Lake County Tea Party – Libertyville – Report (w/photos)

ABC’s laughable report on this event is here, and they even have a video. Here is the report at the :ake County Tea Party’s website. My report starts after the link to their video, below. First, though, I need to set the record straight on what Leah Hope reported.

Here I’m quoting Leah Hope of ABC—

July 5, 2010 (LIBERTYVILLE, Ill.) (WLS) – More than 100 people took the opportunity to celebrate the nation’s Independence Day Monday by calling for less government and individual freedom.

Truth be told, it was close to 600, but who’s counting? Certainly not the media that prefer to downplay the importance of an event like this, and want everyone to believe that Tea Parties are strictly created for and by Republicans. They don’t even pretend to be objective anymore…

They joined several politicians for a Tea Party political movement rally in north suburban Libertyville.

“Libertyville is the perfect place to have a Tea Party. It’s the center of Lake County, and it’s called Libertyville. It is all about liberty, all about freedom,” said Lennie Jarratt, Lake County Tea Party chairman.

Local Tea Party organizers gathered officials and politicians to address the crowd.

“I congratulate all of you for getting involved in government at the local,” said Terry Weppler, Libertyville mayor.

Organizers say they invited all candidates. They say a few Libertarians and Independents responded, but most of the politicians who showed up were Republicans.

WRONG!!!

And I quote from here:

It was not all local politicians, as ABC 7 reported

and the majority of them were *gasp* not Republicans! As you can see in this detailed accounting:

2 of the Gubernatorial Candidates Spoke: Bill Brady (R) and Lex Green (L)
1 Lt. Gov. Candidate: Ed Rutledge (L)
1 Comptroller Candidate: Julie Fox (L)
1 Sec. of State Candidate: Roberto Enriquez (R)

Of the state-wide candidates, there were more Libertarians than Republicans.
Local office candidates:

Joe Walsh (R) led the Pledge of Allegiance
Sheriff Mark Curran (R)
Dan Sugrue (R)
Keith Turner (L)

All of the DEMS refused or did not respond.

NOTE: DEMOCRATS WERE INVITED TO THIS EVENT AND DECLINED

Non Candidates:

Terry Weppler, Mayor of Libertyville
David Schippers, Constitutional Lawyer
Arie Friedman, Pediatrician
Steve Tucker, Healthcare Expert
Joe Calomino, Americans for Prosperity
Maria Rodriguez, For the Good of Illinois
Rosanna Pulido, Illinois Minutemen
James Pittman, Assoc. Pastor
Richard Valkanet, Pastor
Michael Carbone, D46 School Board Member & Lake County Tea Party Board Member
Bob Cook, Chairman, Lake County Republicans
Bonnie Quirke – Lake County Right to Life
Paul Mitchell – Lake County Tea Party Board Member
Peter Karlovics – Lake County Tea Party Board Member
Ray True, Republican Assembly of Lake County

13 non affiliated speakers
7 Republican candidates/party leaders
3 Libertarian Candidates
1 Independent Candidate

ABC’s video link: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=7538346

The Lake County Tea Party was held in Cook’s Park off of Milwaukee, with the historic Ansel B. Cook Home as the backdrop, with the striking Eagle Logo of the Lake County Tea Party stretched across the entryway. It was a dramatic setting, and the audience sat around the rose garden, while tables for different groups were off to the side.

So on with the pictures.

As I came onto the scene, the Bill Brady bus was parked on the street, and it circled the block a few times before it left. I am disappointed that I missed Bill Brady speaking at this event; I arrived after about halfway through the speakers. I did shoot video of some of them, and will be going through it all to see what turned out.

Dr. Arie Friedman talked about a conversation he had with his young daughter, who voted for Obama, who is coming around to realizing what a disaster the healthcare bill will be for people, and for doctors and their practices.

Bob Cook encourages people to get involved, and if someone wants to walk their precinct, he will be more than happy to put them to work. He is in the business of rallying the troops, and he will do just that, the inspiring and motivating former marine that he is.

Bonnie Quirke spoke briefly, representing Lake County Right to Life.

Dan Sugrue was relaxed and passionate about what needs to be done to turn things around.

Joe Calomino spoke about the mountains of debt we are in…

Julie Fox is a bright Accountant who is running as a LIbertarian for Comptroller.

Maria was pitching for “Open the Books” as Director of “For the Good of Illinois”.

Paul did an outstanding job as MC. There were two fellows with weird signs saying things like “get off my lawn, kids!” – and “Justin Bieber” and some odd website with “lemon” in it, which apparently has some pornography on it. I walked over to take a little video of them, mentioning that they were the trolls that live under the bridge. Some of our people moved in and stood in front of them with signs, but Paul said everyone should just let them be; that our leaving them alone lays bare the lies that the media and democrat politicians tell about Tea Partiers being violent bigots.

Richard Valkanet talked about our nation’s heritage, and how God was always a part of it.

Roberto Enriquez is the Republican Candidate for Secretary of State.

Roberto read Rosanna Pulido’s material and wanted to debate her, but the planners were short on time with all the speakers. That would have been interesting!
Steve Tucker did another presentation on Health Insurance and what is happening to the health insurance industry since Obama signed the Healthcare bill into law. Several insurance companies have already given up the ghost and gone out of the healthcare insurance business…small companies are being gobbled up by the large companies. And what’s worse, is the options are growing slim to none. This is what happens when crushing taxation comes along…somebody has to pay for it. Insurance policies are going up in price, even with as much as $25,000 deductibles. They are trying to live within the confines of what is written in this goofy legislation…which is crushing them.

If ever you get the opportunity to hear Steve Tucker or pose some questions to him, he is very knowledgeable about Obamacare and what it’s doing to the insurance industry.

Ray True was entertaining and closed the event out with his last speech. As someone pointed out to me…Ray True was a conservative before it was “cool”.

I was fortunate to have met a gal today who said my blog has been on her blogroll for the past 5 years. They are kimsch from Musing Minds, and her husband David at Tuesday After. It was great meeting you guys!

I’m going to put up a separate post of more general photos of people with their interesting signs, and a few posts of videos of speakers…but that’ll all have to happen later…

All in all, it was an incredible event, they stayed on their time targets, and it ended on time!

Lennie and Paul make a great team.