Archive for the ‘Tea Party’ Category

California Tea Party: It’s Time for an Alternative to the GOP – KQED

California Tea Partiers met in Fresno on Friday and Saturday in hopes of activating their supporters on behalf of President Trumps agenda. The Real Resistance Conference brought together diehard anti-establishment conservatives and disillusioned Republicans to talk strategy.

The group slammed anyRepublicans that cooperate with Democrats. Singled out for criticism were the eight GOP legislators in Sacramento including Assembly Republican leader Chad Mayes who recently voted for cap-and-trade legislation supported by Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders.

Among the names hurled at them by Tea Party leaders: The Swamp 8. They saycompromise is not an option. The 140 or so people in the crowd nodded and shouted their agreement.

In his keynote address, California Rep. Tom McClintock put the stakesin stark terms. Were going to be looking back on this era as the days that either saved or lost the American Republic, he said, and perhaps even Western civilization itself.

Later McClintock told the crowd that 2016 was the most important election in his lifetime, but added a warning: 2018 will decide whether 2016 was indeed the turning point that made America great again or whether it was merely a speed bump on Americas road to ruin.

After McClintock got a standing ovation, Jan Soule of San Jose made her way over to the registration table to become a member the Tea Party California Caucus.

Im desperate! she said. I came here because Im hoping to connect with other conservatives who are hoping to change California. Theres got to be an alternative to the California Republican Party.

While some described themselves as the conscience of the Republican Party and said they hope to influence leaders in office, others declared the party dead, calling formore radical action.

We dont have a Republican Party anymore, former California Assemblyman and onetime gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly told the crowd. He offered two options. We can either take it back completely or we can abandon it and move on. Were not gonna help the GOP anymore. Were gonna help hard-core American patriots.

The chief complaints at the conference were government overreach, too much immigration and allegations ofvoter fraud. Although Trump claimedthere was voter fraud in the presidential election, there has been no credible documentation of that.

While Tea Party members blamedliberal policies for these problems, they focused their anger on California Republicans who they say dont stand up for conservative principles.

We have a lot of [swamp Republicans] in Sacramento right now, said Randall Jordan, who heads up the California Tea Party Caucus. He reserved special disdain for Republican lawmakers who voted to extend cap and trade.

Thats what this conference is about, Jordan said. Thats what were trying to do is get people activated in their local communities to try to get those people out of here who only care about power and money.

He said change has to start at the local level. Thats where you groom people that will be your future assemblymen, your future Congress people.

For all the vitriol trained on the Republican Party, President Trump managed to escape criticism. Conference goers almost unanimously expressed their support for the president.

I dont know who in this room was as emotional the night Donald Trump got elected, Jordan told the crowd, to applause. My wife and I cried. We both cried and I still get choked up.

Vanessa Rancano is the Central Valley reporter for The California Report. Before joining KQED she was an NPR Kroc Fellow and a California Endowment Fellow with Latino USA. She's a graduate of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

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California Tea Party: It's Time for an Alternative to the GOP - KQED

My Turn: Gaston Tea Party: I am fighting for you! – Gaston Gazette

By Robert Kellogg

In recent days it has become clear that some in the local Tea Party leadership have specifically targeted my record and my campaign for City Council. There is nothing wrong with that, in fact that is what democracy is all about and I welcome the challenge to earn your vote, because even though some at the top of the leadership chain feel I am not worth a second look, I take nothing for granted and feel some within your ranks need an underdog champion who will fight for you if you ever find yourself down on your luck.

First I must respectfully disagree with the notion that this council is irresponsible with fiscal matters. On the contrary, we have passedtwo budgets in a row that does not raise property taxes while giving many of our police and firefighters a much needed raise. I think all of us can agree that if we have a fire or need the police we want someone to respond who is getting paid what they are worth and who has experience in the expertise in which they make a living.

