Debbie Riddle

Representative Debbie Riddle To Speak At Local Tea Party On Tax Day

// April 15th, 2010 // Latest News, video

While they haven’t dumped tea into Boston Harbor to protest taxes – yet – the Tea Party Patriots have become a political force in just 14 months.

On Feb. 19, 2009, CNBC Business News Editor Rick Santelli ranted from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, suggesting the formation of a Chicago Tea Party to rally against the Homeowner’s Affordability and Stability Plan.

Little did the reporter know he would start a movement that was instrumental in postponing the health care reform bill an entire year and could have a serious impact on the elections in November, said Suzanne Guggenheim, president of the North Houston Tea Party Patriots.

Members of the group will rally from 6-8 p.m. tonight at Houston’s Sam Houston Race Park, located at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West in Houston. The rally will not only be a Tax Day protest, but also will celebrate the organization’s first year, Guggenheim said.

Speakers at the rally include state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Houston, and former state Rep. Rick Green.

Guggenheim said she hopes to see at least 10,000 people at the event. That’s how many showed up at the group’s last event at the race park, in November. Members of the Greater Houston Tea Party Patriots, Kingwood Tea Party Society, Tomball Tea Party Society and other organizations will be in attendance.

The group’s theme this year is “Take Back America Now,” as members will educate voters about conservative values and attempt to bring those values back to the American people, Guggenheim said. It also refers this year, she said, to the possibility of the Republican Party taking back the congressional majority.

“(The health care bill) has really raised awareness, and people have said, ‘We do not want this,” Guggenheim said. “We do think we will take our country back this year.”

Matt Stephens can be reached at mstephens@hcnonline.com. Read the full article at hcnonline.com.