Note from Erick: Tim Phillips is president of Americans for Prosperity, one of the organizations I think actually does a good and effective job of harnessing grassroots energy for free markets and free people.
It’s more than clear who the real Person of the Year is: the grassroots American activist.
Just listen to the pervasive phrases in the country’s lexicon for 2009 – from “tea party” to “Hands off my health care” and “Listen to me.”
Without a doubt, everyday Americans concerned about the future of their country have had more of an impact this year than any politician, Fed chairman, or celebrity.
They’ve also done something politicians and celebrities aren’t very familiar with – they’ve made big personal sacrifices. They’ve taken time off work and away from families, driven long distances, and spent their own hard-earned money to attend rallies. They’ve given of their time to stay informed on legislation in Washington and to write and call their members of Congress. They’ve put their names to a cause, signing petitions and letters to the editor.
And it’s made a difference unlike anything I’ve seen in 25 years in politics.
If you’ll recall, the original “deadline” for Congress to pass a health care reform bill was back in the summer. The Democratic leadership was keen on passing something before they sent lawmakers home to their districts for the August recess. But something happened – lawmakers started hearing from concerned constituents.
Then came the August Revolution.
The usually lazy month when members of Congress hold town hall meetings erupted into a firestorm of citizen engagement. At first, legislators were surprised to see people showing up to their town halls; soon, members were canceling meetings because they didn’t want to face their own constituents.
The response from congressional leaders was shocking. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared protestors “un-American,” and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid condemned them as “evil-mongers.” Of course, these supremely out-of-touch responses from Washington only fueled the grassroots fire.
Both the cap-and-trade energy tax and a Washington health care takeover were on the agenda earlier in 2009. The Democrats have a majority in both houses of Congress – what was to stop them from passing President Obama’s big government priorities?
It was the sheer determination and passion of America’s citizens. I saw hundreds of folks at a time come out to early morning events – as early as 7 a.m. – to learn about what was going on in Washington and to sign petitions and meet others in their communities who shared their concerns. Whether it was Americans for Prosperity’s Hot Air Tour, with our hot air balloon drawing attention to the cost of global warming-based energy taxes, or our “Hands off my health care” bus tour, it was simply amazing to see the force thousands of people brought to the issues in nearly every state of the union.
There were the father and son in Gillette, Wyoming, who wore matching caps bearing their small business’s name. The father looked me in the eye and said, “We’re here because this cap-and-trade bill will kill our family business.”
There was the refinery worker in El Dorado, Arkansas, who brought his three kids to their first political event because “it’s such an important time” and the elderly lady at a Norton, Virginia, event who said, “It’s like they want us to feel guilty for wanting to keep our health care.”
One lady in Sikeston, Missouri, is putting 40 hours a week into building a local tea party organization because she “couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do something.” She’s not alone.
This year will go down in history as the year that the new “tea party” movement arose. Americans responded to a challenge to their freedoms the way they’ve always responded. Without waiting for some national leader to emerge and without waiting for orders from Washington, they stood up on their own and fought for their freedoms.
Sometimes these tireless activists ask me if doing their part is really making a difference. CNN and Rasmussen polls show a majority of Americans oppose the current health care bill. That shift in opinion came because people paid attention and got their neighbors to pay attention, too.
But more than that, I tell them to look at Washington. The genuine uprising among constituents has pushed cap-and-trade off the congressional agenda for the year, and pushed back the deadline for a health care bill from August to Christmas.
That kind of influence deserves recognition.
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
Great point and
ashen Wednesday, December 23rd at 12:35PM EST (link)valid as well. I hope the fire stays strong in the belly of America so we can repeal this crap in 2013.
The Next Best Person of the Year...
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 12:40PM EST (link)…is the Precinct Delegate/Committeeman!!!! Have read where some of the Tea Party activists have not been welcomed by the GOP Establishment when they inquire about being a precentDelegate/Committeeman. Please find out how to do this in your State. Get your friends and like minded Conservative (NOUN) to do so also. Show up at your County GOP monthly meeting EVERY MONTH! Bring your friends, bring your FAMILY What a civics lesson for the kids! Are you already a Delegate? Are your Conservative (noun) friends?? Did you get even more of your Conservative (noun) friends registered as Delegates/Committemen?
