Top 5 political stories — No. 3: Tea Parties

Editor’s note: With the days, weeks and months seemingly passing faster than ever, it can be difficult to remember what happened yesterday much less the past six months. To that end, The City Wire will during the next three weeks highlight the top 5 stories of the first half of 2009 in the following categories: Business/economy, political, and cultural. The top 5 business/economy stories were counted down between July 20 and July 24; the political top 5 between July 27 and July 31; and the top 5 cultural between Aug. 3 and Aug. 7.

Attendance at the first Tax Day Tea Party held April 15 in Pendergraft Park in downtown Fort Smith exceeded the expectations of co-organizer Greg White.

The event, held 4 to 7 p.m. in the park, was one of more than 760 held around the country. The Associated Press reported that possibly hundreds of thousands of people around the country participated in the events. The Fort Smith Police Department estimated that more than 1,400 people attended the three-hour rally.

“Tax Day Tea Party” is the group pushing the April 15 gatherings. It is a Chicago-based volunteer organization funded by “average Americans” and not corporations or political interests, said spokeswoman Julie Johnson. And tax day is just the first step, Johnson said, with “new projects” to be launched after April 15 to keep the momentum going.

Many attendees at the Fort Smith event carried signs like “TEA: Taxed Enough Already,” and “No More Bailouts.” Speakers at the event included Fort Smith Mayor Ray Baker, former Sebastian County Judge W.R. “Bud” Harper and J.R. Dallas, former commander of the 188th Fighter Wing based in Fort Smith.

A second Tea Party was held July 4, between 10 a.m. and Noon, at Pendergraft Park. White, along with co-organizer Larry Willis, planned the second Tea (Taxed Enough Already) Party in Fort Smith.

The July 4 parties are sponsored by Tupelo, Miss.-based American Family Association, which says it had almost 1,300 cities lined up for the July 4 rallies.

PREVIOUS TOP 5 POLITICAL STORIES
No. 5 — Former Fort Smith union president opposes Card Check
No. 4 — Fort Smith sales tax extension

TOP 5 BUSINESS/ECONOMY STORIES
No. 5 — The Compass Report
No. 4 — Economic development changes
No. 3 — Intermodal authority
No. 2 — Job losses – unemployment rate
No. 1 — Sparks Health System