Today, the Richmond Tea Party joined with other like-minded Tea Parties across the United States to form the National Tea Party Federation (NTPF), whose singular purpose is to collaborate and strategize on media messaging. The NTPF will present a unified message and media response among Tea Party groups.
This is NOT an attempt to centralize Tea Party leadership at the national level. The NTPF was established to facilitate lateral communication among the various Tea Party groups across the country. It resulted as a response to the recent attacks on our character from the left-wing media and is merely a strategic move to combat that false narrative as our movement continues to grow in strength and influence. The NTPF press release states, “The approach will allow for clarity of message, rapid response to media misinformation while continuing to build the brand equity of the Tea Party movement. The NTPF will act in unison without a central leadership or overhead yet collaborate through a common set of principles.”
The Left is terrified of the Tea Party movement. They know our message is connecting with average Americans. That’s why we expect the mainstream media to continue to attack who we are, attempting to redefine and discredit us in the minds of Americans who would otherwise be sympathetic to our cause and want to join our efforts.
We won’t let this happen.
To combat false media narratives, the NTPF pools talent, resources, and ideas from both large and small Tea Party groups across the nation, such as the Waco Tea Party, the Lynchburg Tea Party, the Orlando Tea Party, and the New Jersey Tea Party Coalition. All groups will remain independent and autonomous entities. The NTPF has no formal legal structure, no single leader, no national spokesman, no fundraising, and no bylaws. It is simply a loose federation of Tea Party groups coming together for lateral communication and sharing of strategy. We will take advantage of our affiliate groups when there is a need for white papers, research, polling, etc. Also, we will have a secured site where we can post and share media research and press releases from local Tea Party groups.
This is all critical if we are to maintain our credibility and influence in the coming days in the face of increased assaults from the Left. It will help us better control the narrative and defend ourselves and our patriot brothers and sisters across the country from lies and misinformation, allowing us all to more effectively advance our core principles at the local level.
Richmond Tea Party looks forward to strategizing and collaborating with other Tea Party groups on media and using that to benefit us in our local messaging.
To read the entire press release and see a list of all Tea Party groups who have joined the NTPF so far, visit www.thenationalteapartyfederation.com.
Louder and louder are voices will become, soon it will overpower the whine on the other side!
This is great. I love that this is decentralized, joining together for a specific set of common needs but otherwise leaving each local organization to it’s own governance. It the US government worked this way (i.e., the way it was set up to work) we’d be a lot better off. I also love the three planks: Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government, and Free Markets. These three common values are the same values that most Americans share, and shows that we have a LOT more in common with most Americans than EITHER “major” party.
The left sees the power that the tea parties represent and will use any means possible to try to destroy it. Fortunately for us, we believe in the ideas for America that will help restore our country. However, as a true grass roots, all volunteer force, we do not always have the means to fight the big budgets, the big influence, and the fully-staffed research arms that the left has employed. Now we do! This is a great way to get the advantage of a coordinated national effort for media and research while staying fiercely independent at the local level. The fight is not going away. WE are not going away!
The radical left has been putting it’s structure in place for years, with the help of stupid Republicans that helped fund groups like ACORN.
Tea Party and Patriot groups must work together, we don’t have the funding, but we have dedicated TAX payers that are determined to save this country and ourselves from the serfdom the federal government is trying to create.(we being their serfs)
Amazing that no one has asked the question; how does RTP know so much about the National Tea Party Federation (NTPF)?
In my opinion it is somewhat obvious that “someone” within RTP has had a hand in forming this National Group.
Doing a domain name search, this “person” went through a company to hide their identity of ownership. Why? Who is the creator of NTPF?
The domain name is listed in such a way to protect whoever bought the name so the People will never find out who owns this site. So much for transparency within the Tea Party’s and is now a hypocrite. Someone is hiding something for a reason.
The Tea Party’s and RTP now are walking hand in hand with the GOP.
It is sad to see the RTP has FORGOTTEN why RTP was formed and is supporting the same political machine RTP was fighting against. And not one of you has asked why, yet continue to follow leadership that made their living as a political consultant for GOP Politicians?
It won’t be long before we see someone within RTP speaking Nationally to the media.
I wonder who will be deleting this posting because I once again said and see something that most of you don’t.
There are two kinds of people in this world. Leaders and followers. And each Tea Party Member is SUPPOSE to be a Leader, yet the majority of you have decided to be a follower and have one person lead or direct you into their overall hidden objective. Maybe someday you will see what their objective has been all along.
