Folks fed up with the direction our country is headed are speaking out across the nation with “tea party” rallies. Here in Calhoun County, local activists are taking the tea party to the people.
The Calhoun County tea party group was formed around the coffee table at Connie’s Kitchen in downtown Blountstown after the morning gathering conversations kept turning to politics. The disgruntled gatherers decided to do more than talk and they are now working to send a message to Washington.
“A significant number are changing parties in protest,” says Logan Barbee. “They are leaving the democratic party because they no longer feel they are being represented by that party. They’re not saying they’re going to the Republican party, they are just changing affiliation.”
One longtime Democrat who recently switched is 76-year-old J.O. Stone who has been with the party since he was old enough to vote and says his family has been Democrat for over 100 years. “I didn’t leave the Democratic party, it left me,” he remarked at the coffee table gathering Monday. “I don’t want to be a part of anything that takes us to socialism.”
Tea partiers began a party switching drive September 1 and it will continue through September 11. They remind voters who would like to cast ballots for local Democrats in future elections that they can always change back in time to vote (at least 30 days prior) and the process is extremely quick and simple.
“By retaining that [Democratic party] card, we’re endorsing what’s happening,” says Logan Barbee.
“We’re not endorsing any other party, we’re just dissatisfied. We feel like our views are not being
represented by our present representatives.”
The tea partiers are also taking their campaign on the road. A tea party wagon with mailboxes for letters to Congressman Boyd and Senator Nelson will be attached to the wagon along with a bin for tea bags and a message board for voters to sign and express their sentiments. The wagon will tour the county, but folks in every community - Altha, Clarksville, Frink, Abe Springs, Kinard, Scotts Ferry, etc. - are needed to host it. If you’d like the wagon to spend a few days in your area and you’d be willing to set it up on your property to provide a drop off spot for letters and tea bags, please contact Logan Barbee at 447-0131 (day) or 762-1989 (evenings only).
“We’re a small county, but we can be bigger than we are,” says Barbee. “Sign the message board and, if you have a lot to say, put it in a letter and we’ll be happy to send it to Washington as part of the protest.”
I LIVED IN USA FOR 30 YEARS AND I AM LIVING IN EUROPE(I AM FROM SWEDEN) WE HAD NATIONWIDE HEALTH INSURANCESINCE 1940S THAT COVERS EVERYBODY,IT WORKS GREAT WE CAN CHANGE OUR DR,ANYTIME WE WANT,IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH COMMINISM OR SOCIALISM IT HAS TO DO WITH MIGHTY DOLLAR,
YOU PEOPLE ARE JUST BRAIN WASHED BY THE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES, WAKE UP AMERICA AND TAKE YOUR COUNTRY BACK FROM THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS.YOU PAY TAXES AND DEMAND SOMETHING FOR IT AT LEAST BASIC HEALTH INSURACE. GOOD LUCK GOOD OLD AMERICA
I did not have to wait, even talked to the doctor up there about other medical problems that I have, I did pay because I'm not a canadian citizen, It costed me $15.00 for the office visit did not have to fill out any paper work
old folks going to protest that they do not want government in there healthcare, well I got news for you MEDICARE is a gov run health care.
dumb farmers who do not want government in there business. if it was not for the USDA and low interest loans and subsidies, farmers would go broke.
all you who love your heath insurance, just wait until you get sick or your kids get sick, then your health insurance companies will drop you, raise your rates, and not pay for the treatment that you need
the healt insurance plans and the conserative plan is "don" get sick, if you do you die/
You guys obviously don't know much about the healthcare system. I would also bet that Jason you have never been to Canada....b/c Canadians even come to the U.S. for their healthcare. Calling farmers dumb....do you know who is responsible for putting food on your table. Anyone who calls a farmer dumb is not very intelligent.
they are as much illegal as mexicans coming over the boarder getting free health care.
talk to local doctors, they will not see you unless you got health insurance. you cannnot get healh insurance unless you are a USA citizen lived all your life or at least 7 years
if you travel out of the country any they can drop you. Doctors do not accept cash for all the payment
I just got back from canada what I paid for meds cost me 1/4 there, a doctor visit $15.00
I know a lot of doctors and you are wrong. First of all, no one is allowed to be turned away at the ER. I have friends who work on people (sick or injured) everyday that they don't get paid for....and they know this BEFORE they start and give them the same care they would give me. These same doctors that are getting screwed out of getting paid (working for free) are totally against socialized gov't run medicine.
If you think Canada is so great....maybe you should move there. Having people leave the country that don't love it would be some Change I could get used to.
and ERs are now starting to turn people away if you have no health insurance if is not a life or death matter