I posted this idea as a comment on Slinkerwink's diary yesterday and received a suggestion to turn it into a diary, along with a few e-mails expressing interest.
This is my comment from last night:
I just got a fundraising email from John Tester's campaign. Senators Baucus and Testor inviting me to a $50/head barbecue near Helena on August 8. Now Tester does some things that make me crazy, but overall, I love the guy and will give him money (again!) How many people can we organize to show up and pay $50 to publicly and pointedly tell Max - at a fundraiser he is hosting, and we pay to get into, - that the overwhelming majority of Americans that want a public option do not believe that public policy that preserves the insurance industries monopoly is in the interests of the country?
I have heard some discussion of mass number rallies for health care, but this seems to me to be one of those situations where modest numbers would, in the news coverage of the day, be huge! If 1000 progressives showed up, and others donated in a recognizable way, it would be a spectacular way to send Jon love while simultaneously smacking Max upside the head...
Anyone up for this?
Here’s the e-mail from Baucus and Tester:
U.S. Senator Max Baucus
& U.S. Senator Jon Tester
Invite you to join them for the
2009 Sieben Ranch Barbecue & Hoedown
North of Helena, Montana
A benefit for Senator Jon Tester
Saturday -- August 8, 2009 -- 5:30PM
Delicious Barbecue...Montana Brews & Wine
Live Country Music by Shodown
TICKETS COST - $50 per person, CHILDREN under 12 are free
Reserve your tickets today!
Click here to get tickets online or sign up as a sponsor for the event
(406) 442-6035 -- siebenranch2009@gmail.com
Contributions to Montanans for Tester are a political contribution and are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes.
Corporate contributions are prohibited by federal law. Foreign contributions are prohibited. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 per election cycle. Contributions are limited to $4,800 per individual ($2,400 primary election and $2,400 general election) and federal multi-candidate PACs may contribute $5,000 for each election, primary and general.
PAID FOR BY MONTANANS FOR TESTER
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I talked with Tester’s campaign today, and they said they expect 300-400 people at the barbecue which is at the Baucus family ranch near Helena. If we merely double the number of attendees, we have a pretty good shot at a big chunk of that day’s news cycle. If the progressive netroots chose to make a major statement at this event, it would dominate the health-care debate for that weekend's news cycle, make John Tester’s campaign finance guy the happiest man in politics and provide the biggest spike in espresso sales Helena has ever seen. And it can be done with relatively small numbers of people.
First, every progressive within a 6 hour drive of Helena that would ever consider contributing to Tester’s campaign should scrape hard for $50 plus gas money and show up. Max’s own constituents are the most valuable. Now is the time to dig till it hurts.
Second, if the netroots community decides to make this a high-value target of opportunity, someone with better Internet skills than I should create a way for individuals interested in making the trip to Helena find each other to assist in planning and create momentum, and to create a way for those who cannot travel to donate to Tester in a way that clearly supports those who do show up. How many progressives can throw the camping gear in the car and make this a long weekend road trip? I will be happy to update with links if someone can step in to do this. Also, perhaps, a progressive Helena area resident can step forward with local knowledge if this idea takes off.
Third, organizations with political structures in place can organize group travel to Helena. Organizations all over the West should consider the impact that a busload of their people can have at an event which will be covered by the national press when their one busload represents more than 10% of the anticipated crowd.
Helena is not easy to get to, unless you live in the neighborhood. However, $50 plus the cost of your trip puts you in the position to personally explain (and I can’t imagine it not being on camera) to Montana's senior senator, that his perverse loyalty to the insurance lobby is not acceptable to netroots progressives and the 72% of Americans who support the public option.
And for those who can't go, this is giving to Tester, which many of us would do anyway, while sending a very pointed message to Baucus, with a dollar number attached.
Personally, I'm unsure if I can make it to Helena, but I'm good for a $50 donation to Tester and another hundred to defray the cost of Jane, Eve, Slinkerwink or other netroots notable to show up and speak for us.
So are we gonna do this?
Update: Titled edited at suggestion of lineatus.