Reinforcements have arrived! In case you hadn't noticed, there's a small but growing buzz in the traditional media regarding what they're coyly calling, "the 'I' word."
Fineman's got it.
Froomkin's got it.
Editor & Publisher's got a round-up on it.
So maybe the conditions for the "resonance" we're looking for are here. By the way, just what is "resonance?"
Well, it's a game Newt Gingrich used to play with the press. During his days as an obscure back bencher, he knew he couldn't take his campaign against House Speaker Jim Wright (D-TX) right to the top of the MSM food chain. They thought he was crazy. Nobody knew who he was, and even if they did, nobody attacked the Speaker like that in those days.
So instead, when Newt was in some smaller market to give a speech or appear at a fundraiser for a colleague, he'd go see the local paper's editorial board, and make his case against Wright to them. He'd tell them the "big papers" were ignoring the story because they were too cozy with those in power, but that they could "scoop" the big guys if they'd look into the story. So they did. Then, he'd clip out their stories, and take them to slightly larger papers. And he'd ask them why they weren't covering this big story, when these other smaller papers were scooping them. So they'd run the story. Then he'd take the growing pile of clippings with him to even bigger papers. And so on, and so on, and so on. Finally, it got to the point where the volume of articles was so overwhelming that it couldn't be ignored by the big papers, and they began to look into it, too.
Similarly, we are building pressure from below. But we're not using the media to do it. We're talking directly (more or less -- ok, mostly less) to our neighbors. But then again, we're not necessarily trying to convince official Washington to join us. We're telling them we're going ahead without them. This "administration" has gone crazy, and we're not interested in allowing them to hijack our government anymore. True, we can't make you fulfill your duty to the Constitution, but we can let you know that your constituents are way ahead of you, and if you don't, we'll find someone who will.
We're hanging signs to let others know it's OK to be vocal about this. That they won't be alone if they decide to talk about impeachment. And to let them feel that the atmosphere is changing, because these terrible things they're reading about in the paper really did happen, and they really do have consequences, and that the rest of the country really does want those consequences to come to pass, just as they're beginning to think that maybe they do, too.
And so your signs will resonate with them. And they'll take it to the next level, by talking personally with others about the subject. And those people will take it to the next level by passing on stories about their conversations. And those people will write letters to the editor. And those editors will write stories. And those stories will generate more discussion. And so on, and so on, and so on.
Is impeachment impossible without changing control of the Congress? We used to think so. But then again, we used to think that Jack Murtha supported the continuation of the Iraq war. And he did, until he saw "the writing on the wall." And by the time he saw it, it was abundantly clear to him that the American people were way ahead of him already.
So now, we're writing on the wall again.
Let me bring this back around, now. I kicked this diary off by saying that reinforcements had arrived, and I pointed you to the newspapers. But then I told you that this wasn't really about the newspapers. It was about citizens talking to citizens. It helps, of course, when the newspapers cover what the citizens are talking about. And if enough of us are talking about it, they can't help but cover it.
So, are enough of us talking about it? Not if you're not talking about it. And by talking about it, of course, I mean making others talk about it, by posting signs.
If you're still sitting on the fence about participating -- particularly if you don't know whether enough people are really going to do enough posting to make it worthwhile, I have something I want to show you. These are the direct reinforcements. And this is what I meant by a Harmonic Convergence. Look what's in store for California, courtesy of the Freeway Blogger:
I mean, holy crap! If you're not motivated to get out there with a few paper signs or stickers now, you're clinically dead!
And here's something absolutely critical to note: What you're looking at up there, I am told, represents a grand total of 2.5 hours of painting time, with a whopping 35 cents worth of materials!
That stuff is just flattened cardboard boxes painted white. How do the letters come out so perfect looking? The messages are printed on transparencies and traced, using the overhead projector you see in the foreground. But you don't need that to get started. All you need is the paint and the cardboard -- and the cardboard's free! You all know where to find stores that are throwing that stuff out every day!
I have to tell you, I thought I was gonna have to buy a professionally printed vinyl banner to get these kinds of results, but now I find out I can do it easily and cheaply, and all by myself. The signs get fastened to chain link fences with a single bungee cord! No grommets, no zip ties. Easy.
I don't know about you, but I'm inspired to take this whole thing up a notch after the holidays. Today, I bumped up the size of my own stickers. That's not a leap to these mural-sized signs, but it was an easy, at-home thing to do. Instead of the 1 x 2 5/8" labels I had yesterday...
...today, I'm using 2 x 4" labels that allow me to use 90 pt. type, when I switch fonts from Verdana to (bolded) AgencyFB...
So we're not all Freeway Bloggers -- not that we can't be by next week or so. But consider bumping up your sticker or sign size a bit as a first step. We'll raise our voices just a bit, and make the writing on the wall a bit bigger. Then bigger. Then bigger still.
Take those stickers with you, wherever you're going for the holidays. There's nowhere in the country that doesn't need liberating. And in fact, there's nowhere in the world that won't know what you're talking about, and appreciate knowing that there are still Americans of character and integrity.