How Will You Celebrate This 9/12?

I’m often asked why we’re not organizing another Taxpayer March on Washington this September 12th. Why, after more than a million Americans protested on 9/12/2009 and 9/12/2010, aren’t we headed back to Washington?

The reason is simple: we’re not just a protest movement anymore.

This movement has had stages. We began as a protest movement against big government in 2009, morphed into America’s most powerful get-out-the-vote machine in 2010, and pushed for transformative legislative change to rein in government in 2011.

With this evolution, we are moving closer to establishing the Tea Party movement as the permanent force for limited government, free markets, and individual liberty. But people’s interest in national politics is always temporary. I believe if this movement intends to be permanent, it must move beyond political space—into cultural space.

We do that by taking a movement already based on leaderless decentralization and making it even more local. As we’ve seen this year in state battles, local is where we win. It’s also how we grow, recruit and stay connected as a movement. Plan your local 9/12 event right now on FreedomConnector, our online activism tool that helps grassroots activists find groups, create events and start organizing locally!

Can’t wait til 9/12 to get started? We’ve created a special section on FreedomConnector called August Action where you can start organizing for August townhalls and district office visits today. Get started now!

Rather than spending your hard-earned money or using your vacation time to travel to DC, I’m asking you to celebrate this 9/12 by increasing your influence locally:

• Have your local Tea Party or 9-12 group host a BBQ at a nearby park or family-friendly location. Invite new people to attend to help grow the movement. Set up some games, have a potluck and make it fun.

• Register people to vote. Gather voter registration forms and set up a table at a local store or high traffic area. Remember if we’re going to win elections we need people who are able to vote.

• Organize for a local issue. National politics is important but nothing affects you more directly than what goes on in your community. Is there a bill in the state legislature or a debate on the city council you care about? Rally your Tea Party behind the issue.

• Host a movie night or start a book club. Invite friends to join and help grow the movement. You could watch “Tea Party: The Documentary Film” or pick one of the books from our FreedomWorks reading list.

Want to get started? You’ll find no place better than FreedomConnector. Plan your local 9/12 event today!

Remember, government goes to those that show up. But that doesn’t mean just in DC. Get local, get organized and get going right now.

In Liberty,

Matt Kibbe
President and CEO, FreedomWorks