A North Carolina native, Elliott grew up with a love for history and often volunteered for local candidates, determined not to idly sit by. She gained political experience as a District Representative for Congressman Charles Taylor where she worked to “make government accountable to the people.” After taking a short break, Elliott jumped back into politics by joining the Haywood County 912 Project, which works to promote fiscally sound government, and now serves as event coordinator and co-chair.

After the 2010 elections, Elliott was approached by Bruce Gardner, 912 Project co-founder, with an idea of using the Tea Party’s influence to promote school choice.

“Our primary goal is to direct the focus away from adult-centered bureaucracy into a child-based system,” Elliott said.

The group quickly got to work organizing a volunteer task force, conducting educational presentations, and contacting state legislators in Raleigh. Their most notable accomplishment to date is working to get the state charter school cap lifted this session.

“When parents are free to choose, no longer is the educational monopoly the only player on the field. Every child is allowed to receive a quality education that will allow them a more equitable future,” she explained.

Follow TEA for Education at: www.teaforeducation.org

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Her political experience began on the Montpelier School Board where she served as Vice Chair and Chief Negotiator for the school board. And while educated on political figures and government, it was not until Park moved to North Carolina six years ago that she became politically active at the local level. Upon getting involved, she recognized a need for better communication and online activism and now maintains numerous websites for various Republican groups. However, in 2009 everything changed.

“We’ve followed Washington’s growing liberal spending habits for years. We looked for men and women who would follow basic principles of fiscal responsibility, limited government, free markets and strong national security,” Park said. “Concern led to alarm and alarm suggested action.”

This call to action drew 1,000 people to the Southern Pines Post Office on April 15, 2009, intent on stopping reckless spending and needless government policies. Moore TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Citizens was created and remains active, hosting monthly meetings, educational seminars, and rallies to teach North Carolinians about the “principles and bedrock beliefs that led to the development of the Constitution.”

After what Park calls “huge successes in 2010 at the polls,” this group is not slowing down their pace. They are networking daily with other Tea Party and grassroots groups across the state, in addition to working alongside existing political parties who now have leadership positions held by Tea Party members. Looking at 2012, Park says the group’s primary focus is to ensure citizens are registered to vote and encourage qualified individuals to run for local seats.

The enthusiasm from concerned voters and desire to get involved has been surprising, Park shared. Surrounding herself with a group of “incredibly talented and dedicated people,” she has helped Moore TEA Citizens become one of the most active and engaged Tea Party groups in the state.

“We are raising and addressing issues as we travel to Raleigh and Washington to meet with members of Congress,” Park explained. “We will not stop! As our theme song says, ‘We Ain’t Goin’ Away!’”

Follow Moore TEA Citizens at: www.mooreteacitizens.com

The post Dee Park: Moore TEA Citizens Chair appeared first on Civitas Institute.

Eager to impact the way young people think about themselves and their place in society, Dr. Michael Munger chose the classroom and academia as the place in which he would leave his mark.

Munger, Director of the Duke Philosophy, Politics and Economics program, gained experience through working as a staff economist at the Federal Trade Commission before teaching at Dartmouth College and the University of Texas. His enthusiasm for engaging with students, through classroom work and conversations, has allowed him to impact many, including those who disagree with him.

“The biggest reward is a sense of participating in the democratic process, both directly in talking about particular policies, but also in talking about why some human societies flourish and prosper, and others wither and die,” Munger said. “Almost every day I have two or three really great conversations!”

Unhappy with the escalating size of government and actions of both major political parties, Munger decided the Libertarian platform best fit his philosophies concerning personal freedom and economic prosperity.

“I want a government small enough to fit inside the Constitution. My role is to try to remind the citizens of our state that for a society of truly free and responsible citizens, nothing is impossible,” he explained.

