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msnbc.com's Carrie Dann
msnbc.com's Carrie Dann
Tea Party activists gather in the shadow of the Capitol to urge budget cuts.
From msnbc.com's Carrie Dann
As budget negotiations continued inside the halls of Congress Thursday, a gathering of Tea Party activists huddled at a cold outdoor rally on Capitol Hill to send a message to the deal-makers inside:
They're ready to pick a fight.
A few hundred people -- far fewer than the massive rallies seen before last year's midterm elections -- who braved the dreary weather urged lawmakers to push deep cuts to the federal budget even if it results in a temporary shuttering of the government, chanting "Cut it or shut it!" and punctuating cheers with calls to "shut it down!"
"If Harry Reid wants a fight, let's give it to him!" said Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), one of a parade of conservative lawmakers who made remarks at the event sponsored by the Tea Party Patriots.
Many of the rally's speakers were careful to note that Democrats are "rooting" for a shutdown and that GOP budget-cutters hope to avoid a funding lapse that would turn off the government's lights.
Democratic leaders "want to turn you into their scapegoats and blame the Tea Party for shutting the government down," said Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN).
Rep. Allen West (R-FL) declared, "We are not here to talk about shutting the government down... But if you want to talk about shutting down the government, go over there and talk to Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid and the folks at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!"
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) told reporters after his brief remarks to the crowd that a federal closure is undesirable but would not be catastrophic.
"No Republican wants to shut the government down. I don't think anybody here really wants a shutdown," DeMint said, "but we shouldn't be so afraid of a shutdown that we can't make the right decisions right now." He added, "We can't be cowed by this threat."
The preemptive finger-pointing over a potential shutdown likely stems from the scars of the budget fights of the mid-1990s, when the public soured on GOP leaders in the wake of a series of federal closings.
A full federal closure "is not going to be very popular with the American people," warned Clinton-adviser-turned-conservative-commentator Dick Morris, who instead suggested a "targeted shutdown" of agencies -- like the EPA and the National Labor Relations Board -- that are loathed by Tea Party activists.
"We don't have to close down the government. We're going to close down the parts of the government we can't stand!" Morris said.
That sentiment was met with cheers -- as well as a smattering of shouts to "shut it down!"
*** UPDATE *** Here's a dispatch from NBC's Catherine Chomiak:
As the continuing resolution currently funding the government inches closer to its expiration date of April 8, Tea Party activists rallied today for a budget battle. Reps. Steve King (R-IA), Mike Pence (R-IN), Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) fired up the crowd on a dreary day in Washington, D.C., with calls for a fight and threats of a government shutdown.
Congressman Pence, citing the current deficit, debt, and “defiant liberal majority in the Senate” said the time was right “to pick a fight."
“The debt stops here,” he said. “If liberals in the Senate would rather play political games and shut down the government instead of making a small down payment on fiscal discipline and reform, I say, 'Shut it down.'”
Representative and potential Republican presidential candidate Bachmann hit Democrats saying they are hoping for a government shut down. “That’s their plan," Bachmann said. "They want to shut the government down, and they want to turn you into their scapegoat and say, 'It’s the Tea Party’s fault for shutting the government down.'"
Paul urged the Tea Party members to keep up their political involvement. “The fight is just beginning,” he vowed. “Keep their feet to the fire, call them, email them, let them know that you are prepared for America to move forward, but only by balancing the budget and making government smaller.”
In addition to a fight on the budget, King showed support for his fellow House Republican saying, “We need to fight on Mike Pence’s proposal on unfunding (sic) Planned Parenthood… And we need to fight on cutting off the funding that implements Obamacare.”
Bachmann also got loud cheers from the crowd when she proposed sending “a change of address form to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.”
This is something Bachmann has said before and will probably be said again, as she continues to consider a 2012 presidential bid.
Leave a Comment:
What a small crowd of small minded people from a small no nothing party that will not be here long....
400 here and thousands in Wisconsin against the Republicans...Whoo. what a ride this is going to be !!!!
Obama 2012.....anyone going up against him ??...anyone ?? nobody that can beat him !!!!
Oh, Where Are The Jobs Republicans ??? You promised jobs not cuts and pain for the country.. !!!
Where are they Orange Man.....??
I think behind closed doors, the GOP is focusing on 2016. They won't say it out loud, but Obama looks in very good shape for another 4 years.
6 years.
Tea Party is like a wrecking crew not knowing the facts or how government runs, but they sure do know how to swing an axe.
