Taxpayer tea party draws hundreds

GREEN BAY - Holding signs and chanting slogans, conservatives came together on Saturday to say they do not support the expanding role of the federal government.

"We still believe in self-reliance," Jerry Bader, organizer and local radio talkshow host, said at the rally.

The rally, which was held outside of Titletown Brewery in Green Bay, drew about 500 people.  It was billed as a symbolic anti-tax tea party.

Similar rallies have taken place all across the country -- inspired by a CNBC reporter who went off last month about the Obama administration's plan to turn the economy around.

At the time, the reporter joked that those against the spending hikes should hold tea party protests.  In 1773, colonists helpd a "tea party" in Boston, where they dumped tea into the harbor to protest a British tax.

Those at Saturday's rally said they were protesting increasing government intervention and stimulus spending.

"Obama's plans are insane and they're going to destroy our country if they keep going. There is not enough money to do this," Mary Rehberg, of Green Bay said.

"We have to, as citizens, stand up and say no we don't want anymore taxes. We want efficiency, we want to get jobs back, and we can't keep trying to spend money to create jobs," Mike Fochs, of Green Bay, said.

After the rally, protestors marched to the office of Democratic Congressman Steve Kagen.   Although Kagen was not available for comment on Saturday, in the past, he has defended the new spending.

"We must act to begin to rebuild our economy, restore confidence, and secure our way of life. It allows us to transform our economy, generating millions of new jobs in the process and invests our hard-earned tax dollars right here at home," Rep. Kagen said last month.

Democrats have said the measures being taken are necessary to get the economy back on track.

Already, more than half a billion dollars in stimulus spending has been approved in Wisconsin to rebuild roads and bridges.  Those projects are expected to save or create an estimated 13,000 jobs, according the Governor Jim Doyle's office.

In the meantime, the political minority will continue to voice its opposition to the spending increases, while others hope the measures do work and turn the economy around.

Click here to watch the video that started the idea of the current tea party protests.