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For most of her life, Anna Kroyman ignored politics - it was just too boring.
"I never voted, I never paid attention, I never cared," says Kroyman. But all that has changed. This year Kroyman, 60, organized a Tea Party group in her town of Monticello, Ind., establishing a group that now has more than 200 members.
The event that awakened her political awareness - and she remembers it clearly because it came as a shock - was the Senate impeachment hearings of former President Bill Clinton. She heard two words emanate from the living room -- oral sex -- dropped the dishes in the sink and went into the living room where her boyfriend, Jack Van Vulkenburg, 65, was watching TV.
"It was like, are you kidding me? This is what's happening in our White House... (Bill Clinton) was like Ferris Bueller in the White House.... I thought it was hysterical," says Kroyman, who runs a telephone sales business out of her home.
She became a political junkie, following the hearings, watching the news, watching C-SPAN and memorizing the legislators' names. For the first time in her life, at age 50, she voted and exercised her conservative leanings.
After the last election she decided to step it up a notch, because she believes the country is "going down a dangerous path."
"We're heading into a socialistic system here," says Kroyman. "What we are experiencing now is the fall of democracy."
She says the catalyst that led her to found the Tea Party group was the rant by CNBC's Rick Santelli in February 2009 expressing outrage over an Obama administration policy to help distressed homeowners, even if they had bought more house than they could actually afford. The rant went viral on the Internet, where it was embraced by conservatives and derided by liberals as political theater.
At Van Valkenburg's suggestion Kroyman started a Website named "C-Corn.com"( http://c-corn.com/) -- as in ACORN for conservatives - not anticipating how fervently she would pursue the idea.
"I hike the ball, and she runs with it," says Van Valkenburg, a retired Chicago policeman who describes himself as a lifelong "anti-liberal."
She convened the first meeting of White County Tea Party Patriots at the local USA Family Restaurant in January with just eight people. Now the group has 232 members, Kroyman says.
The group regularly hosts political candidates to quiz them on their positions. They don't endorse candidates - like many other Tea Party groups the group is registered as a 527 educational nonprofits and thus prohibited from doing so. They do press for core values - limited government, fiscal responsibility and free markets - that she believes have been undermined by Congress and the president.
At a White County Tea Party event on Friday, held in a meeting room at the local utility company, Kroyman and Van Valkenburg passed the microphone among the 100 or so people who came to question Dan Coats, the Republican candidate for Senate. He fielded questions on immigration, value-added-tax and the health care package while his wife gave what was billed as an "impromptu" talk about her family's conservative values.
The group has hosted many of the candidates who will be on the ballot here, including Rep. Brad Ellsworth, a Democrat. Kroyman says she has repeatedly invited Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly, but he hasn't accepted.
"Donnelly is telling us who he is by not coming," she says angrily.
Kroyman did not have time to attend a statewide anti-"Obamacare" rally held in Indianapolis over the weekend because she had other local Tea Party events to run in coming days before elections.
"Now I realize the seriousness of the matter," says Kroyman. "Now I'm looking for (candidates) who want to preserve the Constitution, who love this country, and save it from people who don't."
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I feel sorry [almost, not] for the idiot boyfriend. He obviously has not had a good BJ is a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time.
Wasn't Monica Lewinski a republican?? I seem to remember she had a nice pair of knees, no? She was built sorta like Sara "thunder thighs" palin, yes, no?
Given t-party members' level of intelligence, or, I should say, lack of -- it may take awhile before they realize they are not a "third party", but just a bunch of right-wingnut whackos who have been duped -- again -- by the Gestapo On Parade (GOP).
They ought to just put "Hey. I'm stupid, I'm a member of the t-party" " on those red t-party shirts.
Are these faces of the tea party articles backward hit pieces? I mean really....
*bangs head on laptop*
Just look real close at the picture headlining this article.. under it, it reads...
"Anna and Jack are founding members of the White County Tea Party Patriots".
"White County Patriots".... there they are, looking like trailer-park trash geniuses, and two apparent bigots.
Is there a "Black County, up their way?
Okay I would like to see just ONE person that is worried that the US is on a path to Socialism take a stand and not use any of the "socialist" benefits that we enjoy in this country. NO social security, no mail service, no police/fire/traffic safety, no subsidized agriculture (meaning don't eat any food that is produced using government subsidies), don't work for any company that has ever taken a government subsidy or bail out. no military, no public parks or beaches, no public funded ANYTHING! Then I would like them to explain to me where the line is between a commonwealth that is a functioning government and a socialist government.
Our nation is no-where even remotely close to becoming a nation on a socialist path. First, try getting your nomenclature straight, which might actually take geting something akin to a real education (not found on any FOX news channels).
A social program, and "Socialism" are NOT one and the same, at all!