Sometimes I wonder if the Tea Party likes to remain ignorant. It is easier after all.
Our government debt is like a huge family credit card bill where you only pay the interest monthly but never seem able to touch the balance. IF you keep spending and spending you go year after year with no financial progress. You have to cut what you spend and apply earned monies towards your debt to pay it off, otherwise disater stricks sooner or later and your bankrupt. Does not matter what your party politics are...we are all effected by massive debt and inflation.
Yes, but government spending is incomparable to a family credit card bill. Basic macroeconomic theory tells us that the government sometimes has to spend in a deficit, when private business is not spending enough to sustain a recovery. If everyone in the world suddenly cuts spending, including all governments, the world economy collapses.
Family budgets, by contrast, are responsible only for their own sustainability, so they don't have to help anyone else's economic condition but their own.
I know not everyone at this little rally is stupid, but they do seem to have a very simplistic view of how government operates.
I think the tea party is willing to see this country go down the tubes now that we have a black president, and to me this is a sad day for this country( The Congress is at war with the president ).
Folks...
I am all in favor of shutting the gov down IF they (politicians) do not have the gonads to get us out of this sucidial spiral down the path to financial disaster.
Make all the snide remarks you like, but there is one thing that none of you can deny - This country is BROKE and it doesn't matter who is the blame because its both political parties and most of us Americans who kept electing the bunch of idiots who are there.
If we do not make the hard choices now, there will be a day of reckoning, and not too far in the future.
Regardless of what many of you folks say or dream, this Country is BROKE and its because of too much spending.
WE DO NOT HAVE A REVENUE PROBLEM - WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM...
CUT IT or SHUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just Saying....
tea, do you realize that the budget cuts over which everyone is screaming aren't even a drop in the bucket compared to the deficit?
Why are they making such a big deal over something is so inconsequential?
I am sure it is perfectly okay for Tea Party fans to say shut the government down, why should they care if the military, Border Patrol and anyone else deemed security essential have to work without pay.
Mark...
Yep, I do, but there has to be a starting point, otherwise spending will continue to increase,,,
Thanks..
These miniscule cuts everyone is fighting over, as was said, is a drop in the bucket and will NEVER even slow us down by any substantial amount from sliding further into debt. The only amount of CUTTING that will reverse our deficit will be SO LARGE that it will drive this country into the ground. CUTTING 50% of the Defense budget is what I'm talking about. Can you FATHOM how many jobs will be destroyed if we go that path?? You thought this last recession of 4 million jobs lost during teh Bush years was bad?? Try 10x that, 40 million!
There is ONLY ONE WAY to stop the slide further into debt, INCREASE REVINUE. And the only cow with enough milk to fix our debt slide are the corporations and the wealthy. There is just not enough "udder" in the working class to put a dent in the deficit. Sure, go ahead and cry "but the wealthy already pay the majority of taxes". EXACTLY MY POINT! They are the only ones capable of generating the level of revinue needed to stop this slide. You can't squeeze blood from a rock, and you can't get that level of revinue from the poor and the working class. COUGH IT UP, OR GET OVERTHROWN BY THE POOR AND WORKING CLASS.
BIDEN/OBAMA 2016!! (this next race is already over)
tea-party-fan
No compromise?
Just saying...
Left, right or in between,,whatever your party politics is....we have to cut spending, drastically. Our American dollar is becoming more worthless with each passing day, our national debt is outrageous and soon we will ALL pay the price for this with inflation. The dollar buys less and less, it takes more of them to buy oil and the result is increasing prices across the board. When it gets to the point where forgien countries no longer want to deal in dollars they wont be worth the paper their printed on. STOP SPENDING, CUT IT NOW!
I say the government shutdown starts with the teaparty members SS and the Repubs salary and benefits, let's see how happy they are about a shutdown then. Why the heck do they care if federal employees go without their pay. Stupid morons.
tlg...
I agree! Lets cut the salaries and benefits of everyone in the federal government including the three branches of government, but excluding the military.
CUT IT OR SHUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just Saying...
could ya knock it off with that "cut it or blah blah blah sh!t"..... you're giving me a headache plus it makes ya look like a feakin whackadoo.............almost forgot.....just sayin
True American 2365375, haven't you caught on yet? Ole Beverly in Chicago is a true, die hard Socialista. She believes in Unions and Welfare and all those "gimme" programs. She believes that those who sit on their arse and do nothing but produce babis, are "entitled" to be fed and clothed and housed, by the dumb-assess who actually WORK and pay taxes. There's point in arguing with her, she's so far out in LEFT field, she can't hear anything rational.
