OPINION

While OWS Costs Cities Millions, “Common Sense” Brings Economic Boost

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There are countless articles that discuss the political cost of Occupy Wall Street, but rarely is the financial cost to the taxpayer mentioned.

A recent article estimated that the total national taxpayer cost of policing and cleanup from last fall’s OWS stands at nearly $30 million.

By contrast, Tea Party rallies and similar events leave communities in better shape than when they arrived.

Take, for instance, the Rally for Common Sense being held this upcoming weekend near Jefferson City, Missouri.  The gathering will be held on private property-- a local farm that moonlights as the “Patriot Field of Dreams”-- and has been entirely organized by a loose collection of concerned citizens.  It is funded through donations and modest ticket sales, so you would think it would be a small gathering with local flair, right?

Wrong.  Guest speakers at this event include names like former presidential candidate Herman Cain, Ambassador Alan Keyes, Reverend C. L. Bryant, and yours truly.

The public cost for the Rally? Zero.  In fact, it will be an economic windfall for the local area as attendees snap up hotel rooms, pick out restaurants for dinner, gas up before they go home, and maybe even purchase a souvenir or two.

It is said that art imitates life-- but in the case of OWS & the Rally for Common Sense, life imitates policy.  When the Occupiers were demanding more from taxpayers, they left a wake of increased public cost. In contrast, those attending the Rally for Common Sense will be demanding less from taxpayers, requiring no public cost for the event, all while boosting the sales of local, private business.  In a twist of irony, tax revenues for the Jefferson City area will actually increase due a bunch of people wanting government to spend less.

Which model do you think will best get us out of Obama’s recession?

The Left’s model is flawed, corrupted, and is being exposed for what it is like never before.  Remember when everyone was talking about how doomed Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) was after over 900,000 signatures were collected to prompt a recall election?  Walker became the unions’ Public Enemy No. 1 after applying a little common sense thing called math to the budgetary crisis in Wisconsin through reforming out-of-control pensions and unwieldy collective-bargaining rules.

The mainstream media would have you believe that all of those signatures demonstrate the “righteous” cause of unions as “champions” of the people, yet the union backed candidate in the Democrat recall primary received less than 35% of the vote -- nearly three times less than the number of votes Walker received in his primary (which he won with 97%).  Walker also leads his general recall opponent, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, by nine points in the most recent poll.

Where Walker showed a little common sense in his approach to governance, the organizers of the Rally for Common Sense hope to spread some of that sensibility into the heart of the Midwest.

Lead organizer of the Rally, Kim Paris, is one of many who have been instrumental in bringing this truly grassroots event together.

“Sure, we have to make some sacrifices.  And yes, maybe we have to give up some things.  But isn’t a little modesty a fair price for freedom and economic solvency?” Paris said. “We are the majority and it’s time for those who believe in a little common sense to see they’re not alone.  That’s why we put this Rally together-- or Patriotpalooza as some have come to call it-- and that’s why we’ve had so many folks interested in being a part of it.”

Again, this event will be held this weekend, Saturday, May 19.  You can find more information about it at www.rallyforcommonsense.org where you can view the full list of speakers, read about all the activities that will be available, and purchase tickets online -- or at the event itself.

2012 will be the most important election of our lifetime and the Rally for Common Sense will act as the bugle call for patriots not only in the Midwest, but across the nation.  Don’t miss it!

*John A. Errante contributed to this article