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Comment by Sherry Berry on April 20, 2009 at 9:47am

http://www.meetup.com/Pensacola-Fair-Tax-Meetup-Group/calendar/10193239/ Come join our group if you are near Pensacola. We had at least 1300 at tea parties in Pensacola.

Comment by Earl Mathews on April 16, 2009 at 6:33am

Had a meeting at the local Republican Club, Apr 14th and
Tom Walsh was there. He is on a "Senate Exploratory Committee" from Naples, FL to run for senate. Heads Up! He appears to favor the Fair Tax.

To any of District 2, Kerry Bowers,DD, from FairTax came and did 2 presentations and a Q&A on the local college channel, awesome speaker.

Comment by Larry Walters on April 16, 2009 at 1:25am

There were between 2000 & 2500 attendees at the orlando TEA Party. At out FairTax table we had 1316 post cards signed to be delivered to Florida's two senators, the individuals Congressmena and the effervescent Rep. Charlie Rangel. We ran out of post cards again and used up the Tri-Folds we had.
Not bad for 2 hours in the arena.

Comment by Larry Walters on April 16, 2009 at 1:18am

Photos of Orlando TEA Party and our own Marc Manieri who knocked them out!

Find more photos like this on MyAmericanism.com

Comment by Dave Leake on March 30, 2009 at 11:09pm

It might be worth remembering where the four postcards idea originated. To the extent it has gone nationwide, it was OOTF that started people mailing postcards weekly to their two senators, their congressperson and Charlie Rangel, Remember, it is Rangel who can keep the bill locked up in his committee. The idea was to inundate him with postcards from people all around the country on a weekly basis. By including Rangel in our efforts, we are adding Floridians' demands for action ... by the committee chairman ... and letting him know there is a growing nationwide ground swell for action on the FairTax .

Remember, too, Walt's note on the mechanics of the four-postcard format. By placing the senators and the two representatives (Rangel and whoever) diagonally opposite, the person printing them can't screw up. The text on side 2 might be upside down, but it will still be correctly addressed "Dear Senator" or "Dear Representative." That just doesn't work if you put President Obama on one corner. And talk about someone who could care less if you send him a postcard. Oh, please!

I say enough of this tempest in a teapot. Walt came up with a scheme that -- though I had my doubts initially -- turned out to be brilliant. People love the cards just the way they are. Let's not mess with a good thing. Leave well enough alone!

Comment by Deborah Carlock on March 30, 2009 at 7:07pm

For my two cents worth, the only politician in the US with a national constituency is the President and by extension, those he appoints to the various Cabinet positions. All other elected officials answer to the voters who them into office, and unfortunately to the Party they belong to so that the Party will support their next run for office. Should a person holding a Senate or House committee seat be cognizant of public opinion? Yes, but once again, they would be more concerned with the opinions of those who put them into office simply because those are the people who are going to keep him (or her) in office. And yes, more concerned with party opinion than the opinion of anyone outside their election district.

Now, having said all that, I have absolutely no problem with communicating my opinion to a legislator outside my house district or my state. It doesn't hurt to make a legislator aware that there is someone who disagree with him (or her). It's my personal choice to spend my time an effort in attempting to educate my own employees in Washington as to my opinion. Our elected officials are our employees, after all, and I remind them of that in the strongest wording I can without while remaining as polite as I am able.

Charlie Rangel doesn't care about what I think. But, if enough of us write, email, call, fax and talk to Bill Nelson he may eventually read the writing on the wall and see that if he wants to continue representing Florida in Washington, he'd better get with our program. That also applies to whoever eventually runs for Martinez' seat. We basically need to convince our legislators that they can't keep their jobs without our votes, and they won't get our votes if they don't serve our interests.

So, while I don't disagree with Brenda's efforts to reach out to legislators outside Florida, I respectfully think it's a wasted effort.

