Archive for the ‘opinion/news’ Category

When One Protest is not enough

Posted: March 16, 2010 by datechguy in catholic, internet/free speech, opinion/news, short films/interviews
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It is rare enough for Fitchburg to have protests, It is even rarer for a group to have two protests in one day, but it is totally unheard of for Two different groups to be protesting two separate issues within a block of each other at the same time here.

The first of the two was the daily protest against Planned Parenthood’s attempt to open a clinic in Fitchburg. Ted Turner and his hearty band were once again standing tall. Every time I come down I see new faces but the message remains the same:

I’ve known Lorraine and her sister and her son for decades. I was surprised to see her.

Therese Cross comes down weekly to protest. she has no intention of giving up.

Ted spoke about the regular protests that have gone on since Feb 8th. He said it was a good experience and allowed him to meet a lot of good people. A new zoning resolution is going up before the city counsel tonight and he is hoping that regular order will be followed allowing the petition to pass to the zoning board without being blocked by the city counsel.

As for the tea party protesters down the block Turner and the rest of the regular group of protesters to a person expressed their support for their goals. When they left they expressed that support with a symphony of car horns.

Down the block I saw some familiar faces from the morning. Anne Andrews was there as was Michael Wertz. A local reporter showed up and asked a few questions, unfortunately for the group he left before the crowd reached its height.

I started my interviews with Kate Wirtz:

I never thought to ask if they were related. Joyce Jacobs talked to me as well.

Clark Straight had a perspective that most of the other people I talked to did not. Unlike everyone else I had met he was a long time activist who was active in Republican Political circles.

The big question is why now? We had smaller movements like Porkbusters during the Bush years but what has made the difference is? Ted Turner had one interesting thing to say. He suggested that the policies of President Obama lit a fire among the electorate. It motivated folks to get involved and an involved electorate is an informed one. You can’t have a healthy republic without one.

From what I’ve seen today, the republic is healthy indeed.

Keep an eye on Fishbait Miller

Posted: March 16, 2010 by datechguy in elections, opinion/news
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As you might have noticed I like to quote Tip O’Neill book Man of the House to explain how politics works. There is a particular passage on page 134 that brings to mind what is going on behind the scenes right now.

The background: In the book was a Congressman Leo O’Brien who had promised a vote to Sam Rayburn on an issue and was getting killed at home over it. Since his word had been given (Yes that makes a difference, I still believe that one’s word is sacrosanct) Tip told him he had no choice but to go to Rayburn and ask to be released. (How hard must that have been) I’ll let Rayburn and O’Neill finish the story:

“…you gave me your word and I expect you to keep it. However I can certainly appreciate your situation, so here’s what I’ll do for you. On the day of the vote I want to see you in the front row. Keep your eye on the doorkeeper. If I don’t need your vote, Fishbait Miller will give you the sign and you’ll be free to vote your district.”…

…when Leo took his seat in the front row, he looked around and saw thirteen other guys that Sam had in his pocket in case he needed them. It wasn’t just Leo. The entire front row was sitting there and waiting for the nod from Fishbait Miller.

This is the real question that we don’t know the answer to. Does Nancy Pelosi have the votes and is just deciding who sits in the front row or is she scrambling for votes? And if the media knows what the truth is will they tell us?

Fitchburg AM tea party protest first report and pictures

Posted: March 16, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, local stuff, opinion/news, short films/interviews
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Here are some quick images from the first of two tea party protests scheduled for today at Congressman John Olver’s office on Main Street

The people assembled were holding their signs and getting a fair amount of response from the drivers passing by. I only noticed one person giving a thumbs down while horn after horn was beeped in their favor.

I talked to people both on camera and off. Justin Brooks got involved in the movement in January mostly to find out for himself what was actually going on. He saw the negative spin in the media and the constant use of the …ism card, “race”-ism, “sex”-ism etc…etc…etc.

What he saw instead was average working people who were not at all what the media claimed to be. I met those people today and as I’ve seen over and over again they are the working class folk that was once the mainstay of the democratic party but feel that they are now being ignored.

Phillip Porter was first

His wife Arlene was very hesitant to go on camera, but she agreed in the end:

The Police asked the protesters to stay to the sidewalk and to be sure not to block parking spaces in front of Congressman Olver’s office, another officer swung by later. He said he had see the occasional protest maybe two a year in the 17 years he had been on the force. This was was no trouble, their main concern was to make sure that egress was not blocked for local businesses.

Jeff Wilson supported Scott Brown and he supports the tea party movement.

Michael Wertz had never protested before but he was protesting today

Some people passed by asking questions and some were interested. One man who worked at a local business had never seen any kind of protest like this (excepting the planned parenthood ones) in Fitchburg before. He also agreed that the health care bill was poor and if he was in congress would vote against it. Unlike the protesters he objected to the lack of a public option. He believed that house democrats should have the courage of their convictions.

When you are dealing with the most liberal congressman in the house it is unlikely that the protesters were going to change his mind, but they wanted to be sure that even if he didn’t change his mind that he was aware of how they felt. Anne Andrews put it best:

“We are tired of an out of control congress.” she said, she was tired of being taken for granted. “We are not dust in the wind!”

Update: Michelle and Robert Stacy are on top of the national stuff.

Update 2: Another Instalanche thanks muchly Glenn. Thanks for stopping by. Learn why Roger Maris is superior to Mitt Romeny, See why the president’s “courage” argument is bogus, learn the wisdom of the Barber Shop, and remember if you want your story told anywhere in the country I’ll do it for $1k plus expenses, “Have Fedora will Travel“

It’s pretty sad where Lawrence O’Donnell is the voice of reason…

Posted: March 16, 2010 by datechguy in opinion/news
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…but today (and yesterday) on Morning Joe he is.

“I don’t understand about Wall Street and I don’t pretend to.” but when it comes to how bills get passed how things work on the finance committee he knows it. He compared it to turning a triple play yesterday. “The rules committee is a total scam”.

“They didn’t want the ‘I voted for it before I voted against it’ defense” that is the slaughter rule. “You are voting to amend a law that doesn’t exist.”

As he put it, they lose one seat in Massachusetts and they all go nuts.

Crammer is now talking about what this bill is going to mean taxwise. “I’m going to work for the government till September then it’s all mine.” This is not unusual in the North.

He is talking about a huge “ghost cost” to NY. “They are delivering a long term burden to the states.” this is in terms of medicare. That is the Nebraska deal. He calls it “subsidizing the health insurance companies.”

He compares covering an 85 year old needing a hip replacement to selling fire insurance for a house on fire. This is why he supports a single payer.

I suspect a lot of e-mails are going to the Morning Joe team from the White House right now screaming bloody murder.

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