Brothers take part in the Washington, D.C. protest. Photo from AFP.

TEA PARTIES SWEEP AMERICA!

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS FLOCK TO AN ESTIMATED 2,000 EVENTS NATIONWIDE!

Americans, particularly of the conservative persuasion, flocked in droves to Tax Day tea party protests in communities large and small Wednesday to show opposition to a rapidly bloating government and outrageously high taxes. It is yet unclear just how many in total turned out across the country, or what the full impact will be. However, Democrats still are underestimating just how angry Americans are over the overgrown size of Washington and its tentacles. Wednesday very likely was a history-making day for our great country.

HOWEVER, IT MUST NOT END TODAY. WE NEED TO CONTINUE THESE TEA PARTIES TO KEEP THE MESSAGE AND OPPOSITION TO OVERGROWN GOVERNMENT FRESH. THIS MUST NOT BE A ONE-DAY EVENT ONLY JUST TO BLOW OFF STEAM! LET'S KEEP THE TRAIN MOVING!

HERE ARE THE ESTIMATED TURNOUTS IN SOME SELECTED CITIES:

Atlanta - 15,000 - 20,000

Nashville, Tenn. - 10,000

Madison, Wisc. - 8,000

Lansing, Mich. - 7,000

Birmingham, Ala. - 5,000

Sacramento, Calif. - 5,000

San Antonio, Tex. - 5,000

Oklahoma City - 5,000

Olympia, Wash. - 5,000

Chicago - 4,000

Cincinnati, Ohio - 4,000

Hartford, Conn. - 3,000

Boise, Idaho - 2,500

Charleston, S.C. - 2,500

Indianapolis - 2,500

Jacksonville, Fla. - 2,000 (Wagons of tea were poured into the St. John's River)

Tucson, Ariz - 2,000

Knoxville, Tenn. - 1,700

Austin, Tex. - 1,500

Washington, D.C. - 1,000 (across from the White House)

Gainesville, Fla. - 1,000

Des Moines, Iowa - 1,000

Providence, R. I. - 1,000

Pittsburgh, Pa. - 1,000

Rochester, N. Y. - 1,000

Salt Lake City - 1,000

Cookeville, Tenn. (my hometown) - 600

Dayton, Ohio - "several thousand"

Rome, Ga. - "hundreds"

Story From WorldNetDaily

Story from FOXNews

CNBC's Rick Santelli, an inspiration for the new tea parties, reacts

Coverage of the Gainesville, Fla. rally

Images from the tea party in Stuart, Fla.

Photos of the national protests from The Sacramento Bee

Story on the Knoxville, Tenn. protest

Obama ignores tea party protests, still doesn't get it

Texas Governor Perry says state can leave the Union if it chooses

South Carolina Governor Sanford draws big ovation

KEEP YOUR EYE TUNED TO THE "CONSERVATIVE STATESMAN", AS WE WILL SOON POST PHOTOS FROM THE TEA PARTY PROTEST IN COOKEVILLE, TENN.

BREAKING NEWS: Storms Roll Through Middle Tennessee, Murfreesboro Heavily Affected

Devastating storms have rolled through Middle Tennessee this afternoon, creating major damage in a widespread area. Especially hard hit was Murfreesboro, a city of over 100,000 and home to Middle Tennessee State University. The university was spared, but major damage is being reported in the Blackman area, as well as numerous other areas around the city from the touchdown that occurred between 12:30 and 1 PM CT. Reports are coming in of at least two deaths, but those are not confirmed. Reports are just now coming in (3:50 PM CT) that at least 13 people are being treated for injuries in Rutherford County (Murfreesboro).

Damage is also being reported in the Nashville/Davidson County area in the form of power lines and trees. Houses were damaged in Robertson County in the Cottontown community. The same line of storms also caused damage in Dickson County and areas adjacent to that community.

An earlier line of storms caused damage in Maury County, and several other areas in the form of straight-line winds.

The storms have now pushed through Middle Tennessee and the Cumberland Pleateau. I watched coverage in my hometown of Cookeville from the shelter of the Cookeville Regional Medical Center, which was under a "Code Gray".

The storms are now prompting tornado warnings in counties of East Tennessee, particularly in the southeast corner of our state. Reports came in within the last half hour about a funnel cloud sighting near Crossville, in Cumberland County. That has not yet been confirmed.


Updates From The Nashville Tennessean newspaper

GM - GOVERNMENT MOTORS?

by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

That is the headline I saw on CNN just a few minutes ago (8:15 PM CST). Granted, I don't watch the Commie News Network much except for Lou Dobbs, but I was passing through. It was a reminder of an announcement I first heard this morning that should scare all Americans.

