FCTP: FISCAL CLIFF PRESS RELEASE

[Leanne King]

YOUR FIRST PRESS RELEASE OF 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Contact:
Leanne King
[e-mail]
[phone]

FIRST COAST TEA PARTY CRITICAL OF ‘CONSERVATIVE’ REPUBLICANS’ FISCAL CLIFF VOTE
‘Conservative’ Republicans Campaign on Lower Taxes and Less Government Spending, But Their Fiscal Cliff Vote Tells a Different Story

Jacksonville, FL – The First Coast Tea Party (FCTP) expressed their criticism of ‘conservative’ Republicans’ support of the ‘fiscal cliff’ deal. Representatives Buchanan, Diaz-Balart, Ros-Lehtinen, Young and our own Northeast Florida Congressman Ander Crenshaw all voted in support of a fiscally irresponsible deal that increases taxes and ignores our national spending crisis.

“Throughout the 2012 election, the First Coast Tea Party members worked to elect principled candidates with a conservative message of fiscal discipline and lower taxes,” said First Coast Tea Party Executive Director Leanne King, “We are extremely disappointed in their decisions to waver from these commitments.”

The First Coast Tea Party and its five thousand plus members across Northeast Florida stand for individual freedom, free enterprise, better government and balanced budgets. The 2012 campaign is less than two months old and already five Florida Republicans have abandoned the conservative principles on which they campaigned. Voters have become cynical of the ‘say one thing and then do another’ career politicians, the FCTP stands ready to hold them accountable in the next election.

A recent campaign mail piece (attached) from Congressman Ander Crenshaw claims “He will lead the charge for fiscal discipline in Washington…” Adding “Congress needs to cut taxes for small businesses and stop the spending spree.” Crenshaw’s support of the fiscal cliff deal increases taxes on anyone earning more than $20,000 (as compared to 2012 rates) annually and does nothing to address runaway federal spending. On top of that, the deal adds $4 trillion to the national deficit.

“The bottom line is that we need conservative leaders in Washington that we can trust,” said King.

The First Coast Tea Party’s mission is to promote the principles of our founding fathers – individual liberty and responsibility, limited government and moral leadership.

For more information on the First Coast Tea Party, please visit fctpcommunity.org.

     Just fyi, Jacksonville.com has already picked up the story.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-dixon/2013-01-02/f...

  That was the first press release of the new year. My bet is that it will be the first of many.

   I honestly do not believe that there is one of us who would have wanted taxes to go up on the poor, the middle class or the small businesses of America. However, this entire FISCAL CLIFF issue should never have come to the end that it did. If the people that we elected would have done their jobs much earlier in the process so much could have been avoided. There are many shames here, the fact that there were no real spending cuts, no reform of entitlement programs, and the bill contains EXEMPTIONS for many of the so called "Rich" as well as unrelated "Pork".   Our Representatives ran from the fight, they ran from their commitment to those who voted for them, they went back on their word.. WE were watching and we will continue to watch each and every elected official at the city, state and national level.  "WE will hold their feet to the fire."

     For those who believe that taxes will not go up- read this:

 Taxes for most Americans will still go up this year despite declarations from President Obama and others touting Tuesday night's fiscal crisis deal as a victory for middle-class workers. 

  At the same time, tax relief that was included in the package comes at a cost -- contributing, along with new spending, nearly $4 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years, adding to the nation's more than $16 trillion debt. 

  But there will be federal tax hikes in 2013. That's because the legislation pushed through the Senate and House on Jan. 1 does nothing to prevent a temporary cut in the Social Security payroll tax from expiring. That means, under the agreement brokered by the White House and Senate Republicans, 77 percent of American households will be forced to fork over higher federal taxes in 2013. 

  Households making between $40,000 and $50,000 will face an average tax increase of $579 in 2013, according to the Tax Policy Center's analysis. Households making between $50,000 and $75,000 will face an average tax increase of $822. 

  For most families, the increase will end there. But for top earners, taxes will get considerably higher this year. 

  The package passed by both chambers extends most the Bush-era tax rates for individuals making less than $400,000 and married couples making less than $450,000 -- but lets them lapse for income above those thresholds. 

  The new tax package would increase the top income tax rate from 35 percent to 39.6 percent. Investment taxes would also increase for people who fall in the new top tax bracket, from a rate of 15 percent to 20 percent.

  Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/02/despite-deal-taxes-on-mo...

  If you are as tired of the political games as I am, then please make a comment below and let me know how you feel and what you want to do to help. We need you to get involved, help in the process of  monitoring, pushing back, raising the issues and taking our city, state and country back. Please GET INVOLVED.

  Lastly, I never tire of saying that you can help by donating to the FCTP -  even $10.00 a month will help us  keep the doors open, the computers working and the phone lines open. We operate on a shoestring budget and could do so much more with the support of our members.

  May God Bless you and may God Bless our America.

  Leanne

[Barry Lee Phillips]

Nothing has changed in D.C.  The power elite still controls both the Democrat party and the Republican party.  There is nothing wrong with achieving political power as long as the person who wields power is motivated by serving others rather than themselves within the framework of the Constitution.  A real leader, political or otherwise, learns to be selfless and avoids any temptation for self-aggrandizement.

So, the question becomes how we are going to rid ourselves of politicians who seek power for its own sake?  There are three options as I see it:

1. Start at the grass roots level and work to replace self-aggrandizing politicians whatever their political affiliation.
2. Form or take over a third political party with people who possess integrity and honor the U.S. Constitution.
3. Revolution.

I support the first option because most of the existing Tea Parties already have established grass roots organizations.  That it works cannot be denied.  Look at the 2010 congressional elections.  Sure, there was a setback in 2012, but you don't throw out the baby with the bathwater!

The second option is not practical and would take a huge amount of money to set up.  Whoever has the money would probably attempt to control the party.  A third party would also dilute the efforts that various Tea Parties have already made.  Besides, the election laws are written in favor of both the Democrat party and the Republican parties as Ross Perot found to his regret. It would not be any easier this time around.

I only mentioned the third option, because it is an "option".  No, I do not support revolution.  I have studied most of the revolutionary movements from the 17th century onward.  What I learned is that you never know exactly who might take power and you may get the opposite of what you thought would happen.

[Ronnie L. Lasky]

Thanks Leanne.  We need to find our own candidates, Crenshaw has always voted to get himself relected.  Take the Fair Tax, when it  started out  I called his office to if he would just consider it, the answer was a resounding NO.  Fast forward several years and he acts like he has endoersed the bill since it's ensception.

It is time for a third party,  nobody takes us seriously.   It's time they do.  We needd to start locally, then on to state level and finally federal.  Most people think we are radicals and kooks. When you explain who we are, I find people accualy agree with us.

[LeAnne J. King]

Thanks, Leanne.  The left despises the tea party movement and would love more than anything to see it go away.  Judging by the lack of responses, maybe they will succeed.  Our country is falling apart and unless we ALL work together, we will lose her.  So perhaps the question to our members should be, "Do you want to see the FCTP continue?"  It takes all hands on deck!

[joshua simpson]

Very well spoken Leanne!  Americans will learn very soon when they start noticing the dip in their checks.  Let's get this year off to a roaring start and let Washington know we are sick and tired of the games, remind them that they work for us.....