NEWS

Tea Party "Platform" Budget Released!

Building on the grassroots-generated Tea Party Budget,

Senators Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Jim DeMint have proposed

"A Platform to Revitalize America"

This bold, principled plan:

ü Balances the budget in 5 years

ü Cuts government spending by more than $9 trillion over 10 years

ü Repeals ObamaCare and reforms entitlements

ü Shutters or privatizes dozens of agencies and programs

ü Eliminates 4 Departments

TAKE ACTION: Tell your Members of Congress to cosponsor the Tea Party "Platform" Budget

More information:

The Tea Party Budget

A Platform to Revitalize America

OTHER INFORMATION

What is the Tea Party Debt Commission?

The Tea Party Debt Commission is grassroots America's answer to Washington's chronic inability to control spending. A debt crisis looms. We must get our national addiction to big government under control. Since Washington politicians can't seem to agree on real, practical solutions, the tea party must once again step up to the plate and lead.

What are the goals of the Tea Party Debt Commission?

                                                                 Senator Mike Lee of Utah, speaking at the Provo field hearing

The Tea Party Debt Commission was announced in late June 2011 at a summit of tea party leaders in Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to give the American people a platform to propose specific cuts in the federal budget and to put to rest the argument that tea party supporters aren't serious about specific spending cuts and "have no plan." The goal of the effort will be to develop a detailed, serious, grassroots-generated budget plan that:

• Balances the budget within 10 years without tax hikes;
• Cuts at least $9 trillion in spending over 10 years;
• Reduces federal spending to 18 percent of GDP; and
• Reduces the national debt to under 66 percent of GDP.

Budget plans that the commission is taking into consideration include:

• Congressman Connie Mack's Penny Plan
• Congressman Paul Ryan's "Path to Prosperity" Plan (House-Passed)
• Congressman Ron Paul's "Plan to Restore America"
• Senator Tom Coburn's "Back in Black" Plan
• Senator Rand Paul's 5-Year Budget Plan
• Senator Pat Toomey's "Restoring Balance" Budget Plan
• House Republican Study Committee "Honest Solutions" Budget Plan
• Simpson-Bowles Commission Bipartisan "Moment of Truth" Plan
• President Obama's Official Budget Submission for FY2012
• Cato Institute "Balanced Budget" Plan
• Heritage Foundation "Saving the American Dream" Plan
• Esquire Magazine Bipartisan Budget Plan
• NTU-USPIRG "Toward Common Ground" Budget Plan
• Jackson Security Plan (JSP) (Medicare and Social Security accounts)
• FreedomWorks Report Card: Grading the Budget Plans

How many members serve on the Tea Party Debt Commission?

The Commission consists of 12 members, paralleling the structure of the new "deficit reduction super committee" created by Congress as part of the recent debt ceiling compromise. Committee members are volunteer tea party activists and leaders, from a variety of states across the country, including CO, CT, IN, NH, NV, NY, OH, PA, UT, and VA.

Who are the 12 Tea Party Debt Commissioners?

1. Alfred C. Maurer, IT consultant and former military officer. Publisher, The Voice of Liberty, Pikes Peak 9-12, Colorado Springs, CO.
2. Bob MacGuffie, insurance agent. RightPrinciples.com, Fairfield, CT.
3. Greg Fettig, small business owner. America ReFocused, Noblesville, IN.
4. Andrew Hemingway, business owner. Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, Bristol, NH.
5. Phil Henry, formal naval officer and current Marine Corps leadership trainer. White Pine Tea Party, Ely, NV.
6. Deneen Borelli, Project 21 fellow, FreedomWorks fellow. Eastchester, NY.
7. Ed Bell, pre-press services professional. OurTP.org, Eastern Hills Tea Party, Cincinnati, OH.
8. David A. Zupan, community organizer for the Constitution. North Shore Patriots, West Shore Tea Party, Lorain County Tea Party (LoCo47TP), Lorain County 912, Avon Lake, OH.
9. Sam DeMarco, businessman. Veterans and Patriots United, Pittsburgh, PA.
10. Bob Howard, retired business executive. Pennsylvania Coalition for Responsible Government, Pittsburgh, PA.
11. David Kirkham, president, Kirkham Motorsports. Utah Tea Party, Provo, UT.
12. Lawrence L. King, retired project manager. NoVA Tea Party (Taxed Enough Already), Vienna, VA.

What is the "on-line crowd sourcing" survey?

The Tea Party Debt Commission began its grassroots outreach with an online poll (www.TeaPartyDebtCommission.com) allowing voters to prioritize spending cuts. Potential reductions are paired, and the visitor must choose which reduction he or she prefers. Each potential reduction comes with a 1-year and 10-year savings estimate. After finishing the survey, the visitor sees a tally of how much his or her choices reduced overall spending. The potential reductions touch all areas of the federal budget. Over time, the input of thousands of Americans will produce a picture of the public's true priorities.

Click here to see Trending Results from our online survey.

What is the field hearing schedule?

Field hearings—informally dubbed the Stop the Debt! Tour 2011—are currently scheduled for:

•   9/01  Salt Lake City, UT
•   9/23  Orlando, FL
•   9/26  Ogden, UT
•   9/27  Logan, UT
•   9/28  St. George, UT
•   9/29  Philadelphia, PA
•   9/30  Provo, UT
• 10/06  Cincinnati, OH
• 10/08  Louisville, KY
• 10/15  Columbia, SC
• 10/21  Indianapolis, IN
• 11/17  Washington, DC*

* Tentative final report date.

Revisit this page for updates.

Click here for reports and photos from the field hearings.

Where can I find information about specific TPDC field hearings?

To find specific time and place information for other Tea Party Debt Commission field hearings, please visit FreedomConnector.

What will be the final work product of the Tea Party Debt Commission?

The Commission will issue detailed findings and specific legislative recommendations to Congress that show a path forward to save America from a spending-induced debt crisis.

What is FreedomWorks?

FreedomWorks recruits, educates, trains and mobilizes volunteer activists to fight for less government, lower taxes, and more freedom. Founded in 1984, FreedomWorks is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has over 1.4 million grassroots volunteers nationwide.

What is FreedomWorks' role in the Tea Party Debt Commission process?

FreedomWorks came up with the basic idea, persuaded tea party leaders from across the country to embrace it, and is helping facilitate the Commission's work. The Commission's final work-product will be the work of the entire tea party movement, from the bottom up.

Slides:

Click here to view the slides from the field hearings.

Tea Party Debt Commission in the News:

New York Times: A Tea Party Panel Supports Health Care Law’s Repeal
Commissioner Phil Henry in local newspaper
Slate: At Denny's, the Tea Party holds its own debt-commission hearing
CNN: Tea Party group forms its own 'super committee'
The Salt Lake Tribune: Tea Party Debt Commission in Utah
Deseret News: First Field Hearing in Utah
USA Today: Tea Party Debt Commission Asks How to Cut Budget
The New York Times: The Tea Party Plans Its Own Debt Panel
CBS News: Conservative Group Launches "Tea Party Debt Commission"
The Daily Caller: FreedomWorks forming rival debt commission to Obama's group
The Denver Post: Tea Party seeking recipe to cut debt

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Submit your own ideas for cutting spending and balancing the budget:

info@teapartydebtcommission.com

What Spending Cuts Would You Prioritize?

TAKE OUR ONLINE SURVEY NOW

TAKE ACTION: Tell your Members of Congress to cosponsor the Tea Party "Platform" Budget