Give Us Liberty (17 page)

The Tea Party movement is rising up because we know we cannot leave public policy to the politicians, or to the “experts,” or to someone else with a parochial agenda, a concentrated benefit that comes first, before the public good, and at your expense. The broad community of patriotic citizens that have stood up to take their country back from an unholy alliance of government power and privileged interests are making a difference in ways that defy easy comparisons to the boom and bust of other recent shifts in the political winds. The Tea Party has evolved from political revolt to social movement. We the people are that force more powerful, a force that can save our great nation for future generations.

The establishment doesn't like it one bit. They will kick and scream and throw every possible roadblock in our path.

But we suspect George Washington would love it. He, after all, demanded as much of us. “The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the Republican model of government are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.”

Or, as we like to say, freedom works.

Epilogue: Changing the Culture in Tacoma, Washington

I don't expect politicians to solve anybody's problems
¹
. . . . We've got to take the world by the horns and solve our own problems. The world owes us nothing, each and every one of us, the world owes us not one single thing. Politicians or whoever.

—B
OB
D
YLAN

E
VERY TWO YEARS, LIKE
clockwork, a fresh crop of candidates from both political parties promise the voters that they will come to the nation's capital and act differently. They say they will spend taxpayer dollars more prudently; they will drain the swamp along the Potomac of the undue influence of well-heeled special interests; they will bring with them a new era of nonpartisanship, or civility, or transparency, or whatever their pollster says “moves the dial.” On cue, each and every one of them promises to change the culture in Washington, D.C.

George W. Bush promised to do it. Nancy Pelosi promised to do it. Barack Obama promised to do it. “Changing the culture in Washington” is the bottled snake oil of electoral politics. It is the Hope and Change greasing the skids that lead us straight back to an ironclad political equilibrium that takes our freedoms and our dollars for the servicing of their needs.

And many of us fall for it. Conservatives and Libertarians want to believe it. Independents, Republicans, and Democrats fall for it, too. Working people who don't give a damn about politics and simply want to be left to live their lives hoping that the government will do those few things it should and otherwise stay out of their lives fall for it.

It's the cynical politics of the same: same promises, same outcomes. Challengers running against seated senators do it. Even incumbents do it, by rote, fully expecting to close another sale of this magical political elixir to returning customers: “I promise not to do what I did; to not use the appropriations process as my personal reelection fund; to not kowtow to the advantaged rent-seekers who use their access to game the market to their advantage; to not feed taxpayer-financed special interests at the public trough.”

But they do. They always go back to doing what they did before.

And we leave them alone to do it again. We go back to what we were doing before the last time things in Washington got so bad that it drew us out of our homes to the voting booth to push back against a political process noticeably out of control. Inevitably, the political class is again left to its natural tendencies, to hand out the concentrated benefits that will buy their next election and distribute the dispersed costs unnoticed by the voting public.

We are all like Charlie Brown, standing poised to take one more run at Lucy's perfectly placed football. We hope and we believe even though we know we should not and then we find ourselves flat on our backs looking up from the ground, cursing the politicians.

By not showing up, by not pushing back, we allow even the best public servants to be manipulated by the privileged interests inevitably drawn to plunder the riches of big government. They too will fail and fall without our support and encouragement.

Somewhere along the way, we abandoned George Hewes and the other citizen patriots who took to the streets in defense of liberty in 1773. We abandoned the traditions of citizen activism that made the American experiment a reality. We left the streets to be controlled by advocates of bigger government.

We accepted the naive notion that public officials left their self-interests at the door the moment they took the oath of office. We took solace in the belief that our ideas were so superior, so inevitable, that all we had to do was clearly explain our policy wisdom to government officials and they would eventually come around to the right way of thinking. They would do the right thing if someone just explained how to do it.

We now know the world just doesn't work this way.

And then we fell into what I call the “Benevolent Despot” trap. If we just elected the right people to public office, they would do the right thing regardless of the political consequences. We have all slipped into this way of thinking, waiting for the perfect leader to take charge and drive the right reforms of big government from the top down.

These, by the way, are the same assumptions that socialists and progressives and other advocates of big, benevolent government employ to solve social problems. Angry about the unholy collusion between banking committee chairmen and big banks? Give Congress even more power. Frustrated with the bureaucracy and seemingly arbitrary power of big insurance? Put a benevolent government in charge of a more rational rationing of your health care.

When Jann Wenner, the hopelessly liberal founder of
Rolling Stone
magazine, was interviewing Bob Dylan in 2006, he was told that politicians cannot be counted on to solve problems. To him, the statement seemed absurd.

“Who is going to solve them?” Wenner asked, incredulous.

Dylan replied, “Our own selves
²
.”

He's exactly right. If we want things to change, we need to look to our own selves to get the changing done. The culture in Washington won't change. The politicians who promise to change the culture in Washington won't change. When you think about it, that has never been the answer. George Hewes and Mary Rakovich knew it was not the answer.

