Give ‘Em an Earful …

Cross posted from   Blue Collar Muse

Yesterday, stickNstein posted one of his famous Stikpiles. It’s a random collection of things he’s run across and found interesting. He included this little gem.

A kindergarten pupil told his teacher he’d found a cat. She asked him if it was dead or alive.
“Dead.” she was informed.
“How do you know?” she asked her pupil.
“Because I pissed in its ear and it didn’t move” answered the child innocently.
“You did WHAT?!?” the teacher exclaimed in surprise.
“You know”, explained the boy, “I leaned over and went ‘Pssst!’ and it didn’t move.”

As the father of 5, including 2 boys, I can believe this actually happened. But tomorrow is Monday June 4th and a bunch of critters, who are very real with very real power, need you to whisper in their ears. I refer, of course, to our congresscritters.

Senators have been hearing from their constituents while home on Memorial Day recess. They’ll have the message they received fresh in their minds as they take up the debate on the Amnesty Bill this week. We need to keep the pressure on.

This past week has plunged them into the sometimes harsh reality of dealing with the ones they’re supposed to represent. Monday brings the familiar comfort of dealing with the lobbyists that are supposed to finance their reelection. It’s no surprise that sometimes Washington pushes back home aside.

Call, fax, write and raise whatever rabble you can in opposition to Amnesty. Tell them you don’t want Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Tell them you want the borders closed – preferably by Monday afternoon about 4PM, and then we’ll talk about the rest of the problems we have with the invasion of our country.

In short, tell them ‘Psssst …’ and when they give you their attention, give them an earful!

Thinking that if they don’t listen to your ‘Pssssst’ing now, you can ‘Psssst’ on them the other way in November, 2008.

Blue Collar Muse

**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email stiknstein-at-gmail-dot-com and let us know at what level you would like to participate.

Lamar gets a reality check

Cross posted from   Bear Creek Ledger

Today we took a drive to Cookeville for the Lamar Alexander meet and greet. I think Lamar and his staff got more than they bargained for! In their eyes it was to be a simple little pre-campaign stop. You know, glad hand a bit and preview Lamar’s new self aggrandizing video.

My friends and I had intended to bring signs either into the event or stand outside with the signs. Our signs all referenced illegal aliens and the Senate “immigration reform” bill. We decided to join the group inside and leave our signs out in the car. Too bad, I almost wish we’d brought them in.

Once Lamar came in he glad handed with people and the crowd grew to fill the room. I don’t think they expected the large turnout they got. Once Lamar got up to talk the atmosphere in the room immediately changed. Just before Lamar was about to speak one of the men in the room positioned the sign you see in the background and that set the tone for the next 40 minutes.

Sign: No Amnesty even if they call it comprehensive immigration reform.

I loved it but I’m sure Lamar and his staffers weren’t too thrilled.

I’m sitting there and my friends are expecting me to be confrontational but to our surprise it wasn’t me but our friend Sherry who interrupted Lamar while he was speaking.  I almost cracked out laughing (if you knew Sherry then you would understand).  Sherry told Lamar how people had no trust in the politicians since there had been 6 amnesties given since 1986 and nothing had been done to enforce our laws or secure our borders.  She told him no one trusted those in Washington to secure our borders.  We had lost confidence in them.

People clapped after Sherry’s statement.  Lamar returned to his agenda of extolling his virtues and self promotion.  He told us he’d talk for a few minutes, show his video and then would be there to take questions individually.  At that point one of the men erupted talking about the immigration deal made behind closed doors with La Raza.  Then things got a bit testy and Darrin from the Putnam County Republican Party also got combative.  He basically told the guy this is our party and if you don’t like it leave.  Darrin finally settled down a bit and told the audience this is how it’s going to be…..Lamar will speak for a few minutes, then show the video and then he will take individual questions from people.  There wasn’t going to be any townhall type forum here.  My guess?  Lamar can’t take having to answer questions to a large group of people who weren’t of his “sort”!  Lamar really doesn’t want to get his hands dirty with the little people, you know, the constituents.

So, Lamar finished his spiel and we saw the video and the vultures descended.  I was close and was behind some media guy with a recorder.  I waited until he was finished and then I got my shot to ask Lamar.  First I told Lamar I knew he had voted to eliminate the Z Visa amendment and I thanked him for that.  Then I asked him how he would vote if the Z Visa stayed in the bill which only allowed 24 hours for a background check, if the check was not done the illegal automatically got the visa which means felons and gangbangers became legal.  And there was no surprise in Lamar’s answer since he didn’t give an answer.  Everything with Lamar is well I’ll have to see…….

This was Lamar’s answer on all immigration issues.

Lamar kept saying that this bill included the triggers and “funding” to close the border unlike the bill he voted against last fall.  Uhuh. Right.

I mostly heard people say they were looking for a conservative candidate to vote for in the next election.  I would say most of the people there were not happy with Lamar and he would have a difficult time getting any support from that crew in the next election.  We chatted with Jeremy – one of Lamar’s staffers.  He got an earful from us and I don’t think this is the first time he’s heard any of it.  I told him my “perception” of Lamar was that he was an elitist and he didn’t think my opinion or those like me mattered.  I almost felt sorry for the guy except that he kept defending Lamar.

I forgot, when Lamar first came in, he stopped by to say hi and my friend Sherry (omg – she’s gonna get a reputation now) introduced herself telling him she was from Williamson County.  Then she proceeded to tell him that she had to travel to Cookeville to talk to him since Lamar never showed his face in Williamson County where people can actually talk to him.  He responded by saying he was in Franklin often.  Sherry then said it must have been a secret cause if she’d known she would’ve been there.  It was just funny cause Sherry didn’t let him off the hook and he was doing the usual politician pandering saying he’d be sure she was there the next time.

