Spring Protest Training

Beautiful day and the rain held off. Warm for March, but welcome.

The professional rent-a-mob folks were there. Talked to some union guys from Detroit and Rochester Hills and my guess is that they got gas money but didn't get paid like the college kids from last year. Just a few of them today.

My guess would be about 200 people with about half pro, the Schauer and health care supporters and the other half against folks mostly from Jackson with a few others from around the district. Not too many were from the Schauer contingency were from the district, but they were enthusiastic with their chants and bull horns. Well scripted.

We had originally planned to be there from 4:30 to 5:30 but having heard that we were going to have company I went over at 3:30 since they planned on 4:00 according to the radio. They were already in place when I arrived. As more people arrived it was gratifying to see that there was a mix of both sides all around the intersection.

I was able to distribute 80 position papers and am thinking we need to do more of that the next time. Taking a slightly different tack I pointed out that since the government takes $96.50 for Medicare out of Social Security checks it feels like the equivalent of having one's wages garnisheed. And it can only get worse along with fines for not getting the right kind of insurance or even, God forbid, jail time.

That old argument about everyone who purchases insurance now is paying about $1000 per year for the uninsured seems like a small price to pay for being able to keep what we have plus the freedom to choose. When I told a young lady how I felt about it I could see that she was surprised and she was very friendly until I decided to move on.

Keep plugging along, the vote is being delayed--
God bless...........