By RALPH HOHMAN
STAFF WRITER

PLAINVILLE — The four dirty-white ducks might have been hoping for something better as they swam toward a group of people assembled by the pond at Paderewski Park. As it turned out, the ducks weren’t much impressed with the loose tea they found clinging to the water’s surface.

For the 13 protesters, though, this tea party was symbolic of an American tradition, and of their disdain for what they say is overspending by the Obama administration.

There were tea parties scattered around Wednesday, including one outside the state Capitol in Hartford.

“I hear there are about 700 of these going on throughout the county,” said Jack Cassidy, one of 13 tea partiers at the pond. “I think it’s going to make a noise.”

They’ve been big talk for months on conservative radio, Fox News Channel and some other outlets.

“The mainstream media keep saying this is a conservative thing, but it’s not,” said Jean Nelson.

Some protesters say the bailout of corporate America is contrary to a free market, and that government investment is the wrong way to right a struggling economy. Some say the country has slid from its founding principles and into socialism.

“The stimulus is bailing out these huge corporations with our money,” said John Kisluk, one of the Plainville partiers and a frequent critic of local government spending.

“Wasteful spending is going to result in more taxes,” said another in the party, Joanne Edman. “I’ve been on this for a while — I watch Fox News every night.”

Janice Eisenhauer had decided only the day before, she said, to invite friends to dump some tea into the water Wednesday.

“I hated to let it go by and not be part of it,” she said.

Eisenhauer led a waterside Pledge of Allegiance and singing of “God Bless America.” She also said a prayer asking for deliverance from an “eruption of corruption” and guidance “to the path of moral common sense.”

The protesters, flying three American flags among the group, dumped loose tea into the water in an homage to the Boston Tea Party. This time, the tea was pulled from plastic bags or from torn tea bags.

“Keep the bags,” Town Councilor Helen Bergenty told her fellow protesters. She recruited a few of them from an afternoon AARP meeting.

Some of the tea partiers said they weren’t sure just what would come of these demonstrations, aside from a display of unity. Some of them said that the message would be powerful in itself.

“I support what they’re doing,” said Marilyn Shorette. “I’m sure across the country, voices will be heard. I think it will send a message that people are unified on this.”

Ralph Hohman can be reached at rhohman@newbritainherald.com or by calling (860) 225-4601, ext. 236.