It is about time that the Tea Party movement did this. I am asked all the time, “what does the Tea Party stand for?” Now I can say, with national support, that we stand for this! Yes, we want the regional and local groups to be independant, but for harmony sake, we needed to be on the same sheet of music. I say good deal!
Joe, if you are correct then this is the final push by the Repubs to consolidate the movement into their party and takeover Congress in 2010. The timing makes sense. If that is the case, I will watch with great interest and loud commentary while they pursue the same policies they have in the past and complete the fiscal destruction of the nation, on their watch. Lew Rockwell has repeatedly stated that the only way to break the two-party system is to allow it to pursue its proclivities to their logical conclusions.
If we make it to the 2010 midterms, we will have our answer quickly enough. Will the repubs aggressively pursue prosecutions of Wall Street fraud? Nope. Will they ramp up war spending and the domestic police / surveillance state? You betcha.
Michelle Bachmann’s top contributor group this election cycle is, you guessed it: Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate.
Afterthought: the national republican party is so excited about taking over Congress that it has no plan for dealing with the financial crisis, which not only is not over but has truly only just begun. Will they extend stimulus? Will they raise taxes? Will they end “mark-to-fantasy” accounting? Maybe someone at RTP can answer this for me? What’s the republican plan for fixing the economy?
I applaud your efforts on this. It is the simple rule of synergy: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
SWRichmond; The Republicans are NOT to be Trusted. We trusted them in 1994 when they took over the House from the Dems that held it for over 45 years, and the Republicans made a lot of promises in their Contract with America, and they kept very few if any of those promises. They are doing exactly the same thing now, as then, making promises they will not keep just so they can have a majority in both Houses.
(additional comments below deleted)
Joe, if you have issues with the RTP, you continue to be encouraged to exercise the option to meet with the board. Until such time you exercise that option, you will not be permitted to utilize RTP resources to further any personal agenda. It was my decision alone to moderate your comments.
-Eric
Eric,
Some of us are old enough to remember Gingrich and his (un)remarkable turnaround. We are old enough to remember how Reagan was so thoroughly marginalized by the end of his first term, and how Bush One began in earnest consolidating the power of the national state under the banner of the republican party.
You must understand this, and IMO you fail to understand it at the peril of the genuine viability of any liberty movement: It’s like we’re watching a movie that we’ve seen before and we know how it ends. Even more shocking, the last time we saw this movie wasn’t even that long ago.
This time, though, there is going to be no economic rebound to make things seem like they’ll be OK. Real interest rates are at zero, and there is no recovery. The Fed has tripled the monetary base, and there is no recovery. Banks are not foreclosing on homes because to do so would require them to book losses that they cannot take. The big national banks are all on life support, and are hiding hundreds of billions (if not trillions) of dollars of losses in off balance-sheet “assets”. The next wave of mortgage resets, in the Alt-A issues, is coming, starting now. If you thought subprime was fun, just wait. Alt-A losses are estimated to be 40-50%. The touted “recovery” is a mirage, one apparently embraced by Dems and Repubs alike.
The national government is broke, by any objective measure. The economic crisis WILL precipitate a political crisis, and I fear it is one that the republican party is completely unprepared for. My great fear is that they will, true to form, respond to the crisis with more government authority, not less.
The truth is, the economic crisis reveals, first and foremost, that governments are incompetent to run anything, let alone an economy composed of more than 300 million souls. There is no man or group of men who are wise enough to make economic decisions for 300 million people. Yet, we continue to believe it can be done.
I attended the Powhatan rally yesterday and I was again impressed by the frankness of the speakers. These are, however, Virginia speakers and not national ones. While it is entirely reasonable for RTP to engage in a collaborative media effort related to image, RTP leadership must understand that some of us have seen this movie before. When Michele Bachmann says the Tea Parties are merging into the republican party, and at the same time RTP announces a a collaborative effort with other Tea Party groups around the nation, what are we to think? Maybe it was just a coincidence of timing.
When I decided to become involved with RTP I told myself that I would remain engaged as long as two conditions were met:
1. movement was in the direction of greater personal liberty
2. principled dissent was not stifled
Choose.
“We are come hither to preserve the poor commonwealth of Virginia, if it can be possibly done: something must be done to preserve your liberty and mine.”
