A planned “unity” convention for tea partiers is being pushed to the fall, with organizers scrapping a major gathering with just 19 days before it was scheduled to go off. They cited heat and not being professional event planners, but the abrupt change in plans without a new date firmed up doesn’t bode well for the fledgling group.
Tea Party Nation announced in an email to members this weekend that their “unity” convention, planned for July 15-17 in Las Vegas, would be delayed. Organizers didn’t give a new date, but said in an email obtained by TPM they think holding it closer to the midterm elections would help the movement’s “momentum.” It’s not clear yet if keynote speaker Senate nominee Sharron Angle (R-NV) will still be attending or if anyone who already booked rooms at the ritzy Palazzo where the convention was to be held or who paid the $399 registration fee will get refunds.
“We were so excited about the tremendous success of the first convention, we jumped into this second convention without considering the timing. The heat in Las Vegas in July is keeping many who would like to participate from attending,” organizers wrote. “We have also received numerous emails from people who were forced to decide between family vacations and attending the convention.”
As TPM has documented, Tea Party Nation has had plenty of growing pains, including problems with top Congressional speakers pulling out of their first convention in Nashville.
Full email below:
Hello everyone –
This week, there were several meetings of the Executive Planning Committee for the convention. We concluded it would more advantageous to hold the convention in the middle of October just prior to the November elections.
We had to have a deep and serious discussion for three days as we delved into every aspect of this matter before pushing it back and catering to the wishes of so many who wanted to attend.
Like most of you, we are new to this and are not professional event planners. Unlike many other national organizations involved in this movement, we don’t have huge budgets for PR and Marketing departments. Everyone associated with the organizing of the first convention and this convention are just ordinary people like you trying to save our country in any way we can.
As stated before, we are new and are trying to include as many people as possible for this Unity convention. After all, it is for the people! This time for the West Coast…giving attendees facts, education, opportunities to meet people they would never be able to meet otherwise and most importantly feeding the hunger these people need to be around like-minded people.
This was not a spur of the moment decision contrary to anyone’s opinion or thoughts. It was agonizing going over the facts and figures of why we must do this change and still do an amazing service to our members and future members.
Those who wish to be a part of this endeavor, we welcome you with open arms.
Those who are not going to wish us well and only want to cause division or strife, are not a part of the solution. That is a message in itself. Our intent is to gain the greatest momentum and the greatest delivery to the greatest amount of patriots. Nothing more, nothing less.
The National groups in this country must come to our aid and to the aid of the country with the acknowledgment our country is in a mess and listen to the people as the Congress and President obviously are not. We have an obligation we have undertaken to partner in the reestablishment of the rule over these circumstances and situations the economy and the government has put us in. We are doing our best as stewards of these duties and our capacities are dictated by the people and the economy.
We were so excited about the tremendous success of the first convention, we jumped into this second convention without considering the timing. The heat in Las Vegas in July is keeping many who would like to participate from attending. We have also received numerous emails from people who were forced to decide between family vacations and attending the convention.
We have also gained valuable access to new Tea Party Groups in the United States who have contacted us and we have contacted others, therefore, the time delay will allow them the valuable and necessary time they need to be a part of this amazing event. The timing was wrong on our part in the July dates. The nay-sayers will always ridicule or tear down others, the true patriots — like our military, help the fallen up by extending a hand. Those patriots are the backbone of this country…who carry the American Flag proudly we might add.
We too, are a result of the present situation the government has put us in as a residue of what the entire country is feeling. Therefore, because of TPN being in the exact same grouping as the rest of the nation, we feel we better communicate and understand the hardships and the struggles the people of our great nation are feeling.
In the center of this grand anthem of acknowledgment the towering truth is…we will be in one of the hardest hit cities in America to help bolster their esteem, and economy in October!
Thank you again for your understanding and support. The momentum we gain from holding the convention in October as we head into the November elections, we feel will be worth all of the sacrifices and inconveniences.