I know I’ve left out whole chunks of the event.  It was fun to hear people calling into Steve Gill’s program on the way home.  In fact, we got Sherry to call in and tell Steve her version of what she had said.  Most people calling in came away with the same view of what happened as me and my friends.  There was one caller who gave an entirely different version and I think he must have left about the time Lamar started his spiel.

I don’t know what planet Lamar has been living on but I do think he was taken completely by surprise by the depth of emotion around this issue.  With all the phone calls and letters his office has been deluged with how he could be surprised is beyond me.  It just tells me he is totally disconnected and his staff either isn’t telling him or he’s just not interested in finding out what his constituents think.

Update: Thanks for the link from Conservablogs’ Blue Collar Muse who got linked by Instapundit.

**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email stiknstein-at-gmail-dot-com and let us know at what level you would like to participate.

A GOP Deer in the Headlights …

Cross posted from   Blue Collar Muse

This morning, Nashville talk radio host Steve Gill reported on a meeting that TN Senator Lamar Alexander held with constituents in Middle Tennessee.

This was one of those meetings across the Senate’s Memorial Day break everyone is being encouraged to attend to ensure the politicians hear what the people have to say, especially concerning illegal immigration. After the meeting concluded a number of attendees called Steve to report on what went on. I personally did not attend. Everything that follows is what I heard (or my recollection of what I heard) on the radio and is, thus, hearsay. Steve Gill and Lamar Alexander are not responsible if I get my story wrong. With that caveat, read on …

The general consensus (at least one person disagreed) was the meeting was either a rude awakening for Lamar or a good old fashioned throwing down of the gauntlet! After some opening remarks and a campaign video, things got a little sporty! The exact timeline is unclear as is the exact sequence of events but it is reported that each of the following happened at some point:

• An attendee jumped up and yelled out something to the effect of, “Secure the borders first and then we can talk!”
• An attendee asked for a show of hands for those present in support of the Amnesty Plan (my pejorative title) and got no takers. Asked to show opposition to the Amnesty Plan in like manner, nearly everyone in the room raised their hands.
• There was general agreement among callers concerning the breakdown of ‘Roberts’ Rules of Order’. Attendees were both loud and pointed in voicing their views.
• The ‘After opening remarks Sen. Alexander will take questions from his constituents’ format was quickly abandoned by the Senator (or his handlers, or both) in favor of the new and improved ‘Sen. Alexander will talk quietly and one-on-one with constituents’.
• While he wore a lapel mike at first so his comments could be heard, it was removed for the one-on-ones. The Senator was asked to use the mike again so everyone could hear his comments. Senator Alexander did not comply with that request.
• When attendees objected to the abrupt change in format they were advised the meeting was being held on private property and by people that had the right to make changes. If those changes were unacceptable, those objecting were advised they were free to leave.
• The observation was made by several callers that Sen. Alexander’s people at one or more points in the meeting physically moved so as to form a protective barrier or cordon for the Senator. That is my term, not that of any caller. I don’t recall anyone using terms that strong but I also don’t recall thinking in any other terms when hearing it described.
• Several callers stated they made it bluntly clear to Lamar that if he voted for this bill they would not vote for him in ‘08. One caller echoed the Washington Times donor story I blogged on here by pointedly telling Steve Gill, “My wallet is closed!”

While one caller noted that there were at least a few Democrats present, Steve Gill made the cogent point that this treatment of the good Senator came at the hands of his friends and supporters.

Most of the callers also made the observation, in one form or another, that Sen. Alexander seemed shaken by the emotion and reaction from those attending. Prior to this morning, all I’ve heard from the Senator, personally (on radio interviews) and via others is that he was undecided or neutral but leaning to supporting the bill. It remains to be seen if he is shaken enough to finally declare his opposition to the bill.

Throughout the discussion, all I could think of was the humorous line from Inspector Kemp in the 1974 film ‘Young Frankenstein’, “A riot isss an ugly ting …”

Wondering how many remember the end of Inspector Kemp’s quote is, “… undt, I tink it is about time zat ve had one!”

Blue Collar Muse

Update: Welcome to all the visitors from Instapundit, Slate.com, The PoliPundit, Bill Hobbs and RedState. For the perspective from someone who was at the meeting, head over to Lamar Gets a Reality Check at Bear Creek Ledger.

**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email stiknstein-at-gmail-dot-com and let us know at what level you would like to participate.Other recent Coalition contributions:

Gov. Perdue may Kill Illegal Immigration Bill in GA at Georgia Crime Watch;

The President’s Immigration Speech Translated … Congress Should Have the Courage to Lie at StiknStein has no Mercy;

Bush Defends Immigration Plan at My Country – My View;

An Open Letter to the President at The Violence Worker;

The Curse of the Immigration Bill … Summer Blockbuster at StiknStein has no Mercy;

Bush, Ya’ Talkin’ to Me? at The People’s Patriot

A Day Without Gringos at Committees of Correspondence;

RNC Refuses to Believe the Obvious at Bear Creek Ledger;

Rally Against Illegal Immigration a Success in Cobb County at Georgia Crime Watch;

Press “1″ to Donate to Your Favorite GOP Candidate – Press “2″ to Tell Us to Kiss Off! at StiknStein has no Mercy