– Patrick Henry
Joe, for quite a long time now, on multiple forums, you have made accusations against Jamie Radtke. I disagree with your assessment of Jamie’s motives. As a member of the board, I have have spent a great deal of time with Jamie; seen her act and interact, both within our organization and outside of it. In my opinion, there is no merit to what you have been implying. We are building a fantastic organization that includes many of the original founders and volunteers of the Richmond Tea Party. I, among many, are proud to be a part of this organization and we consider ourselves blessed that we are led by such a capable and dedicated President. I judge people’s motives based on their words as well as their deeds, and I cannot think of one instance in which Jamie’s actions have caused me even one second of concern.
Your concerns are the same as all of ours SWRichmond. Richmond Tea Party IS NOT not merging with the GOP. We don’t know of any other Tea Party that is merging either. No matter how much others want to claim that to be the case, it doesn’t make it true. The Tea Party plays an important role in keeping both parties accountable. We will continue to fight on the national and state level to push back on federal encroachment. RTP volunteers are working on some good legislation to submit at the state level again in 2011 that will continue to combat this overreach. We also need to keep pushing back on Congress as well. What you saw in Powhatan yesterday is consistent with who we have always been and what we will continue to be, and we greatly appreciate your support.
Recent news reports have speculated that the National Tea Party Federation
is a step toward the creation of a 3rd party, that the Federation is merging
with the GOP, and that this is an effort to nationalize the tea party
movement. To re-iterate, the National Tea Party Federation is a broad coalition of
national and regional Tea Party groups that have come together to allow for
clarity of message, rapid response to media misinformation while continuing
to build the brand equity of the Tea Party movement at the local and
regional level. The NTPF will act in unison without a central leadership to
collaborate to promote the movement’s core principles of Fiscal
Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government, and Free Markets.
We hope to pool together a large group of skilled individuals from across dozens and hundreds of local grassroots tea parties who can help provide rapid media response to TV/print inquiries and draft media responses. NTPF Tea Parties will have full discretion to use or not use what they feel is helpful for their local Tea Party. It is a resource to be used however each local group sees fit. But the important thing to remember is that we all have no doubt that the number one goals of the Progressives and Unions is to discredit, slander and tarnish the image of the populace Tea Party movement. This is the only chance they have of reducing their losses in November. We have to be prepared for these attacks, because we know they are coming. We are all grassroots people who work, and our moms, dads and grandparents. We aren’t Soros with hundreds of dedicated staff whose full time job is to destroy the Tea Party. We must work together where we can, while maintaining our independence.
RTP is proud to be a partner in organizing this effort and we are excited about the many other Virginia groups that will be joining in the weeks to come. The NTPF website was built by an individual in the Memphis Tea Party. It looks like we will be adding dozens of new local tea parties to this open federation in the upcoming week.
The NTPF won’t just be reactive and defensive, we will also be proactive in defining who we are in the Tea Party movement. We will keep fighting and defending our liberties and we won’t let the Progressives stop us.
-Jamie
I completely understand the need for a cooperative media effort. I totally agree that there is, and will continue to be, a concerted effort by the MSM and the left to discredit the Tea Party movement, since the movement is the only effective opposition to them that has emerged.
I also completely understand the effort by the repubs to claim merger with the Tea Party. They are doing this for the same reason as the dems are debasing us: we’re large, growing, and effective. But when the repubs start acting like I’m in love with them, I am gonna kick and scream.
Jamie: your idea where legislators come and listen to US, rather than us listen to them speak, puts this all in its proper perspective, and returns the role of politician to its rightful one, that of servant to the public. I do not serve politicians, they serve me. What I ask of them couldn’t be more simple to define: defend my natural rights, as enumerated in the Constitutions of Virginia and the United States; act only within the confines of those documents.
I have been complacent, and now I have to work extra hard to make up for it. So be it.
Barry Goldwater: “I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution or that have failed their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is “needed” before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents “interests,” I shall reply that I was informed that their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can.”
I have a question for Joe…
he says: “There are two kinds of people in this world. Leaders and followers. And each Tea Party Member is SUPPOSE to be a Leader, yet the majority of you have decided to be a follower and have one person lead or direct you into their overall hidden objective. Maybe someday you will see what their objective has been all along”.
If each Tea partier is supposed to lead (as you claim) and there are two kinds of people what happens to that other kind of people you identify as “followers”?
