Politics 2016

It's election season! Of course you knew that --

Four years ago, I had the opportunity to see Romney in person and take the kids to see Santorum in person. Seeing Santorum also meant having a surprise visit; meeting with the Duggars.  They were supporting Santorum at that time and were traveling with him.

This election cycle will be the last one before my own children are eligible to vote. Both of them will be able to vote in 2020 presidential elections -- primary and general. One thing I have tried to do for my kids is when the opportunities arises to take them the rallies of the various candidates or taken them to the capital to fight against bills we don't approve.

We had the opportunity a few weeks ago to a go to a Cruz rally here.

We also could have gone to a Trump event yesterday -- but after hearing about people being arrested the night BEFORE and because I wasn't feeling the best yesterday decided to stay home.  That and reports this morning stated that a teen girl about my daughter's age was peppered sprayed and groped at the event. :smh:

I'm not a fan of Trump. I was only thinking of taking the kids because I have told them for as long as I can remember that when possible you should listen to what the people have to say directly and not listen to the spin that the media gives things.  So going would have been a opportunity to just listen to him in person without the talking heads on TV spinning it. -- it's just sad that his events have become a place for such civil unrest.  I understand free speech, first amendment rights, and those protesting have just as much rights as those that support him.  Supporters or people curious about what he has to say and want to listen to him, in person, should be able to go without fear of being attacked, groped, pepper-sprayed. etc.  Sigh!

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Santorum and Duuggar Surprise

So Sunday I went and seen Romney, I also mention then that I would be going to see Santorum in person.  That's exactly what I did yesterday morning. Santorum was schedule to speak at 9 am and the doors to the club he was speaking at was going to open at 8 am, so the kids and I went and got there at 7 am. We stood at the door and waited until it was time to get in.

At 7 am it was just myself, my children and 1 other person. It stayed that way until about quarter after when a few more showed up. At a quarter after secret service came to the door and said we had to wait till 8 am. We said we understood that was fine --- they allowed us to stay. At about 7:50 they open up the door and let us come in. So the kids and I got to stand right in front of the podium.

There was nothing between us and Santurom other then a rope to mark that we could not go any closer.   The kids were getting excited because it meant that they would be able to SEE and HEAR what's going on.

We stood there and waited, by 8:30 the room started to fill in more. I was surprised by how slowly it took for the space to fill up.  I know the closer it got to 9 the more it filled in and people were no longer allowed into the actual room that Santurom was in, but had to stand in the OTHER room -- those poor people didn't get to see anything.  Santurom never walked the crowd or passed over his side of the rope line. So only those that were standing at the line got to meet him. We were apart of the lucky ones.  Santurom did pose with the kids, but he moved on before my phone was done taking the picture so I didn't get a very good shot. That and I was trying to back up to get the shot and the crowd behind was trying to push forward so the picture was all blurred, but I tried.

After we got the picture I moved the kids away from the crowd and took a picture of them with the poster that Santorum sign.

Then on our way out the door to my surprise I seen some Duggar children.  As soon as I seen them I knew they were Duggar children.

I got a picture with Jinger (and one of the younger Duggar boys); then asked her if the rest of the family was there or not. She said the whole family was there. So we went out, but because of the rain no one was really outside so I went back inside to see if I could see Michelle. I seen Josh and Jim Bob. I took a picture of Jim Bob.

 It was then I seen Jill. So I approached Jill and asked her if she knew where her mom was at. She said that mom was on the bus with the little ones. I then got a picture with Jill.

So I went back out and asked Jinger if they were all going to Dixon, IL with Santorum. She said yes, but wasn't sure how that was going to turn out seeing it was raining. The Dixon event was schedule to be outside. On the way out that time, we seen Jana so I got a picture of her too.

So I got in the car and debated if I should take the hour drive to Dixon. It wasn't so much the drive but the weather. I just wasn't sure if it would be worth my efforts.  However I decided to do it. I drove to Dixon and was able to meet and get a picture with Michele Duggar too!

 It was in Dixon I was able  to see many more of the children as as well. I seen them all really, but my phone started acting funny so I wasn't able to get any more pictures.

And as you can see in the picture with Michelle it stopped raining.

My kids were excited to see Santurom and be apart of that, but they were more excited and surprise to see the Duggars. Web-princess when she seen her dad last night said "Daddy my life long wish came true! I got to meet someone that has a TV show!"

Political Process

I so wished the kids wanted to come with me today.  They didn't want to come because they were afraid that we would get stuck seeing NOTHING like it was in Springfield when we went for the "homeschooling bill". They were disappointed that we were not able to make into the hearing room in Springfield that they didn't want to come with me in fear that the same thing would happen here.

This coming Tuesday is the Illinois primary and the race for the republican nomination is a close one.  So much so that 2 of the Republican candidates decided to come to my neck of the woods. Romney was here this afternoon and Santorum will be here tomorrow morning.  These are very last minute planned stops for the candidates....it wasn't announced until last night that they would be here.

So I went today and listen to what Romney had to say in person. C-span was there and filmed the whole thing. They filmed him talking to the crowd and filmed him greeting the people. I was seated in the back room of the resturant that Romney spoke at, so I wasn't able to see him speak, but was I able to hear him.

While he spoke he sent his wife into the back room to do a meet and greet. It was during the meet and greet I was able to get a picture with his wife.

We were looking at two different cameras for the the picture. Romney after he spoke came into the room and greeted everyone as well. I didn't get a picture of him and I, but I was able to snag a picture from c-span's video of me shaking his hand.

The kids WILL be going with me tomorrow morning to Santorum's Rally. I think that fact I got to see/hear Romney today is helping them feel better about going. That and they really won't have choice tomorrow seeing Daddy has to go to work! LOL