IRS Apologizes for Targeting Tea Party Groups

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service apologized Friday for what it acknowledged was "inappropriate" targeting of conservative political groups during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status.

IRS agents singled out dozens of organizations for additional reviews because they included the words "tea party" or "patriot" in their exemption applications, said Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS division that oversees tax-exempt groups. In some cases, groups were asked for lists of donors, which violates IRS policy in most cases, she said.

Read the story from Associated Press. It’s good that IRS apologized, but unacceptable that they needed to! Is it any wonder that The Whatcom Tea Party demands a return to Constitutional rule? Bureaucratic tyranny is just like regular tyranny, except harder to impeach! This was unconstitutional and tyrannical. Apology not accepted.

According to our by-laws filed with the State of Washington, we are a non-profit educational organization. We have never filed for tax-exempt status with the IRS. We focus on education about Constitutional principles, as well as educational civic events such as candidate forums. We are not a PAC, nor do we endorse any candidate or political party. Donations to WTP are not tax-deductible.

Civic Calendar -- Just Show Up!

Wed May 22

• 9:00am WRIA MGT Meeting – County Courthouse #513
• 5:30pm – 7:00pm Face Book Intermediate - Whatcom GOP Bakerview

Thurs May 23

• 6:00pm Mt. Baker School Board Meeting @ Mt Baker High School
• 6:30pm WC Planning Commission Meeting @Annex on Smith and Northwest

Mon May 27 Memorial Day

• Festival of Flags @ Green acres Memorial Park (Northwest and Axton)
• 1:00pm – 4:00pm Concert, Remembrance Ceremony and Festival Reception

Tue May 28

• 1:30am – 1:00pm Republican Women’s Lunch - Bellingham Golf and Country Club

Thu May 30 and Fri May 31

• All day Water Symposium - Fox Hall –This symposium is sponsored by the WRIA 1 Watershed Management Project, Farm Friends, and Whatcom Watersheds Information Network. It is of critical importance that you just show up for this event. It could determine whether you have the water rights you need to continue your livelihood in Whatcom County.

Your item here. Contact us!

2013: Just Show Up!

We heard on the radio that the 2012 election turned out the way it did because 4 million classical liberals (that’s us) failed to show up. That’s a problem.

To help solve the problem, the Whatcom Tea Party 2013 theme is, Just Show Up! You’ll be seeing that tag line in our literature, and at our events.

Show up where? At Whatcom Tea Party events of course, silly! But also at city and county council, boards and commission meetings, the list goes on... You don’t even have to say anything, Just Show Up! Government officials, just knowing they’re being watched, change their behavior.

It’s easy to get on a first name basis with your local reps. Think about it: They can’t represent our point of view if they don’t even know we exist!

If you really want to show up, run for office! It’s not for everyone, but one on the council is worth 200 in the bush.

2013: WTP Events

We have quite a busy schedule for this year. Some of you will recognize traditional events from previous years, but we hope to bring new ideas online, and really make an impact.

• Saturday April 20, Freedom Academy 3.0. Class. The class is being offered by Freedom Foundation and organized in our local area by the Whatcom Tea Party, CAPR, Northwest Business Club and Whatcom County Republicans. Cost is $25.00 per person, and includes books and tuition. The event will be held at the Rome Grange 2821 Mt. Baker Hwy., Bellingham, WA 98226.
• The usual parades in Lynden, Blaine and Ferndale – we need donations for publicity, fees, etc. And volunteers.
• WTP Booth at the Northwest WA Fair – we need donations for publicity, fees, etc. And volunteers.
• Constitution day. We’re not sure what you want to do for this, but it’s a great opportunity for something really good – we need ideas, donations for publicity, fees, a room or theater, etc. And volunteers.

What Part of "Infringe" Don't They Understand?

Webster's dictionary defines infringe: to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another. The US and Washington State constitutions frequently use the term "infringe" in regards to the actions of government on its citizens -- saying it may not.

Infringement burdens and frustrates rights. You know it when you feel it. Making voters take a test or pay a fee would frustrate or burden their right (ability) to vote. Forcing us to pass what we write or say before a political correctness board would burden and frustrate our First Amendment right to free speech. Taxing and regulating legal things or activities to the point that nobody can afford them, such as building permits, French fries, soft drinks, tobacco, or limiting the Second Amendment right to bear arms burdens and frustrates those rights.

Rights are not something you need, they're something you have. You have the right to speak truth to power. You have the right to self-preservation, self-defense. You have all the rights you were born with, whether or not someone else thinks you need them at this time, and whether or not you should choose to exercise them. They're yours at birth: no government can grant them, therefore, no government can rightfully take them away.

