Why Kirtland? That's easy. Congressman Steve LaTourette, who once endorsed private accounts, has been vewy, vewy quiet about the whole issue lately. (Here's the "Steve's Issues" page on his website -- notice what isn't there.). Both of Ohio's Republican Senators recently broke ranks with the party to vote against the Bush budget, and Mike Dewine -- up for re-election in 2006 -- has expressed enough doubts about the Bush Social Security plan to earn a place in Marshall's "Conscience Caucus".
So the President's got some slippage problems in our neighborhood. Will tomorrow's stage-managed "round table" help? Bamboozlepalooza's results in many other places have been disappointing, to put it mildly (see a day-by-day summary from the Congressional Democrats here). Will LaTourette, Voinovich or Dewine even be there to greet their leader? We'll find out tomorrow.
Meanwhile, if you want to know what kind of welcome the opponents of Social Security privatization are planning, give a call to John Gallo at the Cleveland AFL-CIO, who staffs the local Coalition to Protect Social Security (no website yet, but it's in the works). Or check out Hypothetically Speaking's post about Americans United to Protect Social Security.
If you want to attend Bamboozlepalooza Kirtland and ask your President a question, I'm not sure what to tell you. I guess you could call your county Republican Party office and ask if any tickets are available. Um, yeah, that might work.
UPDATE: (from Hypothetically Speaking)
Privatization rally in Cleveland Friday
The Ohio branch of Americans United to Protect Social Security says it will be holding a rally Friday, April 15 at 10 AM. Speaking at the rally will be Massachusettts Congressman Rich Neal (MA-2). The rally is to be at Voinovich Park, located directly behind theRock and Roll Hall of Fame at E. 9th Street and the Lakefront, Cleveland, OH.
Questions? Call Tom Powell-Bullock 440-554-7203.