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Tax Protesters Converge On Federal Courthouse

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE cwade@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 28, 2009

TAMPA - There were no tomahawk-wielding Colonials dumping boxes of English tea into the Hillsborough River and, fortunately, nobody was tarred and feathered.

But the protesters who gathered downtown Friday on the steps of the federal courthouse to protest President Barack Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus bill came with a message similar to their brethren 236 years ago: Take your tea and shove it.

"We wanted to let the people in Washington know how angry we are about the stimulus bill," said John Hendricks, a Tampa-based consultant who organized the gathering.

Hendricks said he and many others think government spending is out of control.

"We've got to do something about it before it's too late," he said.

The rally was part of a nationwide effort that began after conservative activists answered Rick Santelli of CNBC's call for a "Nationwide Chicago Tea Party" to protest Obama's bailout plan. Similar protests were held in cities across the country.

Protesters held handwritten signs with slogans like "Keep Your Bailout; I'll Keep My Freedom" and "Wake Up Washington." They chanted "No More Nelson" in response to Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson's support of the stimulus.

Tim Winans of Tampa spent his lunch break holding a sign on North Florida Avenue.

"We're fed up," he said. "It's time for people to get out and make their voices heard."

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

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