The Boston Tea Party was NOT a protest of high taxes.

[LBT]

If we are going to promote an event based on the Boston Tea Party, we should understand the true history of that event.

Below is a clip from the wikipedia article on the Boston Tea Party (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party)


The British government passed the Tea Act, which allowed the East India Company to sell tea to the colonies directly and without "payment of any customs or duties whatsoever" in Britain, instead paying the much lower American duty. This tax break allowed the East India Company to sell for lower prices than those offered by the colonial merchants and smugglers.

American colonists, particularly the wealthy smugglers, resented this favored treatment of a major company, which employed lobbyists and wielded great influence in Parliament.

The protest was actually because taxes had been lowered, which resulted in making business tough for the smuggler. They wanted to keep those taxes higher.

I think that many people here are thinking the same thing, that the theme of Inflation Tax to connect our movement to the Boston Tea Party is not a good idea, but naturally we'd all like to rally behind the cause and not stir things up.

But I think this is a huge mistake. Over the next month many videos and leaflets will be made trying to connect our fundraiser to the Boston Tea Party. Most will avoid the connection to inflation tax or mention it just briefly. To try to go into any detail would be to contradict the theme or to be forced to lie about the history. That means there is no honest story here, and without a story, you cannot get into people's hearts and inspire their imaginations.

There is a great story for the Boston Tea Party and already the video makers are latching on to it. It is the story of the struggle for representation, of independence, the struggle for freedom. The same struggle we face today and that the Ron Paul campaign encapsulates.

I don't want to harp on any more about this. I want the people who read this not to be afraid to give their voice. Which theme do you think best resonates with the Boston Tea Party. Freedom or the Inflation Tax ?

[constituent]

.

I think that many people here are thinking the same thing, that the theme of Inflation Tax to connect our movement to the Boston Tea Party is not a good idea, but naturally we'd all like to rally behind the cause and not stir things up.

But I think this is a huge mistake. Over the next month many videos and leaflets will be made trying to connect our fundraiser to the Boston Tea Party. Most will avoid the connection to inflation tax or mention it just briefly. To try to go into any detail would be to contradict the theme or to be forced to lie about the history. That means there is no honest story here, and without a story, you cannot get into people's heart and inspire their imaginations.

There is a great story for the Boston Tea Party and already the video makers are latching on to it. It is the story of the struggle for independence, the struggle for freedom.



I have to second this statement. keep it simple.

[blackmouth]

I believe it mainly had to do with taxation without representation...
The colonies were fighting against the tax the british government was imposing without the colonies having representation in Parliament.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_taxation_without_representation

[Shellshock1918]

Let's beat hillary.

6.3 million is our goal.

[Wyurm]

Just like today, they were dealing with one oppressive issue after another. It grew into a straw that broke the camel's back situation. The Boston Tea party was specifically about the tea tax, but it wasn't that alone. It was really due to all the other offences committed by the British government before that as well. Just like today where sure, we don't like the income tax and we don't like inflation. We don't like the police state, the war, the controlling nature of our government, the lies, oh I could just keep going on and on. Its not one thing, its many things, so for me its about freedom.

[Shaun]

FREEDOM is best, but the two are linked, there is no freedom with a tax system like ours.
It's fine.

[rebelforacause]

and keep income tax as most people in the country might think it's about the tax they can understand. It the truth about the specifics comes out then we have freedom and other issues to fall back on.

We are the clear majority on this important issue

[MozoVote]

Taxation without Representation.

If the British had given the colonies Parliamentary seats, such as was done with Scotland in the act of union in 1707, the revolution might have been averted. Benjamin Franklin's very presence in Britain at the time was to try and negotiate a way out without resorting to force.

[LBT]

I believe it mainly had to do with taxation without representation...
The colonies were fighting against the tax the british government was imposing without the colonies having representation in Parliament.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_taxation_without_representation
Indeed, much of it was about their lack of representation, which really means their lack of independence.

But the Boston Tea Party was the result of dropping of protectionist tarrifs (that is reducing taxes), not of any increase in tax burdens.

[blackmouth]

If we only lived in those times would we truly know their motivations... but what I do know is why we are each doing this now and that's to win back our freedoms and get Dr. Paul the nomination.

[KewlRonduderules]

I believe it mainly had to do with taxation without representation...
The colonies were fighting against the tax the british government was imposing without the colonies having representation in Parliament.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_taxation_without_representation

You are absolutely correct!

This is actually more appropriate general interpretation of the Boston tea Party. They didn't have a say in what happened in the colonies. No freedom. Any competition for tea was squandered by Parliament lowering tariffs.

i think the inflation tax is definitely appropriate in this sense because it takes away the purchasing power of the lower and middle classes in this country and makes it almost impossible for the the small business owner to compete in a corporatist world. In order to compensate, small business owners have to raise prices. Whereas the transnational corporation can indeed keep their prices at a lower rate because of the amount of money, power, and influence they have in Washington.

