ATLAS SHRUGGED–THE MOVIE

Many of you know Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand as one of the iconic books of the 20th century, and a “must read” tea party book.  Well, it has been made into a film (and it looks like an excellent adaptation, I might add), and it is showing in Charlotte THIS WEEKEND!  On Saturday, join us at the Regal Cinemas at Stonecrest in Piper Glen to watch the film with your fellow tea partiers!  The showing is at 2:40pm, and we get a GROUP DISCOUNT!  That’s right, tickets are only $5.75 each!  If you would like to join us, please reply to this email with the number of tickets you need, and the names of those people attending with you.  Also, please include your phone number, which we will only use if you haven’t shown up and we need to know if you are still using your tickets.  One of our tea partiers, Mary Ann, is buying the tickets up front, so please BRING CASH to the theater in order to pay her back.  To pick up your tickets Saturday, please show up outside the box office NO LATER THAN 2:10pm.  Mary Ann and I will be there to give you your ticket(s), and to take your cash. 

Remember, only $5.75 each!  What a deal!  Bring your friends and family!

DATE:  Saturday, April 16th

LOCATION:  Regal Cinemas, Stonecrest at Piper Glen

7824 Rea Road, Charlotte, NC 28277

TIME:  2:40 showing, show up no later than 2:10 to get your tickets.

COST:  $5.75/ea

IMPORTANT:  Please email charlottetaxdayteaparty@gmail.com with the number of tickets you are requesting, names of those attending, and a phone number.  Please do this by 3pm on Thursday, as we have to let the theater know how many are coming by Thursday evening.

Please forward this to any liberty-minded folks you know!

In Liberty,

Matthew Ridenhour

twitter: @mridenhour

“It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather a small, tireless minority intent on lighting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men.”

-Samuel Adams

Charlotte Tea Party

twitter: @CLTTeaParty

www.charlotteteaparty.org

I hope you’re doing well, and your homes and cars aren’t too banged up from the hail storms last weekend!  A lot of y’all have been asking about whether or not the Charlotte Tea Party is hosting a Tax Day Tea Party this year.  No, we are not.  I really feel that we as a movement have moved beyond rallying several times throughout the year.  Yes, I am sure that we will still have rallies when the situation requires it, but I believe we need to move into a more education/activist movement.  That’s the only way we’re really going to change our nation, and that’s the only way our movement will continue to have life.  Otherwise, we’re just going to be written off as people that rally all of the time, but do little else.  That said, there are some GREAT events coming up, and I hope you will join us!!

ATLAS SHRUGGED–THE MOVIE and ACTIVIST TRAINING IN CONCORD!!

First I’ll start with Atlas Shrugged:  As many of you know, this iconic book has been made into a film series, and the first installment opens in theaters THIS WEEKEND!  On Saturday, we will be gathering en masse to watch the film together!

DATE:  Saturday, April 16th

LOCATION:  Regal Cinemas, Stonecrest at Piper Glen

TIME:  TBD (probably sometime between noon and 2pm) Will send followup email on Wednesday to let you know the time

COST:  Also TBD, but we’re getting a GROUP DISCOUNT as the Charlotte Tea Party!!

Details are being ironed out, but please make plans for you and yours to join us on Saturday at the movie theater at Stonecrest!

ACTIVIST TRAINING:

This is a FANTASTIC opportunity provided to us by Heritage Action and Majority Connections!  If you have not been to any activist training sessions, then you are not fully equipped as a tea partier.  There is only so much info one can learn at a rally or meeting.  I HIGHLY encourage you to attend this session, to learn how you can better affect your community. 

http://charlotteskillsclinic.eventbrite.com/

Attending a protest, rally or local meeting is a good start, but it’s no longer enough!  2011 is the year for North Carolina activists to organize online and offline.

To help you learn the most effective ways to be an activist, Heritage Action and Majority Connections, LLC are teaming up to provide a skills clinic for conservatives in the Charlotte Metro area.

Join other North Carolina conservatives as we come together and organize, communicate and strategize for the tough battles ahead.  Come to a Skills Clinic on April 18th to learn how to take back our state!

Session Topics Include:

Grassroots Lobbying

Writing Effective Letters to the Editor

Blogging for Activists

Using New Media to Spread Your Message 

Location and Time: 

Bass Pro Shops – Upstairs Meeting Room

8181 Concord Mills Blvd

Concord, NC 28027

5:00-9:30

Date: Monday, April 18th

Registration begins at 5:00pm.

