Amazing! You really think this tea party stuff is for real? It can't be! Pelosi called them kooks. Obama ridiculed people waving tea bags. MSNBC and their guests called them racists. Boxer said she only seen this type of people in 2000 in Fl for the voting fiasco down there. Very little coverage was given to the rally in DC the last time, yet the crowd was huge. The place was spotless after. And there was no violence or disruptions. Yet these people have been called everything from UNAmerican to racists to rabble. All it took was Massachusetts to show the people are ticked off and there may be something to this disatisfaction? It sure took long enough to figure this all out. Maybe it wasn't JUST Fox after all who sees what hasn't been told in MSM. And I never took MSM to be derogatory, just a quick version to say main stream media. Glad to see that BDN is writing something that has been going on for awhile now and recognizing it isn't just nutty republicans. It is a growing mix of dems, independants and republicans who are fed up. Heck, I may even get out and throw a tea bag on my lawn very soon. Lastly, just because some folks don't feel they want to be involved in a convention for whatever reasons, that doesn't stop the people from still speaking out and seeing what has been happening. So BDN, good job but once again you just had to try to instill a little partisan garbage in...ya just couldn't resist.

It does not make any difference if these people are called "Tea Party" or "Tea Party Patriots" or 9/12's or just citizens speaking out, they are paying the bill for congress to fly all over the world, their local county officials to take vacations to Hawaii to discuss air ports or build waste water treatment plants for high dollar million dollar homes.

And we are sick and tired of that and we will hang together regardles of you the media trying to divide us. So what Palin charges a fee to speak or does not charge a fee, she was forced to pay large legal bills due to the abuse of the courts in Alaska.

McCains hired consultant was covering his rear by starting rumors on her during the campaign.

I do not see how she restrained herself. I would have punched him out over the way he wanted to color things. That is what I like about this collection of patriots that love freedom. They respect the rights of each group to be individuals but I do believe they understand that you need a critical mass to accomplish a miracle. Obama will try to fool the idiots that vote based upon skin color and pseudo intellectuals that he is listening. A leapord does not change his spots, especially when he is a student of "rules for radicals.

Our only hope is the same patriots that threw the tea in the ocean and will get on the town square with signs and then go vote the power brokers out of office. Some may have the money to go to Nashville and others will decide to use it to fund good candidates. WE the citizen wins either way.

BDN you lost me on the last line "RAGE is powerful and unpredictable". As Lil Mikey explained the tea party crowds have never been violent or disruptive. They are hardly full of "RAGE". Rage is defined as "furious uncontrolled anger". The tea party folks are extrememly organized, well controlled, firmy united in purose with a mission to protest government policy they disagree with. They are not one ethnicity, one social class, one sex or one generation. This force is not ful of "RAGE" nor is it unpredictable. We all know what will happen in November and some of us can't wait.

As a co-organizer of three tea parties in Maine, I know that the media has largely ignored the movement. The groups, Maine Patriots and Maine Refounders have over 900 members in 273 towns in all 16 counties. This movement is real and it is organized and it is peaceful. Tea Party patriots are Constitutionalists. What they agree upon, no matter what party they are in, is that the government is ignoring the Constitution. The goals of these groups are to restore the boundaries that the Constitution puts on government and to educate the public about what the Constitution says, because most people have either never read the Constitution or haven't read it in a long time. Once you read it, your eyes are open to the freedoms that we have lost over the last 100 years. The government has been taking away our freedoms one at a time since Woodrow Wilson. This is not just an Obama or Bush thing, it is a huge-out-of-control government thing.

The April 15th 2010 Tax Day Tea Party in Augusta will be at Capitol Park across from the State Capitol from 3om-7pm. I hope a lot more Mainers will come out and realize that it is about all of us, not just a select few.

So, "MSM" is a "derisive" term? I think not. "MSM is mearly shorthand. Now, "LAME STREAM MEDIA" is a derisive, albeit accurate, term.

