Rick at the tea parties

I sat out this round of tea parties for lots of reasons... first and foremost I was not in Texas let alone America. If I had been here I still would have passed. On April 15, I was excited and attended one, but the ones on July 4 felt both corporate... as in sponsors and over organization... and exclusionary... as in sanctimonious and high and mighty about saying no to current elected officials.

The ones on April 15 were very spontaneous seeming. They welcomed good conservatives. They weren't the exclusive domain of the flat earth society.

It was July 4, a time to drink.... and eat watermelon.... and be with friends and family.... or go on a weekend in Calgary for some mountain air...

Why would anyone want to go hear political speeches from a bunch of amateur politicians who live in their mom's basements?

A lot of people still turned out for the tea parties, but from everything I have heard the crowds were much smaller. Rick went to a few of them over the weekend, and it looks like he gave the same speech he gave back in April...

Here is some footage from Austin...

I suspect the next round of tea parties will be a lot more successful, but only if the tea party organizers get over their animosity toward any and all politicians, and only if they drop the structured committees. I think cooler weather and not having them on a holiday weekend would be a big help to the tea parties. September 12 looks like a good date. I might check those out. I think having something else than just a bunch of speeches might be helpful too... some music... maybe some activity.

I think excluding politicians is a good way to marginalize yourself and not be heard by anyone.

Another video from Rick...

Good speech but I think he is going to need to find his next big thing because the tea parties are been there done that now... he is going to need to take a big fight to Obama on cap and trade or health care and assert Texas state's rights if he is going to keep this energy up through next year. Rick did fight the ACLU when it came to the 10 commandments so I bet he will be bold enough to team up with Greg Abbott again on something like health insurance or cap and trade... if those pass?