March 5, 2008
Letting Them Know We're Not Asleep
Greg offered a rousing comment to my post on abandoned rules changes that oughtn't be allowed to slip into unnoticed into the archives:
Simply the serious THREAT of a picket and demonstration killed this, people. Think about that the next time you're just too busy to take an hour out of your lives for the sake of a cause that affects your life every moment of every day.There's no reason we can't put a few hundred people on the front steps just as our way of saying "Don't screw up this budget" and possibly make some real change.
Maybe make the news and let people across the state know that yeah, Rhode Island does have some of that hope that's on the state seal. It's not over. We can still fight for our state. I don't care about party, and I'd rather not see a lot of partisanship about it. Left and right in this state feel it in their wallets, and a good 70% of the state is against illegal aliens and what they're doing here.
All it takes is the THREAT to make a change. Imagine the size of the change you can make if you get off your rear ends and start yelling.
He followed with this email making a great suggestion:
Let's put Dan Yorke and Matt Allen broadcasting live from the State House with trucks with jumbo plasma screens mounted on them and watch Capital TV right there and raise holy Hell all night long.Make a big friggin' party out of it. Burgers and dogs and t-shirts and a real celebration of the freedom of expression. Start advertising it months in advance.
Seriously. Imagine how freaked out they'd be if we were so loud we could boo and they could hear us.
They'd certainly know we weren't sleeping during the slip-it-by hours of the legislative night.
...extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice...moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!
Posted by: Greg at March 5, 2008 7:43 AMBrilliant idea, Greg. You can count on me being there!!
Posted by: Tim at March 5, 2008 8:26 AMMe, too!
Posted by: Monique at March 5, 2008 8:32 AMAs I said before, provide a date and time and I will be there. All night if need be.
Posted by: Red at March 5, 2008 10:26 AMSo, if the four of us each bring 100 friends, we'll have a rally!
Seriously though, I think this could work. Especially if it's not painted as a purely partisan event. No RIGOP overt support. Just taxpayers coming together to express their displeasure with the GA's continued PUNTING of the budget problem.
Good old fashioned political activism.
Posted by: Greg at March 5, 2008 10:58 AMGreg says more in one sentance than most of us say in a paragraph. Nice work, I'm glad the truce is holding! :)
Posted by: michael at March 5, 2008 11:49 AMYou can have an effective rally with less than 20 people and get on TV. I have seen it done a few times.
However, if you can get York and Allen to promote it I think you would indeed get the turn out you hope for. A live broad cast would be great.
No Increase to the Income Tax.
Posted by: Red at March 5, 2008 11:53 AMNo Expantion of the Sales Tax.
No Increase to Business Tax.
No New Taxes Period!
Michael, I expect to see you there! And I'll continue to try to convince my fellow conservatives that taking on the police and fire unions is a losing proposition.
Posted by: Greg at March 5, 2008 12:42 PM