We need to change the culture in the other Washington—the real Washington—in Tacoma, in Seattle and Yakima and Everett and Olympia. We need to change the culture in Jacksonville, and in Philadelphia and Evansville, Little Rock and Houston. We need to change the culture outside the D.C. Beltway, in America. We need to change things, starting in your hometown.

That's why the Tea Party movement is so different. Unlike past political uprisings against a political establishment run amok, this is a revolt from the bottom up. It is built on a coherent, unifying set of values, American values that go back to the revolutionary traditions of our founding as a nation. It is connected via the social networks of the Internet. It is built around traditions of respect and humility and hard work.

We welcome everyone from every walk of life to join our cause. We pick up our trash. We protest peacefully but insistently. This decentralized grassroots revolution has gathered disparate citizens and turned a gathering crowd into a cohesive community.

This is not a political party; it is a social gathering. Any activist will tell you about the essentially fun and celebratory nature of any Tea Party event. It's like a tailgate party before a football game or the annual family picnic. I am reminded of the sense of community you used to experience in the parking lot before a Grateful Dead concert: peaceful, connected, smiling, gathered in common purpose.

At the 2010 D.C. Tax Day Tea Party, we had some forty thousand people gather on the National Mall right under the Washington Monument. It was a typically joyous gathering despite the name-calling of our critics and in spite of the serious challenge we face as a nation. The press desperately wanted to report otherwise. They wanted to find a problem or a bad actor. So when NBC reporter Kelly O'Donnell questioned a black participant that day she started with a not-so-subtle observation. “There aren't a lot of African American men at these events,” she said. “Have you ever felt uncomfortable?” He responded, “No, these are my people, Americans
³
.”

Tea partiers have successfully taken their nascent movement from what I call “political space,” a space regularly populated by a tiny percentage of the American people, to a broad cultural space, where the rest of America lives. This is the difference between a canned stump speech and a Grateful Dead concert. It is a community in the fullest sense of the word.

And that makes it sustainable. It means that we have the opportunity to change the culture in Tacoma, Washington. It means that this community will be there the day after the first Tuesday in November, holding a new crop of elected officials accountable not just for their promises but for their actions.

What an opportunity. Let's go for it.

M
ATT
K
IBBE

Appendix

F
REEDOM
W
ORKS
G
RASSROOTS
A
CTIVISM
T
OOLKIT

M
ANY OF YOU MAY BE
new to the political process. You have probably never considered yourself to be a community organizer. But in the last couple of years, thousands of Americans have become true leaders in their communities, organizing protests and town hall meetings, lobbying their state and federal legislators, and leading get-out-the-vote efforts for limited-government candidates in elections.

Scenes from the September 12, 2009, March on Washington.
Photos by Michael Beck

No one is born an expert organizer, but we can all learn from one another by sharing best practices and pitfalls to avoid. In the next few pages you will learn the basics necessary to become an effective advocate for limited government. We will describe how to organize a protest, be effective in town hall meetings, interact with the media, utilize online tools, hold events, raise money, recruit members to your group, and other essential information.

Remember that we are following the tradition of the original American community organizers, the Sons of Liberty. These grassroots Americans helped lead a campaign to build public support for the American Revolution, and were the brains behind the original Boston Tea Party in December 1773. As they understood so well, it does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires of freedom in the minds of men.

We hope that you will find this guide useful to you and your local group. There is also an online resource for those who want to learn more at www.freedomworks.org/manual.

1. T
HE
C
HAPTER
C
ONCEPT

T
HE CHAPTER CONCEPT IS
designed to achieve the goal and mission of FreedomWorks: lower taxes, less government, and more freedom. Therefore, it is important that you know and use these methods when building your club.

The chapter concept allows activists to function in small groups so they can easily relate to one another. It promotes a sense of unity and motivates members to take action in the political system. We have state chapters, county chapters, and town chapters all across the country. You can become a part of this network of activists by creating your own chapter and networking with others in your county and state.

A
CTIVIST
S
POTLIGHT
: B
EN
T
ESSLER

On April 15, 2009, Washington, D.C., real estate agent Ben Tessler attended his first Tea Party rally. “I was shocked to see nine or ten people I knew,” he recalled. “These are normal people who feel as anxious as I do for the country. All felt helpless and at the same time, all felt a great need to be there at that rally just to be doing something.”

Ben went home feeling revitalized. He forged deeper relationships with his friends he saw at the rally. He also began building a contact list and pushing the limited government and fiscal responsibility message whenever and however he could. Although it seemed like more and more people were picking up on the message, he wasn't sure exactly how to bring things to the next level.

