Tea Party Supporters Stage Tax Day Rally
This is a file photo from last year's Moore TEA Citizens Tax Day rally in front of the Southern Pines post office.
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Tea Party Tax Day Rally
A crowd dissatisfied with the current state of affairs in Washington spoke out in front of the Southern Pines Post Office Thursday.
A large crowd gathered outside the Southern Pines post office Thursday afternoon to express concern about the current state of affairs in Washington.
Residents of all ages participated in a raucous but peaceful protest sponsored by Moore TEA Citizens, which started about 3:30 p.m. and lasted until 7 p.m. "TEA" stands for "taxed enough already."
Similar protests were held all around the country on the deadline day for Americans to file their income tax returns.
Members of the crowd displayed signs, waved flags, cheered at passing traffic and talked on a megaphone.
"I'm fed up with what's going on in Washing-ton," said Robert Jamison of Southern Pines, a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. "I think we ought to go in there and throw them all out."
Ann Beth Simmons, of Foxfire Village, was equally frustrated.
"I'm just tired of the government dipping in our back pockets and not giving every section of America a fair shake," she said. "I'm tired of the people that are carrying the burden being the ones that are picked on when it comes time to pay the bills."
It is the second year the group has organized a Tax Day rally in front of the post office. It has signed up about 1,400 members since last year's event.
Speakers from Americans for Prosperity and the John Locke Foundation addressed the gathering. State Rep. Jamie Boles and state Sen. Harris Blake attended.
"I think it's great that as an American citizen, you can come out and protest without reprisal from the military or from your own government," Boles said. "I think it's a beautiful day."
Contact John Krahnert III by e-mail at jkrahnert@thepilot.com.
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Ross 3 years, 1 month ago
"Large" crowd? Seems more like a handful to me......
tneal14 3 years, 1 month ago
Is that all Boles had to say?
SCCstudent 3 years, 1 month ago
The latest data show that a big portion of the federal income tax burden is shouldered by a small group of the very richest Americans. The wealthiest 1 percent of the population earn 19 per cent of the income but pay 37 percent of the income tax. The top 10 percent pay 68 percent of the tab. Meanwhile, the bottom 50 percent—those below the median income level—now earn 13 percent of the income but pay just 3 percent of the taxes. These are proportions of the income tax alone and don’t include payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare.
But didn’t the Bush tax cuts favor the rich?
The New York Times reported recently that the average family in America with an income of $10 million or more received a half-million-dollar tax cut, while the middle class got crumbs (less than $100 shaved off their tax bill). If we examine the taxes paid in a static world—that is, if we assume that there was no change in behavior and economic performance as a result of the tax code—then these numbers are meaningful. Most of the tax cuts went to the super wealthy.
But Americans did respond to the tax cuts. There was more investment, more hiring by businesses, and a stronger stock market. When we compare the taxes paid under the old system with those paid after the Bush tax cuts, the rich are now actually paying a higher proportion of income taxes. The latest IRS data show an increase of more than $100 billion in tax payments from the wealthy by 2005 alone. The number of tax filers who claimed taxable income of more than $1 million increased from approximately 180,000 in 2003 to over 300,000 in 2005. The total taxes paid by these millionaire households rose by about 80 percent in two years, from $132 billion to $236 billion.
There is no correlation between tax rates and deficits in recent U.S. history. The spike in the federal deficit in the 1980s was caused by massive spending increases.
The Congressional Budget Office reports that, since the 2003 tax cuts, federal revenues have grown by $745 billion—the largest real increase in history over such a short time period. Individual and corporate income tax receipts have jumped by 30 percent in the two years since the tax cuts.
Sadly those folks wasting a "beautiful morning" except for caged animals Boles and Blake voted against, have no issues unless they are multi-millionaires.
SCCstudent 3 years, 1 month ago
Ironic! The Taxed Enough Already people are complaining about the amount of taxes imposed on us by the Fed's but say little or nothing about local government and the tax and spend county commissioners. What about all the taxes being paid on medicine, food, and other necessities. And all Jamie Boles had to say: Beautiful Day! It would be a better day if we wasn't taxed to death by North Carolina. Hey Jamie and Harris, NC is the 10th highest taxed state in the US of A. Great job boys....What the Fed's don't get, the State gets their cut, and then the locals and the state take a deeper cut - I guess what's left over. Can you good 'ol boys tell us what isn't taxed more than once? Or what is left to tax? Well there is always property re-evaluation to take some more of whats left. Hey TEA party folks ~ how about having a reunion at the old courthouse in Carthage where the last crumb is being extracted. And tell Jamie and Harris to show up and give the people an accounting of why we are overtaxed by the state? That should be interesting - what a beautiful day that would be...ha ha ha.
SCCstudent 3 years, 1 month ago
Why is that person in the video stream hanging teabags from her hat? Does that represent something subliminal?
dustyrhoades 3 years, 1 month ago
Dan Milbank has an excellent Op-Ed today:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/16/AR2010041601998_pf.html
"They march under slogans such as "can you hear us now?" and "we the people," but their demands on Tax Day were more those of the angry affluent than oppressed commoners...The wealth advantage of the Tea Partiers helps to explain the rather un-populist message emanating from Freedom Plaza: Tax the wealthy less and the poor more."
madmama 3 years, 1 month ago
I cerntainly have no wealth advantage and I am here to say, the government needs to get their hands off of my money! It is a sad day when grown men want the government to take care of them- "...pay my bills, pay for my health care, wipe my butt..." Enough already, grow a pair! And by the way "DustyRhoades," guess you wouldn't need the slogan "can you hear me now" because your sour attitude never fails to show up day after day...maybe you should give us all a break; we hear you and we don't like what you have to say!
GoldenDreams 3 years, 1 month ago
To Madmama: Dusty Rhoades is very welcome on these boards. He is very intelligent and well-researched. Do you really think this is the only government that has its hands on your money? You don't think George W Bush and his friends were taking good care of his cronies and interests? And by the way, you call Dusty Rhoades "sour"----you may want to go back and check your own language in your post. You made two references to the human anatomy that are offensive and should be removed. Please write in a civil manner.
tneal14 3 years, 1 month ago
Dusty just writes his opinion which means it is not purely factual, just his take on the issues. Most things are subject to interpretation-just listen to how the different news networks put their own spin on the issues-same thing.
GoldenDreams 3 years, 1 month ago
Thanks, Chuck Taylor! That is my point exactly!
TNeal14, I understand what you're saying. Dusty researches in publications he admires, so naturally that is where he gets his support. I happen to agree with him on most issues politically. Everyone is spinning to some degree, don't you think?
madmama 3 years, 1 month ago
Golden Dreams...keep dreaming...get your mind out of the gutter..I meant a pair of shoes. Why do you people have to bring Bush into this? We are not talking about Bush..we are talking about the Obamanation we are currently living in...and that is my opinion! Where do you people think the money for this Obamacare is coming from? This is not your "dream" world so wake up and realize the government doesn't have a money tree in the back yard...they are picking our pockets to fund healthcare for lazy slobs, on crack...while my husband and I work hard for what we have,there are those who take advantage of this bull crap and choose to sit at home and be given "free" healthcare. Where is the reward for hard work? What incentive do people have to work hard and better themselves? Keep on walking down that "DustyRhoade"...it leads to nowhere and will leave you dirty feet! Oh wait...did that body part refernce offend you?
tneal14 3 years, 1 month ago
GoldenDreams - Yes, that is what I said - that most news networks put their own spin on the issues - and like you said - everyone is spinning to some degree, even your buddy.