Tea Partiers Gaining Popularity in Westchester

On April 15 hundreds of people, members of the White Plains Tea Party, gathered at the Westchester County Center protesting their concerns about government spending. According to a recent New York Times/ CBS study as many as 18 percent of Americans identify themselves as Tea Party supporters, but it may be a while before Tea Party Patriots hold a rally on the Rye Green.

The White Plains Tea Party was founded in July of 2009 and according to their Meetup group have slightly more than 230 members, but virtually none of the members are from Rye. 

Gary Murphy who lives in Chappaqua, New York and owns the Maid Brigade with his wife became involved with the White Plains Tea Party in January.

"As a small businessman what I see is unsustainable programs coming out of Albany and Washington that the taxpayers are paying for," Murphy said. "I'm worried about the direction we are headed in terms of economic responsibility."

Murphy says that he supports a constitutionally limited, fiscally responsible government that opposes a runaway deficit.

"I support free markets and the entrepreneurial spirit that I believe our freedom is based on," Murphy said. "I believe limited taxes will foster economic growth and I believe in individual and personal responsibility. People have to make it own their own."

Marc Roseman of Harrison, another member of White Plains Tea Party and small business owner, joined the group in the beginning of April because he said decisions being made by the federal government are not only self-destructive, but in some cases unconstitutional.

"I hope the Tea Party will help educate the general public in regards to what fiscal conservatism is, how lawmakers are obligated to follow the letter and spirit of the constitution, and most importantly to encourage people to vote," Roseman said. "Who one decides to vote for is their own choice; the Tea Party is attempting to give the voting public the tools and resources to make educated decisions."

The New York Times/CBS study found that Tea Party supporters "tend to be Republican, white, male, married, and older than 45," but Roseman pointed out that while not a political party, the Tea Party is a group of loose-knit organizations that have similar but not identical views and that they are made up of Republicans, Democrats, Independents and those who choose not to be classified.

The poll also found that "Tea Party supporters are wealthier and more well-educated than the general public and are no more or less afraid of falling into a lower socioeconomic class."

While the Rye population on average is wealthier and more educated that many parts of the country, organizers of the White Plains Tea Party were unfamiliar with any Rye members and several Rye residents admitted they knew hardly anything about the organization.

"I don't know very much," said Katherine, a Rye resident who declined to give her last name. "I think everyone has the right to freedom of speech but I think the Tea Party is quite radical."

Bob, also of Rye, who was reading a book on the Rye Green echoed Katherine's sentiments.

"I don't know much about it," Bob said. "It just seems like a cry to bring conservative elements into the Republican fold and when I hear that type of news I tend to run in the other direction, but that's just my take."