Quote of the Day: "Will these Tea Parties be a one-time event, where the participants expend considerable energy, and then when the world doesn't change, will these same participants become discouraged, say to themselves, 'That didn't work,' and then drop out and give up?'" - Mark, an Ohio activist.

Subject: What happens the day after the Tea Party?

There's an exciting movement brewing. Crowds are showing up at demonstrations called Tea Parties. Scores of them are scheduled for this Wednesday, April 15, Tax Day.

I'LL BE SPEAKING AT ONE IN STEUBENVILLE, OHIO. But I'm forced to wonder, with Mark, who provides our Quote of the Day . . .

Will these Tea Parties result in continuing, growing activism? Or will they be another . . .

RANDOM ACT OF LIBERTY

When is something a random act? When you don't come out of it bigger and stronger and able to do more and better things. The result is burn out and failure. That's why . . .

At DownsizeDC.org, we have a wheel-like strategy. We recruit, then activate, then ask the newly recruited activist to also recruit . . . and on we roll. Moreover, we recruit people to low cost activism -- the kind that can be done in your bathrobe, from your home, and on your schedule. This minimizes burnout.

We take on a number of legislative issues. It's important to us to win them, and we've done so 18 times since early 2006.

But that's NOT our most significant goal. Our top priority is to emerge from each battle bigger and stronger than we were when we entered.

Voltaire said, "God tends to be on the side of the bigger battalions." We're going to lose more battles than we win, especially in the early going, but long-term, we'll build a huge army and win the war.

Random Acts of Liberty can really hurt a movement. We're excited about these Tea Parties. Yet, the question we have about everything we do, as well as about these thrilling Tea Parties is . . .

"WHAT NEXT?"

This question is crucial. What is the event after the event? How will activists be focused, and how will they bond into platoons and brigades that make an impact?

We're hearing that the President and the Democratic leadership is taking note of, but relatively unconcerned about these protests. They think they will flag and whither -- that people just have to vent.

There's a very real danger that the professional politicians will be right, that venting will be the only result. And then people will return to their apathy.

Therefore, DownsizeDC.org has two strategic suggestions to help ensure these events are not the end, but the beginning of something important.

1. We've created an all-purpose flyer, two to a page, that you can print out from our website, to distribute at Tea Parties or other events.

But we warn you, other groups will be handing out stuff too, and most of it will be discarded. So, to keep your literature handouts from being yet another random act of liberty . . . 

2. Collect some names and email addresses - Swap contact info with people. Then, write them and call them after the event and ask them to check out something specific at the Downsize DC website, like the "Read the Bills Act." Ask them to join Downsize DC.

I'M GOING TO BE DOING BOTH OF THESE THINGS TOMORROW WHILE I'M IN STEUBENVILLE, OHIO. And I want to take this opportunity to invite you to this Tea Party...

Date: Wednesday, April 15
Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Jefferson County Courthouse
 301 Market Street  
 Steubenville, Ohio

Meanwhile, today, if you think you paid too much in taxes this year, ask your Congressional employees to cut taxes. If you've used our Educate the Powerful System before, do the following . . .

* Go to our home page 
* Log-in using the log-in button at the right of the navigation bar near the top of the page
* Scroll down and click on the link for campaign number 23. Tell Congress to Cut Federal Taxes (Here's the direct link)
* Scroll down to the form at the bottom of the page and send your message

If you're sending your very FIRST message to Congress using our system, click on this link, scroll down to the form, fill it out, and send your message.

Thanks for being part of the growing Downsize DC Army,

Jim Babka, President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.