Comment by Larry Walters on March 30, 2009 at 4:18pm

Brenda,
The last thing Rangel serves is a national constituency. He serves his party who placed him in his position. Only his party or a change of party control can replace him. We need to be communcating with those in a position to replace him, those who want our votes.
The only difference between AFFT and FTN/Meetups, et-al is in lobbying or making public comments about a "candidate" and whether or not donations are deductible. As you know donations to AFFT are not deductible so that difference is moot.
We don't have a different task than you either. At least I don't think so.
The mission (I think) for both of us is to expose the FT to as many people as possible and educate those who want to learn gaining active volunteer supporters to duplicate our efforts.
Finding a way to have new supporters communicate with our reps as has been done is a great asset to our cause. And more of that is needed. The biggest asset we can collect and present though is people. Without them nothing will ever happen because we will not influence enough elected officials to stand with us.
And personally, I don't care how many threatening letters Rangel may generate because of mail he receives from FairTaxers. The first amendment permits us to speak our piece unabridged. I think it is the 10th amendment that supports airing our grievances to our officials.
So my only comment is that the postcard, time, effort can be placed elsewhere more effectively.
When it comes to influencing people it must be remembered that people do things for their reasons, not yours. We are bartering our vote for a representatives support on our issue.

Comment by Brenda Janssen on March 30, 2009 at 6:50am

I'm afraid you both are missing the point. And I understand that as position holders within the hierarchy of AFFT, you have a different task than I, as a non AFFT official.

Regarding Charlie Rangel, I will repeat that as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, he serves a NATIONAL constituency, over and above his home district. I would not hesitate to write to ANYONE serving in such a capacity. As long as the communication is clear and polite and in no way offensive. And just because you don't get an official response to 500 pieces of mail, does not mean that effort was fruitless. I took part in numerous ways in the campaign against amnesty, and although I did not personally get a reply back, the EFFORT of the mass of people who joined me, definitely was FRUITFUL!!!

What we need are ways for our members to ACTIVELY participate over and above adding their names to an abstract albeit vital membership list. The postcard allows that. I did not come up with this idea, But I am passionate about this postcard effort, as are many across the country who are embracing it, and those actually putting their names and addies literally "on the line".

I really mean no disrepect to anyone, AFFT or otherwise. I hope no offense was taken by my comments. Sometimes the tone of a written comment is misconstrued.

And now I'm off to work. Have a GREAT DAY everyone!

Comment by Larry Walters on March 29, 2009 at 2:07pm

I believe the motivation for the large majority of FairTax supporters not only good but is justifiable.
However since we are not a voter in the districts of outside representatives our effort is wasted by comparison to what is gained by communicating to those who want our votes.
Personally I would not feet a bit sorry if Rangel had a large brain anurism and went away. I know that may sound gross to some but war is hell and we are at war with a unresponsive, corruptible government.
Writing to the President in my opinion has more value than writing to any other representative because he too wants our vote.
Linda raised a good question too. Who has responded to any communications from anyone outside of their voting districts?
All of us need to get over the emotion of doing something and take on the goal achieving act of doing the productive things. The first being getting more people registered with AFFT/Convio. Everything else (Facebook, Meetups, FTN, etc) is secondary. All of them do not provide the power of their capability if there are no people to be communicated to and with.

Comment by Brenda Janssen on March 28, 2009 at 6:00am

With all due respect, Linda, how should we massage these unresponsive, power hungry people? They are used to getting tons of mail on issues the public cares about...I have written many legislators not from my district on topics such as amnesty, right to life, 2nd ammendment and such, especially when there was a campaign going on that would increase the volume of our collective voices. The post card is not in any way offensive, but very short, sweet, and to the point. But what they understand is numbers. And it IS effective. Since when was politely writing to a legislator harrassment??

At the tea party on Saturday, there was not ONE person I asked to sign the postcards who refused. In fact they were CLAMORING to do it! We were passing clipboards over heads of those already writing! And if the congressman has pro fairtaxers in his staff, don't you think they are happy to see some polite, expressive mail come in on the subject? Maybe without it they feel like candles in the darkness, but with it we all become beacons in a storm!

And Larry you know me well enough to know that I would do nothing to harm our efforts. In fact, it is that commitment not harm AFFT that has me doing what I am doing, the way I am doing it.

AFFT leadership in other areas is embracing these post cards with gusto. Linda, if you don't want to take part in it, that's your prerogative, but let the rest of us work in our own ways.

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