Scenes From The Lansing, Michigan Tax Day Tea Party, Part One

UPDATE: There is now a separate site dedicated to free-use Tea Party signs and slogans!  Visit Tea Party Signs to see them all.


I shot hundreds of photos today, Crumb Crunchers...these are but a few. I won't have time to review and sort them all until tomorrow, but I wanted you to have a feel for what went on here today as soon as possible.

It was AMAZING! The State Police aerial surveillance estimated the crowd at 4,000 to 4,200. As you can see from some of the pictures, the place was ROCKIN'! I hope you had as much fun at your location as I did at mine.

I haven't done any fancy editing or cropping, I just resized these so they would upload here. Look for more and even better stuff tomorrow.

A 'Cast of Thousands'!


Looking East on Michigan Avenue


Ha! Great Sign!



Socialism. I see a theme here.


It was a VERY diverse crowd.


Joe 'The Plumber' and our own Joan Fabiano


Ya think?

For even more photos, click here!

Republicans Gone Wild, Michigan Edition

Americans for Prosperity-Michigan is urging action to stop Michigan Senate Bill SB 45 (text file). Introduced by four Republicans who ought to know better, SB 45 will create a new state bureaucracy for septic tanks and the new fees necessary to sustain it.

Can you believe it? Michigan is in the economic toilet and our politicians are busy with this crap. All puns intended, 'cause I just couldn't make this stuff up, Crumb Crunchers. From AFP's analysis:

Home and business owners would be responsible to pay the fee for these inspections. The cost of new construction would also increase as a result of the additional fee. The taxpayer would also be on the hook to pay for the newly created On-site Wastewater Treatment System Advisory Council and the Alternative System Technical Advisory Committee.

SB 45's sponsors are Sen. Patty Birkholz (R-24), Sen. Jason Allen (R-37), Sen. John Pappageorge (R-13) and Sen. Roger Kahn (R-32). It was referred to the Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee, which Sen. Birkholz chairs. The other members of the committee are Sen. Van Woerkom (VC), Sen. Patterson, Sen. Basham (MVC) and Sen. Gleason.

I will be telling these Senators that SB 45 (PDF file) is solid waste and should be flushed immediately. I hope you will do the same. For more analysis of this bill, see Michigan Votes.

Just Say NO!