Tea Party Rallies in Jefferson City, and Across the Country

Intro: What would income tax day and a tea party have in common? The answer is angry Conservatives.

Jennifer Meckles has more from Jefferson City.

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Description: "Thanks for coming out today..."

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Description: "Its a great day for a tea party."

Hundreds of people gathered on the Capitol lawn Wednesday to take part in a national protest, organized by the University of Missouri College Republicans.

Several Republican legislators, like Representative Cynthia Davis rallied the crowd.

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Description: "All governments are greedy, and they tend to extract the maximum possible. But he who taxes least, taxes best."

The tea parties took place at capitol buildings and cities across the country to coincide with April 15th -- income tax day.

The sole Democratic speaker, Representative J.C. Keusser, tried to present his side but was quickly silenced.

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Description: "What is the first thing the government should be responsible for? Booo"
"Listen to the people!"

Columbia Democratic Representative Chris Kelly says this whole thing is just a political stunt.

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Description: "All of a sudden we have a Democratic president and they're interested in wasteful government spending. Where where they during the most corrupt and expensive war in American history? Where were they during the runaway spending of the Bush administration? This has no purpose except to bad-mouth Obama."

Though they had no funding for the Missouri rally, the College Republicans said nationally the movement found money and support coming from the American Family Association, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and other individual donation

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Jennifer Meckles.

Intro: At a Tea Party rally Wednesday at the Capitol, protesters boo-ed the only Democratic speaker right off the podium.

Jennifer Meckles has more from the State Captiol.

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Southeast Missouri Democratic Representative J.C. Kuessner spoke to the crowd for only about four minutes, but the legislator was barely heard.

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Description: "The government has a role in helping us get out of this economic situation."
"(Boos)"

Rally organizer Megan Roberts of the MU College Republicans said their purpose was not to exclude the Democratic voice, and they still hope to hear it.

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Description: "I was kind of disappointed that he wasn't more well-received. However, we got his information and the College Republicans want to bring him to campus to do a Q and A and sit down and talk with him and give him his chance to say his peace."

Kuessner said he was surprised by the crowd's reaction, but understands it's just part of the process.

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Description: "That proves what a wonderful government we have for them to be able to have their signs, and their expressions and their boo-ing and their hollering. Gosh, what a great country we live in that we have that opportunity. That's democracy and I love it!"

Tea party rallies were held across the nation as a conservative response to national government spending.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Jennifer Meckles.

Intro: Tea Party rallies across the nation find support from big-wig Republicans and even Fox News.

Jennifer Meckles has more from Jefferson City.

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The rallies protested federal government spending. But who spent the money to fund the protests?

Brett Dinkins is a member of MU College Republicans and an organizer for the rally.

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Description: "Our tea party is in theme with the tea parties occurring nation-wide sponsored in part by Newt Gingrich and Sean Hannity. And the ones at Fox News are hoping to promote and cover this occurring across the country."

That's Newt Gingrich -- former US House Speaker and, Sean Hannity -- a national conservative radio and television host.

Another rally organizer and College Republican Megan Roberts said while sponsorship helped nationally, the Jefferson City rally had no actual funding.

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Description: "There's been no money, and we wanted to really make sure that -- because we don't think of this as a Republican or Democrat issue. It's an American issue. And the debt is something that all Americans should be concerned about."

The rally had several hundred in attendance with speakers from both political parties.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Jennifer Meckles.