At least 200!
SUN JOURNAL NEW BERN
2011-04-18 20:43:44
State and local officials helped “celebrate” tax day by holding a Tea Party rally in Union Point Monday.
The annual event is sponsored by Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association and drew a little more than 100 people, some holding placards reading “Charity yes! Redistribution no!” and “Reclaim the Constitution!”
N.C. Rep. Norman Sanderson, R-Pamlico, said New Bern’s rally was the future of the nation because people who cared came out to make a difference.
“The Bible says when there are three present, there isn’t much the Devil can do,” Sanderson said.
Sanderson was in New Bern as part of his tour viewing the weekend tornado damage in his district. But when in Raleigh, trying to help further his constituents’ interests, Sanderson said “it was a fight every single day.”
For every legislator, there are probably 25 lobbyists, he said.
“I could say we are having hard times because of what we were left with,” Sanderson said. “But I hear that so much I’m not going to say it.”
People in the audience, sitting in lounge chairs, on the grass or standing, applauded.
“Leaders have to deal with what is and not what used to be,” Sanderson said.
Gas prices and food prices are going through the roof and people are asking, is it ever going to stop? Sanderson said.
“Well, I have confidence in the people of North Carolina,” he said. “They put the right people in Raleigh.”
Sanderson said he was tired of making compromises and he would rather fight and lose than make a compromise, which brought more cheers from the crowd.
“We know why you sent us to Raleigh,” he said. “Folks, if they are not going to do what you elected them to do, it’s time to get someone else in there.”
Sanderson said the Tea Party was being effective because the people in the party realize how they are being affected by the government; they are not willing to put off and hope for better times; they rally for their causes; and they refuse to vote for elected officials who do not vote for them.
John Vanharn, visiting the rally while he was in New Bern on vacation from his home in Holland, said he agreed with the Tea Party vision, especially when Andrew Henson of the John W. Pope Civitas Institute, a political think tank, talked about how politicians were wasting taxpayers’ money.
“Why should politicians screw American taxpayers to pay for the rest of the world?” Vanharn asked.
Eddie Fitzgerald can be reached at 252-635-5675 or at efitzgerald@freedomenc.com.
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