Driven by pocketbook worries, a massive federal health care bill and a belief that government is out of touch, thousands of North County residents took to the streets Thursday to vent their frustrations during tax day "tea parties."

Part rally, part protest and part plain old pontificating, the sign-carrying, button-wearing demonstrators expressed grievances with a wide array of what they see as societal ills on the day that federal income taxes were due.

"Every time we're hit with another tax, they take away another part of our liberty," was how Terry Musil of Carlsbad expressed the tea party sentiment at the Oceanside Bandshell adjacent to the city pier, where police estimated the crowd at more than 1,500. "I want no government health care, no government-controlled General Motors and no government bailouts. I want government out."

Musil's displeasure with what he sees as bloated state and federal spending, and distrust of President Barack Obama, was echoed at similar rallies in Escondido, Vista, Fallbrook and Ramona.

Oceanside's rally drew a host of Republican candidates, including U.S. Senate hopeful Chuck DeVore, who said "this is the year that the people take back their government."

"A sleeping giant has been awakened," he said, prompting a roar.

"If we're not going to do it now, then when?" state attorney general candidate John Eastman intoned, also drawing loud applause.

Gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner vowed to completely overhaul the state tax system, and promised to dispatch the National Guard to the Mexican border to stop illegal immigration.

While most tea party supporters say they are not aligned with any political party, Susan Bear of Oceanside said she is a conservative Republican who believes the movement that started last year can benefit the GOP.

"We're getting back to our conservative ways," said Bear, a Sarah Palin look-alike who said she is often compared with the former Alaska governor. "I don't think we need a third party because that would be destructive."

'Being frog-marched'

About 50 people had turned out for a rally at Vista Village and South Santa Fe drives by 3 p.m., including first-time protester Floyd Smith, an 81-year-old Air Force veteran.

"We have to get back to fiscal sanity," he said, who also said tea party participants are often unfairly characterized as extremists.

"Even though polls show most people are conservative, the news media is trying to portray us as a bunch of nuts," he said. "I don't think we're nuts."

San Marcos resident Bill Organ joined the demonstrators in Vista and agreed with Smith that the tea party is a mainstream movement.

"I think we're just ordinary people who are frustrated with the way government is going and feel like we are being frog-marched into socialism."

The movement is as much about getting people to pay attention and vote as it is protesting taxes, said 69-year-old Patty Richards.

Retired surgeon Joe Nichols said a good first step for lawmakers to respond to the tea party would be to take immediate steps to help struggling small businesses in the same way that failing banks and car companies were bailed out.

'Tea-ed off'

In Escondido, tea partiers with American flags and signs stretched two long blocks on both sides of Escondido Boulevard near the post office, numbering at least 1,000, according to police estimates.

With plenty of passing cars beeping encouragement and country music blaring, the crowd on its face appeared festive.

But the jubilance hardly reflected the deep fear and anger that many of the protesters expressed in interviews.

"I'm Tea-ed off about taxes. Government is not my daddy. I have a dream and Obama isn't in it. Defend our republic. A revolution is brewing," Mike Poutre, 65, packed into one sign.

The retired corporate pilot who lives in Hidden Meadows said the direction of the country had made him "an unhappy person."

"A minority of opinion is running the country," Poutre said. "I'm a taxpayer; I've worked all my life and I'm tired of the welfare state we've become," citing the newly signed federal health care legislation.

Tim Grasser, a 49-year-old San Marcos engineer, held a sign that said, "Ivy league grads ruined government" and "Congress needs economics 101."

"We're going to have to be taxed like crazy to pay for all this stuff," said Grasser, who said bank failures and government bailouts that started under President George W. Bush prompted his deep concern about government spending and a growing national debt.

"It's going to cost us our freedom; it's going to ruin us and we won't be able to defend ourselves," Grasser said.

While signs railing against taxes, government spending and out-of-touch leaders were overwhelmingly the most common, there were a sprinkling that reflected unhappiness on cultural and religious grounds.

One sign read, "Obama: First Muslim president."

Another, "Oh yes we are a Christian nation," referring to a 2006 speech in which Obama said, "Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation ---- at least, not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers."

'Has to shrink'

A few yards away from the Oceanside rally, Stefan Rudolph and friends were enjoying preparing a beach barbecue.

He said the speeches he was overhearing from the bandshell were far too negative.

"We have to learn to work within what we have in place," he said.

Nearby, Chris Wilson sported a T-shirt that read "Tea Parties Are For Little Girls with Imaginary Friends." He said he considered the speeches just a lot of whining.

"Everybody wants government services, but it doesn't seem like they want to pay the bill," he said.

Rancho Buena Vista High School students Adria Gutierrez and Andy Garcia said were a little taken aback by the stridency of the speeches they heard.

"It's not normal," Gutierrez said. "It's kind of crazy."

But Oceanside City Councilman Jack Feller said he believes in the basic tenets of less government and lower spending that the tea party advocates.

"It's helping keep politicians' feet to the fire," he said. "People are becoming more and more aware that government is growing way too big and it has to shrink."

Call staff writer Mark Walker at 760-740-3529. Call staff writer Sarah Gordon at 760-740-3517.