Happy Independence Day - Anti-Bush rally lures all parties
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http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/07042004/maine/24979.htm
Anti-Bush rally lures all parties
By Elizabeth Dinan
YORK, Maine - Barbara Heintz is one of the last people you'd expect to meet
at the grand opening for York's "Grass Roots Coalition to Defeat George
Bush" headquarters.
A registered Republican, Heintz has a history of painting signs and hosting
fund-raisers for Republican candidates going back to the '80s. But the York
Harbor resident and school teacher, wearing an "Anybody But Bush" button
pinned to her red polo shirt, is now leaning left.
"I'm working for this party because I think we need a change," she said. "I
don't think (President Bush) is a good representative, and I think his
foreign policy is very poor."
So this election season, Heintz is painting signs with anti-Bush slogans,
including "Beat The Bushes" and "United We Stood, Bush Divided Us All."
These signs deck the halls of the abandoned Foster's Flower Shop, rented for
the next three months as Beat Bush headquarters, by another Republican, who
asks to remain nameless.
York author, historian and former Democratic Maine legislator Neil Rolde
organized the Grass Roots Coalition to Defeat George Bush about a year ago
and played host to Saturday's grand opening of the organization's new
headquarters.
He's asked if the goal is solely to beat Bush, or to also throw support
toward the president's primary opponent, John Kerry.
"The two things obviously go hand-in-hand," he said. "But we do have
independent, Green Party members and even some Republicans."
A guest of Rolde, Maine State Sen. Ethan Strimling spoke at Saturday's
gathering, pushing his non partisan "A Rising Tide" initiative to involve
young people in politics. At 36, the Democratic senator is the state's
youngest and said he'd like to see people younger than him involved.
Noting there are 18 Democrats and 17 Republicans in the Maine Legislature,
Strimling stresses the importance of a single seat. "You will have an impact
on the direction of this state. People are not OK with what's been happening
for the past four years."
And that includes York Harbor's Nonie Hubrecht.
"I'm really upset with what's been happening with the country," she said. "I
think this whole grass-roots movement is important."
Organizer Rozanna Patane agreed. "The only thing that can overcome big money
is big votes," she said.
The Grass Roots Coalition to Defeat George Bush has scheduled a July 18
follow-up event at the Lobster Barn in York. Calling it the "Rough Times
Rally," the noon until dusk event will feature lobster, a horseshoe
tournament, raffles, seven live bands and plenty of politics.
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