Monday, January 18, 2010 4:56:09 PM · by Syncro
TeaPartyExpress.Org ^ | January 18, 2010 | Levi Russell
Posted on 01/18/2010 4:35:35 PM PST by Syncro
PITTSFIELD, Mass. - A quick special election like the race for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts is usually run by political insiders.
But the hot button issues in this campaign are so polarizing, it's drawing grassroots groups from across the border. They can't even vote in the election Tuesday, but dozens of New Yorkers and Vermonters worked to make sure their voices were heard.
At first glance, the people rallying for Scott Brown Monday in Pittsfield's Park Square look like all the other campaigners seen across the Bay State. But take a closer look. Dawn Marczewski is from Clifton Park, N.Y.
"This is an American issue and because I'm an American it's important to be involved," she said.
Doris Viera headed down from Bennington, Vt.
"This is why I'm here, to wake people up to choose the right candidate," Viera said.
The Brown supporters spent the day in Massachusetts because the impact of the special election is greater than just the Bay State.
"It's a great time to come out and help our friends in Massachusetts. What happens here is going to affect the rest of the county," said Dan Neumann of Cohoes.
The number one issue that got these activists to take their show on the road is health care. Brown has already said he'd be the 41st vote against the Democrats' health care reform bill.
"It's a crucial election up here and a way of stopping halting the health care bill, which is going to bankrupt this nation," said Robert Macinness of Schoharie.
Many of the out-of-staters in the Berkshires Monday were organized by the conservative movement known as the Tea Party Express.
How did the race get so close?
Aggressive campaigning by Scott Brown, missteps by Martha Coakley and shifting voter attitudes to President Obama's agenda: “Shoo-in” Coakley drastically cut back on campaign appearances, says Glen Johnson in the Associated Press, while Brown's campaign was unleashing an "ad war." Coakley further erred by saying that the Taliban "are gone" from Afghanistan and declaring that Catholics "probably shouldn't work in emergency rooms" because their religion dictates that birth control is a sin. Meanwhile, anti-Coakley organizations such as the National Republican Trust political action committee and Tea Party Express flooded the state with money to support of Brown’s relentless campaign.
More at the LinkTea Party PAC Spends Big for Scott Brown; Unions Pay Up for Martha Coakley
Posted:01/18/10
We know that the White House and all members of Congress are watching the Massachusetts Senate race. But special interest groups from outside of Massachusetts also have a huge stake in the outcome of the election, and they are spending their money accordingly.
I did a lengthy article last week to put all of the outside spending in context, but here's a quick run-down of the independent expenditures (meaning spending by groups to influence the election that are not related to the candidates' campaigns nor the official party organizations) for the last seven days, as tracked by the Federal Election Commission.
A survey of last-minute spending by interest groups reveals which groups have a significant interest in the outcome, and which candidate could owe those groups something on the other side of election day.
The most fascinating development on the Republican side is the activism of the new Tea Party movement. The PAC of the Tea Party Express has not spent the most of any conservative group (check out the Chamber of Commerce's spending), but it is taking the movement past protests at town hall meetings and using its money for more than a dozen targeted outreach and communications efforts to help get Brown elected.
On the Democratic side, union money is pouring in for Coakley, with Service Employees International Union and a related 527 labor group pumping in more than $1 million as the race heated up last week. Also spending big for Coakley is the League of Conservation Voters and two pro-choice groups -- Planned Parenthood and EMILY's List.
The stakes are high all the way around, and so is the spending.
Good for them - we're all brothers in arms in this battle.
I lived in Pittsfield 14 yrs - wish I were still there! Well, to help with the election...
I have not forgotten all of the purple SEIU buses with New York and New Jersey plates that showed up frequently here in New Hampshire last year.
Were any Yankees fans?
However, the driveby media isn't interested in any of that. Why? Because they're propagandists. The have an agenda, and it is a Leftist one, joined at the hip with the democratic party of today, and Barack Obama’s.
They want people to think that it's all one great big Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy©, and that it's typical Republican dirty tricks.
Yet all we hear here, and in the other alternative media, is true stories about dem tricks and cheats, that never get reported by the mainstream. Despicable!
Some more “out of staters” include Obama and Clinton.
Eagles up!
One if by land....
Two if by sea...
Three if the crooks fly in from DC!
I was aware of a caravan of vehicles originating from the Albany NY area. There is enthusiasm here. If this can happen in Mass, the heart land of bellow crawling socialists, it could happen in New York!
I can’t wait to vote tommorow.
My vote is finally gonna mean something.
I’m very excited......and nervous too.
GO SCOTT BROWN!!!!
Welcome to Free Republic.
Interesting screen name.
If so, that looks to be a great movement!
I lived in Rhode Island when they were re-vamping the city. It’s fabulous now and I miss it...but not more than Troy Ohio, where I also lived. Had a really great community there. Was named, “the community every community wishes it could be”.
Great place to live.
My husband and I attended 3 rallies/events for Scott Brown today (Monday, Jan 18) in Massachusetts. We are Connecticut residents and Tea Party Patriots.
At the Littleton, MA rally for Scott today there were a group of Albany, NY Tea Party Patriots (some wearing tri-corner hats and Albany, NY Tea Party T-shirts). They actually referred to themselves as "The Albany Militia". They proudly came to MA to support Scott Brown.
Massachusetts residents were thanking them - and us - for taking the time to drive through the snow and slush and participate in Scott's rallies (earlier in the day there was quite a snowstorm going on in that part of the state).
Americans for Limited Government bused people to Massachusetts last night from New York City. They paid for transportation, food, and lodging. The cameraman who got wrapped in the sign was with them.
Thanks you to all these groups who helped out and all who attended.
Forgot to mention NY State Republican Party. Bused people up on Saturday to Holyoke, providing free transportation and food. Also did phone banks. Ed Cox got it together at the last minute with help from the rank and file of course. Silly was with them on the Holyoke trip—waiting for a report, unless I missed it.
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