Register online: http://charlotteskillsclinic.eventbrite.com/ 

Walk ins and pay at the door welcome! Email Jessica Wood to reserve your seat!

Admission Pricing:

$27.37 (includes registration and processing fees)

Questions? Email Jessica Wood at jessica@majorityconnections.com.

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 Lastly, there is a lot of great information here, so if you are a member of a conservative group, please forward this to your friends!

Enjoy this Carolina sunshine!  I’ll email you tomorrow with the details for the Atlas Shrugged showing this weekend, as well as the location of some tea party rallies in the area.

In Liberty,

Matthew Ridenhour

twitter: @mridenhour

“It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather a small, tireless minority intent on lighting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men.”

-Samuel Adams

Charlotte Tea Party

twitter: @CLTTeaParty



www.charlotteteaparty.org

Become a Blogger for the CTP website!  Email us at charlottetaxdayteaparty@gmail.com if you’re interested!

http://www.charlotteteaparty.org/

Doesn’t the subject line of this email sounds like a joke? “So an SEIU member, Mick Mulvaney, and Ron Paul walk into a bar…”

First off, a big THANK YOU to everyone who braved the elements and rallied against moveon.org last Tuesday! We outnumbered them at least 2-1, if not 3-1! We were a happy bunch of tea partiers, waving flags and chanting USA! USA! They were an unhappy lot, huddled together under umbrellas signing petitions. I believe we had more fun! Thanks again for standing together. It won’t be the last time!

SEIU

Have you seen the video of the former SEIU official talking about plans to destabilize the nation, and redistribute wealth? He talks about plans going into effect in May. Watch the video here: http://www.businessinsider.com/seiu-union-plan-to-destroy-jpmorgan

Mick Mulvaney

Many of you are familiar with Rep Mick Mulvaney’s epic defeat of Jack Spratt is SC D-5, and many of you were pivotal in making that happen. Well, now is your chance to hear Rep Mulvaney speak! The MeckGOP is hosting a $25 fundraiser, and Rep Mulvaney is the keynote speaker.

Details:
Date: Friday, March 25, 2011
Time: 6:00pm to 9:00p.m.
Location: The Palisades Country Club, 13704 Grand Palisades Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28278

Here is a speech of Rep Mulvaney speaking at CPAC: http://vimeo.com/20183193

For more information visit www.meckgop.com, or call 704-334-9127

RON PAUL IS COMING TO RALEIGH

Next Monday, Rep Ron Paul is coming to speak for FREE in Raleigh. If you have ever wanted to hear this champion of liberty and fiscal sanity speak, now is your chance!

Time Monday, March 28 · 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location
NCSU McKimmon Center
1101 Gorman Street
Raleigh, NC

Congressman Ron Paul will be speaking at the McKimmon Center at NC State at 7pm. NC Rep. Glen Bradley will open with remarks. This event is FREE and open to the public. No tickets are needed!

The campus bookstore will be in attendance, selling Ron’s latest two books – End the Fed, and The Revolution: A Manifesto. Hardbacks will be $22, and the paperbacks will only be $15, so make sure to pick up a copy or two!

Map: http://www.ncsu.edu/campus_map/south.htm

Bus: Route 5 of the Wolfline stops at both the Varsity Drive and Gorman Street sides of McKimmon. The bus is free and open to the public.

There will also be on-site parking for this event.

For more information, or to possibly find a carpool ride, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160407704013017&ref=ts

I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful Spring weather! Take care and God bless!

Trivia: On this date in history, Patrick Henry gave his famous “Liberty or Death” speech. For the full text of the speech, go here: http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/henry.htm

In Liberty,

Matthew Ridenhour
twitter: @mridenhour

“It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather a small, tireless minority intent on lighting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men.”
-Samuel Adams
Charlotte Tea Party
twitter: @CLTTeaParty

This is a very important email about the Charlotte Streetcar–but we need EVERYONE’s help, not just those who live in Char-Meck. There is a lot of meat in this email, please read it thoroughly, email the people listed, and please forward this email to all of your friends! This is our last shot at not spending millions on the Elizabeth Ave streetcar!

INTRO

There’s one more chance to let people know how you feel about the Streetcar, and it’s going on right now. The City of Charlotte is asking for MUMPO (Mecklenburg Union Metropolitan Planning Organization) to amend its long-term transportation plan agreement, and codify the streetcar’s jumping ahead of other plans, in order to secure the federal $$$ to build it. This is bad policy, it won’t deliver more transit options, and there’s no way to know how it’ll be paid for and extended, to meet intended goals, for starters.

