| Friday, April 10, 2009 | | | | administration’s repeated use of class warfare |
| Frustrated, angry, fed-up, and outraged are just a | | | | rhetoric to foment jealousy and division among |
| few of the ways to describe a growing number | | | | Americans, taxpayer funding of radical activist |
| of Orange County residents over the seemingly | | | | groups such as ACORN, politicizing the census |
| boundless recent activities of the federal | | | | used for congressional reapportionment, providing |
| government. In fact, for one local organization, | | | | taxpayer funded lifetime pensions for elected |
| We Surround Them in Orange County (WSTOC), | | | | officials, rampant cronyism, an increasingly punitive |
| the federal government’s refusal to recognize | | | | tax code, using taxes as a weapon or to manage |
| its Constitutional boundaries is a trend that they | | | | behavior, using taxpayer funds to coerce states |
| aim to reverse with the help of other grass-roots | | | | into changing policies, proposing to take over the |
| organizations springing up around the country. | | | | health care industry, providing taxpayer benefits |
| WSTOC was inspired by, but is not affiliated with | | | | to illegal immigrants, the expansion of welfare |
| Fox TV host Glenn Beck’s national “9-12 | | | | through a variety of programs, and aggressively |
| Project” launched by Beck as call to action for | | | | attempting to make as many individuals and |
| Americans to rediscover their common values | | | | institutions as possible dependent upon |
| and reassert their birthright to the limited form of | | | | government assistance. |
| government guaranteed by the Constitution. Beck | | | | The most often cited complaint among members |
| named the effort “The 9-12 Project” in | | | | is the extraordinary level of deficit spending this |
| reference to the day after the terrorist attacks | | | | administration and congress have embraced. With |
| of 9/11; a day on which all Americans were united | | | | trillions of dollars in new borrowing being planned |
| in heartbreak, goodwill, and common resolve. | | | | for the next decade, members contend that this |
| “We Surround Them” is an expression | | | | government is essentially robbing future |
| used by Beck intended to remind citizens that the | | | | generations of their freedom by burdening them |
| 535 elected congressmen answer to them, not | | | | with an overwhelming tax liability. |
| the other way around. | | | | It seems fitting therefore, that one of the |
| WSTOC was formed as a non-partisan activist | | | | group’s organizers is a member of one of the |
| group less than three weeks ago but boasts | | | | too-young-to-vote generations anticipating the |
| more than 100 members to-date. The | | | | coming tax burden. Greyson Peltier is |
| group’s first official event will be in the form | | | | WSTOC’s youngest organizer at just 12 |
| of a “Tea Party” tax protest at 12pm on | | | | years old. Greyson states his case clearly, |
| April 15th at the Plaza of the Flags in Santa | | | | “Everyone has been frustrated with our |
| Ana’s Civic Center Plaza. The group expects | | | | government cheating us out of our money, and |
| more than 500 participants and is looking to draw | | | | people of all ages are huddling up to stop this |
| attention to grievances and encourage others to | | | | insanity.” |
| join the group. | | | | Greyson has begun a recruiting effort focused on |
| The grievances expressed by the group’s | | | | his Aliso Viejo Christian School student body and |
| members are many but they all share a common | | | | has attracted six middle school students to the |
| theme: the government is out of control. WSTOC | | | | effort so far. “Today is the right day for |
| contends that despite the clearly delineated | | | | anyone to start protecting our future, young and |
| constraints on the federal government in the US | | | | old, rich and poor, and we should all start |
| Constitution and a wealth of documentary | | | | today!” Greyson says, and he’s striking a |
| evidence demonstrating the intent of the | | | | chord. |
| Constitution’s Framers, recent administrations | | | | WSTOC is coordinating with multiple other |
| have exceeded their authority and have pursued | | | | like-minded groups in southern CA to build a lasting |
| an agenda that cannot be reconciled with the | | | | organization unencumbered by traditional political |
| nation’s founding principles and laws. | | | | party dogma that they hope will serve as a |
| “The government is now picking winners and | | | | powerful citizens lobby for the restoration of |
| losers and sending us the bill.” Said Jim Cover, | | | | limited government. The group’s current plans |
| founder of WSTOC. “Taxpayers are being | | | | include the April 15th Tax protest, a |
| fleeced and our children are being robbed to | | | | meet-and-greet meeting at Fuddruckers |
| bailout banks, insurance companies, car companies, | | | | restaurant in Irvine on April 21st, and multiple |
| and mortgage companies among other things.” | | | | events planned through July of this year. |
| Other grievances include: the current | | | | |