The movement was not created by the Republican National Committee or Rush Limbaugh, but it was inspired by a February 19, 2009 on-air rant by Chicago-based CNBC reporter Rick Santelli.
For starters, he decried the Obama administration’s plan to modify mortgages. Bailing people out of mortgages they couldn't afford in the first place just promoted more "bad behavior," he said.Other took heed and held over 50 tea parties eight days later. They were called Nationwide Chicago Tea Parties. Not everything that comes out of Chicago is tainted by Obama or Blago.
Behind him on the exchange floor, staffers began cheering. Santelli asked whether they wanted to help pay their neighbors' mortgages. In response, they booed like angry fans at a ballgame.
Then Santelli uttered the words that will live on in infamy, or honor, depending on your point of view.
"We're thinking of having a Chicago tea party in July," he said. "All you capitalists that want to show up to Lake Michigan, I'm going to start organizing."
Related post:
Pitchfork populism at the Chicago Tea Party
Technorati tags: news government politics chicago illinois conservative tea party