I attended the National Tea Party in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 12, and as an eyewitness, I would like to make some corrections to claims by many in the liberal media that the protesters were there to "slam big government."

Rather, the protest's central focus was to prompt Washington leaders to listen to their constituents and follow the Constitution they are sworn to uphold.  It was not a Democrat or Republican, black or white, rich or poor man's march.  And the chant repeated over and over was, "Can you hear me now?" 

The vast majority of participants in the march believe there is a severe disconnect between elected representatives in Washington and the constituents they are supposed to serve, as exemplified by the laws these elected officials enact but are seemingly exempt from, ranging from taxes, to the way business is conducted, to health care, to name a few. 

And, we are not getting the truth.

I estimate that hundreds of thousands of people marched, not the "tens of thousands" reported.  The organizers were forced to start the march one hour early because of the overwhelming crowds and congestion.  There was standing room only, and the crowds stretched from Capitol Hill all the way to the Washington Monument, and clogged the side streets radiating from the Capitol as well.

No one imagined in their wildest dreams that this many people would turn out.  And we paid our own way to participate, some traveling 20 hours or more roundtrip, perhaps as a response to the pejorative names bestowed on the silent majority: "Astroturf," "mob," "Nazis."

What should be learned from this march is that the silent majority has reached its tipping point. It has been awakened. 

A message to all liberal Democrats:  You'd better watch out.