From the front lines at Harrisburg Tea Party

From the Harrisburg "Tea Party" protest today, Camp Hill citizen-activist Bill McIntyre sent this message to Pennsylvania elected officials:

I sit here in damp pants, socks and shoes (no, not what you're thinking) that my umbrella couldn't protect from the cold driving rain on the steps of our Capitol in Harrisburg, reflecting on the events earlier today. The turnout was fantastic in such inclement weather.

The front steps of the Capitol were filled with protesters that extended down to the sidewalk spilling out onto 3rd Street. My guess was several thousand showed up to protest the actions of our state and federal governments; too much spending, too many and high taxes.

Most everyone brought tea bags. My wife and I contributed around 400 to the collection. The Commonwealth Foundation's tent was overflowing with tea. They couldn't accept any more. Since our governor has an oversized suite in the Capitol, it was suggested that those still with tea, deposit it there.

Somehow, someday, somewhere we must slow down and end all the unnecessary and giveaway programs that our federal, state and local governments are asking us, our children, grandchildren and their children to pay for. Government must go on a diet, NOW, not tomorrow or next year, NOW!

But how do we get government to loose weight? Pressure, pure people pressure from the likes of you and me and many millions across our state and nation. Write, call and/or meet with your, and others legislators and government officials. We’re not helping our overly obese governments by constantly feeding them more and more tax dollars with little accountability.

We've many good legislators who feel like we do and are trying to get spending under control. The problem is they are in the minority. Corrective bills have been introduced that never see the light of day. They are buried in some committee and die a quiet death.

The state's budget is bloated and will be a couple of billion dollars short in this fiscal year. Yet Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed an even larger budget for next year. He placed a hiring freeze on state employees but has hired 110 of his friends for high paying (questionably unneeded) positions. "Do as I say, not as I do;" is his motto. We’re paying for it!

Mad as Hell,
Bill McIntyre
And writing to prove it. Will you do the same?