Event organizer Jeff Crank poses with a stop light.
Once safely inside, event organizer and KROV personality Jeff Crank MC-ed the event. He explained that there would be sandwiches and drinks for everyone, and a few more "gas cards" would be distribute than they had been planned, because of the foul weather. He introduced a FAIX News personality who doubles as the "fair and balanced" President of the sponsoring group, Americans for Prosperity. This started a stream of speakers who complained about government restriction on oil production, unfair support of alternative energy, and environmental regulations. The speeches were great, cheers were raised, half truths told and then all the patriots lined up for free food and drinks.
The group numbered between 120 and 150, drawn largely by the Right wing programming of local radio station KVOR. Several of the stations talk-show propagandists either spoke to the group or waved recognition when introduced by other speakers.
The event was paid for by "Americans for Prosperity" and was apparently funded by oil companies, since most of the literature, speakers and the "petitions" people were asked to sign mentioned greater freedom, lower taxes and more profits for oil corporations.
One Lefty organization was represented by a large billboard mounted on a trailer and pulled by a pickup. He was evicted by a property owner's representative, but continued to drive around the area. I'll post a photo of it on Facebook.com MoveOn Springs and www.BrightHorizon.net
The Progressive meat-people there huddle in their cars the same as everyone in that wet, thunderous parking lot. We dashed out during breaks in the rain to distribute fliers prepared by Bob Powell, talk with Tea Baggers, and ask "Where's the caravan". It looked like the whole event would be canceled, then they announced they would move it into the partially closed Mall that KVOR is housed in. Standing around boarded up shop windows in the center of the mall, speeches were delivered, petitions signed, FREE dinner served, and a number of "Free Gas Cards" were distributed.
The most powerful aspect of the event was the speeches. The men did a very good job. Years of talk radio practice really showed well. They were passionate about too much government regulation, feeling they had been unfairly "tarred" by the DeepHorizon incident. They promised good paying jobs and domestice oil instead of imports.
And the audience was primed to cheer on que, raise their hands to show
support, and sign the "petitions". But in one-on-one conversations,
they seemed unclear about the issues and politics involved. Several told
we they thought Oil Corporations paid their fair share of taxes. One couple
said they strongly supported continuing Social Security even if it meant
taxing the oil companies. In another conversation, a complaint about lazy
unemployed people refusing to take jobs melted when I said I posted a
job offering recently and was overwhelmed with applicants. A few minutes
later a 40ish woman approached me and asked what kind of job I was offering.
She explained that she had been out of work for a couple of years and
there were just no jobs to apply for. One man explain how expensive it
was to run his solar electric system and how happy he would be to "connect
up to the grid". He thought the power companies should run solar
along with wind and oil generation.
The other side of the trailer sign.
Independent Patriots line up for the Corporate
supplied FREE food after assuring they had all
signed their petitions.
Lots of places to sit, eat and sign petitions.