For Austin lawyer Greg Holloway, the idea behind the city's latest "tea party" protest was pretty simple."The point is that people are upset about representation from Democrats and Republicans," Holloway said. "At this point in the journey, we're more interested in informing and empowering people."
Holloway and his wife, Judy, were among the organizers of Saturday's rally, which drew more than 1,000 people to the south steps of the Capitol to protest the Obama administration's plans for health care reform and other government policies.
The event was the first statewide rally organized by the Texas Tea Party Patriots, a group that describes itself as a grass-roots organization that is "declaring independence from tax-and-spend politicians," according to the group's Web site. The group says it believes in limited government, fiscal responsibility and adherence to the Constitution.
"We'd love to see people calling up their congressmen" after the rally, Holloway said, "asking for them to follow the Constitution a little more closely."
Despite cloudy, sticky weather, people from all over the state gathered with fold-out chairs, coolers and signs that depicted President Barack Obama as a socialist, as the Joker and in other less-flattering ways.
The crowd chanted "Real Change Now" and "U.S.A." and listened to speeches from Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, the political celebrity also known as Joe the Plumber, and several others, including comedian and columnist Steven Crowder.
Local organizers also led the crowd in cheers and offered reading recommendations. Phillip Dennis, with the Dallas Tea Party, suggested Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" and Congress' health care reform bill.
Members of the Minuteman Project, an activist group that monitors the flow of illegal immigrants across the U.S.-Mexico border, were also on hand.
Organizers handed out wristbands to count of the number of people in attendance, Holloway said. By noon, an estimated 1,300 people were in attendance. Holloway said that organizers expected 5,000 by the time the three-hour rally was over.
Among those who attended was Brad Palmer, 47, who drove from Sugar Land with his dog, Duke. Palmer held a sign that read "In God We Trust, Not Obama"; a sign on Duke's back read "Don't Tread on my Master!"
He said he made the trip because of his concern for where the country's headed.
"I'm worried we're headed down the road to communism. I hope by seeing these rallies, the government will start to fear us, like it was when this country was founded," Palmer said.
"Too many people fear the government, but the government should fear us."