The “tea party” movement in Iowa held its state convention this afternoon, with a much smaller crowd than the 3000 who turned out for the “Taxed Enough Already” rally outside the statehouse on April 15, 2009.
Michael Thompson of Council Bluffs, an organizer who’s part of the “9/12” group, drove to Des Moines for this weekend’s “Iowa Tea Party” meeting.
“I saw that they were having the statewide convention up here and I thought it would be a great place to make some new bonds with people and organize, network, kind of get some ideas, talk to people, share experiences with people,” Thompson said. “And so far, it’s been a great experience.”
Drew Ivers is part of the “Campaign for Liberty,” one of the organizations that had a booth at today’s event.
“We just want less government, not more and, of course, we’re getting more every day and we’re saying, ‘Whoa, whoa. Let’s slam on the brakes. Don’t just veer off to the right in the fork of the road ahead. Let’s slam on the brakes, try to put it in reverse and go the other direction,'” Ivers says. “We need some minus growth in government.”
Ivers hopes the groups which are part of the “tea party” coalition move beyond holding three or four rallies a year.
“Let’s be connected and ready for action 365 days a year,” Ivers says.
Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann delivered a video message to the group, saluting their efforts — and noting that she is an Iowa native as she was born in Waterloo, Iowa.