

By the way, some of our Tea Partiers will be out on Menaul at Louisiana on April 15 at 4:00 p.m. to hold high a few placards and wave at the cars. This will not be a sanctioned Tea Party event this year, but there are those who just have rallying in their blood. More power to them. If you would care to join them, you are heartily invited to participate.

The Albuquerque Tea Party can always use new members. Like to get involved? A good place to start is at the monthly General Meeting. The next meeting will be at the Eastgate Church at 12120 Copper Avenue NE, about two blocks east of Juan Tabo on April 16 at 6:45 pm. The mayor will be our guest speaker; talking about our fine city. Hope to see you there.

Rick Harbaugh

President, Albuquerque Tea Party
0 Comments
    Picture
    ATP President, Dr. Will Summers

    Author

    Rick Harbaugh has been an active member of the ATP since the beginning. His knowledge of the issues and experience shape his leadership.

    Archives

    January 2014
    November 2013
    September 2013
    April 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed