BREWSTER — About 150 people came to Sciortino's restaurant Tuesday night to see national Tea Party leader Dick Armey during a rally by the Hudson Valley Patriots.

Armey, a former House Republican majority leader and FreedomWorks' leader, signed copies of his book, "Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto," which was released Tuesday.

Lisa Douglas, founder of the Hudson Valley Patriots and organizer of the group's "Give Us Liberty Rally," said the event had an important purpose.

"We are here for Dick's kickoff campaign and to get the word out of who we are locally," she said. "The turnout could have been better."

The Hudson Valley Patriots is a nonprofit organization that believes in fiscal responsibility , constitutionally limited government and free markets.

Douglas said the organization is not a Tea Party group because the Tea Party endorses candidates and the Patriots do not.

David Spielman, campaign coordinator of FreedomWorks, collected donations and handed out pamphlets on the organization and Armey's book tour.

"This (event) is about bringing back liberty, bringing activists together and lowering taxes," he said. "The book is exactly dead-on on where this movement is going. It is fair and valid."

FreedomWorks is an organization based in Washington that "recruits, educates, trains and mobilizes volunteer activists to fight for less government, lower taxes and more freedom."

Pat Tyndall, 41, of Brewster bought a copy of the book as his small sons, Jack, Owen and Andrew, watched the rally.

"I am looking forward to reading it," the contractor said.

"I go to many Tea Party events because they have a good message and they are trying to put things back in the people's hands." he said.

"We are here trying to protect their future," he said as he pointed to his children.

"I am here because I don't like the direction the country is going," Ellen Morelock, 58, of Danbury, Conn., said while buying a shirt that read, "Take Back America 2010."

"The people should have more of a say in how the country is run. We have to get out of debt," Morelock said.

Brian Bertha of Millbrook, N.Y., agreed.

"It is our responsibility to clean up this mess, and we will do it in November," the 63-year-old said to the crowd from atop a red-, white- and blue-trimmed flatbed truck. "I am a little older, so I have 10 or 20 years left. I want my children and grandchildren to grow up free in this country like I did."