All the RINO’s will be at the County Convention to keep you from making changes. They will try to stop you from going to the District/State/National Conventions! What a vacation for the family!! They will try and keep you off the Rules Committee. “Why we can’t let these RUBES run our party” they’ll say. They will try to keep you off the Candidate Selection Committee. “We can’t let them actully run CONSERVATIVES (NOUN) on the ballet”. They will try to keep you off the Platform Committee…..”why how dare those RUBES put something in the platform about liberty and freedom and life that would embarass us RINO’s” they’ll say….YOU NEED TO OUTNUMBER THEM!!!!! If you take the time on Sunday to go to church, you can take the time once a month to go to your County GOP meeting. It is more fun than church!
Audeamus pro audere est facere
My vote for the "Person of the Year" is for
ColdWarrior (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:17PM EST (link)all those conservatives who have figured out that the way to take back our government is through party politics — and they’ve taken the time to become Republican Party precinct committeemen, as many here at Redstate have done.
I guess I’d use a different term, too. “My Heroes of the Year.”
Thank you.
ColdWarrior
In 2012, will YOU become a “voting member” of the Republican Party in your precinct?
Where it all started. Twitter @kaltkrieger
Unified Patriots.
Learn how to GOTV at The Concord Project and at Procinct and
Right on!
pvenable Wednesday, December 23rd at 12:42PM EST (link)Tim, you are absolutely right. The news this year is that the American citizen is fighting back against oppressive, expansive and expensive big government.
The citizen activist is the “person of the year”.
Your leadership at AFP has helped that movement. Thanks for all you do for freedom and to direct citizens’ efforts to be more effective advocates!
Hopefully this is our
anotherindyfilmguy (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 12:54PM EST (link)velvet revolution…
Santorum? Well, at least he’s not Romney…
http://www.zazzle.com/enemy_of_the_statist_tshirt-235977043035297478
Living in the Land of the Velvet Revolution..
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:04PM EST (link)….It was Velvet because SO MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP the Communist Party Bosses couldn’t kill or inprison them all! That’s how we make it OUR Velvet Revolution is we SHOW UP at the local GOP meeting. The RINO’s at th meeting WON”T LIKE YOU THERE! Wont want you there, they wont like you running against them to be the Delegate to the District?State/National Convention, but go anyway it’s fun to “bring them along” when you show up with all your friends!
A Texan living in Slovakia
Audeamus pro audere est facere
Is the...
builder20 (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 12:56PM EST (link)…new CBO report demonstrating that the HRC bill will add to the deficit really be a game changer?
Opinions of those wiser than I would be greatly appreciated!
I agree...but...
neoavatara (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 12:56PM EST (link)I totally agree the conservative revival, led by the Tea Party movement, defined much of the year politically. Without them, we would have had the public option already, probably with a few RINO votes.
But I think it is always easy to pick a group than an individual…clearly, a group of people will always have greater influence than a single man, even if you are talking about the President. For example, I think American military troops had more effect on America than Bush and Obama did many of the past few years.
That is why I selected Rush Limbaugh as my person of the year. He helped stimulate the Tea Party movement, and yet, did not actively participate in it. I think they worked hand in hand, not on a functional level, but on an ideological level.
The question now is whether we can take the Tea Party movement, and make broader political change.
http://neoavatara.com/blog/?p=9169
www.neoavatara.com/blog
"Broader Change" Starts at the...
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:23PM EST (link)..monthly County GOP meeting….and you do need to OUTNUMBER them (them=RINO’s) so bring a GROUP with you!
Audeamus pro audere est facere
Audax sums it up perfectly. Fill up the local GOP meetings with conservatives.
