The following letter was received from Tony Passaro of the Bel Air Tea Party Patriots:
The past evening I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the first Legislative Session of the Harford County Council for the year 2010. The shame of it was that so many Harford County residents failed to attend.
In any event, one of the bills introduced that evening should be of interest to every tax payer in Harford……
Bill No. 09-44 (Semiannual Property Tax Service Charge) eliminates the Property Tax service charge for tax payers wishing to pay their Property Tax bill in two installments.
What is interesting is that this Bill was created without the direct urging of the Taxpayers. In short, this was the Council and the County Executive’s thoughtful gift to us for the New Year. And for this I thank them profusely.
Bill No. 09-44, introduced by Council Member Captain Jim McMahan, sponsored by Council President Billy Boniface and Council Members Lisanti, Shrodes and latter Dion Guthrie as well as County Executive David Craig reduces our, the Tax Payers, collective tax bill by $1,000,000.00 per year.. The bill was passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
So another million bites the dust. A million here and a million there and pretty soon the tax elephant is smaller if not gone, one bite at a time..
This action contrast sharply with the egregious tax and spend policies of Governor O’Malley which have brought the State budget deficit to over 2 billion dollars ….
I know the Tax Payers of Harford County join me in thanking our County Council for thinking of us and for helping to reduce some of our fiscal burden in this most difficult of difficult years.
Tony Passaro
Bel Air Tea Party Patriots
Alliance of American Patriots
Tony….You and your Tea Bag “Patriots” are selfish & sick. It appears as though you will stop at nothing short of anarchy! YOU stated “pretty soon, the tax elephant is smaller, if not gone!” You and your ilk (if spineless politicians don’t stop enabling you) will continue to protest like spoiled children, until you bankrupt Harford County Government. If not bankrupted, Harford County will become so sorely strapped for revenue, that the great services currently provided by the dedicated employees will be drastically reduced, or in some cases, eliminated! When this happens (and it WILL if the spineless politicians keep licking your boots during this election year), you and your ilk will once again be the first in line AND the most vociferous to complain again. Maryland AND Harford County are first rate. To live here and enjoy the benefits, you have to “pay to play”. If you don’t like it, may I suggest that you relocate to somewhere out there in “fly over” country. Yes, you will pay less in taxes “out there”, but you will NOT have the ammenities provided by your government AND by mother nature “around here”.
Unselfish Patriot –
I must say I am aghast at your “patriotism”. You are so “patriotic” that you would deprive Tony Passaro and like-minded conservatives their right to free speech and association. The Tea Party Patriots have every right to promote change in all levels of government including Harford County as do you.
As for calling Tea Party activists a vile sexual term and deriding the good people who live in “fly-over country” I will simply say you are a boorish guttersnipe.
Have a nice day!
Joe
Now Joe he never deprived them or denied their right to free speech. He is simply excercising his right to disagree!
Cdev-
I guess I was confused by Unselfish Patriot’s use of a vile sexual term in describing Tea Party folks and his invitation to Passaro and his ilk to move out of Maryland to “Fly Over Country” unless of course they agree to “pay to play”.
Who could argue with such reasoned and persuasive retort?
Now, you have a nice day!
Joe
I will not disagree that his language may have offended you. That said he never told you to shut up, claimed you did not have a right to speak up. He simply expressed an opinion he has and many share that if your group continue to do what you do the govt will implode. He suggested a course of action if you are not happy.
Cdev –
It is unfortunate that Unselfish Patriot’s use of a vile sexual term in describing Tea Party folks didn’t offend you since it is a widely known pejorative. What does your absence of outrage say about you?
Regarding Unselfish Patriot’s recommended course of action for Passaro and his ilk who believe government needs to reduce its ever increasing tax burden on tax payers is a Hobson’s Choice of moving out of Maryland or paying to play.
Have a very nice day,
Joe
Look I have never used the term and choose to ignore it when used. If you don’t give it power, it has no power. That said you are reassigning meaning to his post that simply was not there. In short you failing to properly interpret the very document you claim to embrace. What does that say about you?
Cdev –
The fact that you can’t bring yourself to condemn vile sex act epithet in describing conservative Tea Party folks says you have little integrity.
And it is quite clear that there is nothing patriotic or unselfish with regard to the Unselfish Patriot poster.
Have a nice day,
Joe
Great comment unselfish patriot !!
