Residents protest taxes, big spending

SANDPOINT — Shortly after noon, as many as several hundred people packed the Veterans of Foreign Wars parking lot, joining a loose-knit web of “tea party” rallies throughout the country.

Most decked out in red and hefting flags and signs, exercising their free speech and protesting taxes and bailout programs alike.

A similar rally at Independence Point in Coeur d’Alene also attracted several hundred people — organizers estimated 1,000 — from across and outside the county to crowd against the backdrop of Lake Coeur d’Alene.

“I think the crowd was telling — everybody’s fed up with spending in Washington, D.C.,” said Phil Damiano, who organized the event with his wife, Leslie, and several other locals, none representing any specific organization.

Joining in a wide web of “tea party” rallies held by conservatives across the country, all were bent on airing their fears and indignation over the policies of Barack Obama’s administration.

The crowd was primarily middle aged to older, and many like David Benson, 70, confessed they had never held a protest sign before in their lives.

“I’m tired of big government and big spending,” said the Hayden resident, who came out with his wife, Wanda. “A lot of people our age heard about it (the Depression) from our parents, and we don’t want to see that happen again.”

The discontent on the chilly afternoon was easy to spot in signs dotting the crowd.

Some were bold — “Capitalism to Communism is not what we voted for” — some toed the line — “Hitler brought change to Germany” — and others went for brevity: “Bailouts suck.”

The signs pumped up and down as Damiano rang in the event with a cry of “We don’t want it anymore! We don’t want it anymore!”

The collected group had different perspectives on what “it” was.

“We’re just concerned for the loss of our freedoms,” said Cheryl Flamm of Hayden, who hauled several signs to the protest with her husband, Bart. “You’re talking about an administration implementing socialism — they’re interfering with private businesses, kicking out CEOs of the auto companies, taking over banks.”

Wayne and Diane Hill drove out from the Silver Valley because they think congressmen have been signing stimulus and bailout legislation without reading any of it first, they said.

“It’s not our duty to bail out somebody who can’t pay their bills when we can’t pay our own,” Wayne said. “My dad didn’t fight in World War II to give all this stuff up.”

Speakers touched on various issues, including arms legislation and the potential horrors of nationalized health care.

Others slammed Obama’s tax plan, and the steep costs of bailout and stimulus funding and the Toxic Asset Relief Program.

“If you don’t control spending and reduce the national deficit, your services will no longer be needed and you will be replaced,” shouted local business owner Brent Reagan into the microphone, the crowd hollering in response.

The two-hour protest also included North Idaho College students rowing in canoes to a houseboat on Lake Coeur d’Alene, where they rose the flag “Don’t Tread On Me” and dumped tea bags (which didn’t actually contain tea) into the waves.

Thom George, chair of the Kootenai County Democrats, said he wondered why none of these people had anything to say when George Bush was building the national deficit over his two terms.

“I didn’t hear any protests or concerns about it during those years,” he said.

Jenny Bethke, 17, absorbed her first protest quietly.

“I just wanted to get out of my Spanish class,” she admitted, but added that she supported most of the speakers. “I don’t agree with his (Obama’s) decisions, but I respect that he’s the first black president.”

Leslie Damiano said the protest is just the beginning in a new movement to rouse conservative Americans.

“Together we shout a resounding ‘no’ to the powers that be in Washington,” she declared into the microphone. “Mr. Obama, we are not going away.”

A protest also was held in Priest River. That rally also attracted a strong showing.

n Staff writer Conor Christofferson contributed to this report.