The role of government is to protect our rights, using the specific powers that We the People grant to it. Infringement is the exact opposite of government's rightful role: a major malfunction and gross malpractice.

The Second Amendment has been in the news a lot lately, with people saying it is anachronistic; no longer needed. But repealing the Second Amendment would not take away the right to keep and bear arms – as The Tenth Amendment affirms. Not everyone has what it takes to exercise their Second Amendment right. That's a personal choice. Just don't think you can deny it to the rest of us. That would be infringement.

We the People... Yard Signs In Stock!

Become a Whatcom Tea Party Fan on Facebook

You can become a fan of the Whatcom Tea Party on Facebook. Then spread the word, and invite others to become fans too! This will help build a large tea party community, where the Whatcom Tea Party can network with other tea parties around the nation to help restore constitutional government. Just click wherever you see the image to your right; it will take you directly to The Whatcom Tea Party Facebook Page.

Hillsdale College Constitution Courses Online

Did you ever want to take a college course about the United States Constitution? Well, you can, and it's free! (Although they would appreciate a $50.00 donation.) Hillsdale College is a national treasure. It accepts no government funds, and it is one of the few institutions of higher learning that is teaching the next generation about our founding principles -- The very same principles that took a beating last November! The more you understand them, the more you will be determined to preserve them.

• Click to listen to Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution

  Constitution 101 is Hillsdale's first online course. It follows closely the one-semester course required of all Hillsdale College undergraduate students as part of the College's rigorous Core Curriculum.

• Click to sign up for Constitution 201: The Progressive Rejection of the Founding and the Rise of Bureaucratic Despotism

  Constitution 201 is a new 10-week online course examining American progressivism: its historical roots and principles; its rejection of America's founding principles and Constitution; its political successes in the New Deal, the Great Society, and in recent years; the ongoing political debate between progressives and conservatives; and the chance of a constitutional revival.

• Click to sign up for History 101: Western Heritage—From the Book of Genesis to John Locke

  History 101 provides an interesting backdrop for those who wish to study, or have studied the US Constitution. Participants in this not-for-credit online course will become acquainted with the historical roots of Western civilization, in particular the ways in which modern people are indebted to Greco-Roman culture and the Judeo-Christian religious tradition.

The Book Every Tea Partier Should Read

The Debt Bomb: A Bold Plan to Stop Washington from Bankrupting America is written by Sen. Tom A. Coburn M.D. and John Hart. From the Book Description on Amazon,

In a nation whose debt has outgrown the size of its entire economy, the greatest threat comes not from any foreign force but from Washington politicians who refuse to relinquish the intoxicating power to borrow and spend. Senator Tom Coburn reveals the fascinating, maddening story of how we got to this point of fiscal crisis-and how we can escape. [emphasis mine -- ed.] (Continue reading...)

Every tea partier should read this book, to understand why elections are so critically important, and why it is imperative to send more tea party candidates to Washington, D.C., and to your state house.

This isn't a Republican vs. Democrat issue. As the book points out, both parties are responsible for getting us into this mess, and just as responsible for finding the courage (and/or the candidates) to get us out.

The hardcover edition is about $15.00, or you can download it to your Kindle for $12.00, and be reading it in under a minute.

How to Destroy America

If you wanted to destroy America, what would you do? Try oppression!

The one thing people really seem to have a problem coming to grips with, is the fact that the free market is better at protecting the environment than anything else we've tried. A quick tour of the planet proves it.

Stay in Touch!

Sign up to receive The Whatcom Tea Party "Towne Crier" email newsletter, providing reminders of upcoming events, news and information.

Non-Partisan Does Not Mean Un-Principled

Some people seem to be confused about our commitment to being non-partisan. The Whatcom Tea Party steadfastly refuses to endorse any candidate, ballot initiative, or party. We remain critical of both of the major parties on various issues. Advocating a reasoned approach to public business should not be confused with partisanship. We support constitutional government, and we encourage political parties to do the same. Nobody should be surprised if we take a "preservative" position on any issue: preserving the truths that our nation's founders believed were "self evident" (like inalienable rights) is not anti-progress. We hold that progress and opportunity fare best when individual freedom is secure.

Online Contribution System Streamlined

We have received reports from readers of frustration with our online contribution system. In our never-ending quest to make donations to The Whatcom Tea Party as convenient as possible, we have streamlined the system. At the top right hand corner of each page on this website, you will see a Donate button, like this one:

This button will take you directly to the PayPal website, where you can donate securely, using either your PayPal account if you have one, or your credit card. You don't need a PayPal account to use the system.