In 2008, he decided to run as the Libertarian candidate for North Carolina Governor to protest the state’s restrictive ballot access laws. Despite having to spend tremendous resources and time collecting the required 100,000 signatures, Munger garnered 2.8 percent of the vote–more than the 2 percent required to guarantee the Libertarian candidate a place on the 2012 ballot.

“The Libertarians are on the ballot now, and we’ll be there for a long time,” he said.

By keeping the Libertarian party on the ballot, Munger hopes to loosen ballot access laws while also increasing transparency on disclosure laws that “have a chilling effect on politics.” In addition, he wants to offer citizens an alternative to the two-party system, both whose platforms, he says, have failed because “they equal a gigantic deficit.” As the country faces a choice on dealing with the national debt, Munger wants citizens to care about economic sustainability and address the deficit now, while also devoting themselves to their families and communities through volunteerism rather than government.

Currently undecided about whether he will pursue public office again in 2012, Dr. Munger continues to impact young adults in the classroom while provoking others to reevaluate their ideas on the economy and role of government.

“I’d like to think it [teaching] has made a difference. Even a few voices like mine, in the sorts of places where I have worked are an important counterweight to the usual ‘well, we all know that.’ I have a forum, a stage where I can say, ‘No, we don’t all believe that, and here’s why!’”

Follow up with Dr. Munger by visiting http://www.duke.edu/~munger/

The post Michael Munger: Libertarian Advocate and Teacher appeared first on Civitas Institute.

“It seemed I was just one small voice,” Ridenhour said.

It was CNBC host Rick Santelli’s explosive on-air speech assailing massive government bailouts and lack of personal responsibility that prompted Ridenhour to organize an April 15, 2009 Tea Party rally in Charlotte, North Carolina. In what he calls “one of the most exciting days of my life,” over 2,500 people converged on City Hall in downtown Charlotte to protest the bailouts, high taxes, and big government policies. The group remains active and has held rallies to draw attention to the importance of free market principles and fiscally conservative economic policies.

Having served the last 10 years in the US Marine Corps Reserve and completed two tours in Iraq, Ridenhour is no stranger to public service and hard work. He has appeared on numerous local talk radio and television stations to share the Tea Party’s perspective on various topics. And though not visible on the political scene until two years ago, he grew up in a politically aware family which he credits for his passion and enthusiasm in the Tea Party movement today.

“We would watch the Nightly News with Dan Rather, 60 Minutes and Crossfire, so politics was always a topic of discussion. My mother often listened to Rush Limbaugh, so during the summers I would catch a good number of his shows,” said Ridenhour. “I think the Tea Party movement was a wake-up call for me saying, ‘If I don’t get involved now, there may not be much left for me to fight for later.’”

It is this concern that motivates him to keep people engaged and informed. Moving into 2012, Ridenhour says educating citizens will become a primary goal for the Tea Party in Charlotte. Using social media such as Facebook and Twitter, Ridenhour hopes to foster open dialogue and information sharing with Tea Party members, particularly to impact the upcoming local elections. The group will focus on finding candidates to run for local offices, mobilize members to help with campaigns, and share the Tea Party platform in the Charlotte community.

“If we don’t educate people on economics, monetary policy, and fiscally conservative values, then we’re really not making a lasting impression,” he explained. “This year is going to set the stage for what we can accomplish next year.”

Follow the Charlotte Tea Party and upcoming events by visiting CharlotteTeaParty.org.

The post Matthew Ridenhour: Tea Party Leader and Concerned Citizen appeared first on Civitas Institute.

“Everything else is a challenge that can be overcome,” Marley said.

Lured into the role of activist when President Barack Obama introduced in 2009 a federal law mandating that every American be covered by health insurance, which has become known as Obamacare, Marley and a group of other activists went to work on organizing a local Dare County Tea Party rally. The rally attracted 300 people to it. Acknowledging that she felt conservative “voices had been silenced for far too long and that it was time to do something,” she decided to speak up.

“There are only two buses that go to Washington DC, the Democrat bus and the Republican bus,” Marley said. “If you’re not on one of those buses, you’re not going to be able to affect public policy.”

