College Republicans have 'TEA party'

Although they lacked feather headdresses and barrels of tea, members of the USI College Republicans revisited 1773 Wednesday when they took part in the nationwide “TEA party” protests against government spending.

Executive Chairman of the College Republicans Tony Howard said the protest – which coincides with United States Tax Day – symbolized the need to “dump the IRS in every dumpster in Evansville.”

“Our twist is not only do we disagree with the IRS, but also the Federal Reserve,” Howard said. “We think it’s unconstitutional.”

The nationwide TEA, or "Taxed Enough Already" protests – which also are taking place in Evansville, Henderson, Chicago, Boston and several other locations – are a reaction to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or the “bailouts.”

Howard said the government flooding the market with money only depreciates the value of the dollar and could lead to massive inflation.

Howard and USICR Financial Chairman Jacob Stockoff said several students stopped by their table to ask questions or accepted a flyer depicting Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke branded with an “audit” stamp.

The flyer – an official Rep. Ron Paul hand out – advertised the United States House Republican bill HR 1207, which calls for audits of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors.

The bottom of the flyer is emblazoned with the phrase “the last official act of any government is to loot the country.”

“Quite a few people stopped and asked what was going on,” Stockoff said. “Some (students) don’t even know it’s tax day.”

Howard said he and other USICR members would attend a city TEA party Wednesday night near the Civic Center.

According to USICR External Vice Chairman Joe Giannini, over 700 similar protests took place across the country.