The report card on yesterday's event is in: A+!
"Hundreds of business people packed a rally... [They] filled a downtown Annapolis hotel meeting room and every stairwell, hallway, nook and cranny around it. ... [Legislators were] "shocked" by the turnout. ... After the rally, throngs headed to the House and Senate office buildings..." (Full article)
PRESENCE
We definitely made our presence felt in Annapolis. The dozen legislators who joined us had to muscle their way through the crowd to get into the room. Other legislators assumed by our crowds that yesterday was our hearing date. They haven't seen this kind of passion from business in awhile. And it moved the needle. Good job! Thank you all!
COURAGE
One of our objectives yesterday was to influence certain legislators. But we also emboldened our key legislative supporters. It takes a lot of courage on their part to stand up for our cause when the winds are blowing the other way. After yesterday they will fight on, stronger, encouraged that we have their backs.
PLEASE WRITE
I hope you feel emboldened by yesterday's outpouring! Now please send another round of messages to your legislators. The moment our volume let's down, our cause is lost. The more we keep the volume up, the more they'll appreciate that they simply MUST address this. Tell them it is clear from yesterday's mass rally that something must be done. Share your story. Share arguments you heard yesterday. Just keep on them!
NEXT UP: CALL
Our coalition is organizing a mass calling campaign. For greater impact, we all will call our legislators over a couple specific days, to be announced very soon. We will provide How To's for identifying your legislators and enrolling your employees/colleagues, and a sample script for the calls.