At a July 4 gathering, Ben met Brendan Steinhauser of FreedomWorks. “Brendan and I exchanged contact information and kept in touch. When I found out about the 9/12 march on Washington, I volunteered to do anything I could to help. I had to be involved and not let someone else fight my battle. There is nothing more important than fighting for family, country, and faith. They are all tied together.”

Fired up for the march, Ben went back to work on his e-mail list. He and his friends began to send out articles and video clips to those on their contact lists. As the messages were forwarded and became viral, Ben's list continued to grow.

“Our local group positioned itself as a kind of a first responder,” he said. “We put ads in local papers, wrote letters to the editor, and tacked flyers on the community boards at coffee shops and pizza parlors. We put signs on major streets and hung banners on overpasses and busy intersections.”

What began as an experiment for Ben had become a passion, consuming his time, and growing in directions he never imagined. “I could sense great momentum building up to the march. Citizens were waking up, feeling the same sense of urgency I felt. The mood was changing. There were more of us than anyone realized.”

Chapter Organization

Mission Statement

Each chapter should have a clear mission statement consisting of one or two sentences that succinctly explain the explicit goals of the group and how they will be accomplished. The mission statement provides an important roadmap for sustained effectiveness months and years into the future. When issues arise, it's often helpful to refer back to the mission statement to decide on a path to take.

A smoothly operating chapter has structure. Each chapter should have a chapter leader, communications director, legislative liaison, membership director, and social director. It is recommended that these positions be delegated to reliable individuals in each chapter. However, if the chapter is small, multiple duties can be delegated to a few individuals.

Chapter Leader

The volunteer chapter leader will be responsible for the operation and conduct of the chapter's members. Fund-raising will also be the responsibility of the chapter leader. This person is the public face of the organization and should possess excellent personal relationships, leadership, and organizational skills. Often this person is referred to as the chapter chairman or president of the chapter.

Communications Director

The press officer should be responsible for internal and external communications. Press releases, editorials, and letters to the editor are examples of external communications. E-mails and correspondences that remain in the chapter are considered internal communications. This person should maintain the chapter's Web site or blog. Also, the communications director should try to link the chapter's Web site with other local blogs and think of ways to increase traffic to the Web site or blog. This person would also manage the group's Twitter feed, Facebook outreach, Ning network community, and other online networks.

Legislative Liaison

The legislative liaison should have strong knowledge about the local, state, and national political environments and processes. It will be his or her job to keep track of legislative issues, provide updates to the group, build relationships with legislative champions, and set up activities like lobbying visits, phone call and e-mail campaigns, and other campaign activities. The legislative liaison should know what bills are being introduced, who the cosponsors are, and whether to support or oppose the bills. This chapter officer is critical when it comes to making an impact on the public policy process.

Membership Director

The membership director will maintain membership lists and ensure that all members are receiving the proper materials. Furthermore, the coordinator will work with our grassroots manager to access the FreedomWorks database for membership data. This chapter officer is in charge of recruiting and retaining members for the local chapter. It is his or her job to look for opportunities to greatly expand the membership list through creative efforts and good old-fashioned peer-to-peer recruiting. It is important for a group to continuously grow over time in order for it to remain a political force in the community.

Social Director

The social director's job is to make sure that the chapter is having fun while getting work done. This person will plan events that build a sense of community in the group: think about things like movie nights, soirees, parties, and other fun social events. It's important that the members of the chapter enjoy what they are doing, as well as feel like they are making a real difference in the public policy debates.

Running a Chapter Meeting

Once the chapter's leadership is in place and organized, the next step is to host a chapter meeting. Chapter meetings should be held on a regular basis. They should also inform and motivate members to take action. Chapter meetings should be simple, short, and informative.

The purpose of a chapter meeting is to make sure that everyone knows about upcoming events and campaigns. But meetings are also a great place to invite special speakers or to screen a film. Meetings should be held regularly so that it becomes a part of the members' ordinary lives. If there are times when the group cannot meet due to timing, weather, or other reasons, consider hosting a conference call for everyone. Many groups have used conference calls to great effect, and you can feel free to utilize FreedomWorks' conference call system.

The success of a political event or meeting will hinge on the people within the organization planning the event. A dedicated core group of people is critical to the success of a meeting. These people are typically recruited through networking and from prior meetings, events, and projects. The best people are the ones who exhibit a strong desire to work to implement our ideas and policies. They will tend to be the true believers who are excited and impassioned by the opportunity to help advance our agenda.

—R
ICK
R
EISS
, T
EMECULA
, C
ALIFORNIA

Chapter meetings should typically last no longer than an hour or so. People lead busy lives and you don't want them to stop paying attention and leave early. Cover as much as you can and then leave them wanting more from the next meeting. Be sure to have someone run the meeting who is good at moving things forward. Try to save most of the debating and rhetorical questions for the very end of the meeting. You need to stay focused and get things done before you can open the floor up to banter, which is something that will happen. Manage your meeting effectively and stick to your schedule. Your members will thank you for it.