This tea partying is all about the middle class American's being fed up with the good old boys in Washington DC and here in Maine. Politicans are beholding to their rich friends and remember them well at tax time as did George Bush with his tax cuts and as Baldacci has attempted to do here in Maine withi his tax cuts. They are also understanding that the poor are unable to contribute much of anything to the government funding efforts. The only ones left are the middle class so they tax the hell out of the middle class to fund their tax cuts for their rich friends.

November of this year will be a clean-sweep of nearly all the corrupt inept politicians in power today. The recovery will begin in 2011 with all the incumbents migrated to the private sector and a new slate of rational competent legislators conducting the states and nations business.

Nationally, we can expect a big crowd in back of the White House on April 15 for the 2010 Tax Day Tea Party in Washington, D.C. Tea Party Express ran a similar gathering at the U.S. Capitol in September (MEDIA BIAS ALERT... wait for it... wait for it......) featuring Nazi symbolism and a poster of President Obama as an African witch doctor. (Who's writing this DRIVEL !!!!)

The Tea Party movement, despite its rough start and current splintering, could play an important part in national and local politics, targeting liberals and moderates in both major parties. Rage is powerful and unpredictable. ("RAGE" ??? ---- How about COMMON SENSE !?!?!)

Im a coffee drinker myself

rage occurs after 5 cups

You Really Need To Follow The Money Behind The Tea Party Movement

Just Another Scam on The Citizens of The USA

mullet likes taxes. Let's drown Agusta and Washington in TEA!

The first line of this editorial shows the lack of homework done by the writer, to wit: "Boston Tea Party National Committee has, by a vote of 4-0 with two members not voting, endorsed Joe Kennedy for US Senate. He supports Ron Paul's Audit the Fed and Free Competition of Currency acts and takes a strict libertarian position on just about everything."

- Doug Gaking, Boston Tea Party.

So for the Republicans to lay claim on the Tea-Party movement illustrates it own lack of imagination and why it is the "Tea Party" movement not the Republican tea-party committee.

They are a voice of their own - just as the peace protesters were a voice of their own in the 60's and 70's.

From an objective stand point, I think it is pretty silly to use the phrase "mainstream media" in reference to CNN and the like. CNN consistently recieves the lowest viewer ratings, meaning, it is watch least by the people. Conversely, Fox news recieves the highest viewer ratings. It is just a lie for Fox to characterize themselves as this network battered and unpopular, just trying to expose the truth. The real truth is that Fox is in it for the ratings and they're doing a great job and making a lot of money. They incite anger and then capitalize on it.

Media bias isn't as rampant is Fox makes it out to seem. They constantly state that the other news networks are biased because if they say it enough, people will believe it (even though it is false) and those people will begin to solely rely on the channel that is supposedly "fair and balanced".

The Tea Party movement reminds me of something out of Idiocracy.

We need to realize that political parties are just things the uber rich use to keep us fighting amongst ourselves whilst they rob us blind.

All I have to say is wait till November...What happened in '94 will look small compared to what's about to happen...Obama will be one and DONE much like Carter as well...Just you wait and see......The Libs and the State controlled media refuse to see the Tsunami that is bulding over their head despite what has happened in West Virginia , New Jersey and Mass. and won't know what hit them...MARK my words.....

Rage is powerful and unpredictable, and often irrational, misguided, and easily manipulated by savy manipulators...like those in the Opinion and Entertainment line up on Faux News. Honesty is not necessary. Critical thought is not given a second thought. Talking to a mob that is fueled by hatred, or populist myths, or manipulated disinformation is, well, like taking to a dining room table. It is often the less educated that join the mob, believe what they are told, do most of the damage. A look at the mobs that conducted lynchings, the thoughtlessness, heartlessness, mindlessness of the huge crowds that gathered to witness and/or participate in the spectacle is hardly among the better times in our history. The idiocy of the rants and raves coming from the tea baggers today rivals that time, if not in its violence than in its thoughtlessness, heartlessness, mindlessness.

