Allen West Draws Sellout Tea Party Crowd at Abacoa

Painting a picture of the construction cranes in Washington, DC, a sign that we are “upside down”, in the US Economy, former Congressman Allen West told us that we have to “win the image battle” to turn things around.

WIth a long line waiting for an autographed copy of his new book “Guardian of the Republic“, Colonel West had just returned from Michigan where he had addressed a tea party gathering of 900.

“Find 5 people and convert 3 of them,” he proposed, “that’s 60% – how hard can that be?”

We need to go behind enemy lines, like the paratroopers before D-day, and bring the conservative message to those who really should be susceptible to it. Minority communities are socially conservative – especially in the churches. Progressive policies leading to a welfare nanny state, inflation and the lack of good jobs are likened to “economic slavery” – an idea that should resonate.

Another area where we should win is on school choice – it is Eric Holder’s justice department who is suing Louisiana to close their charter schools, and Barack Obama who ended the DC voucher program that was giving minority children a real chance at a better future.

Foreign policy and national security is another area where we should be making our case – and the tea party should embrace that part of the constitution about “provide for the common defense”. Our enemies do not fear us and our friends don’t trust us. Reagan said “Tear down this wall”, while Obama seems to be telling Vladimir Putin – “It’s OK if you want to build it again.”

Colonel West then took a series of audience questions ranging from the spread of military hardware to civilian police departments, the case for impeachment, the crisis in the middle east, and making gains in the Black and Jewish communities.

Present at the meeting were CD18 candidates Calvin Turnquest (also PBCTP Director) and Beverly Hires, State Senator Joe Negron, Andy Schaller (County Commission District 6), and Charles Punches (House District 86).