I Attended the Washington DC 9/12 Rally at the Capital

Just got back from the March on D.C. The one that the organizers thought would only see 50K attend. The Parks and Recreation estimated the crowd at 1.5 million. We walked from the rally point at Freedom Plaza down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capital. It was to start at 9Am and we got word from a friend that the police made the marchers start marching before the rally time. When we got there we were 1.5 hours or more late. People were still pouring out of the Metro. The crowd was still huge as we walked down toward the capital.

Here is my video as we marched on DC. it will give you a sense of how large the crowds were:

We made it to the Capital about an hour or so later. The crowd was stretched all the way around the pool in front and up to the Capital. We worked our way through the crowd thinking we would find a place in front. Impossible to move. We walked to the southeast side and listened a while to the speakers and watched the crowd.

It was peaceful. It was civil. The people were so much fun. We noted that as we left down Independence that the crowd spread down the mall quite a ways. We also noticed that unlike the Presidential Inauguration the people pretty much left the grounds in a clean state.

I didn’t get the sense that people were paid to be there despite what you will hear from the media. I talked with folks from Illinois, California, Arkansas and other locations. It was truly grassroots whether the left wants to acknoledge it or not.

Congress and the President should be worried. Our government better take notice. This movement just keeps growing stronger and larger.

chris on September 12, 2009 | Filed Under Government

11 Comments

Mickey on September 13th, 2009

Why are Politicians even speaking at tea partys? Why did only Republicans speak, is it just a Republican thing?
Marsha Blackburn is my Congressman.
She is no conservative.
See her unconstitutional votes at :
http://bluecollarrepublican.com/blog/?p=614
Mickey

Joey on September 13th, 2009

Has it occurred to you that these people were able to be there because they have the cash to jaunt around the country on a random weekend? Proves the point that they’re just a bunch of selfish jerks who don’t mind letting Bush spend their money on wars, but clench their fists tight when a black man decides to spend it on something else.

Susan C. on September 13th, 2009

I also was at the rally in DC yesterday and closer to the Capitol than you. The people were magnificant and the event was historic. We came up with the 9-12 Delaware Patriots and spent the day.

chris on September 13th, 2009

Mickey, Because right now. Today. The only party speaking up for freedom, liberty and the constitutional adherence happens to be the republicans. When the democrats decide to support something other than big government and/or socialism then they can be part of the movement too. I don’t care who stood for what when. Today is all that matters. If you support the founders ideals then you are with the Tea Party movement.

chris on September 13th, 2009

Joey, it occurred to me that I saved money from a job that I work, in a single income family, and took vacation to drive my vehicle 11 hours to be there. My sacrifice. My money. You have no idea what you are talking about. Your only response is to throw down the race card. Pathetic.

chris on September 13th, 2009

Susan, it was a marvelous day. I could not believe the crowd and the people. Just a joy to be among such amazing people.

Judith on September 13th, 2009

Joey, I don’t have cash to jaunt around the Capitol. I was laid off my job 2 weeks ago and I have enoungh money to keep a roof over my head for 3 months. I went anyway because this is more important than me. My friend who came with me has even less money than I do.

Bernie on September 14th, 2009

My family and I were at the rally in Washington and were forced to leave early by the sure force of numbers. We didn’t know it then but we were lucky enough to get inside the Capital Court Yard. We spoke with the security police at noon tine and they told me that at that time they estimated about 1.2 Million and that there were more still coming. By 2pm one of the speakers said that they were backed up so far they blocked off the freeway and shutdown that part of DC.
Any news paper, station, etc. where you get your news that plays this down, when it was one of DC largest demonstrations of all times, probably didn’t tell you 2 months ago about Vanjones and all the other radicals the president has placed as czars/advisors. They are the same media that will show the signs that were distasteful, but were way less than 1% of the thousands signs being held that day. Please join me and my family in writing letters to these media outlets telling them why you are canceling their news papers and stop watching their stations.
That’s real power, which is why journalism is dead and the ratings of these biased news organizations are sinking fast!
Note: The healthcare (HC) debate shouldn’t focus just on what we do not like about the democratic views/versions, but have answers for the real problems; high cost of premiums and preexisting conditions. The high cost of premiums has some real easy fixes and should be able to be written in a few pages not 1100; (1) do not allow any taxing of health care. I live in NY and our State Government says there looking for ways to lower HC, but taxes it 20%, that cost just gets handed down to the consumer, it always does. (2) Real tort reform, the money these doctors spend in malpractice insurance is ridicules’, sure they need to be able to be sued for wrong doing, but there needs to be caps and away to stop the frivolous law suits (My understanding is that Doctors win 90% of the time). (3) Create real competition, by allowing us to by a plan that fits our needs as consumers across state line. That’s access to more the 1300 HC insurance companies, that’s real competition. The government option is not competition; they’re not going to pay the taxes, they’re going to be run on taxes. They don’t have to show a profit, and the Presidents idea that you’re going to run a HC system with the savings of corruption from another government HC system-Medicaid is ridiculous.
That is the whole problem with Washington it is corrupt and needs term limits to stop the special interest groups from gaining close relationships with our politicians on either side.