The Tea Party is Alive and Well in Southwestern PA

No matter what James Carville may think, the Tea Party is alive and well. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Tea Party held an event in Greensburg, Pa on Saturday July 7^th. About 1000 patriots filled St. Clair Park in the small Pennsylvania town.

Adam Schaeffer of the CATO Institute extolled the virtues of Pennsylvania's Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. The EITC helps students trapped in failing schools to attend the school that best fits their educational needs. Stressing the need to remove government from our educational system, Mr. Schaeffer discussed his work to expand and develop programs like the EITC that provide money for school choice without government intervention or mandates.

Ben Kinchlow, radio personality and author, delivered the keynote speech. Mr. Kinchlow talked about his youth and involvement in the civil rights movement. He delivered a resounding laugh line when he said he worked long and hard to get black people elected to office, and now he is working to get one out.

Mr. Kinchlow left us with this memorable quote, “When a government becomes powerful it is destructive, extravagant and violent; it is an usurer which takes bread from innocent mouths and deprives honorable men of their substance, for votes with which to perpetuate itself.” Though this could be said of our current government.” The quote is from Cicero about 56 B.C.