I don't suppose you would mind providing evidence for what you claim Patricia? Otherwise, you owe Beverly an apology.
Just remember - the LEFT won just about every right you have in this country... it was your hated socialists and unions who bled to gain the pittance that the corporations now "allow" you to have.
You go right on smashing the left and unions - have fun in your serfdom being a wage slave.
And by the way - were did you ever get the idea that union members don't work and don't pay taxes ?
Yeah those firefighters and cops really don't work for a living now do they ?
Yep, Patricia, an awful lot of firefighters and Police died on 9/11. Funny how those heroes are now the enemy of the "teabaggers."
the "teabags" hate fireman, police and teachers. Don't you know they are the true enemy and if one of them is a Muslim, then you really better watch out.
PAUL....
First, you do not know what you are talking about and secondly, you are full of pure BS....
Personally, I have never met a police officer or fireman that I hated. Admittely, I do know some teachers that I think are aliens.....
Talk about Muslims, yeah, you're probably right, but I have two excellent friends, one of which is from Iran (he's Aremenian) and another from Bengladesh (hes shik) and both are now fans of the Tea Party..
Go figure....
Nope, pretty clear that the "teabaggers" hate the first responders. All that union busting don't you know.
tea-party-fan - good for you.
These people are example of the uneducated leading the lesser educated. Like saying go ahead cut off my food and water, ya take that! When their checks aren't in the mail they will run out and scream "look what Obama did to me"! This country is going to hell in a hand basket and these people are carrying the basket asking for it to be filled up.
I can't remember the last ime the federal government did anything for me but take my money and squander it. For all I care, they can shut it down for 4 or five months as long as those bastards in congress don't get paid either. They prabably will because most of them have no morality or conscience. wait a minute, they did do something for me. They drafted me in the sixties and sent me to Vietnam where I got shot. truley something to remember.
Chuck-1796292
Chuck, I am sorry that you feel that way. Perhaps you should put your faith in something that won't let you down. Because man will fail you every time.
PS 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Please, please, PLEASE cut your own throat, TEA-BAGGERS. Cling to your guns and religion and shut this mother down. Who do you think the REST of this country are going to blame? YOU!
BIDEN/OBAMA 2016!!!
Of course Teabaggers want a shutdown because that means less government spending. The issue is not the deficit, it's taxes.
crudblue...
Thanks, but you do not speak for me... However, I will tell you what my official position is:
I want spending cut and cut and cut and cut. I want the deficit brought down and down and down.
I want the outstanding debt to be addressed and trimmed quickly.
You want details - I will gladly give them to you.....
Just Saying...
If you can't cut 1.6 trillion, then you have a revenue problem. There needs to be more focus on job creation / new markets then cutting 50 or 100 billion. What the hell is that going to do. Amounts to nothing in the overall scheme of things. Wasting time like usual.
lets be the next lybia!!! WOOO!
im not in the tea party but i agree shut it down!
Oh Boy - let's shut the down the EPA in time for the radiation.
wadyaknow...
Tell me, what does the EPA have to do with radiation?
Someone must have told me a lie, because I thought all things nuclear was in the perview of the NRC (you know, nuclear regulatory commission).
Just Asking...
Beverly in Chicago
Independent Redneck Va.
I got a question for the next Boiler Room. Why does 400 Yahoo's down on the National Mall get more Coverage than 130,000 folks gathering in Madison Wisconsin and why should I care more about what those 400 had to say than what the 130,000 were trying to tell me?
Exaclly, IR. I've been wondering that for a good while
----------------------------
I'm surprised they didn't try to claim that 400,000 Tea party supporters actually showed up and that the liberal media purposely under-reported their numbers in order to advance Obama's great communist takeover.
I'm still waiting for a Republican to suggest military cuts. You know our largest expenditure outside of social security and medicare. Without cuts to that department even being considered, the budget will never even come close to being balanced. Just a fact.
Rand Paul has... and for a nut job, he's the only sane one in the GOP caucus.. what does that tell you?
true but the repugs take Paul about as seriously as they do Bachmann. their own party is embarrassed by their oddities.
I just saw the headline. Who are these people, and why do they want to dick around with MY government?
Also- "Oh and Ray, if it was $223 billion last month.."
Was that a recurring monthly amount? Serriously, Spank- I'm not up on that one.
Hey, Sean- got a new jingle for your show: "the nutball express, chugging through YOUR town...".
