“Tea Party groups in deep-red and deep-blue states where the election results are almost a foregone conclusion are organizing get-out-the-vote efforts in key swing states,” according to a recent story in Investor’s Business Daily.
Among those Tea Party groups are the Rainy Day Patriots from right here in Alabama. We featured Rainy Day Patriots founder Zan Green in this year’s “Local Leader 20” and her leadership is on display with the RDP’s “Paint Florida Red” campaign.
Here’s what Investor’s Business Daily had to say about the effort, which they dubbed “Panhandle Gold Mining:”
“Suzanne ‘Zan’ Green began an effort called ‘Paint Florida Red’ a few months ago. The Alabama resident is organizing via the Alabama-based Rainy Day Patriots. Rainy Day members have worked closely with the conservative [group] Americans for Prosperity to collect data on voters in Florida’s panhandle.
“We’re taking that data and targeting the folks that are sympathetic to our message when we precinct walk in Florida,” said Green.
Of course, labor unions will be out in force helping turn out the vote for Obama. It’s unclear if Tea Party members can match their effort. Yet some observers suggest that they could be a big help to Republicans.”
The Rainy Day Patriots and other grassroots conservative groups around Alabama continue to play a major role in shaping the political landscape. Tea Party leaders recently pushed for Governor Bentley to “protect the citizens of Alabama against the massive tax increases inherent in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by announcing that he will NOT implement this legislation in Alabama.”
House Speaker Mike Hubbard recently launched his “Speaker’s Commission on the Protection of Alabama Values and States’ Rights” with the stated purpose of ensuring that “conservative social issues and 10th Amendment safeguards are given prominent attention during the upcoming 2013 legislative session.” The Commission is actively engaging with Tea Party groups across the state to get their input into next session’s legislative agenda.
The whole of the Rainy Day Patriots Board are to thank for this, my name was just on the paperwork! Thanks to all the Paint Florida Red Team, Ann Eubank the team leader and Board member and my brain! The callers and walkers.
And we must make Alabama even deeper RED. There are some county and city governments around the state who are continuing to embrace big government on the local level. Tuscaloosa comes to mind with their “Tuscaloosa Forward” plan that disregards property rights.
Amen. Republicans that claim to be opposed to “big government” have got to disavow leadership that thinks it is only a problem in Washington. BEing the biggest pig at the trough is not my idea of good leadership, locally or otherwise. And we dont need more top-down command and control in Alabama or anywhere else.
PATRIOTS! Great article Cliff. And thank you for speaking up for us!