Blog-IT-o ergo sum

	8/26/2003

Trimming Congresman Jim DeMint

While preparing for an evening meeting with the Spartanburg, SC Chapter Leader of the JBS, he mentioned in passing that some members of the chapter might be arriving late due to US congressman Jim DeMint giving a talk on his social security reform plan at 5:30pm in the main library downtown.

Whoa! Stop the presses I thought. Our meeting starts at 6:30pm and it is only 20 minutes from the main library downtown. Let's grab us some TRIM bulletins for congressman DeMint and hand them out as people enter the library.

Ken and I made it to the main library by just after 5:00 and started handing out TRIM bulletins packaged in with reprints of the Jobs and Trade issue of The New American, Your Job May Be Next. We got the packages into the hands of about 25 of the just shy of 50 person crowd (mostly over age sixty) drawn by Mr. DeMint.

The really satisfying part of our effort though was being at the entrance to the library as congressman DeMint along with his contingent of three aides approached from the parking lot. He saw us dressed in suits and ties similar to his own, but was apprehensive upon realizing we were handing out pieces of literature.

Ken had previously met one of the aides and this helped break the ice and open the conversation. Nonetheless, Mr. DeMint's only half facetious first comment was, "Is this something for me or against me?"

Ken had a great response, "Neither -- It's just the truth." I handed Mr. DeMint the reprint containing his TRIM report.

The congressman who cast the deciding vote in granting most favored nation trading status to communist China keyed off the reprint title, "Trade and Jobs - A very complex subject..."

I responded as good-naturedly as I know, "Actually, not so complex if we are talking truly free trade as opposed to the extremely manipulated trade we currently have..."

We bantered back and forth a bit more as the group walked by and made sure everyone ended up with a copy of our materials. We wished each other well and closed our conversation with, "Thanks, See you again..."

(By the way, on his TRIM report card we personally handed to him, "conservative" Mr. DeMint, now running for US Senate to replace Senator Hollings, scored only 3 out of 8 for voting in line with upholding the Constitution.)

10:33:26 PM

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