This country and county is one of the greatest places to live on earth and these people that call themselves patriots are nothing more than economic terrorist. If they think that they would be better without the government let them travel to a third world county or a war zone. Anarchy, I’ve seen it and I’m sure most of these so called patriots wouldn’t last 2 minutes before they started sucking their thumbs and calling out for mommy. I bet they would wonder why there was no clean water or why they had to use a hole in the ground when they had to go to the restroom. You are 100% correct that these are the same people that would complain when put into these conditions. Do these people that call them selfs patriots think that the services you receive from the this county are free. I have had to endure unbearable living conditions so that these so called Patriots could live in the great conditions that this county provide. All I can say if you are not happy with your current services or tax burden there are plenty of different counties, states or for that matter countries to live.
Now there’s an attitude for you – “If you don’t like the way your government is treating you… just move away”.
Why do you think everyone in the world wants to come to the US ?
Best place in the world to live. I wasn’t telling you to leave just realize how fortunate you are to live here.
That’s an interesting interpretation of “All I can say if you are not happy with your current services or tax burden there are plenty of different counties, states or for that matter countries to live.” Sounds to me more like “Shut up and be happy or get out.”
Ungrateful.
I bet Haiti had a limited tax burden
Calling all Tea Baggers! This is your chance to pick up some real estate at much lower values -AND- pay a lot less in taxes than you would here in good old Harford County, Maryland. Don’t delay….one way tickets to Haiti are going fast! (and W-2 Forms are in the mail!)
Joe,
The fact that you are obsessed with the sexual connotation of the words tea and bag put together shows that you are more interested in attacking Cdev than carrying on a logical debate.
You are the last on who should be complaining about namecalling. Your condescending and arrogant attitude are evident in each and every one of your posts. You refuse to accept that others can have differing opinions and resore to using insults or name calling when you’ve run out of valis (or invalid) points to make. One only needs to review your posts throughout this site to see you calling others who disagree with you guttersnipes, boors and the like.
The TEA Party freely chose the acronym TEA and also to use tea as a symbol for change…At their rallies teapots and tea bags have been used as symbols for their movements. In short, they’ve brought it on themselves.
Joe, get a life….and Have a nice day.
Jerry –
Your post is a disingenuous at best since you know that TEA is an abbreviation for Taxed Enough Already. You should agree that to use a vile sex act term as a pejorative to deride Tea Party conservatives is boorish behavior and should be condemned.
And contrary to Cdev’s stated position on the pejorative of “If you don’t give it power, it has no power.”, is patently foolish because he knows that it gives license and legitimacy to the vile term.
Have a nice day,
Joe
Joe you where “disingenuous at best ” when you claimed your first amendment rights are being violated!
I acknowledged the term is crude and can be offensice. I choose not to let it bother me, like I chose to be civil to you and others in your group despite how RUDE you are to me!
Cdev –
You may be so generous to “acknowledge” the crudeness of the vile term but your liberal sensibilities and Caspar Milquetoast courage won’t allow you to condemn its use and those people that use it.
Have a nice day,
Joe
Moderate not liberal
Cdev –
If you say so Caspar Milquetoast.
Joe
“Caspar Milquetoast”
-Just another example of you resorting to name calling.
Just beccause you use big words in your insults doesn’t make you any better….just makes you look like more of a pretentious jerk.
Jerry just ignore it, I do, it lends no power to the insult and leaves him with no substantive topic. Notice he had to also resort to calling me “liberal”
Joe the same thing works on the use of the term you dislike so much.
Jerry –
What does make me more credible than Cdev and you is that my name appears on these posts unlike the both of you.
Both of you have a tremendously nice day,
Joe
Nope….using your full name doesn’t give you credibility or make you right, it just allows people to correctly identify you as a self-righteous jerk who is closed-minded about other’s opinions.
-Jerry
Jerry –
Actually it does.
Joe
P.S. Are you having a nice day?
Finally we agree. It DOES correctly identify you as a self-righteous jerk who is closed-minded.
I’m having a great day, by the way.
Now that we agree on one thing, I’m off to better, more important things.
Why don’t you go brew some tea…or place your scrotum on someone’s face…whichever floats your boat.
-Jerry
Jerry –
Let’s see, what should everyone who reads this thread think of your crudeness and credibility? I understand why anonymity is important to you.
Will Cdev defend your deplorable post? Or will Cdev ignore it silently in protest?
Have a nice day,
Joe
Oh Joe…
There you go again with your condescending tone. My post is certainly not disingenuous, as I sincerely think that you are arrogant, and I said nothing that was untrue about the TEA Party.
The participants at the rallies who use the image of tea bags on their posters or hold them up in protest are opening themselves up to being associated with the term tea bag.
