New Hampshire Residents Protesting Taxes

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A second tea party it seems?

http://www.unionleader.com/article.a...1-a0595f5f4ad8

MANCHESTER – The spirit of tax fighter Mel Thomson inspired tea party protesters assembled at Victory Park to chant "Ax the tax! Ax the tax!"

At the Tax Day rally, one of a half dozen held yesterday around the state, residents expressed their disgust for federal spending and corporate bailouts.

Protesters waved signs that criticized President Barack Obama's first days in office, warned about socialism and questioned the whereabouts of "personal responsibility."

U.S. flags. Black balloons. Rousing soap box speeches. It was the very picture of grass-roots activism, with a heavy Republican tilt. Organizers said they hope it is more than a grand photo opportunity, that the people who turned out in large numbers continue to mobilize and to hold their elected local, state and federal officials accountable.

They had the right audience.

"Everybody's ticked off," said Karen Poza of Manchester. She said she objected to the federal economic stimulus spending and the social agenda of the majority party on Capitol Hill.

Holding a sign, "Stimulate business, not government," Lisa Freudenberg of Wolfeboro said the protest cuts across party lines. Though a Republican, she said unchecked government spending must be "a people issue."

"Enough is enough already," she said. "No more taxes."

In one of several speeches, Manchester Mayor Frank C. Guinta, a Republican who intends to seek higher office in 2010, said candidates need to pledge allegiance to taxpayers, businesses and families.

"It is not easy to stand alone in the fight against liberals," he said, before calling on his audience to fight Democrats in 2010. He said it starts with Gov. John Lynch, then moves to U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter in the 1st District and to Rep. Paul Hodes in the 2nd District, who is running for U.S. Senate.

Jennifer Horn, a Republican from Nashua who may run again for the 2nd District seat, said the debt from federal spending will burden generations to come.

"We are not going to tolerate this gluttonous out of control spending any more," Horn said. "The American dream is not government dependent. The American dream is independent."

President Obama, in a speech yesterday, reminded Americans of his pledge to restore fairness to the federal tax code while providing tax relief to families and working Americans. The White House pointed to the Making Work Pay tax credit, which it says would put $300 million back in the pockets of working families in New Hampshire.

That tax credit is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was one of the tea party targets.

The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition, the lead organizer of the Manchester rally, is asking candidates to take a pledge to oppose any budget that raises government spending more than the rate of inflation, plus population growth.

The New Hampshire chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a fiscally conservative group that advocates for limited government and free markets, organized the Concord event.

"We're taxed enough already, that's the bottom line," said Corey Lewandowski, state director of Americans for Prosperity.

The TEA in tea party stands for "Taxed Enough Already." Other tea party protests were held yesterday in Conway, Dover, Keene, Plymouth, and Portsmouth.

Tom Thomson, a son of the late Gov. Mel Thomson, urged the crowd in Manchester to stay involved in local and state politics in the fight for lower taxes and limited government.

"My father would love to be here because he loved a good fight," Thomson said.