The honest to god patriots rallying on that bridge in Boston had the legitimacy of protesting unrepresentative, exploitative rule from Britain. The mob that is appropriating patriotic rhetoric from that honest movement for their own selfish complaints lacks legitimate issues. What they crudely carry on about bears no resemblance to the founders honest to god protests on issues of misrepresentation and exploitation, but is selfish, thoughtless, loud complaining about things they don't even understand.

This movement, following so close on the heels of the regime that turned the moral face of America on its head adopting torture as official US policy, may well drive the country off the cliff. Mobs seldom act out of morally right motives. The selfish complaints of this mob is no different.

I hope the republicans try to co-opt and capitialize on this populist mob... they will both get what they deserve.

midcoast... and then what... you'll give more of our money to the banks and big finance guys? How's that working for you so far? Give more of it to big Pharma, big Agribusiness? Maybe you should close down that socialist health care system that serves vets. It's socialist after all, government run hospitals with government paid doctors. Close down social security, so that the grandmothers can live out their days in poverty.

You guys are geniuses... and the pity of it is, you are probably right about november... mob rule... ya gotta love it...

It's kind of unfortunate actually. If the public proves itself to be this fickle, to abandon those who they've supported every other year, will congressmen and women be brave enough to actually produce change? Probably not, they'll be too timid to do anything but stick with the status quo for fear of losing their seat.

Roll back the insane policies of Obambam...Make GM stand or fall on it's own and stop the Union paybacks , back room deals , bank bailouts.. stop the government take over of healthcare and the PROVEN scam of manmade global warming and Cap and Tax...Enact tax breaks for SMALL businesses...Allow intestate purchase of healthcare insurance like auto insurance...Tort reform to stop the INSANE lawsuits...I could go on but have things to do....Why does "mob rule" only apply to Republicans and not to the Dems in power now ? I guess it just depends on who's mob it is huh ???? LOL Ya gotta love it...

UM student’s death a possible hit-and-run

ORONO, Maine — The body of a University of Maine student who apparently was hit and killed by a … more

Jail holding a record number of murder suspects in Bangor

BANGOR, Maine — With Friday’s arrest of Zachary Carr, 18, of Bangor for the shooting death of a teenager from the Queen City last week, a record … more

Bangor teen charged in fatal shooting

BANGOR, Maine — Bangor police said Friday they have made an arrest in the Wednesday night … more

One dead, three hurt in Hancock County crash

TOWNSHIP 28, Maine - State Police say an elderly woman from Pembroke was killed and her husband … more

Man in County buys $250,000 lottery ticket

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — She sold him the winning ticket. He showed his appreciation with gifts … more

Fatal shooting witnesses describe crime scene

BANGOR, Maine — It was difficult Friday to find people willing to share what they knew about what … more

Day with sled dogs all about fun, team building

STOCKHOLM, Maine — Whether participants had two legs or four, it was all a....

See, these are the top stories in the BDN, not politics, the economy, healthcare, the environment, taxes, free market, size of government, Homeland security, etc.

See the VAST, large majority of residents, are also in the majority of folks who just do not vote, could care less. Too, the Supreme Court decision is only another nail in the coffin on "grass roots" anything.

However, the Republicans are hitching their wagon to the Scott Brown Anger Movement (SBAM), widening their tent, and may just steam roll everyone if a third party erodes the democratic vote, with a green party candidate as well as an independent candidate too boot.

So whether independent, green, tea party, or third party will take HUGE sums of cash, like Perot, to even get on the stage ideas but in the end they can never never get the votes, it is just a feel good exercise in wishing our government was not a two party system.

3.83 Trillion, unprecedented...

fredrogers: you made a great point...the party needs to widen their tent. Letting the kooky base take the reins, while completely excusing the overspending, overreaching, and lack of oversight by the last administration, is getting rid of some faithful, traditional, longtime Repbulicans...like me.

midcoast, mob rule doesn't apply to repubs only. No one said otherwise. Your hyperbolic exaggerations are what is the problem. What you, and most tea baggers, can't do, won't do is apply reason and critical thought to the issues that bother you. It is all extreme exaggeration with you guys, regurgitating the puke Glenn Beck and the other entertainment and opinion idiots on Faux News spew around.

