A watermelon cutting, barbecues or a fish fry are a politician’s best friend. The crowds, normally numbering around 40 or 50 people, are noisy, jubilant and cutesy at every turn. Usually, they are precursors for greasing the ol’ palm to help finance their next run for office.

There’s nothing particularly wrong with this scenario as it gives those running for office an audience of supporters who generally are amenable to what the particular candidate has to offer, and the candidate loves it.

That’s the way it has been for ages, but recently the advent of the American Tea Party movement has disrupted the politician’s way of doing business.

The Tea Party groups, which consist of citizens, have literally taken to the streets nationwide, bypassing the more traditional method of seeking out the politicians.

Politicians are concerned about the agenda of these groups because of their unorganized structure and popularity.

Several weeks ago, more than 700 people attended a tea party function in Thomasville that was designed to let people learn more about a new idea called the Fair Tax proposition.

While attending the Georgia Republican State Convention in Savannah, Insurance Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine sought me out and wanted to discusss the Thomasville event, which incidentally was one in which he was a featured guest speaker.

The concern on his face was evident when he queried me about the large number that turned out for the affair. He said he wasn’t expecting a crowd of that size and wanted to know what was up.

I told Oxendine that although I had nothing to do with organizing the event I was present and indeed enjoyed seeing that great number of people finally getting interested in government and politics.

I further told him that people in general are gravely concerned about rising taxes at the city, county, state and national levels and I felt that more tea party events will be held with even greater participation from the public.

I believe the genie is out of the bottle, so to speak, and no longer will the political agenda be completely decided by those attending fish fries.

We see this new phenomenon playing out around the country as the tea party movement gains momentum.

Evident by what we see happening at the present time in Iran in which the people, knowing their election was rigged, took to the streets in indignation to address their grievance of a corrupt system.

When elected representatives will not act in accordance with the law they swore to uphold, it is noteworthy to see that the masses will rise up and take action on their own.

With the low approval ratings of our current congressional delegations along with the extreme left turn in their governance, it is time for all Americans to start attending meetings with the express purpose of letting them know that we want our country back.