Think if what is happening in the markets right now. who is benefiting? the banks, corporations, and other wall st interests. In order to protect themselves, all they need to do is move their monies offshore. This occurs more often than one might think. But in the long run the average American is getting reamed. Meanwhile, our purchasing power is lowering, our freedoms are decreasing, and our voices are increasing becoming insignificant.

The parallels are quite striking.



:)

[bolidew]

Agree with OP.

Make it easy for "American" to understand.

[max]

the real reason isnt important...

to the average american it was about taxes

[Vvick727]

Taxation without Representation.

If the British had given the colonies Parliamentary seats, such as was done with Scotland in the act of union in 1707, the revolution might have been averted. Benjamin Franklin's very presence in Britain at the time was to try and negotiate a way out without resorting to force.

the colonies didn't want representation in Parliament. they wanted to be sovereign when it came to taxes.

[Avalon]

Indeed, much of it was about their lack of representation, which really means their lack of independence.

But the Boston Tea Party was the result of dropping of protectionist tarrifs (that is reducing taxes), not of any increase in tax burdens.

Reread what you posted. It wasn't about them dropping protectionist tarrifs, it was about them excluding the East India company from tarrifs that still applied to American merchants. And it was also a part of the displeasure over the high tarrifs in general and the lack of legislative recourse given to the colonies (who had no choice but to pay...until a bit later).

[Ron Paul Fan]

I have never voted against freedom and this vote was no exception.

[DeadheadForPaul]

It's funny because the British government actually LOWERED the price of tea through their actions. They were confused about why the Americans were up in arms over lower tea prices. The reason was that Britain was interefering with the market via a monopoly and they were attacking other American freedoms. The issue with the Tea was part of a larger rejection of mercantilism and colonialism. The colonists were confronting British intereference in their social and economic lives - the Stamp Act, for example, forced them to pay money on all official documents and greatly affected the daily lives of every American

[GML3G]

Let's beat hillary.

6.3 million is our goal.

Ron Paul's Fundraising Director, Jonathan Bydlak, dispelled that. They looked into her FEC filings and found that those numbers were just the total of what came from her three biggest fundraising days.

[amakris]

I think there's potential here to make a statement about lobbyists. Wikipedia is telling me that the Tea Act allowed the British East India Company to pay no tariffs to the exclusion of everyone else. The modern day equivalent of 14,000 lobbyists in Washington. 10 years ago it was 1,300, I read somewhere.

That's an idea that can resonate with a lot of people if we can frame it simply enough. Something like:

"10 years ago there were 1,300 lobbyists in Washington. Today, there are 14,000. All are fighting for their own version of the Tea Act: giving themselves an unfair advantage over everyone else. 200 years ago, the colonists didn't ask for laws to be passed restricting boondoggles to the Bahamas or Vail. They took real action. They dumped tea into the harbor because the King granted exclusive privileges to the Halliburton of their day: the British East India Company. This December 16th, join us in supporting a man that fights for little guy, who supports law that treats everyone equally and without prejudice. This December 16th, join 100000 other patriots in supporting Ron Paul."

Tying it into a detest of lobbyists and "the man" could be a huge winner.

Thoughts, revisions?

[LBT]

Poll Result so far for prefered Boston Tea Party theme:

Freedom/Independence 59 = 77.63%

Taxes / Inflation Tax 17 = 22.37%

[LBT]

I think there's potential here to make a statement about lobbyists. Wikipedia is telling me that the Tea Act allowed the British East India Company to pay no tariffs to the exclusion of everyone else. The modern day equivalent of 14,000 lobbyists in Washington. 10 years ago it was 1,300, I read somewhere.

That's an idea that can resonate with a lot of people if we can frame it simply enough. Something like:

"10 years ago there were 1,300 lobbyists in Washington. Today, there are 14,000. All are fighting for their own version of the Tea Act: giving themselves an unfair advantage over everyone else. 200 years ago, the colonists didn't ask for laws to be passed restricting boondoggles to the Bahamas or Vail. They took real action. They dumped tea into the harbor because the King granted exclusive privileges to the Halliburton of their day: the British East India Company. This December 16th, join us in supporting a man that fights for little guy, who supports law that treats everyone equally and without prejudice. This December 16th, join 100000 other patriots in supporting Ron Paul."

Tying it into a detest of lobbyists and "the man" could be a huge winner.

Thoughts, revisions?

That sounds like a good analysis and a good analogy to me.

I think it fits better into the freedom / independence / revolution theme than a tax theme. By itself I think it is too specific to be the theme, but I'd like to see it included in the communications that promote the tea party fundraiser.

The slogans Brewing a Revolution and Liberty is Brewing work quite well with this idea imo.

[LBT]

Update: 80 to 23 for the freedom/independence/revolution message in preference to the inflation tax / taxes message.

This is a better indicator that a poll of yes/no for the inflation tax message.

Granted it would be good to see various messages compared, but it is pretty clear that most here support a freedom message that relates to the revolution over the inflation tax message.

Heck, I'm an Austrian economist and love the fact that the inflation tax message is getting exposure, but I still don't think it is the most marketable commodity, nor do I think it relates well to the Boston Tea Party event.

