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Conservatives rally in DenverTea Party Express rolls its national tour through ColoradoPeter Marcus, DDN Staff WriterWednesday, November 4, 2009 |  | | JOE THE PLUMBER SPEAKS — Joe “The Plumber” Wurzelbacher addresses a crowd at Civic Center Park yesterday. Denver Daily News photo by Tad Rickman. |
Underneath a full moon, several hundred conservatives last night in Civic Center Park howled their message to Congress.
“End the bailouts;” “End the size and intrusiveness of government;” “Stop the out-of-control spending;” “No government-run healthcare;” and “Stop raising our taxes,” was the message.
The rally was part of the Tea Party Express national bus tour, which stopped in Colorado yesterday for two appearances Ń one in Fort Collins, and then another in Denver at the Greek Theater in Civic Center. Media sensation Joe “The Plumber” Wurzelbacher joined the tour for the two Colorado experiences.
Holding anti-government signs like, “Stop the government takeover,” and waving flags that read, “Don’t tread on me,” this group of conservatives made it clear last night that they don’t trust Republicans or Democrats.
They are calling for a “countdown to judgment day” when true conservatives takeover Congress.
Mark Williams, co-founder of the Tea Party Express tour, likened the “Republican machine” to the “Democrat machine.”
“What this is is an ideological battle, an ideological battle between those of us who hold dear the principals of Madison and Jefferson versus those who worship the unholy principals of Marx and Lenin,” he said.
Wurzelbacher agreed that Congress does not truly represent him or his fellow conservatives anymore.
“It’s called the conservative movement, it’s not called the liberal movement or the Republican movement Ń they don’t truly represent us, Republicans or Democrats, that’s why we need to come back to the Tea Party,” said Wurzelbacher, who declined to answer questions by the Denver Daily News as to whether he was paid to speak at the event yesterday.
The rally was also attended by a handful of opponents who criticized the group for not being willing to have an “honest” discussion.
“Part of it is they’re being fed information from a wrong source, they’re being lied to one after the other, and I can understand their passion and their hatred when you don’t understand what’s going on and everyone is feeding you lies and making you fearful,” said Kjersten Forseth, state director for Change That Works, a grassroots group dedicated to a progressive agenda.
Deborah Johns, also a co-founder of the Tea Party Express, suggested that a protester like Forseth should try another country to live in.
“If those protesters out there want to have socialized health care or live in a socialized country, then maybe they should try Iran,” said Johns. “If they want to live in a dictatorship, then maybe they should go try China.”
Lu Busse, a local organizer for the event and chair of the conservative 9.12 Project in Colorado, called Vice President Joe Biden a “buffoon,” and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “Mussolini” for pushing their liberal agendas.
“All good parents firmly say, ‘No,’ especially when the kids are on a dangerous path, which will lead to a destruction of our way of life,” Busse said of Congress. “Along the way, these out-of-control juveniles also are looting all the candy stores, toy shops, banks and companies Ń they’re spending all our money and maxing out our credit cards.”
Many of the remarks at the event last night were targeted at the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN.) But a spokesman for the organization in Denver said he is tired of focusing on insulting remarks by conservatives.
“It’s hard for me to take what they’re saying seriously Ń they have no idea what our organization is or what we do for people,” said Ben Hanna, head organizer for Colorado ACORN. “We’re just another talking point and rallying cry, and to be honest, I really don’t have a whole lot to say about these guys.”
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