Reasons to Be Proud and Determined, What to Do Next

This week has been a disappointing one for us regarding the vote in the House of Representatives in favor of government takeover of health care and then watching President Obama sign the bill into law. Despite those disappointments, we have many more reasons to be proud and determined.
 
On Saturday, with barely 48 hours notice, 50,000 Patriots showed up on the West Lawn of the Capitol to make their voices heard yet again about the health care bill.  Think about that: 50,000 people in DC in 48 hours.  A year ago that would not have happened.
 
We broke up and thousands streamed into the Congressmen's offices to tell them not vote for the bill.  In addition to those 50,000 people we had almost 70 events around the country this weekend at local district offices with thousands more gathering to voice their opposition to this bill. 
 
At 5:00 pm we had enough people gathered together again that we literally surrounded the Capitol Building in opposition to the bill.  On Saturday, we prevented "Deem and Pass" from happening and forced the House to take a yes/no vote on the government takeover of healthcare.  We now know exactly who voted for the bill and who voted against it.  We know that, thanks to all of your efforts.
 
One thing is clear: Congress passed this law despite what the American people wanted, the very people whom they were elected to represent. A new CBS poll shows that 62% of Americans think the challenge to the bill should continue.  Of that 62%, 89% of Republicans, 41% of Democrats, and 66% of Independents want the challenge to continue. 
 
To repeal this law, Congress will need to be able to override a Presidential veto, which is a 2/3 majority.  To get 2/3 of the members of Congress to vote to overturn this law, we need to increase that 62% of the American public who is against this hostile government takeover of health care to 75% or higher. There will have to be an overwhelming majority of Americans who do not want the government to take over our lives. It will have to be such a loud cry that our representatives simply cannot ignore our will -  the will of We the People.
 
Tea Party Patriots will continue to challenge this law and we will continue to stand for fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, and free markets.  We cannot do it without you. Will you stand with us and help us fight to reclaim America's founding principles? 
 
If you are ready to continue the challenge to this law and to reclaim America's founding principles, the most important thing we can do right now is recruit more people to our cause and get them plugged in nationally and locally.  Here are some ways to do this. Select the ideas that work best for you.

1. Sign the Tea Party Patriots Repeal the Bill Petition (http://www.teapartypatriots.org/repealthebill/).  At this writing, 83,000 people have signed it. The initial goal is to have 100,000 sign the petition and then we will increase from there.  Having large numbers of people sign one petition will send a resounding message to Congress.
2. Change your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. avatar (profile photo) to the Repeal the Bill image and ask all of your friends and connections to sign the petition also. 
3. Email your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. Tell them you have signed the petition and why you have signed it. Ask them to do the same.
4. Go to the Contract from America site (www.contractfromamerica.org), and vote to include defunding and repealing ObamaCare in the final Contract from America.  Also, please make a difference and vote for your top ten ideas, join the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/contractfromamerica), and forward the site to all your family, friends, and coworkers.  If you are a local coordinator, please join the 200+ grassroots coaltion by clicking on the "Grassroots" tab on the website.
   
5. Look up the closest Tax Day Tea Party to you and plan to attend on April 15 or plan your own Tax Day Tea Party.  After signing into teapartypatriots.org, click My Account, then click Add Event and follow the directions. Last year we had over 850 Tax Day Tea Parties. How many will we have this year?  They do not have to be elaborate. You can stand on a street corner with your circle of influence (friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers) holding signs and voicing your opinions.
6. Before going to your Tax Day Tea Party, purchase a copy of the documentary Tea Party Movie and host a viewing party. Ask any friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers you would like to invite to the Tax Day Tea Party, to come to your house for popcorn and a movie viewing.  This is a low stress event for you the organizer and it will be an enjoyable evening for those you invite.  There have been many reports where liberals went to heckle the movie and after watching it actually understood what the entire movement is about. They began to re-think what they have previously been told about the movement from the mainstream media.  After the movie, ask them if understand Tea Party Patriots better and if they will come with you to the Tax Day Tea Party near you.
   
7. If you would like to continue being a local coordinator for more than just one Tax Day Tea Party, add your group name to our website (sign into teapartypatriots.org, click My Account, click Add Group) and follow the directions.  Local Coordinators from across the nation meet weekly to discuss the direction and projects TPP will work on nationally. Also, they provide support, feedback, and answers to those who need help and have questions.  Occasionally, they have special legislative briefings on important legislative topics. 
8. Plan now to attend the 912 March on DC on September 12.  We will be back in DC for the 912 March on DC. Tea Party Patriots has a group rate at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill.  (The rate varies depending on the date of the trip but there is a discount for Tea Party Patriots this entire year.)  Also, the travel agent at teapartyplanning.com was very helpful last year to 912 participants and wants to be helpful to you yet again this year.
9. Listen to Hot Tea Radio and ask your circle of influence to do the same.  We have quality guests who can answer your questions and it is a good place to go during the week to talk with others who share your values and concerns about our government.
10. Purchase a Tea Party Patriots shirt or just a lapel pin. Wear the lapel pin and then when asked share why you are a Tea Party Patriot and what our core values mean to you.  This is a way to strike up conversation when you would not normally be able to do so.