On Sunday, Rick Wagoner, Chairman and CEO at General Motors, stepped down at the request of the White House. In other words, the Obama Administration forced out the head of one of America's largest corporations. That is something that would have been unthinkable just a few months ago. Tell me what gives the President the right to dismiss the head of a business in America. We were founded under a free enterprise business system. If someone has an idea, by George, they are supposed to go after it and create a business venture around their idea. That is something that has always interested me. John Wanamaker, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Frank Woolworth, Walt Disney, Ray Kroc and Sam Walton. All are examples of those who had a business idea, went after it, and made a success for themselves. The government couldn't come in there and hire and fire people, because the American people wouldn't have it. That is a huge reason why our Founding Fathers and ancestors left Europe. Why would we repeat it!

My how things have changed in just a couple of months time. Granted, under the last couple of months of the Bush Administration we were doing bailouts and such, but we have taken a radical turn for the worst! Under Bush the national debt was over a trillion dollars, but now we are headed for a debt of over three trillion under the Obama Economy!

I heard Stuart Varney, an economic journalist, on the Sean Hannity radio show earlier today, and he was utterly amazed by how much we have fallen in our economic moral system in recent weeks. He mentioned how even German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy are in opposition to Obama's bailouts and plans for the economy. That should send shivers down America's spine when Europe's leaders have to give us a lecture in socialism.

It seems to me that Europe is learning from their failed experiment in socialism. That is why the Germans and French have decided to choose leaders that are of the more conservative in their countries, and why Britain is poised to do the same. Now, remember that conservative in Europe is not quite what it is in America, but definitely not even close to as far left as their competing major parties.

I hope America will look at the European example. If we don't, it will soon be too late for our great country!

TEA PARTIES SWEEPING THE NATION!

This is a scene from a recent tea party in Orlando which drew 3,000 people. These grassroots events against the explosion of growth in government have been sweeping the nation in recent months.

Cookeville, Tennessee has one upcoming! On April 15th, we will hold one of our own at 4 PM. If interested, respond to this post for more info, or keep an eye here for more updates.

AMERICA IS NOT HAPPY WITH OUR NATION'S RETREAT FROM OUR FOUNDING PRINCIPLES!

UPDATE - March 30th - I have since heard that the Orlando Tea Party (pictured above) may have drawn as many as 5,000 people.

YOURS TRULY WITH THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEE!

This is a photo of me with Congressman Zach Wamp, a Republican - is there anybody else :) - from Tennessee's Third District. This was taken at a fundraiser for now-State Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver in Gordonsville, Tenn. in August 2008. This was also the second time I met Wamp. I had previously met him at the nation's first Fred Thompson 2008 rally in my hometown of Cookeville on April 30th, 2007, an event I previously wrote about.

Wamp is now a candidate for Governor of Tennessee in 2010. When this photo was taken, I expected that likelihood, and I even told him that I was planning on supporting him in such a run. I also met his son Weston there. Weston is a great guy, as well.

For you Tennesseans looking at this post, I highly urge you to support Rep. Wamp in this effort. He is the right guy for this job, in more ways than one (if you know what I mean).

LOG ON TO ZACHWAMP.COM TO LEARN MORE AND TO HELP OUT!
WANT TO KNOW MORE ON HIS RECORD? Just log on to On The Issues, and read up on his past actions on various issues.

PELOSI: "500 Million Americans Lose Their Jobs"

PELOSI ON THE STIMULUS:



NASHVILLE RADIO-HOST STEVE GILL ON PELOSI'S ABSURD COMMENT:

WHY CAN'T HOLLYWOOD AND THE SPORTS WORLD JUMP IN?

Joe Biden thinks that it's time for Americans to be "more patriotic" by paying more in taxes, especially those that actually contribute the most by investing and providing jobs (over $200,000 in earnings). I think entertainers and wealthy pro athletes should be more patriotic, but I don't think the government should be wrenching it from them through taxes.

Liberals always claim to be so benevolent, so caring. Hollywood (mostly made up of big-time libs) is sure not communicating that well today when they are more than eager to continue accepting big pay and throw lavish parties, while more and more from the lower and middle classes get ejected from their homes and can barely put food on the table.

As I said, I don't believe government should be prying more out of anybody's hand. What I am saying is why can't the liberal movie stars, singers and athletes volunteer massive pay cuts or donate most of their wealth to charities that take care of those suffering right now. Some already do, but while still having tens or hundreds-of-millions in their bank accounts. Why can't the ever-so-generous Biden, John Kerry, Herb Kohl and Chuck Schumer offer personal help to many that could use it. Why not give up a ritzy vacation to feed several families.

Can anyone sense a dose of hypocrisy?