Three good reason to oppose the Streetcar on MUMPO:

1. If the Streetcar gets on MUMPO’s Priority list, it can compete for Sate and NCDOT money against the Light Rail Expansion, 458 widening and other road projects. That means some road widening projects will be delayed.

2. The Streetcar is a City of Charlotte Project, CATS refuses to deal with it. MUMPO is supposed to work on regional transportation solutions for Mecklenburg and Union Counties, not political pet projects.

3. The Streetcar does not make economic sense during these tight budget years. The 1.5 mile line will cost $1.5 million tax payer dollars to operate per year and is only expecting 475 round trip rides per day. And CATS said it will still operate a Bus Line down Elizabeth Avenue. Do we need a bus line and a street car on the same short route??

ACTION

So here’s what you need to do: Write letters. Call. Email. By Feb 23rd. Then plan on showing up to the March 16th Meeting at 7pm in the Government Center.

All Comments need to go to:

Robert W. Cook, AICP
MUMPO Secretary
600 E. Fourth St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
FAX: 704-336-5123
E-Mail: rwcook@charlottenc.gov

Feel Free to also contact the members MUMPO Board:

info@davidhowardclt.com,
jbensman@attglobal.net,
bjenest@colejeneststone.com,
sMcAulay@huntersville.org,
mayor@indiantrail.org,
jtaylor@matthewsnc.com,
dumontclarke@mvalaw.com,
manager@minthill.com,
jbashcraft@wedamon.com,
JEschert@aol.com,
lpaxton@stallingsnc.org,
jerry.simpson@co.union.nc.us,
dgardner@waxhaw.com,
hunterberryfarm@yahoo.com,
brad.horvath@wachovia.com,
bgbraswell@hotmail.com,
jcollett@collett.biz

WHAT TO WRITE

Please begin your letter as follows:

“I strongly encourage you NOT to change the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to advance construction of the proposed streetcar.”

In order to communicate effectively this position, please note the following points:

1. There is no identified funding plan for the full streetcar corridor. Moving the date of the streetcar in the LRTP does nothing to address this point. In fact, moving the project may become a reason to promote future extension of the streetcar, at the expense of other necessary projects on the LRTP.

2. The proposed streetcar project does not meet any transportation need. The mile and a half corridor proposed for construction is currently served in its entirety by two bus lines. Five other transit lines serve part of the corridor, including the free-to-ride Gold Rush trolley.

3. Advancing the streetcar violates the regional transit plan adopted by the Metropolitan Transit Commission. The regional vision for transit focuses on the Blue Line Extension and the Red Line before the streetcar.

4. The streetcar does not have consensus support within Charlotte. the last vote by the Charlotte City Council on the streetcar was 6 to 5. Furthermore, the vast majority of supporters of the streetcar live or work in the corridor itself. In contrast, a majority of voters in all but two precincts in Mecklenburg County supported the transit tax in 2007. the community supports the transit tax and the transit plan, not the streetcar as a separate project.

5. The federal grant for the streetcar is not from a regularly-funded program. Instead, the money came from a discretionary pool of one-time unused funds controlled by the Federal Transit Administration. Without a funding plan in place, construction of a portion of the streetcar line creates future pressure for Charlotte to find money from whatever sources possible, to build out the corridor.

Please remember, you are not trying to persuade anyone that transit in general is good or bad. This vote is solely about whether or not the streetcar should be built out of sequence, without a plan to pay for the whole project.

FURTHER READING

http [:/] /www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/print-edition/2010/12/03/streetcars-best-hope-is-now-uncle-sam.html

http [:/] /www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2010/11/17/mtc-considers-options-for-spurring.html

http [:/] /www.wfae.org/wfae/1_87_316.cfm?action=display&id=6840

http [:/] /www.wcnc.com/news/local/Streetcar-line-wins-approval-after-contentious-debate-99291839.html

REMEMBER! ALL CALLS, EMAILS, FAXES, LETTERS MUST BE DELIVERED BY FEBRUARY 23RD! THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. THEN, PLAN ON ATTENDING THE MEETING ON MARCH 16TH AT 7PM IN THE GOVERNMENT CENTER. (Details to follow)

GO GET ‘EM, TEA PARTIERS!!

In Liberty,

Matthew Ridenhour
twitter: @mridenhour

“It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather a small, tireless minority intent on lighting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men.”

