Nick Smith|Williston Herald Williston TEA Party organizer Vernon Brossart of Williston speaks during the event Saturday morning in Harmon Park.
"This is just awesome, awesome. Thank you for coming out on this beautiful Saturday. Instead of going to the beach or go fishing for the last time this summer, you decided to come here and let your voices be heard," said Vernon Brossart.
The Williston group held a rally in Harmon Park beginning shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday. A final estimate of the crowd near the end of the event was slightly over 1,000.
For just over two hours, Brossart and a series of speakers local and statewide, spoke about their displeasure over taxes, the national debt, health care and a variety of other concerns. A main theme throughout the speeches were the need to be heard and to take the country back from things such as taxes and runaway spending.
Speakers urged citizens to become informed, involved and to hold representatives accountable who aren't listening to what the public wants from them, and for passing legislation that may hurt the state and country. Brossart cited the example of proposed cap-and-trade legislation. Brossart said this kind of legislation is amazing, and incredibly hurtful.
"I'm just about at a loss for words," said Brossart.
Another speaker who was Mike Motschenbacher, vice-president of Citizens for Responsible Government in North Dakota. Shortly before Motschenbacher spoke, an attendance figure of 1,013 people had been mentioned to the crowd. He seized that number to make his point about everyone making their voices heard and holding their leaders accountable.
"Wouldn't it be incredible if 1,013 people showed up to a committee meeting in Bismarck? Wouldn't it be amazing if 1,013 people went into a city commission meeting in your or any local community? Even if you didn't all testify, your presence would be something they couldn't ignore," said Motschenbacher.
Motschenbacher said, this country faces a decision on where it wants to go. He made the choice to get involved three years ago, and urged those in attendance to get involved and informed as well.
He said whatever issue you feel strongly about that isn't being addressed, confront your leaders about it by being vocal and being informed.
"A politician's worst nightmare is an educated voter," said Motschenbacher.
Another speaker who voiced his displeasure about taxes and Washington policy was Kevin Cramer. Cramer is a member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission.
Cramer said the current national energy policy is one that doesn't make sense and hurts the American people, while strengthening other countries such as Iran and Venezuela. He said the United States spends about $1 trillion to import oil from countries that don't like the U.S., while at the same time taxing and punishing domestic oil companies.
"They need to understand that our national and economic security are directly tied to our national energy policy," said Cramer.
Cramer said there are ways of having energy policy while respecting the environment, but it shouldn't come at an expense of our way of life.
"North Dakota is a shining example of how to produce oil and minerals and do it in an environmentally reasonable way," said Cramer.
Brossart said the way to get change is to hold elected officials accountable, educate yourself and others and remain vocal. He also cited the importance of the younger generation.
"Don't be like me and wake up after 40 years and find yourself going 'What in the heck happened to this country of mine?'" said Brossart.
Comments
Sick of Politics wrote on Sep 24, 2009 4:08 PM:
Shoddy reporting.
I'm kind of sick of the extremists at these gatherings getting all the press. How about those of us that are there because we are sick of government waste and overspending? Sick of the burden being put on the middle class? Sick over the amount of debt our children are going to be burdened with?
What about those of us that are simply sick of politicians - BOTH PARTIES - in general and would like for the government to go back to being OF THE PEOPLE, not OF THE ELITISTS WHO WERE ABLE TO RAISE MILLIONS IN FUNDS TO RUN FOR OFFICE?
There are wackos at every "protest." Where was the representation in the press for those of us who have common sense and just want to create the kind of "change" that will actually better our futures?
This goes for the national media (Fox included) too. Why is it only the wackos are getting interviewed...the uneducated and uninformed..those holding ridiculous and inflammatory signs?
I am a Christian and I would like it to be a Christian nation, but that was NOT why I was there at the Tea Party.
It was apples and oranges to even bring it up - in my opinion - at a political protest. "
randy waitman wrote on Sep 23, 2009 11:35 AM:
I Guess it boils down to semantics. "
Jennifer Johnson wrote on Sep 22, 2009 7:26 PM:
Frank wrote on Sep 21, 2009 1:52 PM:
Kay wrote on Sep 20, 2009 10:13 AM:
See how ridiculous that is? I am a grown up, and I don't blame the President for the corruption of ACORN or hold him as equally corrupt. Can you be a grown up as well, and not dismiss what is going on NOW because it doesn't fit your ideological box?
You don't know who people were or were not railing against, now do you? Shhhh, don't tell anybody, but lots and lots of Independents and Libertarians WERE screeching about the Patriot Act. My fingers were worn down to the nub with my letters to our delegation about the over reach...again, by the govt, tossing aside the Constitution as it suits them.
Have you nothing else but that tired refrain? You can't defend the ungodly amount of spending going on with both this administration AND THE PAST administration, so you trot out the "where were you"? But then, you don't really want to know because it would dismiss your argument, and then you are left with having to hold all politicians accountable, not just the ones you dislike.
Both parties are riddled with corruption, and focused on what's in it for them. THAT is why more and more people are identifying themselves as Independents vs D or R.
