My Last Two Evenings (re: Kay Granger (r-tx) and tarant county dem hq ppl)

[ret5hd]

Tuesday evening 3 of us went to Kay Granger's town hall meeting in Lake Worth. I was so pissed by the time i left that i had to wait a day to write about it. While there, we ran into a couple of people from the tarrant count dem hq, and decided to meet again Wednesday evening at a coffee-house, where we discussed some strategies that we would like to share.

Tuesday, we arrived at the auditorium,found seats and listened to kay pat herself on the back for 30 mins or so. Then the floor opened up for questions. The second or third person called was a complete bigot, railing against "unbridled immigration from the south". His last sentence was something like "we shouldn't be lettin' them no-good brown thieves in here." THEN PEOPLE STARTED APPLAUDING HIM!

I couldn't stand it. Unexpectedly, even to me, i lept from my set, pointed at him (half-way across a large auditorium) and yelled at the top of my voice "YOU ARE A DISGUSTING PIG!"

The applause stopped and the room was silent for a second, then kay called on another questioner.

I was shaking and couldn't hardly think. My wife asked if i wanted to leave, but we stayed. After a few minutes, I went outside to smoke and a woman came out a couple of minutes after me (leaving), looked at me and said "you got pissed." Then, a second later, "I don't blame you." Then she walked to her car. She doesn't know how much i appreciated that, just knowing that someone in the room (besides those who came with me) was disgusted also.

Wednesday evening, we met back up with a few people from the county dem hq and a couple of dean people. Discussing the previous evening in general, we came up with some things that i think will be very effective. I really wish we had done this at kay granger's meeting:

Print up "FACT SHEETS" on every issue that the person (repug) holding the meeting will be bragging about...say, on the "death tax" and cutting taxes etc ,
and "FACT SHEETS" on every issue they just want to hide from, like cutting veterans benefits.

Wait till the question and answer period at the end, and every time a person asks a question about any one of these issues, your "crew" goes up and down the aisle handing out these "FACT SHEETS" while the repug is answering the question.
If anything is said about it, just answer "Sir/Maam, You have 2 hours to express your opinion to us, i only have 30 seconds to express mine to you.

Hand out CD copies of symbolman's and amercan strangers flash animations to veterans at these meetings.

Lots more i'll get back to it later.

Let's get vicious and attack, people...

[el_gato]

1. good job

sound like that lady that walked by you got disgusted and left.

she might have been a moderate repub or something.

Glad you didn't get attacked for you response.

[librechik]

2. major props to you, ret--it takes guts to call a pig a pig

when all around you are calling it Dorothy Lamour!

Good suggestions for grassroots actions too. Thanks!

[ret5hd]

4. thanks... our thinking is...

LETS TAKE THE FIGHT TO THEM!

With these methods we dont have to be good public speakers, in fact, we never have to speak at all.

Every time an issue is raised, a new fact sheet gets handed out.

Every time you see a retired vet, give them a cd of symbolmans "army of one" (probably the most effective use of modern media for the leftist causes i have ever seen)

Give us more ideas like this... and let's spread them to others. The Dean supporters we visited with yesterday were not aware of DU (retired, probably not that tied in to the web), and had never heard of takebackthemedia.com. I cant wait to get their reaction to the cd i gave them.

[papau]

3. Good work! except

"I went outside to smoke" - got to stop that smoking!

But then I should lose half my wieght!

In any case, Thanks for posting as it brightened my day!

:-)

[ret5hd]

8. yeah, i know...but...

i just dont see it happening while bush is in office.

another reason he is bad for the country.

[JanMichael]

9. Two things: 1. GREAT WORK! 2. I understand the smoking...

I'm so wired by these snivel fuckwits that I can't imagine not having a beer and cig every so often...

I know, I'm terrible but they make me sooo mad:mad:

[ret5hd]

5. self-serving kick (nt)

[sandnsea]

6. Fact Sheets everywhere

I agree. It's important the fact sheets be verifiable fact, not conjecture. The great news is there are so many horrific facts right now, we don't need to use an ounce of conjecture. The conjecture takes away from the fight, it doesn't help it.

I'm always available to help put together any sort of handout, I just prefer a bit more organized method of delegating than 'help me'! (not this post, just a general comment)

[ret5hd]

7. Exactly...complete with sources (WP, NYT, AP, etc)

We are in the right on EVERY issue...AND HAVE THE FACTS TO BACK IT UP!

But 99% of us (me included) are ineffective in public speaking. Leave that to those of us that are good at it, the rest of us can be the "crew", handing them out up and down the aisles. Follow them to every meeting they have. I can easily see them really starting to dread the sight of people wearing the DU t-shirts (did i mention that my wife and i each wore ours to grangers meeting?).

[ret5hd]

10. New idea...so simple...

On each issue (estate tax, vet benefits, etc), we could have a web-page w/ submitted facts and sources. (I could host it on my currently unused home page provided to me from my isp). We could keep these "fact sheet" pages current and "ready to print" at any time that someone around the country has one of these town-hall type meetings. click, print, kinko's, meeting. simple.

Also, I was told last night that the troops in iraq and afghanistan are having to purchase their own foot-powder and socks at greatly marked up prices. Does anyone have a source on this?

This is my idea on that issue:

A single 8-1/2 * 11 page
Along the top: a picture of a pair of socks and a can of desinex
below the pictures: Cost in USA: $$$ $$$
Cost in Iraq: $$$$$$ $$$$$$
below that: "Q: Who is gouging our troops? A: logo of Brown&Root.
below that: "Q: What U.S. corp. is Brown&Root a subsidiary of? A: logo of haliburton.
below that: "Q:What ceo of haliburton went on to become vp of usa? A: picture of cheney
below that (bold print): FOLLOW THE MONEY!

[ret5hd]

11. my next (and last, i promise) self-serving kick (nt)