Where's Rob? And Sue and Tracey and Tim...

Sen. Huelskamp was able to attend four TEA parties this past Wednesday, an impressive amount considering the size of the first district. Now I'm trying to figure out where the rest of the first district candidates were?

Rob Wasinger wasn't able to attend any events, even in Emporia where I assume he's still living. Why? What's the hold up? You praise those that turned out but couldn't be bothered to show up yourself?

What about the other candidates. Tracey Mann lives in Salina now. Why couldn't he show up? He's the "conservative, but not ideologic" candidate. TEA parties are about fiscal conservatism, the "non-ideologic" part of conservative. Where was he?

What about Sue Boldra? She could sure use a boost. What about Tim Barker? Tim's a businessman and just recently decided to become a Republican. It would seem to me that fiscal restraint would be one of the hallmarks of the party that would bring him over. Where was he?

So, which one plans to show up in Washington and practice fiscal responsibility when none of them seem to be able to show up for little TEA party?

Why go to a KU professor for an opinion?

Why do KU professors pretend to know anything?

The Topeka Capital-Journal has an article up debating the impact of the TEA party rallies. I myself am not sure what the long term impact will be. However I can say a few things with certainty.

First of all, I actually went to a TEA party, unlike probably the two college professors interviewed in the Cap-Journal article. Second, I can say with certainty you don't get 1,500 people to show up on a Wednesday evening by giving out a couple of books.

Allan Ciglar, professor of political science at The University of Kansas, has doubts about the real impact of the rallies.

“It looked to me to be very well orchestrated,” he said. Prizes were being given out at some events, tending to cloud the question of why the people were there.

Two books. That's the prize that was given out in Topeka that apparently "clouded" why everyone was there. I think the only thing that's cloudy is Ciglar's mind.

Ciglar continued:

“I don’t think in the near future taxes are going to be a big issue with most people,” he said. “You don’t get a tax revolt until you have a tax increase.”

And Ciglar noted most lower to middle income Americans won’t see any federal tax increases any time soon. Later, if taxes need to be increased to begin paying down the national debt, that would be the time for protests.

You keep thinking that Ciglar. Just like I want Democrats to keep thinking the TEA parties are a Republican fabrication and will have no impact. And I want you to keep saying it in public.

I don't know what the long term impact of the TEA parties will be. But I do know that continually degrading those who came out and the thousands more that couldn't because of work or other reasons are only going to get madder and more involved the more big spenders say what they're doing doesn't matter.

The only clue Ciglar had was Democrat talking points. The majority of those I spoke to at both parties I attended were there because they were tired of the spending. They know more debt isn't the answer. And all but three of them were either registered Democrats or independents.

So keep talking. Democrats like Ciglar are one of the best motivators for grassroots organizers!

Huelskamp makes the TEA Party rounds

According to the tweets Sen. Tim Huelskamp is putting up, he'll be attending four TEA Party rallies across the first district today.

Joined an enthusiastic crowd at the Dodge City TEA Party. Real citizens ready for real change in DC. 3 TEA Parties to go! #tcot #teaparty

Turnout in Salina, KS was over 500 people. Great crowd, very receptive. #tcot #teaparty

I know from the Hutch News that he'll also be at the rally in Hutchinson. I'm not sure which other rally he plans to attend. Rob Wasinger and the other first district candidates were not seen at the Salina rally.

If you haven't found a TEA Party to attend yet, go to AFP-Kansas. They have a list of all the parties across the state.

It also looks like the Kansas Meadowlark, Wichita Liberty and KRA are going to be doing some coverage of all the TEA Parties across the state. You may want to check those sites out later tonight and tomorrow.

KC Star targets TEA parties

The Kansas City Star's editorial page and blog take aim at TEA Party protesters today. In a completely expected move, the Star attempts to propagate the myth that the TEA Party rallies have been organized by right wing radicals, the Republican Party, and even Republican elected officials.

There is, of course, one big problem in that logic. If Republican's had been able to organize such a nationwide response, would Obama have ever been elected in the first place? Would we have further lost House and Senate seats? To believe the massive rallies being held are organized by "right wing radicals" is to believe those radicals have the organization skills of, well, a barracuda.

Quite honestly, the Star has checked out of reality if they think the hated Republicans could pull off this kind of response.