St. Louis Tea Party is a loosely assembled group of people and small grassroots organizations. This organization formed on February 22, 2009, when Bill Hennessy, Michelle Moore, Dana Loesch, Gina Loudon, and others organized an event in St. Louis to coincide with the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party being held in numerous cities on Feburary 27. The whole thing started when CNBC reporter Rick Santelli challenged Barack Obama to come to the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade and explain to the people there why they should pay for other people’s bad financial decisions. He ended the rant by saying, “We’re gonna have a tea party here in Chicago . . . in July.” We believe in small government and dealing with the consequences of your own bad decisions. We utterly reject the notion that the most productive and responsible members of society owe a government-mandated handout to the less productive and irresponsible. If anything, it’s the other way around. While charity is a cornerstone of our society and faith, it is nowhere permitted in the Constitution. Charity works best closest to home. We are fighting to preserve our Republic. No country is free when its government can confiscate private property at will. And unread, unconsidered legislation scurried into law in the dark of night is not due process; it’s tyranny. Come fight with us. Your republic is at stake.