Is that neat? Hell yes it is! (sorry, Weeper Boehner....)
Tea Party says my way or the highway, no compromise and its the Dems fault?? I'll give you list of cuts - military, subsidies for oil companies and if you don't like it, too bad. Throw it right back in their lap.
PAUL...
You sure do enjoy exposing your ignorance to the whole world, right? Good Job.
What do you want to cut from the military? Please be specific. And please tell me what the substities are that are given to the oil companies? Can you name them?
I'll tell you what - At the same time we cut the substities (cost of doing business) from the oil companies, lets cut your substities at the same time. Hmmmmm Lets see....
exemptions for children ($3650), child tax credit ($1000), personal exemption ($3650), tuition fees and student loans deductions and credits, mortgage interest deduction, real estate taxes, personal property taxes, business expenses, educator expenses, health savings account deductions, moving expenses, alimony paid, IRA deductions, retirement savings contributions credit, and of course the EARNED INCOME CREDIT.....
And theres lots more.... You willing to give them up????
Just Asking...
@TP: are you in favor of a Flat tax. Lets make it easy, say 1% of all revenues, earned in the US. GE alone instead of receiving three BILLION dollars from the US, would have paid, how much ? I'm sure if we went that rout they would pay close to one Billion dollars instead of getting three. That's a four billion dollar turn around.
Multiply that against all the US companies and I'm sure we could have the deficit problem turned around real fast.
But that's right, the Tax Evasion Always party is not about balancing the budget, just cutting.
I guess that worked out well for them, those frontal lobotomies are almost fully healed.
tea-party-fan -
You exposed your ignorance when you decided to go by "tea-party-fan". After that point, most people probably could care less what you think.
this is a flipping rally? .. i see more people in line at the department of motor vehicles for god's sake! .. the media sure likes to try and make a story where there is non, eh? .. let the idiot GOP listen to these morons and we'll see what happens comes 2012.
Looks like several dozen teabaggers showed up to the rally. Could it be the weather - which didn't faze protesters in Madison - or could it be that most people think teabaggers are nuts?
Hey DEMS and LIBBERS.........I wonder what Sarah Palin is doing today........(wink).......Ha!Ha!Ha!
Palin is probably staring at her palm, wondering why the news never changes.
??? .. she at your house ?
400 t- baggers? That's all that's left of the anti-American racist party? Not surprising.
yep, they wanna make sure the government keeps its hands off their medicare, medicaid and welfare.
When tea party shuts government down no funding for israel, withdraw from afganistan, withdraw from iraq, end the bombing of libya. Sounds like a winner.
Lets end the rich benefits package, pension package and salaries of the the of congress/senate which feeds at the trough. Rid them of all their staff, make sure they go by train or bus back to their district or state.
How are they paying for the destruction of libya. End the agricultural subsidies. End all tax breaks for all companies. End all tax breaks for oil companies. Charge them with felonies when they lie to the people.
Enough is enough.
moderateconservative...
You forgot your own substities - you ever look at all your tax breaks? Take a look at the the 1040 tax forms.
Just Saying...
Bachmann's subsidies, just sayin. If you are going to rant instead of accepting the complicity of BOTH PARTIES, you are just another dog barking at shadow puppets.
Stupidity in an unbalanced proportion, TPF, is still stupidity.
'A few hundred people" - that's at least 25 teeth. In toto.
I am sick and tired of hearing how smart Americans are on Morning Joe and other pundits programs. They are not or at least a majority of them are not. They have allowed this rag tag group to get elected to congress, some with a bare majority in their own districts. Somehow the tea party congressman think they have a mandate. Gov. Rick Scot thinks he was elected king and it appears that he is a criminal who went to the Khaddaffi school of government. Every once in awhile, Americans allow these idiots to be elected to remind Americans these people do not have the country's best interests in mind. I, too, want our country's fiscal house put in order but it will not happen the way these people want to do it. It must cover the whole budget, entitlements and the defense department included. My guess is that these tea partiers will really start crying when they find out that SS and Medicare are on the table for cuts and reform. The math does not add up you can't cut from the tiny portion of the budget and expect balance. Entitlement reform, defense cuts, tax reform coupled with going back to the Clinton era tax rates especially for the wealthy.
Sarah...
Do you not realize that TODAY, this gov has much more money coming in than they did when Clinton was president? What does that tell you? Well it tells me that this country has a spending problem, not a revenue problem...
Cut it or Shut it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just Saying...