It has also been stated (erroneously) that we have carried the bill for bus rides to Crowders Mountain State Park. That service was a request from the state park rangerand has been covered by state and national funding. This was not initiated by the council, however we did agree to help the park service for the next couple months as they use this as not only a tool to promote the park, but work out communication and logistical kinks before the park gets busier in the fall.

This leads me to the underdog fighting for all. As participants of the local Tea Party I can respect your concerns for fiscal conservatism. I also think you will agree that you need a fighter who has proven themselves in a very short 20 months.

If you want a fighter who is going to continue to work with local law enforcement and non profits to bring awareness to the opioid crisis as well as directly combat the national emergency as declared by our president then please let me continue to fight for you. After all statistics state that most of you have a close family member or friend who is battling addiction or it could even be you. You are not alone and together we can make it clear that addiction is not a moral failure, but an illness that requires treatment in order to conquer.

If you want a fighter who is going to continue to work to address crime, then please let me continue to fight for you. If it feels like some forms of crime have been on the rise this past year you are right. In talking with the N.C. Department of Justice most of the rise in crime can be directly related to a national trend that in large part is directly related to the opioid addiction crisis. Crime certainly needs to be addressed, that is why myself and other council members have voted to raise salaries to recruit more officers and retain the ones we have. We have also empowered our chief to do what is necessary to combat local crime. Crime will also be reduced through job creation and economic development. Knocking down the old Sears building is not only ridding our city of an eyesore, but reducing the unsavory activity that takes place in those empty buildings and I do not think anyone would argue that removing the Budget Inn from the westside would help to boost safety in that area.

Additionally, raising education levels (a county and state function) as well as reducing generational poverty (all of our responsibility) will go along way in stabilizing our crime rate, however until the underlying issues just mentioned are tackled with long term solutions we will continue to deal with intermittent spikes in crime. The greatest thing we can do to immediately affect crime is to deal with the opioid crisis. In spite of the notion by a few that meetings, coalition building and group efforts to tackle this problem are nothing but rhetoric...It actually has served as the building blocks to a community model that has been lauded by the State Attorney Generals office. We should be proud of taking the lead instead of waiting for someone to rescue us. That is leadership, that is fighting for the underdog.

If you want a fighter who is going to continue to address job creation, then please allow me to continue to fight for you. You cannot wave a wand and have jobs appear, but one can work on improving our image, empowering small business and presenting tools that will create an environment for private business to thrive. That is what I have done and what this council is doing. I personally advocated for a downtown liaison (manager) to work closely with merchants in building a stronger downtown and central city. This position will now be a reality, without using any additional funds (thanks to the creative and responsible work of our city manager and staff).

It is also correct to assume that it is the job of the city to create an environment for job creation instead of creating jobs. Bingo, that is why I support FUSE and will continue to fight for good jobs. FUSE is an initiative that creates an environment for small business and even larger business to come in and revitalize several blocks that has otherwise been undesirable and blighted. That is what it is all about. We have left job creation to chance for 30 years now and it has not gotten us anywhere. If we can take a couple blocks, build an entertainment venue that contains a sports complex and then turn that around as a tool to recruit business to the area, that is a plus. The jobs created are needed and we can no longer wait for the cavalry to rescue us, we have to rescue ourselves.

Finally, if you want a fighter who is going to continue to fight for the safety of children, then please allow me to continue to fight for you. I was the driving force behind and the council member that brought forth a change in our cityhuman resourcespolicy that calls for specific training on child abuse and detection if they work directly with minors. If you work in Parks and Rec for example or the Schiele Museum you will be trained to recognize abuse, because those who do not have a voice and are the most vulnerable in our society should have advocates fighting for them.

I want to thank the Gaston Tea Party for targeting me in their local political campaigns. It has made me more focused and forced me to articulate what I stand for and why I hope you will vote to re-elect me to the Gastonia City Council. Although the attacks of their leadership may appear to be personal to many, it is politics, politics as usual and I understand that.