And you should also know that TEA would be an acronym (The use of the first letters “T”axted “E”nough “A”lready to create another word ) …NOT an abbreviation (The shortening of a word). However, I’m sure that you have a holier-than-thou reason why you’re not incorrect about that.
You should agree that telling others what they should or should not agree with and insulting them if they do not agree with you is the very definition of the word “boorish”. (a coarse and blatant lack of sensitivity to the feelings or values of others)
Finally, ending each of your posts with “Have a nice day” is disingenuous at best — as it is always apparent that you care little about how pleasant a day the people you look down your nose at are having.
Jerry –
I am not going to get into a debate about acronyms and initialisms which are both types of abbreviations, so I’ll live that important topic to Cdev and you.
Regarding tonal qualities of my posts I suggest you put a happy melody to them and sing them aloud as you read and re-read.
Have an extra specially nice day,
Joe
Joseph, In your mind, what makes “tea bagger” a “vile sex act” term? I happen to love tea bags. I use them for brewing hot and cold tea, AND to reduce the bags that form under my eyes as a result of reading your VERY FREQUENT posts late into the evening. Me thinks that you should get a life outside of “The Dagger” (no offense to the same intended!)
Oh….and by the way, HAVE A GREAT DAY!
Yeah, I remember elementary school when we learned that a bitch is a female dog, and we giggled when we explained that we didn’t mean it THAT way! Nice work.
Unselfish,
Did you hate the Tea Party people that much?
Joe
Hate the Tea Baggers? Absolutely not! I don’t know many of them personally.
Hate their cause and stated reasons for their actions? Probably.
WoW Joe…your realy smart.
GO DAGGER!
Joe was meant to be…Jerry
Michael Barone has an article on Fox Nation.com that addresses the substance based TEA party movement with the rapturous style of the liberal base that supported Pres. Obama. It definitely addresses the differences- style vs. substance.
Peacenik –
Barone’s article and critical comparison to David Brooks NYT column is well done, thanks for sharing.
Here is the link http://tiny.cc/96yP1
Joe
Credibility is not the issue when determining whether or not to use ones full name. Many of us, apparently not you, Joseph Caruso, have valued careers at which we have invested years of dedication and commitment to attain our positions. We are, however, answerable to superiors in the public/political sector who have their heads firmly placed in the same spot you have yours, Joeseph Caruso. Weak egos and poorly developed bonding ability lead to mind sets such as yours, Joseph Caruso. Many of us know to tread carefully around people such as you in the workplace and in life.
minqua –
Using your logic you wouldn’t go to a county council meeting, meet your senator/congressmen town hall, board of education meeting, HOA, or any public meeting and speak your mind for fear of someone hearing your opinion. Heck, you can’t write a letter to the editor without revealing identity.
I guess the only way you can voice your opinion is under the cover of anonymity? You must lack the courage of your conviction to openly support a political position in public? So is it in your little world you can never let your views be known publicly?
I maintain that people who post under their own name have a greater degree of credibility and are certainly more apt to be civil.
Joe
My political opinions are obvious and apparent to anyone who pays attention. I step out proudly to support candidates that deserve it and donate pretty generously to organizations who work to further what I believe to be the correct agenda.
What I do not do is risk my position in the public eye by encouraging the attentions and punitive actions of those in charge who do not agree with what I believe is correct. Pettiness runs rampant and as I “serve at the pleasure” I watch my step. Putting anything in writing that can be used to bring down the wrath of those in control is not smart. And trust me, Joe Caruso, I am smart.
minqua –
But for example you can’t make a public statement during a Q&A at a Harford County Council meeting since it is recorded and an Aegis reporter might write in the paper what you’ve said in a public forum?
Joe
Joe
Depends on the issue. What is your problem with street urchins?
minqua –
Guttersnipe = http://tiny.cc/BF1am a person of the lowest moral or economic station = Unselfish Patriot
Have a nice day,
Joe
Dittos minqua…..Dittos.
Give Joe “the boorish guttersnipe” hell!
Joseph Caruso, How mistaken you are. I never advocated the loss of anyone’s right to protest or assemble. To the contrary, I advocated the selfishness of the tea baggers. Maybe you should re-read my posting, and then apologize to me for your misunderstanding.
Also, you “conservatives” co-opted the “tea party” theme from the Libratarians. If I was a Libratarian, I would be ashamed at how the Republican party (by lying and pandering) has bastardized the Libratarians modern day use of “tea party” term for their shameless political gain. Like usual….Republicans don’t have an original idea that’s worth a damn. What a shame (and sham!).