ColdWarrior (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:53PM EST (link)Add to that:
Pray. Recruit conservatives to become Republican precinct committeemen. Repeat.
Thank you.
ColdWarrior
In 2012, will YOU become a “voting member” of the Republican Party in your precinct?
Where it all started. Twitter @kaltkrieger
Unified Patriots.
Learn how to GOTV at The Concord Project and at Procinct and
AFP is absolutely terrific here in AZ
ColdWarrior (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:04PM EST (link)They organized the first Tea Party I attended here in the Phoenix area at Tempe Town Lake. I shot some video of it with my Blackberry and got AZ state Sen. Jack Harper to implore the crowd to become precinct committeemen. Unfortunately I had to leave for an appointment before Jack Harper spoke. Tom Jenney has been absolutely terrific in helping to make the Tea Parties and other protest gatherings happen here in the Phoenix area. Here’s Tom back in March addressing the crowd at the start of the Tea Party. A few weeks later, we had about 5,000 at the AZ capitol mall.
Thank you.
ColdWarrior
P.S. Tom Jenney is a precinct committeeman.
In 2012, will YOU become a “voting member” of the Republican Party in your precinct?
Where it all started. Twitter @kaltkrieger
Unified Patriots.
Learn how to GOTV at The Concord Project and at Procinct and
Cold warrior..Is that...
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:07PM EST (link)….“….conservative (NOUN) second…” LOL
Thanks for the link to your excellant site http://www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com, the next best Person of the Year is the Precinct Delegate/Committeeman and all the others they bring into the fight with them. We OUTNUMBER THEM! Lets do it where it counts…at the local GOP meeting!
Audeamus pro audere est facere
Darn tootin the Patriotic American Activist IS the person of the year....
JadedByPolitics (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:15PM EST (link)and WE are just getting warmed up
Unified Patriots – How-To:
Activists Taking Action
I'm not crazy about the term "activist."
Veronica (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:19PM EST (link)There has to be another word that denotes traditional patriotism — and not invokes the image of radical leftists.
I don’t care to “reclaim” the word. It belongs to them.
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Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on us. – St. Augustine
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I LOVE the word!!
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:26PM EST (link)Have been a CONSERVATIVE (NOUN) ACTIVIST since the age of 10!
Audeamus pro audere est facere
responded to your earlier post...
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:30PM EST (link)….asking if your a precinct delegate/committeeman (I’m not PC) or are you on ballot for same? Do you have like minded (freedom loving/less government) friends who are also delegates/committeemen or are running? Do you attend your local County GOP meetings? Are you on the rules committee? The candidate selection committee? Are you running for, or voting for, like minded people to the District/State/National Conventions? It helps your lividity (read your profile) when you run into the RINO’s WHO WILL BE ATTENDING! Who will be trying to keep the Status Quo! Who will be voting for their friends or themselves to higher party positions! You need to OUTNUMBER them!!! Good LUCK. Fortune Favors the bold! Go for it! BE AN ACTIVIST!! A Conservative (NOUN) ACTIVIST!
Audeamus pro audere est facere
I hate it.
Veronica (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:34PM EST (link)As much as I hate radical, leftist thugs and their mindless, copycat followers.
Maybe I’ll get over it.
I like “revolutionary” better.
I’m a revolutionist..
Yeah, I saw your post, and -we- are considering it.
Parental delegation over here has to put it to a vote.
I dig your ideas, tho — very inspiring! Keep it up!
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Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on us. – St. Augustine
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"Revolutionary"....Now talk about a word...
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 1:45PM EST (link)…the LEFT has taken over…LOL!!! Kids are great at the County GOP meeting (my Dad took me!) AND it’s more FUN than church! (He took me there too so I KNOW the GOP meeting is more fun than church!) TAKE YOUR HUSBAND!!! DO NOT LET HIM OUT of the resposibility of being a good citizen! Many of lifes lessons for kids to learn at the meeting (who is a two faced snake, etc.), and first hand civics! It may even be REVOLUTIONARY in your county…LOL! Also State and National Conventions are GREAT for FAMILY Vacations!!!
