So I went to this taxpayer rally today...
The crowd of anti-taxers was smaller than I'd hoped, and way outnumbered by the public employee unions. AFSCME, SEIU, AFT, and TAA were all there. Probably others. They crowded around the entrance to the rally, yelling things at people on their way in. "Let the rich white women in," "step on a state employee on your way in, why doncha," and "you should be ashamed!"
Stuff like that. I went in and out three times, the last time just for fun. Exchanged a few pleasant words.
They tried but failed to drown out the speakers with chants like "Forward, not backward," which was clever; "do your job!" which was a little ironic; and the always-classy "Bull-s---! Bull-s---!" Wish the cameras had caught that one.
They really didn't like it when the event's organizers played a clip of Governor Doyle saying "I will not raise taxes." They even booed. Their own governor.
Anyway, I may have hoped for a bigger crowd, but the people who were there were as enthusiastic as I could have asked. There was no sense of intimidation - quite the opposite. People were standing on the low concrete walls to make sure the union thugs could see their signs.
I got to meet Fred Dooley, who, unexpectedly to me, has a mustache, and Steve Eggleston. Fred gave a great speech, which he'd had to cut from 5-10 minutes to 2 minutes at the very last second.
Didn't get to say hi to Owen, who also gave a great speech. Geez, bloggers are supposed to be pasty-pale nerds hiding in their parents' basements. How come so many of them can talk out in front of people so good?
UPDATE - Fraley has some details, and pictures. Turns out there were a bunch of bloggers there I didn't get to meet.
Stuff like that. I went in and out three times, the last time just for fun. Exchanged a few pleasant words.
They tried but failed to drown out the speakers with chants like "Forward, not backward," which was clever; "do your job!" which was a little ironic; and the always-classy "Bull-s---! Bull-s---!" Wish the cameras had caught that one.
They really didn't like it when the event's organizers played a clip of Governor Doyle saying "I will not raise taxes." They even booed. Their own governor.
Anyway, I may have hoped for a bigger crowd, but the people who were there were as enthusiastic as I could have asked. There was no sense of intimidation - quite the opposite. People were standing on the low concrete walls to make sure the union thugs could see their signs.
I got to meet Fred Dooley, who, unexpectedly to me, has a mustache, and Steve Eggleston. Fred gave a great speech, which he'd had to cut from 5-10 minutes to 2 minutes at the very last second.
Didn't get to say hi to Owen, who also gave a great speech. Geez, bloggers are supposed to be pasty-pale nerds hiding in their parents' basements. How come so many of them can talk out in front of people so good?
UPDATE - Fraley has some details, and pictures. Turns out there were a bunch of bloggers there I didn't get to meet.
posted by Lance Burri @ 8:58 PM
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