Thousands of citizens from across the state converged at the Wisconsin State Capitol Wednesday for a “Tea Party” to protest higher taxes and spending by Gov. Jim Doyle and President Barack Obama’s administrations.
The rally was echoed across the country as people in every state took advantage of the income tax filing deadline to express their dissent through speeches, signs and costumes at gatherings of their own.
The Madison event included speakers from organizations across Wisconsin, including Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman Reince Priebus.
Priebus charged Democrats with refusing to listen to constituents and urged those present to promote conservative ideals.
His speech, along with those throughout the rest of the rally, was interrupted periodically by loud cheers and chants by the audience.
University of Wisconsin College Republicans Chair Sara Mikolajczak, who was among those at the rally, said she was excited by the energy of the event and the number of people.
She said she was particularly inspired by the words of Melika Willoughby, a Madison area high school student who spoke at the event about the influence government spending will have on younger generations.
“When she said ‘stop spending money that I haven’t even made yet,’ it really resonated with me and it should really resonate with all college students,” Mikolajczak said. “They’re spending money that we’re going to have to pay back when we don’t have jobs yet. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Rep. Robin Vos, R-Racine, also attended the rally.
While he said he was proud of the “show of democracy,” he expressed concern about the events following the rally. While speakers encouraged people to enter the Capitol building to speak to their representatives, Vos said many Democrats were not in their office.
He said representatives should always meet with their constituents, even if they do not agree with them.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Joe Wineke issued a statement following the rally critiquing descriptions of the event as a “grassroots rally.”
He said right-wing groups are supporting politics of the past that he said are responsible for the current economic troubles the country faces. He said the rally is an example of how Republicans are protesting without offering new ideas.
“When you look behind the curtain, you’ll see that this so-called grassroots movement is being bankrolled by special interest groups desperately fighting to protect the Bush tax cuts for multi-millionaires and big corporations,” Wineke said in the statement. “While the right-wing is busy playing with tea bags and supporting the trickle down economics of the past, the rest of America is supporting President Obama and his agenda for change.”
Lt. Kristen Roman of the Madison Police Department said overall the event was quite tame.
“The crowd has been exercising their first amendment right very peacefully,” Roman said shortly before the crowd dispersed at 1 p.m.
