Tea Party Lures Thousands to Southfork Ranch
Supporters hope to be free of high taxes
Holley Ford
Dallas' Tea Party was held July 4 at Southfork Ranch.
It was billed to the be the largest Tea Party in the nation, and the Dallas Tea Party did not disappoint.
Thousands showed up to the Southfork Ranch in Parker for the celebration.
"We are celebrating independence and are putting together like-minded people who are concerned about the direction of fiscal responsibility, or lack thereof," said James Dickey, organizer of the Dallas Tea Party.
Organizers said they were hoping to gather more for smaller government with a grassroots approach without the help of politicians. No politicians or elected officials were invited to speak at the event, and organizers said they did not accept donations from any political parties.
Attendees said they wanted to be free of high taxes and were tired of what they called "runaway spending."
"It affects my daughter's future. She's going to be the one paying the bills for all this, and obviously they are going to have to raise taxes for all the spending," said Diana Clary.
Dickey was adamant in saying the event was nonpartisan, but many tea-partiers shared Republican conservative values.
"We've got Democrats, Libertarians, Republican. We have people of all parties," Dickey said.
