The First Coast Tea Party

The First Coast Tea Party is an organization in Jacksonville, Florida that claims to promote conservative values, but seems primarily to advocate lower taxes. For example, it criticizes the sizes of U.S. budget deficits and the public debt, yet fails to recognize that the main cause of them is the Republican Party's advocacy (beginning under Ronald Reagan in the early 1980s) of tax cuts without commensurate reductions in government spending.

According to its website:

Our Mission at FirstCoastTeaParty.org is to promote the principles of our Founding Fathers — individual liberty and responsibility, limited government, and moral leadership.

We believe… American conservatism, at its foundation, was established and set forth in the historic government of the United States, as framed by our nation’s Founders.

We believe… inspired by our patriotic, intellectual, and moral obligations, we can resolve to carry forward to the next generation the mantle of liberty, for which so many have already sacrificed so much.

We believe… our nation was founded on Godly principles and wherever men have sought to worship government as their god, that god has failed.

We believe… the government should allow free market capitalism to flourish while not micromanaging any industry the government knows nothing about.

We believe… it is our duty to defend the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights, knowing that if we fail, we will be responsible for losing our freedom and destroying ourselves.



The recent Washington bailouts, handouts, and ever expanding government is placing an enormous debt on every American and on our future generations. Numerous, radical changes in our political foundation since inauguration day is stirring the emotions of many Americans, awakening us from our slumber, and causing us to act.

First Coast residents formed The First Coast Tea Party (FCTP) to remind Washington politicians of their responsibility to uphold the foundation of our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence. Those in Washington seem to have forgotten that this country was founded upon “We the People”.

Some of our leaders believe the United States of America needs “fundamental transformation”. We the People believe it does not. While we were promised change and many believed the change would help America become stronger, we believe this change has not restored confidence in the economy or in our national leadership. We believe all the changes have actually created a wedge in our country never seen before.

Many distinguished economists have issued loud warnings about the consequences of these out of control spending policies. Yet Congress is pushing them through at a rapid pace without reading them, understanding them, or caring about the philosophy behind them. Therefore the America people have risen to this occasion to let them know, “We are watching you; we will protect our foundational documents and our freedoms, and we will vote you out of office if you continue down this path of irresponsible wasteful behavior.”

We admit that conservative Americans - like ourselves - have taken our freedoms, financial standing in the world, and our foundational government for granted. We are now fully awake and engaged. We are steadfast in our commitment to win this cause for which we have all come together.

The FCTP is similar to more than a thousand groups like us across the country. We were formed by individuals who usually are not involved in politics at this level and certainly have never before protested. We are professionals, stay at home moms, hard working dads, your next door neighbor, friends, relatives…Americans. We are everyday people who love our country, our God and the truths set forth by our founding fathers. We will stand up, protest, write letters, send emails, call our servants in Washington and fight for the cause of democracy. It is our duty and our right.