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Debilyn’s Desktop
As we welcome the new Board of Directors in January 2012, I’m thoughtful about how far this organization has grown in just under two years. What started as a Facebook fan page in January 2010 has evolved into a national (or international) organization filled with passionate people concerned about our country. We are all determined to take positive action to leave the world a better place for future generations. You can see a timeline of Coffee Party USA events and actions here. What started as thousands of people gathering (or should I say “Occupying”?) in coffee shops around the country to meet others with differing perspectives, have civil conversation and learning to appreciate diversity of thought has now morphed into an active Citizens Lobby campaign. Do we still meet in coffee shops to have dialogue and shoot the breeze? Of course! Then we get up and go to work as citizens of the USA. The Citizens Lobby is our way of letting Congress know what We The People want and expect from them. Anyone can do this, even you. Here’s how:
Want to make it more fun? Recruit a friend to go with you! Here are links to the Coffee Party materials: Three Pillars of Coffee Party Action Become an Official Member
| Journey from fiscal Responsibilityby Eric Byler The GOP's journey from fiscal responsibility
NPR's Peabody Award-winning radio magazine "Fresh Air" hosts Rolling Stone political correspondent Tim Dickinson for this compelling interview that covers the people and the events that transformed the Republican Party between 1981 and 1997.
As the Nov. 23 debt reduction deadline looms over Congress and the Super-committee, it's revealing to take a look at the rationale behind the Republican party's transition from fiscal responsibility to "starve the beast" — a policy approach designed to put the government in a perilous fiscal situation and then use the resulting crisis to attack programs like Social Security and Medicare. We also learn that fiscal conservatives in the George W. Bush's administration began to have second thoughts about the Bush tax cuts when it became clear the economy was no longer growing as it had been in the 90's. Fittingly, Cheney as VP cast the tie-breaking vote to bring the infamous tax cuts to the President's desk, and the record surpluses of the Clinton Era quickly turned into record deficits. "Deficits don't matter," was Cheney's mantra at the time. The two most prominent advocates for fiscal responsibility in the Republican party both went down to defeat over the issue of taxes. Sen. Bob Dole helped President Reagan push through a tax hike in 1982, only to be defeated by VP George H. W. Bush in the 1988 Presidential primary when he refused to sign Grover Norquist's No Tax Pledge. Bush did sign it, of course, then famously broke it causing a war within the Republican party. Guess who led the revolt against President H.W. Bush — House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Speaking of speakers, John Boehner is mentioned in the interview as a casualty of the Republican schism over taxes. Call For BloggersAre you a good researcher and writer? If you have signed our Civility Pledge please send an email to the editor below with the topic you want to blog about. Visit our blog. It provides a flavor of what Coffee Party is all about and what it does. Our blogs are informative, factual, and vibrant. We want bloggers with of all points of view as this is the place of civil discussion and the exchange of ideas. It is through this dialogue that good policy emerges. | ||
Help us grow Coffee Party 2.0— a 21st century grassroots movement that aims to catalyze cooperative action, generate sustained influence, and achieve "game changing" impact on key political issues of our time.
We Need Your Support Now
There will be misinformation throughout this election cycle like any other. The difference however is that the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, will allow those spreading misinformation a virtual bottomless source of funding to deceive us. We must do our part to mitigate the damage of this decision in 4 specific ways.
I am an unpaid volunteer like most Coffee Party USA members as well as a board member who believe in our movement. I am committed, Coffee Party USA is committed, and we all must be committed to effecting change for the sake of our family and country.
Selected Blogs | |||
Patriotic Millionairesby Eric Byler Patriotic Millionaires Charlie Fink and Garret Gruener Wave the Banner of the 99 Percent
We are proud to have had Patriotic Millionaire Charlie Fink speak at Citizens Intervention DC on October 29th. This group has had an important impact on our national discourse, debunking 1% rhetoric such as the charge of "class warfare" any time an irresponsible and unsustainable economic policy (that benefits the super wealthy at the expense of America) is pointed out. It isn't "class" that separates the 99% and the 1%, at least not "class" in the financial sense of the word. | Who Defines Christian valuesby Annie Parker What should define Christian values? The Bible, or the TV?
Many years ago I lamented to a friend that there were so many well-publicized and well-heeled Christians who supported conservative public policies antithetical to Christian values. My friend asserted that the majority of Christians were in the political middle and left, what Annabel Park would call the "silenced majority." I was skeptical then, but since renewing my faith, I have grown to understand that this is true. | ||
From Coffee Shops to Congressional Offices.
There are so many great stories in this piece. I had no idea, for instance, that President Reagan raised the capital gains tax rate in 1986 after going to the American people with a message of economic equality (if you 
The 2012 Election has already begun. You have a vested interest in the results of this election. The tenets you support in our 
Annie Parker is a mother of three who lives, loves, and writes in Arlington, Virginia. She is an active member of the local Unitarian Universalist church and is involved in interfaith social justice work in her community. And she is the newest blogger for the Coffee Party pilot program Belief in America.
