Joe the Plumber to speak at AFP's TX Defending the American Dream!

Waco, Texas - Americans for Prosperity announced Friday that "Joe the Plumber" will be a featured speaker at the Texas Defending the American Dream Summit in Austin on July 2nd & 3rd.  Joe, whose real name is Samual Joseph Wurzelbacher, became a household name when he asked then candidate Obama about his tax policies.

Joe surprised the Waco Tea Party back in February at our "Hob Nob" event to promote the Get Out The Vote efforts and educate citizens on the perils of apathy.  The audience was energized and appreciative of his "pit stop" in Waco, we look forward to hearing him again during the General Session on Saturday at the summit.  Joe is a great defender of the "American Dream"!

Steven Crowder, who will be a guest on the Waco Tea Party Watchdog's radio show Sunday evening and Governor Rick Perry will be the featured speakers at the Friday Night Lone Star Strong dinner (included in the ticket price).  The General Session speakers on Saturday include Janine Turner, Herman Cain, The Singing Marine (see video below), and many more nationally recognized names.

For more information about speakers, training sessions, and details of the event, visit http://txdream.org/index.php.  You can still reserve a room at the host hotel's discounted rate until Monday, June 21 (rates double after Monday).  

We encourage activists to attend the many training sessions, many geared towards tea party activists, to learn how to be more effective in activism.  On Saturday AFP will hold a "Patriot Academy" for young patriots (middle and high school age) giving everyone in the family an opportunity to learn more about the American Dream and how to defend it.

The Waco Tea Party is a "Partnering Organization" at the summit and will have a booth at the event.  Make sure to stop by and say hello if you attend!

Americans For Prosperity "Defending the American Dream Summit" Austin!

Americans For Prosperity is holding a "Defending the American Dream" summit in Austin on July 2nd & 3rd.  The Waco Tea Party will be participating and encourages others to attend this important summit.  We'll be sending out further information in our newsletter and posting it on our website as the details are announced.


Toby Marie attended the 2009 DAD summit in D.C. and learned a lot at the trainings and breakout sessions that has benefited the Waco Tea Party as an organization.  We hope that you will consider attending the Austin summit this summer.


For more information please visit:http://txdream.org/index.php

What is to be is up to me... Health Care is up to You America!

Tim Phillips was at an event in Houston, Texas today and saw a young man with a T-shirt that stated "What is to be, is up to me."  It inspired him, and has inspired me to blog about the call I was on this evening. 


I was on a tele-town hall (provided by Americans for Prosperity, Tim Phillips hosted) with Congressman Mike Pence and over 14,000 other activists in the country.  The topic was health care, the hot topic in politics today in America.  First let me say, I've been on hundreds of these calls over the past year, and this call was the most inspiring that I've ever participated in on any level.  Just when I was ready to give up, thought I couldn't make a difference and that my opinion didn't matter, Mike Pence gave me the boost I needed.  One comment that the Congressman made really lifted my spirits, it is up to us, the American people what will happen on health care.  Pence does not believe that Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats have enough votes to pass the current legislation or they would already be voting on it.  We still have time to make our voices heard, so don't give up and get discouraged!


Congressman Pence explained to the callers what was happening on health care legislation and how to be effective in contacting your Congressman.  The "tips" were interesting and I hope you will implement them, I sure will be using them to convey my opinions to my Congressman, Chet Edwards (even though I don't think he really cares what I think, if I can encourage others to join me I believe we'll make a difference together).


I've captured most of Pence's and Phillips recommendations (and expanded on a few with advice I received from Congressional staffers who wish to remain anonymous):

• Contact your Congressman first and foremost, they weigh their constituents opinion more heavily than those living outside their districts.  If you have friends or family living in someone else's district, encourage them to contact them directly.  
• Email your entire contact list, encourage them to contact their Congressman, even if they have never done it before, NOW is the time!  Make sure you ask your friends and family to do the same.
• If you are not big on emailing your friends and family, CALL them and encourage them to contact Congress and ask them to contact their friends to do the same.
• Visit your Congressional office in person!
• Write letters to the editor of newspapers using your Congressman's name, and do this often.  Apparently most all Congressmen had "news clippings" services; and while some do not read their emails they DO read those clippings from the press.
• Congressmen have staffers who monitor blogs and comment sections on blogs (and news outlets).  Those comments also wind up in Google Alerts... so, if you blog, make sure you use your Congressman's name and if you don't blog, go and comment about your opinions and again, use your Congressman's name.
• Congressional staffers also keep "cheat sheets" on the number of phone calls, faxes and emails that the Congressmen receive on different issues.  Pence also reminded us that even when staffers are rude or act like your opinion doesn't matter, it's an act.  Your opinion DOES matter, matter of fact, he believes it is the only thing that DOES matter!
• Call local talk radio programs, and again, use your Congressman's name.
• Post on message boards, Facebook and Twitter about your Congressman, their opinions and yours.  Many of the Twitter posts show up in Google Alerts.  If your Congressman has a fan page on Facebook, join it and comment on it often (politely, don't get in "wars of words" with those you disagree with politically).
• Traditional mail takes 2-4 weeks to reach your Congressman's office desk.  If you hand write letters FAX them when possible when a vote is going to the floor.