Next reasonable step would be to decide on the wording of the theme.

[rebelforacause]

pointing the Ron paul's main page works best. Their are so many issues that those who aren't familiar with him would identify with.

READ the Hope for America slim jim and you will see 5-6 of them

http://www.ronpaul2008store.com/servlet/Categories?category=Slim+Jims

[KewlRonduderules]

Heck, I'm an Austrian economist and love the fact that the inflation tax message is getting exposure, but I still don't think it is the most marketable commodity, nor do I think it relates well to the Boston Tea Party event.

Though I disagree with you on this point, perhaps an all inclusive message about the inflation tax and freedom should be considered given the poll results.

[Doc Dewey]

The message for teaparty07 should be freedom from tyranny.

Each person can interpret what that means for them personally.

Selecting just one or two points shortchanges the broad theme
of Ron Paul's message.

[Mark Rushmore]

I think there's potential here to make a statement about lobbyists. Wikipedia is telling me that the Tea Act allowed the British East India Company to pay no tariffs to the exclusion of everyone else. The modern day equivalent of 14,000 lobbyists in Washington. 10 years ago it was 1,300, I read somewhere.

That's an idea that can resonate with a lot of people if we can frame it simply enough. Something like:

"10 years ago there were 1,300 lobbyists in Washington. Today, there are 14,000. All are fighting for their own version of the Tea Act: giving themselves an unfair advantage over everyone else. 200 years ago, the colonists didn't ask for laws to be passed restricting boondoggles to the Bahamas or Vail. They took real action. They dumped tea into the harbor because the King granted exclusive privileges to the Halliburton of their day: the British East India Company. This December 16th, join us in supporting a man that fights for little guy, who supports law that treats everyone equally and without prejudice. This December 16th, join 100000 other patriots in supporting Ron Paul."

I support this idea.

[KewlRonduderules]

I just read that. I think that works.
:)

[LBT]

Though I disagree with you on this point, perhaps an all inclusive message about the inflation tax and freedom should be considered given the poll results.

Absolutely, I want the inflation tax to be a considerbale part of most Ron Paul campaign promotions, especially with the ongoing dollar crisis.

However, I can't find a reasonable and honest way of linking it to the Boston Tea Party theme in a way that makes any sense.

I think it is crucial for media to make sense of this Boston Tea Party fundraiser and to tell a story about it. At the moment, no one has proffered a good explanation of how the Boston Tea Party is linked to Inflation Tax.

Also, a fundamental of marketing is that the unique selling point be simple and for one idea. Several ideas may surround it, but I cannot recall any successful marketing campaigns that tried to combine multiple themes as their main message.

[LBT]

Poll Result so far for prefered Boston Tea Party theme:

Freedom/Independence 100 = 78.74%

Taxes / Inflation Tax 27 = 21.26%

It's pretty clear which theme the majority of supporters favor.

[ronpaul4pres]

LBT, thank you for the history lesson!

We should keep our focus on LIBER-TEA.

[wfd40]

I think there's potential here to make a statement about lobbyists. Wikipedia is telling me that the Tea Act allowed the British East India Company to pay no tariffs to the exclusion of everyone else. The modern day equivalent of 14,000 lobbyists in Washington. 10 years ago it was 1,300, I read somewhere.

That's an idea that can resonate with a lot of people if we can frame it simply enough. Something like:

"10 years ago there were 1,300 lobbyists in Washington. Today, there are 14,000. All are fighting for their own version of the Tea Act: giving themselves an unfair advantage over everyone else. 200 years ago, the colonists didn't ask for laws to be passed restricting boondoggles to the Bahamas or Vail. They took real action. They dumped tea into the harbor because the King granted exclusive privileges to the Halliburton of their day: the British East India Company. This December 16th, join us in supporting a man that fights for little guy, who supports law that treats everyone equally and without prejudice. This December 16th, join 100000 other patriots in supporting Ron Paul."

Tying it into a detest of lobbyists and "the man" could be a huge winner.

Thoughts, revisions?

THIS needs to be aravoth's next youtube. Porfavore of course ;)

Personally, I think focusing on lower/no taxes will not get people nearly as "up in arms" as focusing on freedom and everything that goes with it.

The Freedom/anti-corruption message inspires, creates passion, makes me want to get up and act.

The no taxes message makes me feel like an uncaring miser (I know, it shouldn't but it does) =/

Also, we needn't worry about taxes/devaluing of dollar etc. in the *main body* of the page... leave that stuff for a highly awesome set of youtubes to be listed below! Remember, everyone loves watching an engaging 5minute youtube video :) Have a youtube for every micro-point we want to make on teaparty07.com

Cool??

[Goldwater Conservative]

I've posted this probably a million times already :), but I think everyone could be happy if you tied all the themes together like this:

"...to protest the oppressive income tax, which finances a police state at home and abroad, and the secret inflation tax, which robs the working class of its wealth and independence."

Income taxes? Check.
War & foreign policy? Check.
Civil liberties? Check.
Inflation, with a brief description of why it's so bad? Check.
An appeal to middle America? Check.