I am not running to be a politician. The divisive rhetoric that has infected Washington and Raleigh cannot infect Gastonia. We have too many challenges ahead of us and need to keep our eye on the prize. To my Tea Party Patriots who value responsibility, fighting the opioid crisis, reducing crime, assisting small business, job creation, protect our children and bring a positive attitude that works for all; then vote for me. Thank you for reading and may we all work together to build a better future.

Jim Kellogg represents Ward 1 on Gastonia City Council.

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My Turn: Gaston Tea Party: I am fighting for you! - Gaston Gazette

Tea party gets its man in Ryan for vice president – Wisconsin Gazette

The tea party didnt get its man in Mitt Romney. But the movement got one of its ideological heroes in the Republican presidential tickets No. 2 slot.

Romneys selection of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate marked a huge victory for the tea party. Its roaring influence helped Republicans take back the House in 2010, gaining 63 seats. Since then, its no-compromise positions on deep budget cuts set the parameters of high-profile fiscal fights on Capitol Hill.

Now, to the Democrats delight, the tea party is shaping the battle for the White House, a development that will probably quiet critics questioning its relevance and embolden activists trying to prove its staying power.

Its a big step toward what the tea party has been trying to accomplish, said Matt Kibbe, the president and CEO of FreedomWorks, a national group aligned with the tea party. It gives people a reason to be more enthusiastic about the Republican ticket.

The tea party like the GOPs conservative base as a whole has only reluctantly backed Romney, unsettled by moderate positions he once took on social issues and a health care law he signed in Massachusetts that is similar to the overhaul championed by President Barack Obama.

But those who have long doubted Romneys true conservatism say they can now rest assured that the former governor will have a thorn in his side, elbowing him cheerfully but persistently to the right.

In Ryan, the tea party sees someone who adheres strictly to its core principles. Tea party activists exalt his willingness to address the large-scale Medicare and Social Security cutbacks he says are needed to rein in out-of-control spending.

Ryan is at once a mainstream Republican and a tea party darling. He is genteel and even-mannered as he warns of the implications of a coming debt crisis. He is equally fluent in the revolution-infused rhetoric that tea party supporters gleefully gobble up.

Our founders made it really explicit. Our rights come from nature and God, and not from government, Ryan said at a recent campaign rally in High Point, N.C., prompting a standing ovation from supporters who pumped their fists in the air.

Unlike the GOP running mate of four years ago, Ryan has an image that seems far more likely to resonate with Republicans across the political spectrum. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, with her penchant for snubbing the GOP establishment, arguably had just as many GOP critics as backers.

But not all tea party activists are thrilled with the selection of Ryan, who, despite his cost-cutting budget and strict positions on social issues, voted for the bank bailout in 2008 and supported the auto industry rescue that Romney vocally opposed.

Were not talking about a tea party candidate, were talking about a guy that Mitt Romney chose as V.P., said Ryan Rhodes, a prominent tea party leader in Iowa. When theres these other things that are out there, were going to hold his feet to the fire.

But those who gripe are in the minority.

In his debut weekend, Ryan found himself on the receiving end of displays of affection from a disparate array of Republican leaders who rarely see eye to eye. Tea party leaders such as Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., and former presidential candidate Herman Cain came to his defense against attacks from Democrats. Likewise for establishment types such as House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

Ive worked closely with Paul for years and this isnt a political game to him. This is truly about saving our country and making the future better for our children, South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, a driving force behind underdog, tea party candidates for Congress, said.

For Republicans such as DeMint, the rise of Ryan to vice presidential running mate caps a string of recent victories that have helped quell concerns that the once-vibrant group had lost its luster.

But in recent months, tea party activists helped kill a proposed sales tax hike in Georgia, pushed to have taxpayers send public school children to private schools in Pennsylvania and drove a referendum blocking state health insurance mandates in Ohio.

And in the battle for control of the Senate, tea party-backed candidates Richard Mourdock in Indiana and Ted Cruz in Texas have come from behind to upset establishment favorites in GOP primaries in Mourdocks case, defeating longtime incumbent Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind.