Socialism is a type of economic system, wherein the "State" owns everything.
Public education, for example, is a "social program", or a public program. A country with a Universal healthcare system does not "take a path to socialism" (which the deceitful republicans like to falsely tout).
Repulcians, particularly, represent mainly the richest caplitalists -- the elite, corporate types -- the money mongering Wall-streeters. And for these capitalists, their greatest fear is being exposed for the thieves they really are. Second to that, they fear finally being held accountable for their price fixing, profiteering, racketeering, etc.
The Wall Street control of our healthcare system (Insurers, BigParm, Corporate clinics and hospitals), like banks controlling money -- puts profits ahead of all else, to include your health, your hospital care, your job, or you owning your own home! Literally, everything comes second to their profiteering.
They have transformed even our "good health" into a "market share" commodity, and have sought to profiteer at every level of what has already become and embarrassingly ineffective, and an overtly INCREASINGLY expensive (read unaffordable) healthcare system.
"Free Market" healthcare has failed miserably, and has actually spawned a healthcare "system" (racket), that is "treatment oriented", and NOT, "cure-oriented". This is what the corporate owned, bought and paid for, GOP, stands for, and wants to keep in place, entirely!!
It is far more profitable to have expensive INEFFECTIVE treatments, than to find inexpensive cures for diseases (which is the actual reason GOP legislators block stem-cell research). And, as the insurance companies have always done -- fear pandering is their forte: to literally brainwash folks with fear so that you will spend your money on what is many times, virtually useless insurance!
Controlling the costs of healthcare issues that are bankrupting Americans, hand over fist, is not wrong for government to do. It is literally EXPECTED that our government would step in when mafia-like corporations work together in what is the equivalent of a criminal conspriacy to rip us all off, royally (racketeering)!
And, make no mistake, these corporations will unabashedly throw tens of millions of advertising dollars out there to work to defeat legislation that would stop their cash-cow in its tracks. In the current case, these corrupted healthcare corpoations are funding every effort -- using their own bought and paid for GOP -- to stop healthcare reforms, Wall Street reforms, Bsanking reforms, etc and ultimately, working feverishly to undermine ALL healthcare reforms, and to STOP Universal healthcare from becoming a reality (which it eventually will come about, in time anyway -- and, which is a GOOD THING)!!!!
We have a public funded "military system", does that make for us having Socialism for our economic system? NO!!
They want to save this country from the Socialists? Just think how much fun it will be when we replace the "socialists who don't love their country" with the social Darwinists like these people. These clowns give "dog-eat-dog" a new meaning!
Catydid,
There is a big difference between those that are less fortunate and those that expect entitlements. Why is that everyone thinks they are better than any member of the tea party? What gives you the only opinion in town that is supposed to matter or worse, to think that you are better than someone else? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and it's a shame that you can't see that before you open your mouth to insult someone else.
White County? Don't you mean White Country. More misspelling from illiterate teabaggers. Racist rednecks is what the be.
Aren't these rednecks living in sin? What would tea party Christine O'Donell say about unmarried couples living together? Typical teabaggers, it's ok for me to do it, but bad for you. I bet they get Medicare or Medicaid.
It's amazing how absolutely clueless you are in your assumptions about these people. You are exactly the reason why normal people have such a distaste for people like yourself. I have news for you Teabaggers, anyone who makes use of a disgusting sexual act as your nickname shouts volumes of your lack of civility. It's no wonder why the Democrats are in trouble come November. I will dancing in the street just to you see you upset when the Democrats lose control Congress.
This Kroyman lady never paid attention to politics until she heard the words "oral sex"? That's pitiful. The idea of politics was boring, eh? That tells you what the mentality of tea baggers is. It makes no sense. They probably think I should have written "it makes no cents". Go back to washing dishes and let those of us who are capable, do the thinking.
to all you tea baggers, where were all of you so called patriots when Bush was spending in Iraq on his agenda? Maybe you ans Sarah can find those weapons of mass distruction.
here is a bitch living with a guy she is not married to and she is going to throw stones at someone else for lack of morality...
takes a lot of balls to take issue with someone else that shows a lack of morality, here is a woman that is living with her boy friend without being married to him..thik that she sould clean up her own house before taking issue with some one elses behavior...
I find it interesting she became so focused onthe Clinton Lewinski scandle. Which actually began as a Arkansas land deal ( WhiteWater)several years later and 40 million dollors ended as an inappropriate whitehouse affair. Ken Starr should be proud he exposed an episode of falatio in the white house. Nothing stuck with the Whitewater thing. She also seemed to use the word socilism as if it was a nasty word and applied it where it doesnt apply. She skipped ahead 12 years and applied it the the current healthcare legislation which I beleive to be Fascism. The government requiring everyone to buy private insurance plans, that covers private doctors with contracts with private insurance companys. It's interesting that she didn't mention Goerge W Bushes and the Republican lead legislatures medicare Drug spending bill, ( which was certainly a piece of fascist legislation. She uses 2 sets of standards one for Republicans and one for Democrats. I wonder if She'll vote for Newt Gingrich in 2012. Newt has a clorful history of adultry.