Many of the "insane" policies you are hyperventilating about have at one time or another been republican proposals. Richard Nixon proposed universal healthcare and employee mandates...now you wingnuts call it socialist takeover of healthcare... The tea baggers say they are "non-partisan." Oh sure, unless you are anything other than the current crop of selfish conservatives who wouldn't know Adam Smith if he came up to you and punched you in the nose.

Allow interstate purchase of health insurance... without reforming what are essentially "death panels" in cost containment departments that decide whether a dying person's claims or treatment will be covered? Are you insane? Have you even the slightest idea how many people have actually DIED because they have been denied coverage through some dweeb in a cubicle throwing their claim out according to company policy?

Over thirty years of research by tens of thousands of researchers and climate scientists from at least 150 countries, and you call their work some sort of scam or conspiracy? Again, are you insane?

Tort reform is something you and I might be able to have a reasonable conversation about, but not if you think deliberate malfeasance by a corporation, such as for instance deliberately adding addictive substances to cigarettes to make them more addictive while knowing the health risks involved, should get a free pass. That is insane.

If this is what your mob stands for you will likely drive this country off the cliff.

Funny, you can't say a word about torture as official US policy. We, the US, prosecuted people after WWII, Vietnam for waterboarding... now the murderous rightwing extremists think it should be US policy and folks like you haven't a thing to say about it. No, you folks have to make up things to rant and rave about.

Populist rage is unpredictable and often leads to the lynching mentality. Being loud and outraged, without critical, objective thought makes for lots of drama, but as a means to effect public policy will come to no good. The original patriots had a true cause. You tea baggers are a selfish, uneducated lot out to profit for yourselves not society in general. Rage has replaced reason. What a shame.

sdemetri~~Very Well Said I Agree With Almost All

What A Set Up The Tea Party Is Pushed By The Fox Network

That Says All I Need To Know

Conquer and Divide ~~So There Is NO Doubt A Repub IS The Next President

Tea Party~~Sheeple~~No Difference

Don`t Like IT~Stop Being A Sheeple and Be A True Independent

But Be Prepared To Spend A Lot Of Time Reading Between The Lines

In a six-day span just before the US Senate election, Republican Scott Brown collected nearly $450,000 from donors who work at financial companies, a sign the industry is prepared to spend heavily in the upcoming midterm elections to beat back new controls and taxes President Obama wants to impose.

And this was before the Supreme Court ruling,.............

Martin Gruss, owner of a West Palm Beach, Fla., investment firm, said he gave $2,400 to Brown because he vehemently disagrees with the policies being pursued by Obama and his economic aides.

The tax one of Obama's proposals would place on financial companies amounts to about 9 billion over ten years. That's less than a billion a year. How much was Goldman Sachs', BoA's, Chase's profit.... last quarter....?

Those that stand to benefit the most from riding on the backs of the middle class oppose reform.

And a large proportion of the middle class appears to be too uneducated to figure this out, and votes these guys in. Talk about cutting off one's nose to spite your face.

Please do not even talk about the TEA PARTY --Let November be a big sad surprise to all the incumbents with their head in the sand . T he middle class Taxburdened will speak . The Tea Party or Republican Party did not elect Scott Brown in MA . They didn't even know his name until one week before the election .

fredrogers: you know that this is nothing new and done by both sides, right?

This is Don Yelton and who ever wrote this story did not know how to spell Bothwell, So before you critize others maybe you are guilty of the same thing. So, who pays your way to do what you do. Frankly, I must be doing something and so is Richard that really is hurting you for you to stoop so low to point out that you want to do away with God. I am glad God is on my side. So keep up your ignorance and show people just how you want to be the king and have the government control all. Let see if the paper will give me the name of the person that put this damning information that is totally untrue on the intenet. Moving forward for libertry.