Attending Civitas Institute watchdog training in November 2009 taught by Trent Seibert of Houston-based Texas Watchdog, Marley said she was inspired to set up a blog immediately while participating in the class. Her blog, www.truthordarenc.com, an investigative journalism blog focused on Dare County politics, has helped to unfold corrupt actions made by state leaders. Just as importantly, it has become a community forum for providing information not found in mainstream media.

“We’ve seen two of Marc Basnight and Gov. Beverly Perdue’s deep-pocket donors brought up on criminal charges related to illegal campaign donations,” Marley said. “One donor, Fred Hobbs, was fined by the State Board of Elections $150,000, the largest fine ever levied by that body.”

Basnight is the former state Senate President Pro Tempore, who represented a Dare County-based district, and held the leadership position for 18 years before Republicans swept the state in the November 2010 elections. While he retained his seat, Basnight resigned the day before the 2011 long session began.

Marley’s success with her blog made matters easier for her when she founded the Outer Banks Tea Party. She is heavily involved with organizing the OBX Tea Party and also writes for www.obxteapartynews.com. And if that wasn’t enough involvement, she is also a precinct chair with the Dare County Republican Party.

“We are finding that as the local GOP is asserting itself and showcasing its victories, future conservative leaders are starting to come out of the closet,” Marley said. “They know it’s ok to talk about their values, that they are not alone and that, if they run for office, they will have a strong machine to help get them elected.”

Where does she get this energy? Marley said she derives her inspiration from the Revolutionary War military and its humbled beginnings. When she thinks of struggle, she thinks of the extreme challenges, hardships and sacrifices the soldiers endured to forge ahead in establishing the United States of America.

“Our founders gave up so much to give us this country; the most prosperous, freest country ever to exist on the face of the Earth,” Marley said. “The founders pledged and gave their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.”

Read both www.truthordarenc.com and www.obxteapartynews.com to keep up with May Civitas Citizen of the Month Lisa Marley.

The post Lisa Marley: Outer Banks Blogger and Volunteer appeared first on Civitas Institute.

Her research and efforts catapulted her into a statewide endeavor. She now is working as the volunteer Director and Chairperson for the board of the North Carolina nonprofit – StopNCAnnexation.

“I gladly gave to this effort because of the injustice of forced annexation and the financial damage it was doing to people who more often than not could not afford it,” Heath said. “And the idea of forcing people under a city government against their will was counter to the principles that America stood for.”

Using the Internet as the main resource to bridge gaps between communities across the state, Heath continues to work tirelessly alongside many volunteers. She educates and brings together residents who have shared common experiences and gone through court processes.

“This has been a cause that people join willingly and that has grown with nearly every forced annexation that has been attempted over the last 10 years,” Heath said. “And it has been these highly motivated people across the State who have brought us all where we are today. Candidates have come to realize that this is an issue most cannot ignore and changing the law is important to those who elected them.”

Heath’s main mission is “to restore the voice of the property owners when a city considers their property ripe for becoming part of the city.”

Heath has appeared on broadcast news reports across the state, as well as in newspapers. The Cary News recently wrote about her efforts with ongoing annexation reform and moratorium debate in the state Legislature.

“Heath, 58, a landscape designer and homemaker, argues that the original intent of annexation – cities providing urban services such as water and sewer to rural areas – has been replaced by an effort by cities to make money,” the newspaper reported.

Heath has also organized many rallying efforts across the state to shed light on details regarding state laws and city ordinances. Through this effort, she has spearheaded a coalition to show the other side to the annexation story.

“I was blessed with the time and resources to devote most of my time searching for information that explained the law, helped others understand who and what organizations the people were up against, and supply people with the research that countered the arguments for forced annexation,” Heath said.

To find out more about StopNCAnnexation go to www.stopncannexation.com.

The post Cathy Heath: Advocate Against Forced Annexation appeared first on Civitas Institute.