Their t-shirts are missing an "r" between the "t" and "y" in "County."
Murray R. -- you hit it on the nail!! Tea Partiers want to revert to ignorant bliss where corrupt republicans spent our money on big business, not on the elderly, sick or poor ... but kept it out of sight. We're in this economic mess because of 8 years of republican authority/majority. Where were the tea partiers at that time?! Now that the bill has finally reached the table, everyone is shouting foul including the idiot republicans who got us in this mess.
As for the tea party candidates, well they are just spewing what the tea partiers want to hear. They appear so indignant and righteous -- they are ridiculous. I know that if we had a white president, even a democrat, these tea party followers would not exist. But look who is their leader ... the closet KKK herself Sarah Palin. I hate how John McCain brought her into our lives ... why couldn't he have chosen anyone else in the party!
Is that "White Country" as in the country is for "Whites Only"?
"Tea Party" = Anarchists!!!
They all claim they are protectors of The Constitution, but if asked five questions about The Constitution, they would probably not get any of them right. We all saw O'Donnell dumfounded response to the question regarding Church and State and her inability to answer questions regarding other amendments. This is a group of people who do not know what they are so angry about as they receive their Social Security, Medicare and farm subsidies. The bailout of the banks, was a Bush program not Obama much like Reagan's bailout of the Savings and Loan industry in the 80's. Most people would tell you it was a giveaway not aware that the banks are obligated and in many instances have paid the money back with interest. In the 80's the savings and Loan bailout was paid back with a profit.
They all claim they are protectors of The Constitution, but if asked five questions about The Constitution, they would probably not get any of them right. We all saw O'Donnell dumfounded response to the question regarding Church and State and her inability to answer questions regarding other amendments. This is a group of people who do not know what they are so angry about as they receive their Social Security, Medicare and farm subsidies. The bailout of the banks, was a Bush program not Obama much like Reagan's bailout of the Savings and Loan industry in the 80's. Most people would tell you it was a giveaway not aware that the banks are obligated and in many instances have paid the money back with interest. In the 80's the savings and Loan bailout was paid back with a profit.
These ignorant people are the core-representation of a bogus GOP party, not a THIRD PARTY, at all!
Here's a fact for all of you out there to swallow. The corproate-corrupted GOP not only is 100% responsible for this fiscal nightmare, they are also responsible for a much larger rip-off that is right under our noses, and the GOP does not want you to notice this!
The bush-GOP-pharm bill will cost more in deficit spending than did the TARP, stimulus and Healthcare bills, COMBINED!! This is just one more example of how absolutely two-faced and corrupted the GOP is!!
Not the KKK? True.
The silent majority that allowed the KKK to exist, from 1870 to 1950, without complaining about it? Also true.
A group that thinks it is entitled to rule America, and intimidate those who oppose them and their goals into silence. Hence all this nonsense they spout about 'taking back America'.
Just like their historical predecessors, unknowing puppets of the those with the real money and power.
Please make a difference people. This is a spreading like a VIRUS across the Grand Ol' US of A. SB-1070 Please read and re-post this http://www.cyinterview.com/2010/10/davidblack-p-draft/
For the last 30 years, everything that was foreseeable and I thought might happen in our economy and politics has. Didn't make sense to keep cutting taxes and still be able to maintain public services and investments. Guess what - it hasn't.
Didn't seem like the constant funneling of wealth to the upper income brackets would help develop a sustainable economic foundation for job creation - it hasn't. It seemed most likely that new ways to make money without labor would get most attention - certainly so witnessed by the explosion in financial services in the last 15 years.
Didn't think and still don't think America will ever recover until its citizens have grown up expectations that unless they pay for what they want they will behave responsibly. The Bush mistake nearly every one of these so called Tea Party Patriots make is to refuse to pay for what has already been borrowed the old fashioned way. Still these people live in the never never land that they can make someone else pay - like cutting someone else's government services instead of paying via taxation they already sought to avoid. Two wrongs 1st via not paying for our own choices and 2nd via taking away services we think others don't deserve is childlike and immoral. It will NEVER work!!
What do u expect from Indiana the last strong hold of the KKK
And who is the first ding-a-ling on this site raving about "COMMUNISTS" taking over the government???? Dude, the only Commies left are the Chinese and THEY NOW OWN US thanks to your pals George and Dick giving them the farm to pay for tax cuts for the rich and the bogus war in Iraq.
As far as the Tea Party...as they say....
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.