Bend Oregon Tea Party – UPDATED

Updated 4/15/10:  I’m covering the Bend, OR Tea Party, and this blog will also be covering at least two other events across the nation.  Here’s the link to the summary post for Tax Day 2010.  Also, here are my morning thoughts for Tax Day 2010, my coverage of the Bend Tea Pary (with lots of pictures), and I’ll have a wrap-up later.

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Here’s a summary of the Bend Oregon Tea Party from July 4th.  The official title was the We the People Rally.  Long post with lots of pictures after the break.

After I put this post up, I’ll be doing another post to discuss my opinions about the event in general here.  Enjoy both.

I should offer a disclaimer, by the way.  My wife’s business was a sponsor for the event today.  We were not completely non-partisan, obviously.

The event in total drew about 1200 people through the day.  Most were there for about three hours at the beginning, and then started to draw down.  About the time we left (8:30PM), there was a whole new set of people coming in to view the fireworks, but I don’t count those for the event.  I heard several comments from organizers that it ended up as one of the biggest draws all over Oregon.  Just as a reference: the total Bend/Redmond/Sisters area is about 300k people, so we’re at about a half a percent of people mad enough to show.

The day started with a parade, with Gene Whisnant as the Grand Marshall.  He later spoke at the event, with very few hecklers.  He’s not my representative, though I understand he’s one of the better in the OR State House.  Better than mine, for sure.

Here are a couple good signs from the day, starting with the SIGN OF THE DAY, and then going from there.  As usual, if there’s a person under 18 in the picture, I have the parents’ permission to post, or I didn’t post it.  If I did post in error, please contact me and I’ll remove.

This was definately the sign of the day.  Look, people, if you’re unhappy with what you voted in last time, then fix it next time.  Basic tactics…

Everyone’s got an opinion.

No matter how young or old.

Amen, sister.  Amen.

Thought it was funny, but otherwise no comment.

Lots of standard faire.  Much better spelling than the last tea party.

I liked that one… Oh, they also had a Sarah Palin look-alike contest.  Some lamenting about her resignation, but most people are wondering what’s up.  Did you see Lynn’s post on that?

By the way, the one in black in the middle won hands-down.

There’s my pal, Lucy Brackett, as Betsy Ross.  Lucy and John were the two organizers for the event, and I’m bummed I didn’t get a good picture of John.  He looked like a sugar baron from Miami.

I threw this one in just to remind people that I spend as much time in Central OR as possible.  It’s amazingly beautiful no matter what you’re viewing.

A couple other comments.  I talked to several of the sponsors.  Some were there because the fee was cheap, but a couple were a lot more committed.  Jess Messner from State Farm said it best: “I’m here because I’m a member of the Deschuttes County Republican Party… and I care.”

Attendance was the same or slightly down from the Tax Day Tea Party, but there were lots of new people.  The populace as represented here continues to be unhappy with the current direction, and they’re forming a grass-roots movement that has legs.

I’m happy that I got a chance to blog the two events, and the AFP summit earlier as well.  I’ll have more thoughts in the other post on what was good and bad, but the day was a fine one.

Updated 2010: If you want info on the upcoming Tax Day Tea Party, please click here for OR info.  Bend specifically is:

Tony’s Hay Depot

21235 Tumalo Rd.

Deschutes Market Rd overpass and Hwy. 97

April 15th, 2010 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm  

Thanks, and we hope to see you there!   Keith, Lucy, Rich, Sheila, John P, Mike, and John C, plus all the other Bend Tea Party Volunteers!   Bend Tea Party 541-350-6789 www.bendteaparty.webs.com