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Sorry, Nevada rancher guy, youre no Obamacare.

The story of Cliven Bundy, the rancher who stood up to the Bureau of Land Management after it rounded up his cattle over years of unpaid grazing fees, is getting lots of attention. Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck have interviewed him on their shows. Fox Newss The Five debated his actions. The Drudge Report is giving prominent play to all the latest Bundy coverage.

Its got all the elements of a made-for-cable-TV fight especially the element of a powerful federal government overplaying its hand, and freedom-living citizens standing up in protest.

But is Bundy really the guy the right wants as its new hero? And is his fight against big government going to turn national, or is it just an interesting, high-traffic story?

(Also on POLITICO: Reid: Ranch standoff 'not over')

So far, all signs suggest that national Republicans and tea party officials arent about to jump on the Bundy bandwagon. After all, if they want to rally voters against big government, they already have Obamacare for that.

Compare and contrast: With Obamacare, Republicans and tea party groups can talk about people being forced out of health coverage that they liked, higher premiums to meet the laws new coverage standards, constant changes in the rules by the Obama administration and, of course, the hated individual mandate.

With the ranch standoff, they can talk about how a powerful federal agency took a guys cows in an operation they blandly called a cattle gather instead of solving the problem, say, any other way.

(Also on POLITICO: Bundy to sheriffs: 'Disarm' the BLM)

But they also have to talk about a guy who didnt pay his grazing fees for more than 20 years, in a state where the federal government owns 86 percent of the land, and where other ranchers just go ahead and pay the fees.

Continue reading here:
Tea party to rancher: Happy trails

April 15, 2014

On Tuesday, the Jefferson Area Tea Party hit a milestone. Tax Day 2014 marked the fifth anniversary for the organization that supports limited government and fiscal responsibility.

The group gathered on the steps of the Albemarle County office building in the evening for another rally.

Five years ago to the day, the group held its first rally, filling the nTelos Wireless Pavilion in downtown Charlottesville.

"It was just people who were angry and frustrated and didn't know what to do and needed a way and a venue to speak out," said JATP president Mike Basile.

Though much smaller, Tuesday's rally carried the same message -- residents are "taxed enough already."

The organization criticized the recent tax rate increase in Albemarle County and Charlottesville's cigarette tax hike.

"Start doing your job, get your hands off my wallet. I'm not your ATM," radio host and former Charlottesville City Council member Rob Schilling said of local and state leaders.

Members also took some time Tuesday to reflect on the last half decade.

Former JATP president Carole Thorpe said it was also a day for members to pat themselves on the back.

See the article here:
Jefferson Area Tea Party Celebrates Fifth Anniversary

HELENA Speakers at a Big Sky Tea Party Association rally Tuesday decried what they called excessive government spending and taxation and accused the state political practices commissioner of bias.

As it has done in recent years, the group gathered on April 15, the day when federal and state income taxes are due. Several speakers blasted the Internal Revenue Service for its scrutiny of the tea party and other conservative groups.

About 45 people attended the event, some carrying signs that said Intentional Rip-Off Service, Had enough of this train wreck? Attention, Washington. You have run out of our money and Dont drone on me. One sign aimed at Political Practices Commissioner Jonathan Motl said, Motl Recuse yourself.

The tea party does not hate government, Jay Anderson of Helena said. I know that may be a popular perception in the media, but its not the fact.

Anderson said Americans should scrutinize government spending, just as business owners and employees do with businesses.

Former state Rep. Derek Skees, R-Whitefish, now running for the Public Service Commission, said: Is the tea party dead? The left would love for that to be a reality, and so would many members of our press.

He said the tea party role is to be a voice for the middle class.

The tea party is alive and well, he said. The tea party is winning victories in Montana and in America, and you guys are winning it by holding people accountable to what they say theyre going to do.

***

John Perkins, a sophomore at Carroll College who chairs the College Republicans, expressed concern over the electronic information about Americans being collected by the National Security Agency and others.

Continued here:
Helena tea party rally decries excessive taxes, spending

JACKSON -- The president of the Mississippi Tea Party said Monday that state Republican chairman Joe Nosef needs to either remain neutral in the Republican U.S. Senate primary or step down.

Laura Van Overschelde said she thinks Nosef is favoring incumbent Thad Cochran over challenger Chris McDaniel. Van Overschelde supports McDaniel. In a news release and in an interview with The Associated Press, she said Nosef has gone on TV and radio shows to criticize McDaniel but has not raised questions about Cochran's record.

"Why can't he call on Thad Cochran to explain many of the votes he's had?" Van Overschelde said to AP.

Nosef said he's not playing favorites before the June 3 primary.

"Anyone who has paid close attention to our U.S. Senate primary knows that I've not only stayed neutral with regard to the candidates but also worked relentlessly against efforts to divide our party," Nosef said in an email.

See the original post here:
Tea party leader: GOP chair should resign