-Samuel Adams

Charlotte Tea Party
twitter: @CLTTeaParty
www.charlotteteaparty.org

The Meck YRs have confirmed the following Distinguished Guests: Tara Servatius, WBT Radio Personality; Mary Newsom, Charlotte Observer Associate Editor; Joel Ford, Mecklenburg County Democrat Party Chairman; Mark Pellin, PunditHouse.com Founder, Andy Dulin, Charlotte City Councilman and Warren Cooksey, Charlotte City Councilman.

The forum will be part of the Meck YR’s monthly meeting at Dilworth Neighborhood Grille (911 E. Morehead Street, Charlotte, NC). The Meck YR meeting begins with a networking hour at 6 PM followed by the forum at 7 PM. All members of the general public, regardless of age or political affiliation, are welcome to attend both portions of the meeting.

Meck YR’s Chairman, Aaron Beck, will serve as moderator and facilitate the discussion. Distinguished Guests will answer questions from the audience at the completion of the forum.

The Mecklenburg County Young Republicans invites all citizens of Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas to attend. There will be preferred seating for members of the Young Republicans at the event. If you wish to join our membership you may join online at www.meckyr.com or contact Rebecca Herron at rcherron@gmail.com. If you have questions regarding the forum, please contact Aaron Beck, Chairman Meck YRs at aarontbeck@gmail.com.

###

http://activistsandairplanes.com/2011/01/26/i-saw-something-different-in-the-sotu-speech-last-night/

It will only take 3 minutes to read.

In liberty,

Matthew

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that the Mecklenburg GOP convention would be coming up, and that if you want to help make a difference (and you’re a registered Republican by Jan 31st), then you need to become a delegate.  Well, here is a well written letter by Adam Love detailing the process.  See you at the convention!

FROM ADAM LOVE:

The Mecklenburg County GOP has posted updated information regarding the 2011 Precinct Meetings and County Convention, and I wanted to make sure to pass that information along to you.  As you know, this year the Republican Party in North Carolina will elect new leadership at all levels.  The leaders elected at the county, district, and state conventions will be the ones who lead the party into the 2012 Presidential election, so this is your best chance to ensure that YOUR voice is heard in the fight to restore our Republic. 

As stated previously, the 2011 Meck GOP Precinct meetings will be held on February 17th at 7pm.  The precinct meetings will be held at 8 different locations throughout Mecklenburg County.  If you are not sure which precinct you live in, please click here to look up your Voter Registration File with the Board of Elections.  If you would like to participate as a delegate in this year’s convention cycle but are not registered Republican or if the Board of Elections does not have your correct address on file, please send a Change of Registration Form to the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections prior to January 31st.  The Mecklenburg County Board of Elections website can be found here.  If you would like to participate in the convention cycle as a delegate, but cannot attend the February 17th precinct meetings, you must submit an Absentee Letter to Meck GOP HQ no later than 6pm on February 16th. 

The Mecklenburg County GOP Convention will be held March 19th.  The time has not yet been set, and the tentative location is Butler High School, located at 1810 Matthews-Mint Hill Road, Matthews, NC 28105.  The NCGOP State Convention will be held June 3-5 in Wilmington, NC. Please don’t hesitate to reply with any questions or concerns you may have.  

Thanks, 

Adam Love

NC State CoordinatorCampaign for Liberty

http://www.campaignforliberty.comadam.love@campaignforliberty.com 

P.S. As stated above, this year’s Mecklenburg County GOP Convention will elect the chairman that will lead the county party through the 2012 Presidential elections.  The candidates for Meck GOP Chairman have written columns outlining their agenda for the party, which can be found here and here.  If you plan on becoming a delegate, I recommend familiarizing yourself with these candidates and their positions.

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If you need an Absentee Letter, Voter Registration Form, or Precinct Meeting Locations forms, please email me or Adam.  See you at the convention!  If the Libertarian Party or Democrat Party has any convention information which they would like me to send out in the interests of non-partisanship, please let me know.

In Liberty,

Matthew Ridenhour

twitter: @mridenhour

“It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather a small, tireless minority intent on lighting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men.”

-Samuel Adams

Charlotte Tea Party

twitter: @CLTTeaParty

www.charlotteteaparty.org

Become a Blogger for the CTP website!  Email us at charlottetaxdayteaparty@gmail.com if you’re interested!

The FairTax Informational Panel is designed to help you understand the FairTax and how it differs from other “tax reforms” being talked about.

After the presentations, the floor will be open for questions and discussion.

This meeting is for anyone who want to know more about FairTax as well as for present supporters wanting to get more involved in this grassroots movement.

This event is being held in the Lecture Hall at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC.

For more information, please view the official event invitation HERE.