Obamas team claims to be giddy over Romneys choice of Ryan, whose budget proposals have breathed life into the Democratic argument that Republicans want to rob seniors of the entitlement programs their health and financial security depend on.

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Tea party gets its man in Ryan for vice president - Wisconsin Gazette

Square One Goes Back in Time for This Year’s Tea Party – Business West (blog)

SPRINGFIELD On Thursday, Oct. 5, Square One will draw inspiration from the early days of the Square One Tea Party.

Our annual tea party began 11 years ago in a classroom with tiny tables and a big dream, said Joan Kagan, Square One president and CEO. This years theme brings us back to the events roots. Well be celebrating all the success that this event has helped us achieve over the years.

The 12th annual Square One Tea is expected to draw 400 supporters who will celebrate the work the provider of early-learning and family services is providing to thousands of families throughout the Greater Springfield region.

Year after year, we look forward to this wonderful opportunity to highlight the work we are doing and the impact that our programs and services have had on the thousands of children and parents who have been served by Square One, Kagan said. It is so gratifying to hear from our guests how much they enjoy being a part of this special day, and its always fun to see who is going to have the best hat.

The wearing of hats for women and men has become a tradition, with a Top Hat Award bestowed upon the wearer of the most elaborate or unusual hat.

Early event supporters include Health New England, Smith & Wesson, USI Insurance, Columbia Gas, the Gaudreau Group, MGM, United Personnel, Mercedes-Benz, Bay Path University, Springfield Thunderbirds, and Fathers & Sons.

Tickets are $60 each. Tables of eight and 10 are available. To register, visit startatsquareone.org. For sponsorship or vendor information, call Andrea Bartlett at (413) 858-3111.

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Square One Goes Back in Time for This Year's Tea Party - Business West (blog)

The Vintage Tea & Cake Co – Belmont, MA – Yelp

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We used Vintage Tea and Cake Co for our wedding china rental last week. Adel was fantastic from the moment I contacted her and was accommodating even as we added items the week before - for 140 people! We wanted mismatched china for a vintage feel, and the curation was flawless - from the teapots and teacups down to the linen napkins. Absolutely perfect! Our guests are still talking about the china - and even our caterer was impressed. The prices were much better than any other rentals we were quoted and Adel's quote was explicit about what was included, so there were no surprises. Thank you! We loved it all!

Used Vintage Tea & Cake for a second baby shower, so pleased! Tea was wonderful, the good was great. The tea pots and cups/saucers are beyond beautiful. A truly special catering company.

HIGHLY recommend Adel. Yesterday we had my daughter's bridal shower it was a smashing success! Adel was wonderful to work with. The tea sandwiches, scones, pastries were outstanding! Due to the numbers, we did buffet and so only had the food made. I HIGHLY recommend Adel. Would love to post pics of the food but not sure how I can attach them 🙂

I had the pleasure of using The Vintage Tea and Cake Company for my daughters Garden Bridal Tea Shower. From the moment I met Adel I became at ease. She helped me plan the menu and put me at ease by answering questions I had. The vintage China and glasses made our tables look lovely. The tea sandwiches and pastries were all delicious. I wish I could of chosen all of them to try. And lastly Leah was our point person who did all our set up and breakdown. I chose to have her stay for the afternoon and I'm very glad I did. She was my eyes while I got a chance to enjoy the beautiful day with my daughter and guests. Thank you Adel and Leah for helping me make this a perfect day for my daughter.

Adel did the catering for our teatime themed wedding reception, and everything was just lovely. Scones with cream and jam, sandwiches, quiches, pastries, tea and more! She was very attentive about providing a good selection of options, including vegetarian, and we were very pleased!