If the followers then lead will the leaders then follow? And if the leaders follow the followers are they disqualified because they should be leading?
And if the majority of followers decide to become leaders and the leaders become a minority how can a minority of leaders then follow the lead of followers?- what is the parliamentary procedure- a simple majority to lead a leader or follow a follower??
And if the minority of leaders could ever again get a majority to follow followers do the followers in turn become leaders of leaders or are they still followers?
And if you’re a leader following a follower or a follower leading a leader how can you see what the objective is if you are in front of the leader or behind the follower!!!! And if, as you say, one person is leading and we follow their lead aren’t we thereby leading further followers into leading?
I’ve seen your comments before and I always have a problem following your objective could you please give us a lead?
For what it’s worth, I am a volunteer with the Richmond Tea Party, and I have NO INTEREST in joining with the GOP. The GOP built the pedestal that Obama stands on today with the spending and Constitutional violations of the Bush/GOP years (2000-2006) and the Bush/Dem years (2006-2008). Best as I can tell, the RTP is filled with people of every political persuasion, and I have been incredibly impressed with their independence and in particular the independence of each and every member of the board. I’m DONE with the “major” parties. If they want my vote going forward, they gotta come to me and show me they are ready to adhere to the Constitution and quit spending like kids in a candy store. No more talking the talk – either walk the walk or you don’t get my vote.
It strikes me as odd that people could believe that such a diverse group as the Tea Party will consent to being co-opted by either party and this ‘Federation” has been widely covered in the news with different people all giving the same account of the intention and purpose of the move. The press is giving the TP a needed bump after recent charges of ‘racism’ etc that is going to increase exponentially by November. The cost free coverage will certainly result in more people looking at the TP favorably and getting involved I would like to congratulate the RTP for it’s part in building bridges .
It seems that Mr. Cacciotti is, in his ongoing crusade and parade of silly charges and conspiracy theories is trying to maneuver himself into the very limelight he claims others are pursue. Any number of movements in history have seen people do this very same thing for self advancement. Every movement has self appointed moralists vying for control by throwing much mud to make themselves appear clean. It hasn’t worked here or on Face Book. In fact a recent exchange demonstrated he was unwilling to do that which he makes constant demand and simply answer questions by another person asking for him provide proof! The unwillingness and apparent inability to do so it painfully obvious. All I have read offers nothing more than shadows.
Maybe ‘Confused’ sees something that most of us do, very funny!
I completely understand the need for a cooperative media effort. I totally agree that there is, and will continue to be, a concerted effort by the MSM and the left to discredit the Tea Party movement, since the movement is the only effective opposition to them that has emerged.
I also completely understand the effort by the repubs to claim merger with the Tea Party. They are doing this for the same reason as the dems are debasing us: we’re large, growing, and effective. But when the repubs start acting like I’m in love with them, I am gonna kick and scream.
Jamie: your idea where legislators come and listen to US, rather than us listen to them speak, puts this all in its proper perspective, and returns the role of politician to its rightful one, that of servant to the public. I do not serve politicians, they serve me. What I ask of them couldn’t be more simple to define: defend my natural rights, as enumerated in the Constitutions of Virginia and the United States; act only within the confines of those documents.
I have been complacent, and now I have to work extra hard to make up for it. So be it.
Barry Goldwater: “I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution or that have failed their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is “needed” before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents “interests,” I shall reply that I was informed that their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can.”
I see this as a simple service that tea party groups can benefit from. It is voluntary, and inclusive to its members. It can also serve the honest journalist, if there is such a thing anymore, with good base information.
The critics that are within our groups jumping the shark, and stating that this is a takeover by power hungry souls or the materialization of the GOP co-opting the movement are too quick on the trigger. Some seem like plants only present to look for opportunity to sow discontent, while other may have legit concerns they do not seem to be doing much actual research. The safeguards in place due to the stated and practiced intentions of the opposition to the tea parties to infiltrate and disrupt via their usual Alinsky model are nothing but being prudent and cautious. Having undergone the vetting process for admission myself, I can attest that the people involved, of who I know many personally, are all tea partiers and have been from early on.
The media has been ruthless in carrying the munitions to the targets that the left wants deployed against us. They know they do not even have to be true, if they linger unanswered they are seen as possible. Those munitions are meant to smear and discredit. Having organized into another layer of defense is not only smart it is overdue.