Audeamus pro audere est facere
God, i'm an idiot w/ the reply button.
Veronica (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:04PM EST (link)sorry, response below.
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Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on us. – St. Augustine
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Me TOO!
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:24PM EST (link)…but I have an excuse in that I am mostly deaf, on my second pacemaker, and my doctor claims my body is 20 years older than me….I posted below yours…LOL!
Audeamus pro audere est facere
Revolutionary was for the hippies.
Veronica (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:01PM EST (link)Abandoned in the 70s, me thinks.
still HATE activist. I will continue to ponder.
Hubby is more wise and patriotic than I am. He leads, I follow.
Citizenship begins in the home — same as our family being the cradle of Christianity. Think of the Nativity and the holy family.
But .. just as everyone is called for their “state” in life, we have to carefully consider going into the public realm.
Truist me .. we dont’ want to abandon the thoughtt of -public- civic duty if that’s what we’re meant to do.
The world is full of idiots and/or evil ppl who lead..
Better us than them. + children will learn from our example. Future of the Republic depends on them.. us, now.
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Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on us. – St. Augustine
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You can always be Militantly Conservative
Richard Mullins (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:09PM EST (link)Just you need to be militantly Christian. That would quite well. The Leftists like to co-opt words like Activist and Revolutionary. To many fall for that ploy. We are much better than that to fall for their tricks.
Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
Rmullins Pics
Rpmullins Twitter
Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.
Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.
Political Revolutionary...
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:16PM EST (link)First was the American and then the French and finally in 1917 or so the Commies got their hooks into the word and we had the Russion Revolution, the Cuban Revolution about the time I was born and Chevaz in Venezuela still uses it for “Social” Revolutionary expressions.
Understand about the family situation…mine was living so many years out of the States and not being able to be “active”. Regretted that I could not involve my daughter in American politics as she spent her entire educational life outside of America and now is a good French Socialist of some sort but speaks, reads and writes most Western European languages and Mandarin and Cantonese from her first 13 years in Singapore and Hong Kong schools.
I was a conservative (NOUN) activist in the wrong places growing up. Michigan and then the mountains of Colorado so had to put up with the RINO’s BUT after finally making the permanent move to TEXAS I found myself at home in the local political party…why…they were conservative (noun)…just like ME!
So good luck raising the family and being a good “revolutionary”. I hope everything works out for you and yours….also…MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Audeamus pro audere est facere
Veronica Estrada, Sorry..
audax (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:19PM EST (link)..this should have been under your post of 12/23/09 at 2:01 PM EST
Audeamus pro audere est facere
it's all good. /nt
Veronica (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:27PM EST (link)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on us. – St. Augustine
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Michelle Obama person of the year
jeannieology (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 2:39PM EST (link)For changing America’s opinion of organic kale.
www.jeannie-ology.com
No, sorry the person of the year is...
jeannieology (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 4:16PM EST (link)Barney Frankincense or maybe Nancy Myrrhosi for standing vigilant watching over Baby Barry Obama in the manger and shooing away Conservatives, sane policies and truth…they can split the prize.
www.jeannie-ology.com
Reid (today) "It is NOT 60 Democrats against 40 Republicans" - wow, right for once...
JLenardDetroit (Diary) Wednesday, December 23rd at 6:48PM EST (link)it is 60% (Democrats) of the Senate AGAINST 60% of the ENTIRE COUNTRY (200 Million, give or take)!!! Which 60% gets the ultimate Final say is the only question. RAGE…. (I always hear that in my head in Rodney D’s voice from ‘School’)
Regards from NoMoTown (the MOTORlessCITY)
“Liberals, looking to do for? America what they’ve done for? Detroit! which is DESTROY IT!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“Conservative by choice, Republican by necessity”
“You can lead a Liberal to the Truth/Facts, but you cannot make them THINK!”
“Romney [No, not my first choice] does NOT have a MORMON problem. He has a, far too many Americans; these days; are MORONS problem!”
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