Yesterday I used Vintage Tea & Cake Co for my daughter's Bridal Shower. The level of professionalism was impressive, and the price was very reasonable. I can't tell you how lovely everything looked and how delicious the food was, especially the scones with butter and jam! The tea was delicious! People were raving about our "tea party" in general and I recommended the company to several people. Lastly, my daughter loved it, and in the end, that's all that matters. Thank you to you Adel and your amazing staff for making it a bridal shower to remember! Susan Daley

I contracted Adel for my daughter in laws baby shower. I could not have made a better choice. The China, tablecloths, the service and food were perfect. If you are looking for a special venue, look no further. Excellent !

Adel is Amazing - she catered an event for us at MIT that was absolutely flawless. If you are a Tea enthusiast, don't miss this place.

Adel catered our afternoon wedding reception for 80 people on Friday, 11/29/13. Despite the fact that this was the day after Thanksgiving she not only agreed to cater it, she also didn't cut any corners, and spent her Thanksgiving preparing everything so it was perfectly fresh on Friday. My wife and I got married in our antique home, and the vintage settings perfectly complemented our house. Our guests (and us!) were totally blown away by how beautiful everything was. For those of you who might be worried that a tea might not be sustaining enough, those little sandwiches are not only delicious but quite filling. We went with the basic menu with some additional items for our vegan guests, and Adel was very helpful with her suggestions allowing us to stay within budget- the prices are extremely reasonable, the food is plentiful and delicious, and the presentation very high end. My wife is a tea aficionado, and needed to find out where Adel sources her teas, they were so good and perfectly brewed. Thank you Adel for making our wedding perfect! We can't wait for another celebratory occasion to have her back.

I trusted that given the above reviews, the Vintage Tea caterers would be perfect for my bridal shower. Unfortunately, this was not the case and the host and myself were thoroughly disappointed. I realize most of the reviews had Adel at their party, I had a lady who worked for the company and she was terrible. She arrived late, never told us what she needed in advance (kitchen, etc) to prepare for the event and was dressed so unprofessionally. After scrambling to set up on time, all the china was dusty and dirty. We had no time to clean, rinse and dry the china as guests were then arriving. How embarrassing! The groom's grandmother was literally wiping her plate with a napkin and refused to drink from the tea cup. The sandwiches were small, barely filled with anything and do not match the size I see in the pictures above. People were literally walking around looking for leftover sandwiches. This past Sunday was a very warm day and I had to ask the caterer to walk around with the ice tea, as she kept it in her set up area on the driveway watching people eat, instead of doing her job under the tent. Essentially, for $20+/pp, I could've served a 4 course meal and people wouldn't have to get up looking for extra food. I do have to say the food tasted great and the idea of a tea party set up is adorable, and luckily most of the guests didn't notice the dirty china. Adel was very nice and accommodating to work with and responded quickly to all of our questions; we were just disappointed with her hired help that was at our party.

I was lucky enough to get to be one of Adel's first customers! While looking for catering ideas for a bridal shower, I came across Vintage Tea & Cake. I spoke to Adel about doing a small afternoon tea party to try it out, and she was all for it. She provided a beautiful tea service, and the food was amazing!!! Everyone who attended was super impressed with her aesthetic and culinary skill. One of my favourite things was her "how to brew a cup of tea" cards, such a nice touch. If you are planning a shower of any kind, or just looking for something that is fun and different, I cannot recommend Vintage Tea & Cake Company highly enough!

I just held a wedding shower for a friend and used the Vintage Tea & Cake Company. It was perfect! Adel (the owner) was incredibly patient and helpful with me and my scattered planning. She even helped recommend a venue in my budget. The tea and food was totally perfect for the event and it was very reasonably priced. I barely needed any decorations because her tablecloths and tea cups and cake stands were so pretty. She really made it so easy! I look forward to recommending her to others!

I recently attended a tea party themed bridal shower and I have to say Vintage Tea and Cake Company was exceptional. The presentation was flawless and I enjoyed quite literally every bite and sip! It doesn't hurt that the owner is quite lovely and on site. The hosts were very pleased as were all the guests. I cannot recommend them enough if you are into a tea party catering! I would definitely use them for a future event.

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The Vintage Tea & Cake Co - Belmont, MA - Yelp