VIDEO: Tea Party group gathers in downtown St. Louis

KSDK-- Political protests came to the streets of downtown St. Louis Saturday.  Thousands of people gathered in Kiener Plaza for the St. Louis Tea Party Coalition's Thanksgiving/Christmas Holiday Rally.

The group accuses the Obama Administration of practicing socialism.  They also rallied against healthcare reform efforts in Washington, D.C., as well as the stimulus package and double-digit unemployment.

One protestor carried a sign that read "Your healthcare is not my problem."  Another sign read "Clean the House in 2010."

The group sees current policies espoused by the Obama Administration and others as a threat to economic prosperity and individual liberty.

A keynote speaker was a local political blogger who has made a name for himself on the national scene.  Jim Hoft is known as "The Gateway Pundit."

Hoft said, "I'm sure you didn't read this in the news.  But this was from yesterday.  Speaker Pelosi on a phone call with leftist leaders told them, and I quote... she told them, 'The American people have an anger about the growth of the deficit because they're not getting anything for it.  Yet despite this, she wants to promote a new stimulus just like the last stimulus."

Hoft also targeted spending levels, the ACORN scandal, and the government's $787 stimulus package.

"It's no surprise we are witnessing such radical policies when you look at the officials who are calling the shots.  Today I want to mention a few to you because the mainstream media is not reporting this news.  First of all, we have a climate czar, today.  Do you believe that?  We have a climate czar.  Think about that.  What the heck is a climate czar?  Is he going to control our weather?  No."

A spokesperson for Democratic U.S. Senator from Missouri, Claire McCaskill, responded to Saturday's St. Louis Tea Party Coalition rally, saying "Sen. McCaskill has heard from Missourians across the state on health care reform. The vote last week was simply a vote to move towards debating the bill. She is reading the entire Senate bill and is looking forward to beginning the debate and amendment process this coming week."