Which came first the fox or the tea-party>? It is my belief that Murdock who purpose of monopolizing the media is to win control of the political system in the United States. It has been understood in some quarters for a long time: that who ever controlls the press, in this country controlls the people. This was understood by Ben Frankline, as well as Thomas Paine. This was understood by the Hurst Publication Company. This was understood by the band of revolutionist that captured Patty Hurst. I see a great deal of irony that Murdock will return this country to the British Empire, by organizing a tea party.

As usual, the BDN Editorial writer has is wrong. This article is just another in the long line of left leaning, biased editorials that highlight the negative and comnpletely ignore the real truth. But, am I surprised? Of course not. All I can say is wait until November. Y'all are in for a big surprise.

Hey Cecil....this is Dale Swiggett here in NC, taking the pulse of the People outside of our very corrupt state. There's this little thing called Freedom of Speech which gives every single American the right to call people up onto the table when it comes to bad policy affecting everyone. And that is exactly what Don Yelton does. Don and I don't see eye-to-eye on everything but I can tell you that this man fights tooth-n-nail over water quality, going back to good science, logical common sense solutions to help solve some of the biggest problems.

You may want to check w/ a personal friend of mine, Dr. Harold Daniels w/ the Univ of Maine, who's also involved in tourism for the state of Maine. We went to school together in Burlington. Ask how he feels about SLUDGE spreading in our hometown of Burlington, NC. Don drove 200 miles to speak (for free, mind you) before our hometown's City Council about his concerns re Labcorp importing out-of-state sludge to dilute the medical waste and dumping it on the surrounding counties. They only permitted for 3600 acres and Don confirmed this is equal to the carrying capacity of NYC and LA, CA combined.

So before you speak poorly about my friend and colleague Don, perhaps you and I should have a lil' sit-down talk. I'd like to find out how a self-professed Progressive like yourself feels about real world solutions that make good sense and see if you have anything to useful to contribute. I personally have a huge problem w/ Progressives and feel that the Productivist Movement is what will save our great nation.

Don calls everyone up onto the table, no matter party line/creed/color/religion/lineage. That's the common thread that binds all of my staff at my publication Waterfront Sportsman and the members of the Environmental Investigation Coalition (some who reside in other parts of this great nation of ours that is going to hell in a handbasket). And if anyone wants to know how bad a shape NC is really in and see the company that Don keeps, just go to YouTube and type in Waterfront Sportsman. There are 9 clips of 7 speakers where our group was asked by Edenton, NC folks to come talk about toxic water issues last January. BTW, that group in Edenton is probably one of the very first in the nation to embrace the Tea Party idea. We pitched some econ devlpmnt ideas, including a Waterfront Sportsman Festival celebrating Edenton's rich history of their own Tea Party. Shortly after the historic Tea Party held in Boston Harbor in 1700's, Edenton's leading ladies of the community held their very own.

Admin. Notes; Get your free Scott Brown for President bumper sticker @ http://ScottBrownForPresident.com while supplies last.

I see that people are bailing out of the Tea Party convention because it turned out to be a money-maker for the founder. Don't try to beat George Soros at his own game, boys.

Thanks for making us look like a bunch of idiots...again.

I'd have to agree that this bunch of tea part/tea baggers, the shouting majority at least, seems to be an unfortunate example of "he-who-yells-the-loudest" at best and mob rule at worst.

Hadn't thought about Rupert Murdoch laughing all the way to the bank (and unlimited power) on this one but it makes sense. He's been building a media monopoly for some time now and seems to be succeeding all too well. Faux News, I love it.

Oh yeah, anyone know where today's letters are?

The link isn't under "Letters." I had to go on the Opinion tab and click on someone else's comment.

Calling prople tea baggers is equal to calling a black person the 'n' word or a homosexual the 'q' word, or a woman the 'b' word, or a Christian a Taliban. It's offensive and should not be allowed in these comments. Have some respect for people of differing opinions and beliefs.