There are kooks at every protest, but crazy "birthers" or...Van Jones...."truthers" are a side show to the meat of the demonstrations, which are full of people who are SICK OF BOTH PARTIES!! Are sick of corruption OF BOTH PARTIES!! Sick of the out of control spending OF BOTH PARTIES!! Sick of the Federal overreaching into states by BOTH PARTIES!!
Clear? Extra punctuation and capitalization so you can't miss that "both parties" thing. "
nate wrote on Sep 19, 2009 6:09 PM:
sue evans wrote on Sep 19, 2009 2:36 PM:
We tried to vote for the lesser of two evils. This, once again, is the only way to be heard. It is not a first for our country. This is not a first for a health care debate either. HMO Act of 1973. Check our history on that one. The Nixon era had that great answer. You will not hear them recite the advances of that Act on the hill.
So you ask where were the Tea Baggers then? We were here. We are just getting much louder. They weren't listening. We are hoping our elected officials can hear us now. Yes, we are tired of the way both parties have driven our great country into the ground. "
jon wrote on Sep 19, 2009 9:19 AM:
me wrote on Sep 18, 2009 9:44 PM:
randy waitman wrote on Sep 18, 2009 1:47 PM:
Independent Thinker wrote on Sep 18, 2009 1:06 PM:
community organizer wrote on Sep 17, 2009 10:46 AM:
Frank wrote on Sep 16, 2009 2:11 PM:
Kay wrote on Sep 16, 2009 1:22 PM:
I hope people are getting their facts from someplace other than MSNBC.
Uber partisans will never understand, but these are regular Americans, not rich, white Republicans.
I am an Independent. I have no use for either "established" party. I am also, more importantly, a mother. These protests are not just about healthcare, or any other one subject. It is a group of people who are sick of Congress not reading bills, circumventing the Constitution with czars, bailing out unions via auto companies that go bankrupt anyway, and on and on and on. It is the spending of boththe current AND THE PAST administrations. The President isn't losing support of Republicans in the polls, because he never had them. He is losing Independents like myself, and those are exactly the people showing up to tea parties and the like.
Ain't democracy grand? Good job to the Herald for a)actually reporting on this, and b)writing a fair story.
This was an amazing amount of people when you consider the size of the population in our community and the geographical isolation from larger cities. We need to keep this up. We need to put pressure on elected officials from city to state, to federal govt bodies to start being fiscally responsible, not only to us, but to our next generations, and to quit inserting themselves in ways neither the state nor federal Constitution allows. "
Bernie wrote on Sep 15, 2009 6:38 PM:
gratefull wrote on Sep 14, 2009 8:32 AM:
Impressed wrote on Sep 14, 2009 7:57 AM:
Me wrote on Sep 13, 2009 6:22 PM:
Diane Kittleson wrote on Sep 13, 2009 1:23 PM:
Everyone was given a chance to talk about their concerns.
One telling question was how many representatives were there and there was one state rep. Rest were busy.
It was great to see young and old who are concerned. "
Lynn Bergman as Thomas Paine wrote on Sep 13, 2009 9:52 AM:
Thank you for attending this event. Those of us who have participated in bringing Tea Party events to North Dakota citizens have been asked, “What’s next”? Some have asked, “How can we help”? A grassroots coalition is forming across North Dakota that is concerned about the direction of our nation and our state. You can help bring new ideas, and solutions that respect the principles our nation was founded upon---liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, the vitality of a free market system, and the importance of private property.
Each of us will find our own comfort level of participating in this grass roots movement. Your interest may evolve with your participation. Here are a few suggestions on how to help.
-Read and educate yourself; share it with a friend
-Attend local government meetings
-Write a letter to the editor, or to an elected official
-Network with others (there are tens of thousands who feel just like you do)
-Form your own group or join one of the groups below
-Donate to activist groups
-Provide your email or phone number so you can receive information in the future
-Create your own event in your community
-Call your Congressman or Governor
-Share this with friends and neighbors
-Visit websites of groups listed below (full of information and sound research)
Organizations in ND that support the principles our nation was founded upon include:
North Dakota Taxpayers Association (NDTA): focused on statewide fiscal policy issues. The only organization that lobbies exclusively for taxpayers in the Legislature. ndtaxpayers.com
Citizens for Responsible Government (C4RG): focused on local fiscal issues; assists on state wide fiscal policy. Started in Bismarck, with a growing statewide network and chapters in Mandan, Minot, Grand Forks and Williston. Contact: 701-471-0959 or c4rgnd@bis.midco.net
North Dakota Policy Council (NDPC): focused on statewide fiscal policy research and education--North Dakota's own conservative "think tank". NDPC hosts public policy events with national speakers, and maintains an informative web site. policynd.org
The Dakota Beacon, North Dakota's Monthly Journal of Politics, Economics, Science, and Culture at a yearly subscription rate of $20. dakotabeacon.com/
Keep posted on all events statewide. haveyouhadenough.us
Our official blogger in ND sayanythingblog.com
Our official talk show host in ND scotthennen.com
What’s next? It’s up to you! "
Jeff Loughran wrote on Sep 13, 2009 9:41 AM:
jsj wrote on Sep 13, 2009 9:27 AM:
Educated Citizen wrote on Sep 13, 2009 12:45 AM: