written by Sarah Bond
9/18/09 - Dawn and I are finally home from D.C. and back to work...
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MARCH ON D.C. HIGHLIGHTS
Wow, WOW...W..O..W!!! is there any other way to respond to Saturday's march
on D.C.! By now you've all seen the pictures and video (I've added links
below anyway). But I just wanted to touch on a few details for perspective:
1) Yes, there were easily at least 1 million people there (height of the
crowd was probably between 12-2). The photos don't lie. The time-lapse video
from the morning march shows just a portion of the crowd...who had to start
an hour early because too many people were spilling into the adjacent
streets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sjvc6baor8
2) Photos (including the 9.13 cover of the UT) that show the crowd reveal
open green space on the mall...THIS AREA WAS RESTRICTED from our use because
it was permitted by another event. What those photos DON'T show is crowds of
people having to spill down Pennsylvania and Constitution instead.
3) Yes, the freeways were backed-up by mid-morning, and the subways were
packed. Many folks aimed to be there between 1-2 for the speeches, skipping
the march.
4) Yes, in typical Tea Party fashion, the grounds were SPOTLESS when the
event was over at 4pm.
5) Two moments when I knew this was going to be huge: when I got on my
connecting flight in Denver and 5 people seated right around me were going
also (and I am getting similar stories from others). And when I showed up
for the sign making party the night before and it was wall-to-wall people.
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D.C. 912 LOVED CALIFORNIA !
Our California flag attracted A LOT of attention and respect Saturday.
Folks were so heartened to see we had all traveled so far to be there in
camaraderie. I cannot tell you how many people from all over the nation
stopped us to take a picture with the flag!
Despite the overwhelming crush of people who gathered early for the march,
we were able to find about 50-60 Californians...from Yreka all the way down
to San Diego . The ENTIRE state was represented!
Folks were also VERY excited to hear that California had two dozen 9.12
events of it's own Saturday. Everyone knows that if the movement is strong
and visible in California , it is strong everywhere.
HIGHLIGHT: Half way through the march, someone shouts out, "Hey California !
You really came all this way?!" So we wave, and the crowd around us starts
chanting, " California ! California ! California !..."
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BLOG, VIDEO & PICS FROM D.C.
In case you missed any of these:
CSPAN video:
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/09/12/HP/R/23055/Conservatives%20to%20march%20on%20Washington.aspx
C-SPAN Recent Video
This one loads slowly, but has GREAT pictures:
http://www.lookingattheleft.com/2009/09/conservative-woodstock-rocks-the-cap
ital/#more-4399
Great visuals:
http://moderateinthemiddle.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/update-attn-obots-i-own-the-world-has-the-pic-we-need-to-get-a-real-countupdate-how-big-was-the-crowd-media-credibility-plunges-to-new-low-aerial-views-added-d-c-police-close-roads-to-buses-people/
Leslie's updates (great links included):
http://templeofmut.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/1-5-million-at-the-sept-12th-tea
-party-in-dc/
My serendipitous exchange with a reporter (trust me...it was a freak thing
that he walked right in front of me in a crowd of one million):
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/53950
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CA WATER ISSUE IN D.C.
The Central Valley Tea Party's Ben Berquam was able to land a speaking spot
about 11am to share the water crisis with the nation. We will post the video
as soon as it's available.
I made a sign that said "NO WATER, NO FOOD, Stop Eco-Tyranny, California ." I
had folks from all over the nation comment, "Hey, is that the Smelt I keep
hearing about?" or, "I saw that on Hannity. I can't believe our country is
doing this to our own farmers."
So the message definitely starting to gain traction. The timing of Hannity's
latest visit to the Valley couldn't be better (see info in section below)!
MY APOLOGIES
I am so sorry to all of you who were not able to find us on Saturday. Not
realizing how huge this was going to be, we only had the one California
flag, which was clearly not sufficient for the pre-march rally crowd. Also,
the crowd was so huge the original plan of lining folks up by state was
impossible. A good problem to have, but I know there were many more of you
than the 50-60 we were able to gather for the march.
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CALIFORNIA 9.12 EVENTS
Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend a local 9.12 event. Your
visibility only enhanced the effect of the huge turn-out in D.C. We were
everywhere Saturday!
Temecula had it's best turn-out ever!
PICTURES: http://picasaweb.google.com/951media/091209#
VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/user/larry9nar9z#play/all/uploads-all/0/LGtLapbmZs8
And so did Ramona. 9.12 with a turn-out 0f 200!
San Juan Capistrano had a great day too!
http://i573.photobucket.com/albums/ss171/piconeup/600_10671768.jpg
West in Los Angeles was huge success!
VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsn2E3UJDiY&feature=relate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1w8-a3n4vA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6AvlzdIa-Q&feature=player_embedded
Bakersfield had a great viewing party and street rally!
Palm Springs had 150 show up for a viewing party...which may possibly be the
entire population of the community this time of summer!
Brand new tea party group in Torrance got 100!
If we get more updates from the other events we'll be sure to share them.
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HANNITY SUPPORTS CA FARMERS THURSDAY!!
FOX News's Sean Hannity made a visit to the Central Valley yesterday to
bring MUCH needed awareness to the water crisis in the state:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBOvfzY9Xpc
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SACRAMENTO FAILS TO HELP WITH WATER CRISIS
http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/2177939.html
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ACORN, ACORN, ACORN
Wow, even in our own back yard!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QV7kNMrsvI
The nation is outraged over ACORN and we are finally seeing progress. NOW IS
THE TIME to hammer our lawmakers...demand an end to federal funding for this
openly corrupt organization!!
Acorn funding is embedded in every piece of legislation we have been reading
this year, so pick a lawmaker, any lawmaker...they all need to hear your
outrage!
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/acorn-in-senates-sights-again/
?hp
ALSO...time to pressure your Registrar's offices to investigate local ACORN
registration activities:
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_d.htm
Leslie's perspective on the brave film makers who are helping bring ACORN's
true nature to light:
http://templeofmut.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/okeefe-and-giles-are-the-new-woo
dward-and-berstein/
And a little humor:
http://beerswithdemo.blogspot.com/2009/09/photo-images-of-day.html
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HEALTHCARE
Now that Dawn and I are back from DC we need a few days to investigate the
Baucus plan...but so far all signs indicate it's as bad as HR676 and HR3200:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/health/policy/18health.html
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RESSESION OVER? BERNANKE'S GOT A BRIDGE TO SELL YOU...
On the heals of our historic March on D.C., Bernanke announces the recession
is, "very likely over." THEN qualifies it with four years of coming pain:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-AP-stories/story/1234651.html
But we all know it's hogwash. Nothing drives home the point better than this
story I found via Savage, regarding the armada of merchant ships parked a
quiet sea off Singapore...idle due to reduced imports and manufacturing:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1212013/revealed-the-ghost-f
leet-recession.html
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12 PERCENT UNEMPLOYMENT IN CA
No big surprise here...
http://www.edd.ca.gov/About_EDD/pdf/urate200909.pdf
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