Unselfish Patriot –
Firstly, your use of a vile sexual term to describe Tea Party Patriots http://tiny.cc/5vW1a and your incapacity to write and spell are boorish and crude. It makes you a small-minded person and a guttersnipe.
Secondly, there are Libertarians in the Tea Party Patriots’ movement along with conservatives of all stripes. The folks that are not part of the Tea Party group are Liberals and Progressives who want bigger and more expansive government with confiscatory taxation at every turn.
Finally,I could be wrong but think the Libertarians are pretty happy with the Tea Party movement.
Have unselfish nice day,
Joe
Jerry….you are a BS’r. You know full well what “tea bagging” is. The term Tea Bagger is a crak on the grass roots Tea Party movement. It’s exactly what it sounds like…and is the sexaual connotation. Stop being a jerk…call a spade a spade.
If, on the other hand, you are dilluded enough to beleive what you write…you are ill informed. Now go forth and sin no more. If you want to blame somone for crass taste…blame the left for coming up with that vile comparison.
GO DAGGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH and Jerry…….
Rush is still alive.
Air america is still dead.
Go Dagger !!!!!!!!
That oughta ruin his dinner….HA HA HA HA !
gd!
Alive but brain dead. As for Air America, those of us of the liberal persuasion tend to have careers. That means, Richie, we do not listen to the radio at our place of employment. We work. We don’t watch much television, and when the radio is called for, usually in the car on our way to and from our jobs, we listen to NPR. BTW, Rachel Maddow and Al Franken seem to have survived the demise of AA quite well.
minqua –
Since you have such a narrow and insular spectrum for sources of information I thought you might benefit from some words from Phil Donahue and his guest http://tinyurl.com/2tcq2s.
Have a nice day,
Joe
IT IS TIME WE DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION
Not very long ago, Congressional legislation had to pass or fail based on its merits. If it was poor public policy, the votes to secure its passage could not be found in either the Senate or the Congress and it died. Our Government worked that way it was designed to. On the other hand, good legislation could win passage on its merits alone. Those days seem to have passed.
On December 19, it was announced that the health care reform legislation making its way through the United States Congress had picked up a key sixtieth vote that cleared the way for it to go to a vote of the Senate – the vote of Nebraskan Senator Ben Nelson.
Then the details of how that vote was procured began to become public. Senator Nelson did not have an epiphany. Instead, his vote was brazenly and openly bought in a back room deal.
Apparently the highest ranking members of the United States Senate were unwilling to respect their oaths to protect and defend the Constitution as they considered one of the most important public policy issues in generations.
On Christmas Eve, December 24, Senator Nelson delivered an unwanted Christmas present to the American people when he gave his vote to its purchaser – United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid – and the dirty deal was done. Senator Nelson’s price was high – a reported one hundred million dollars in new Medicaid expense exemptions for Nebraskans alone – and forever.
This high price was acceptable and agreed to by Senator Reid and the Democratic Leadership because they had no problem forcing the taxpayers of Maryland and the remaining states to pick up the tab for their vote buying.
Marylanders should not be forced to subsidize another state’s Medicaid program, particularly when our own Medicaid programs are on financial life-support. Maryland’s Medicaid recipients – our poor, our elderly, our children, our disabled – should not be forced to sacrifice their Medicaid services in order for another state to keep theirs. By doing so, resources available to provide health care to Marylanders have to be reduced. If that happened, Marylanders could lose existing health care benefits in the rush to provide Universal Health care to others. My fellow Marylanders, Tea Party Members and I are committed to protecting our poorest and neediest citizens from their own government.
In reviewing this issue 78% of America is in agreement that the Senate’s action likely violated some of the United States Constitution’s most important protections. In my view, any such provisions must either be removed or challenged.
December 30, letters signed by hundreds of thousands of Tea Party members were sent to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, voicing concerns. The Tea Party did not do this because the Tea Party is for or against the health care plan currently under review. We did it because we are unequivocally FOR the United States Constitution and believe it must be respected at all times and defended when necessary.
The time has come for all Americans to rise in the defense of our Constitution. Now is the time. Americans and members of the Tea Party must resist this hijacking of our Constitution by the “a Tyrannical Majority”.
We must resist this flagrant assault on our Constitution with all our strength, with all our resources with all our energy. If, God forbid it, we fail; our Constitution will be irrevocably damaged and our freedoms further abridged.
Organize, mobilize, and fight back with all that we have, to do otherwise is to hasten the fall of America……
Do it For God and country……