GraniteGrok

UPDATE:

WOW!  Our estimate is that up to 3,000 people showed up.  At least 2,000!  I had the opportunity to give a real short speech at the podium - part of me started in while the analytical side said "take a 10 X 10 foot part of the real estate and count quick....map it...oh my!  I'm closer to 3,000 than 2,000!

I have audio that I will post - the 'Grok has got to get an XLR (for a pro microphone) to 2.5 mm (think headphone plug on your laptop) adapter.  Or, we gotta get a better camera to take advantage of that interface. Wanna help?  There's a DONATE button to your left.

Anyways, the crowd was ON FIRE!  Conservatives, never the ones to go to a protest, showed up with lots of vim and vinegar in their veins!  They are tired of politicians (both sides) ignoring common sense, of the bickering, of putting the special interest groups that ALL raise our taxes, of politicians and celebrities trashing America, that their value and beliefs are denigrated:

THEY ARE TIRED OF BEING TOLD, BY WORD OR BY DEED, THAT THEIR

OPINION DOESN'T MATTER - ONLY THE TAXES THEY PAY.

They were here today to say "No more".   And their muskets are loaded for bear - and for anyone (media, the moocher class, and the politicians) else that keeps raiding their bank accounts, their pay checks, and their liberties. 

You might say "Oh come on, isn't that over the top?"  Nope:

The spending bills approved for fiscal 2009 by the Democratic Congress include 10,160 earmarks that will cost taxpayers $19.6 billion, according to the Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW).

WHEN WILL IT STOP?  Answer: WHEN WE DEMAND THAT IT STOPS - not until.

The 'Grok will post as much audio as we can of each speaker as we can (and that is of any decent quality) and video as soon as we can.  I have LOTS of pictures to process as well.

Doug and I will do our best to get our opinions and other results up here as fast as possible.

REMEMBER this!  Growing up, I was told by Smokey the Bear "Only you can prevent forest fires!".

The 'Grok now is telling you "Only you can stop politicians that raid your wallets to enrich their special interests!"  Get out there and vote and work for politicians that will protect YOUR interest by LEAVING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY alone.

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The 'Grok is HERE!  Manchester, NH is ground zero (but FAR from the only one here in NH; Concord reports about 1,000 plus this morning!!!).

We arrived about 1:30pm and started to do our scouting and setup.  Lots of small conservative groups (look at the left sidebar) are finally banding together to get out the word, get this Party organized, and show the politicians (both Republican and Democrat) that we all feel like Howard Beal of the movie Network:

We're mad as hell and aren't taking it anymore!!!

Stage is being set up:

Glenn was a hot ticket - captured the sentiment very well:

 Government Works for us!

 It is now 4:45pm - we are not scheduled to start until 5:50pm but already Victory Park is filling up fast - flags aflying, signs awaving, and lots of people talking:  enough is enough already!

People are coming up and talking - Grant from NHWatchdog is setting up with us here on Bloggers Row that we've set up.  DCE from WeekendPundit has also stopped by to say hello and take picture.

We got started and I had to go to the podium to get ready to speak (yeah, shy me!) so I'm running behind here!

Well, I'm a bit late.  The Patriot Pastor led the invocation and invoked the spirit of our Founding Fathers - they wanted freedom, they fought for freedom, they died for it.  It is up to keep it!

Mayor Guinta from Manchester talked about freedom and keeping taxes low.

I cannot due Jack Kimball of the Granite State Patriots spoke of the Navy Seals that saved Captain Phillips - they had a mission and they accomplished it!  He spoke of keeping  our government OURS and not the politicians!  We ALL have to get involved - sign up and keep involved!

Jennifer Horne spoke next and had the crowd shouting USA in praise of our troops and the wonderful job they do that allows us to do this gathering today.

Doug got up and spoke about his move from RI, his role as a husband, father, and small biz owner.  He is scared - The Government is making it harder and harder to succeed by taxing and taxing!  He's got a great rant from the Masons at that time of the Revolution and gave his updated version of it.

Me?  I threw away my speech:  teleprompter?  Heck, who needed one - the SIGNS showed what was needed:

• 787 Billion and they didn't even read the bill!
• Mr. President, keep the change and give me back my future (sign after the jump)
• Can we bankrupt the country?  YES WE CAN!

My response was: NO YOU WON'T.  And the crowd started in repeating it!  I reiterated what Jack had said - get involved, it does not stop here, sign up, and keep this movement going.  Then I asked them to repeat: 

Don't spread my Wealth

Spread my Work Ethic! 

Charlie Arlinghouse from the Josiah Bartlett Policy Center was next - he stressed that we gathered here have failed to keep our politicians accountable.  It is up to us to counter the lobbyists that want the politicians to spend and spend and spend.  It is time to call up the politician that lives down the street and in your town and let them know how you feel.....10 calls can do it!

Tony Guinta, former Mayor of Franklin, spoke of an elderly lady ready to lose her house because of property taxes.

Ken Merrifield, current Mayor of Franklin, spoke to the tax caps that are in his city that have stopped the increase of income of the government from being higher than that of ordinary families.  He will stop any attempts via veto in Franklin; the rest of us have to make sure our politicians do the same.  Politicians, like those in Manchester and Concord, don't want their citizens to even TRY to put caps in - and are using the courts to do so!

Pam and Lisa from the 9-12 Project spoke - it IS about being of the mindset from 9-12-2001; we were united and aware of the danger of the world.  Pretensions fell by the wayside and the important stuff became important; values and character were important.  Where did they go?  Get involved, do something; let this be a start and not just an end.

Corey Lewandowski from the Americans for Prosperity spoke of government 

Marilinda Garcia spoke about the value of a single vote - never, ever not vote.

Kristine Peters of the NH Republican Women - time to put a stop to the madness happening in Concord by our legislators

Kevin Smith of Cornerstone - you are now paying an income tax on capital gains, death tax on your loved ones property, higher taxes for gas.

Sung - a parody!

Sorry, I am getting further behind!

More pictures after the jump!