Try it! It's fun!

Job One: Keeping Them Honest

People frequently ask, "How can I help?" Aside from yourgenerous donationsthat keep this website on the air, and helps the Whatcom Tea Party sponsor other events -- the politicians in Washington, D.C. know that most people are preoccupied with work and family activities. We need you to keep them honest. Don't let them out of your sight for a moment. They need to hear from you.

We have provided the following list of news organizations to help you stay abreast of political developments. As you read the news articles, please consider, "Which article of the Constitution gives government the authority to do that?" You should find no shortage of material to discuss with your elected public servants:

• National sources:
  • American Thinker -- Political Analysis, Articles and Blog
  • Breitbart.com -- Politics
  • CNN -- Political Commentary - News, Opinion and Analysis from CNN.com
  • CNN -- The Cybercast News Service | The Right News. Right now.
  • DRUDGE REPORT 2011® -- News Headlines
  • Fox News -- Politics
  • MSNBC -- Politics - Political News & Updates
  • Politics Daily -- Politics News, Elections Coverage, Political Analysis and Opinion
  • The Blaze -- The Stories
• Local sources:
  • Pending Legislation -- Links to pending Federal and Washington State legislation
  • Bellingham Herald -- Bellingham, Whatcom County News
  • KGMI-AM 790 -- Homepage
  • The Whatcom Excavator -- Local "drudge report," Exposing Political Intrigue and Spending

We the People must contact our public servants early and often, on every issue that concerns us, and let them know what we think, with constitutionally-based arguments. Here's how.

The Question That Every Politician Must Answer

When you contact them, please, always remember to ask, "Which article of the Constitution gives you the authority to do that?" Encourage everyone you know to ask the same question. Encourage bloggers, and reporters in the mainstream media to ask the same question. Write letters to the editor asking the same question. We need this question to "go viral" nationwide.

If more and more people started asking this question, most of our worst political problems, in all branches and at all levels of government would go away by themselves, almost overnight. When a reporter asked Nancy Pelosi that question about the health care bill, her response was, "Are you serious?" Well, we are serious, and politicians should be afraid to step out of their offices without a credible answer to that question. It is the only "litmus test" that we need.

It really takes so little effort, that it is at least worth a try. The beauty of it is, this really should appeal to honest people from anywhere on the political spectrum.

Volunteer

1. Would you like to host a constitutional study group? Please email 5000YearLeap@WhatcomTeaParty.org.

Participate

1. There are many un-filled positions on city and county boards and commissions. This is your opportunity to provide direct input into the operation of your government. If you don't do it, who will? Do you trust them with your tax dollars? Your property rights? Your liberty? Apply now!
2. Enroll in our next "5,000 Year Leap" study group This is a 9 week course. The tuition is $25. This class will explain how and why the founding fathers formed our Republic. It is an outstanding course.
3. Put a "We the People..." sign in your yard and look for other locations to put up a sign. To get a sign in your yard email Carl Olsen. (The Whatcom Tea Party would appreciate a donation to help defray the cost of producing the signs.)
4. Put a "We'll Remember in November" bumper sticker on your car and wear your "American Flag/We the People" button wherever you go. Always remember!
5. Write a letter to the editor in local newspapers. Write an article for the Soap Box.
6. Inform yourself about candidates running for office and get involved in their campaigns. Doorbell, make phone calls, stuff envelopes and write them a check. We must get people into office who believe in the founding principles.

Contribute

Your support is greatly appreciated and needed. With your support the Whatcom Tea Party has been able to offer classes, advertise and sponsor two programs at the Mt. Baker Theatre and advertise several tea party gatherings on the Guide Meridian.

It is the goal of the Whatcom Tea Party to reach, educate and support Constitutionally sound classes, programs and social events. These are just a few of the activities we hope you will support and participate in:

1. Rent facilities for our General Meetings and speakers
2. Sponsor luncheons and speakers on current events of the community, state and nation
3. Help co-ordinate and facilitate participation in local parades
4. Purchase signs, stickers, pins and books to promote the cause
5. Facilitate continuing education on the US Constitution

There is no limit to what We the People can accomplish this year with your support. Through your donations and fantastic level of volunteerism we have made unbelievable headway to get our community, state and country back on the path of the Constitution, as our Founding Fathers intended.

Contribute securely online by credit card:

or send your check to:

If you would like to volunteer or have questions, email us.

We sincerely thank you for all you've done, are doing, and will do in the future.

~ Your Whatcom Tea Party