Sunday night, we witnessed majority Democrats in Congress approving a trillion-dollar health care package with an unprecedented reach into the personal health care decisions of American citizens. The next morning, President Obama announced a trip to Iowa City to take a victory lap celebrating this continued encroachment into our personal and economic freedoms. What happened in the days that followed amazed and inspired me.
In just two days’ time, Republicans, tea partiers, independents, and even disaffected Democrats joined forces to organize an impressive demonstration in Iowa’s most liberal city. Within hours of learning of Obama’s visit, University of Iowa College Republicans arranged to host a Stand Up 4 Freedom rally in the shadow of the Old Capitol – one of the busiest and most visible locations in all of Iowa City.
The Iowa GOP spread the word with emails, phone calls, a new website and social media. Grassroots activists worked around the clock to drive turnout for this very important show of support for OUR shared principles. The payoff was incredible. Wednesday night, on the eve of President Obama’s return to Iowa City, hundreds of Iowans stood outside in the cold rain to show passersby and national onlookers that the mood of Iowans has changed dramatically since electing President Obama. I met a husband and wife who drove hours from Forest City to stand up for freedom and said it was the first time they have ever attended a political event. I talked to University of Iowa medical students wondering about the viability of the career path they have just chosen. I talked with a middle-aged Cedar Rapids woman – also attending her first political rally – who feels like she just has to do something and get involved. That scene repeated itself time after time Wednesday night and is a small example of how frustrated Iowans are with the direction of our nation and our state. Folks from as close as Coralville and as distant as places like Dubuque, Des Moines, Waterloo, Guthrie Center and Laurens. All those people came to Iowa City, not because of loyalty to a political party, but because they are tired of government taking away the personal freedoms upon which our nation was founded. There are more of us Iowans out there than you might think. Retirees, college students, business owners, laborers, new parents and grandparents all came together, standing up for freedom. We’ve put together a three-minute video from the Stand Up 4 Freedom rally. You can watch it on our YouTube Channel. To learn more about the 2nd Congressional District candidates who spoke, go to our website, www.iowagop.org. Thank you to everyone who sent President Obama and Iowa’s Democrats in Congress a message. And thank you to everyone who donated to help bring about the kind of change that Americans can really believe in. I’m so inspired that I hope to organize more of these freedom rallies around the state. To be notified about upcoming freedom rallies, text “standup” to 41513. For more photos from the Stand Up 4 Freedom rally, go to our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/iowagop. Grassroots Activist of the Week: Johnson County Republicans, Scott County Republicans, Polk County Republicans, Black Hawk County Republicans, Linn County Republicans, University of Iowa College Republicans, Iowa Federation of College Republicans, Iowans for Liberty, Save Our American Republic, Taking America Back, Tea Party Patriots At the risk of leaving someone out, I want to thank each of these groups for turning people out to the Stand Up 4 Freedom rally. Your phone calls, emails and Facebook posts helped bring people of various backgrounds together, united in support of freedom. It was incredible to see how quickly word spread. Because this was really a grassroots event, it’s impossible for me to know everyone who had a hand in making it a success. But I want you all to know, I appreciate your activism and your dedication to preserving our republic. Thank you! Did you procrastinate? That’s ok! Are you one of the Iowans waiting until the last minute to file your state tax return? If so, please consider marking the political checkoff to direct money to the Iowa GOP. For each person who checks the Republican Party of Iowa box, we receive $1.50 to help support the conservative candidates running for office. If you’re married, you and your spouse can each check the box. It does not increase the amount of tax you owe or decrease your refund. Thanks for checking the box to support our Republican candidates this November!
