Coffee Party - The Lefts Answer to the Tea Party

Submitted by Jake Gellar-Goad on March 8, 2010 - 3:12am

 http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/

http://www.facebook.com/coffeeparty

MISSION: The Coffee Party Movement gives voice to Americans who want to see cooperation in government. We recognize that the federal government is not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges that we face as Americans. As voters and grassroots volunteers, we will support leaders who work toward positive solutions, and hold accountable those who obstruct them.

An introduction (length of video 4:34):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO_5HvnFEv0&feature=player_embedded


http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6500/p/salsa/event/common/public/index.sjs?distributed_event_KEY=117

Being anti-obstructionist, as in being anti-filibuster-addiction as an electoral strategy, and anti-corporatocracy (think the recent SCOTUS decision), opposing fear-based politics, valuing diversity, and the like, and reminding elected officials that the Tea Party isn't representative of all of America or all of independents, sounds good to me.  It is a little too small and new to take super seriously or anything, but it sounds like some good ideas and that it would be a bit of fun to participate... it seems creative, and new, and to have some positivity to it which isn't always easy to find in national politics.

I'm going to be out of town on the national event kick off day, but there is an event in Chapel Hill if anyones interested in going.  If anyone does make it out to that event, let me know how it turns out.  (these are the events in NC I could find, I may have missed some, & more may be scheduled by the time of the event, but the Chapel Hill one is marked)

 Mar 13 2010 10:00 AM
Coffee Party Join us to help launch the Coffee Party Movement. Join local citizens as we come together discuss ...
1155 Tunnel Road
Asheville, NC 14 attendees 30 max
Event Details Email the host

Mar 13 2010 12:00 PM
Coffee Party (Your city or neighborhood here) Join us to help launch the Coffee Party Movement. Cup A Joe near NCSU 12 noon 3100 ...
3100 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC 3 attendees 40 max
Event Details Email the host

Mar 13 2010 12:00 PM
Coffee Party Join us to help launch the Coffee Party Movement. Charlotte Chapter Kick-Off
1521 Central Ave
Charlotte, NC 6 attendees 75 max
Event Details Email the host

Mar 13 2010 12:00 PM
Coffee Party Join us to help launch the Coffee Party Movement. Charlotte Chapter Kick-Off
Pura Vida Worldly Art 1521 Central Ave
Charlotte, NC 6 attendees 75 max
Event Details Email the host

Mar 13 2010 12:00 PM
Coffee Party Join us to help launch the Coffee Party Movement. We will meet upstairs in the Chocolate Lounge. ...
10 South Lexington Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 252-4181
Asheville, NC 4 attendees
Event Details Email the host

***Mar 13 2010 12:00 PM***
Coffee Party USA/Chapel Hill Join us to help launch the Coffee Party Movement. We will be meeting at That Coffee Place, corner ...
We will be meeting at That Coffee Place, corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard at Homestead. (919) 960-6247 2805 Homestead Rd Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Contact me at 1 919 741 5113 Let's get moving! Lloyd
Chapel Hill, NC 11 attendees 90 max
Event Details Email the host

Mar 13 2010 12:00 PM
Coffee Party USA in Raleigh Please join us for a civil, respectful discussion of the ways we can engage our government and ...
3100 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC
Event Details Email the host

Mar 13 2010 12:00 PM
Coffee Party Winston Salem, NC Join us to help launch the Coffee Party Movement.
Panera Bread 105 Hanes Square Circle Winston Salem, NC 27103-5514 Get Directions (336) 794-2033
Winston_Salem, NC 5 attendees 10 max
Event Details Email the host

 

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Comments

CNN coverage of Coffee Party

Submitted by Jake Gellar-Goad on March 10, 2010 - 2:04am

http://cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2010/03/03/am.park.coffee.party.cnnThey got some more coverage today apparently.  I saw on the facebook group that:
"The Coffee Party USA will be featured TODAY on CNN The Situation Room, 5:00pm EST/ 2:00pm PST."

I haven't found that video yet, I'm not sure its been put up yet.Also, a little more background information about their name:It sounds like there is history to the namehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_dragon_tavern

Green Dragon Tavern was a public house used as a tavern and meeting place located on Union Street in Boston's North End.   Purchased in 1764 by the St. Andrews Lodge of Freemasons for its 1st floor meeting rooms, the basement tavern was used by several secret groups and became known by historians as the "Headquarters of the Revolution". The Sons of Liberty, Boston Committee of Correspondence and the North End Caucus each met there. The Boston Tea Party was planned there and Paul Revere was sent from there to Lexington on his famous ride. In January 1788, a meeting of the mechanics and artisans of Boston passed a series of resolutions urging the importance of adopting the Federal Constitution pending at the time before a convention of delegates from around Massachusetts. The building was demolished in 1854.   The current Green Dragon Tavern is located on 11 Marshall Street in Boston's North End. Its publicity states that it is the "headquarters of the revolution", though its relationship to the demolished original pub is not immediately apparent.

http://www.teagarden.com/..."It started in the Green Dragon Tavern. If a man ordered tea, he was a Tory. If he ordered coffee, he was a Patriot."I also took a moment to transcribe a section from the introductory video that I found particularly pertinent:

  We want to see cooperation among people in Congress and government, and we want to see people are representing us move towards solutions to the problems instead of strategically obstructing any form of Congress.  Many people believe this is an effective electoral strategy to win republican seats in 2010 and we object to obstructionism and extreme political tactics, that are, I think are fear based, not reality based, and in many ways just deliberate misinformation.  So we’re organizing.  We want people to understand we are voters, that we’re going to come out to vote, we’re going to participate in the process.  We are going to make sure we hold people accountable for obstructing progress in government.  We need everyone engaged in the political process.  That is the only way government can function as an expression of our collective will.

I also liked the part about valuing diversity.  I don't know if they'll end up functioning more like a small political party, or more like a move-on.org type deal, but they'll be interesting watch for sure. ----More media coverage: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/us/politics/02coffee.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/25/AR2010022505517.htmlhttp://www.theatlanticwire.com/features/view/feature/Tea-Party-vs-Coffee-Party-824http://www.abc15.com/content/news/phoenixmetro/central/story/From-tea-to... http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2010/03/08/sylvester.coffee.pa...and their twitter:  http://twitter.com/coffeepartyusa

 

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