Excerpt
The following is from the April 12, 2009, edition of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Political Science Professor Cal Jillson of SMU's Dedman College provided expertise for this story.
April 13, 2009
By AMAN BATHEJA
For now, it’s not about the war on terrorism, abortion or gay marriage.
The issue stoking outrage among thousands of conservatives across the country is runaway spending. And that’s why they chose Wednesday — tax day, April 15 — to hold "tea party" rallies nationwide.
Dozens of tea party rallies are being planned to oppose the Obama administration’s fiscal policies. At least 10 rallies are being planned in the Metroplex. Gov. Rick Perry is scheduled to attend the Fort Worth rally at LaGrave Field.
"It’s a day to get together with fellow patriots all across the state of Texas," Perry said in a YouTube video about the rallies posted last week. "Let them know what you think about the bailouts, all this stimulus, all this runaway spending going on in Washington, D.C."
The rallies are the most visceral display of a growing frustration among conservatives over President Barack Obama’s approach to the economic crisis. Though the multibillion-dollar bailouts started under President George W. Bush, the opposition from conservatives has grown stronger as Obama has increased the public stake in troubled banks and other private industries while continuing to pursue expensive campaign promises like healthcare reform. . .
Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, said Republicans have long found success emphasizing tax cuts and reduced spending.
"That message will play for them again but right now Americans are so focused on Obama being successful that they’re going to give him a chance," Jillson said. "What that means for Republicans is for the next six months to a year, they are going to be shouting into a wind tunnel with no real effect."
Read the full story.
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