Welcome to Downstate Illinois Advocate!!!  I think our first post is fitting considering yesterday was Father's Day and soon we'll be celebrating our Founding Fathers on July 4th.  However, our celebration is short-lived when we realize that the ideals and direction our Founding Fathers had in mind for our country set in the Constitution is being usurped by power-hungry, money-spending politicians on both side of the aisle.  Let me say this upfront - WE DO NOT ADVOCATE A THIRD PARTY.  We live in a 2 party system and if we wish to change our country, we must work within the system.  The third party candidates serve a purpose in highlighting issues that may be overlooked; however, remember that the third party/protest vote in 1992 gave us Bill Clinton, gave us George W. (better than a Gore presidency any day), and gave us Blago in 2006. 

On July 4th, we will be having another Tea Party rally on the Effingham County Courthouse lawn on 4th Street in Effingham, Illinois at 4pm.  The theme for this party is "Your Silence Equals Consent".  By staying silent and thinking that one rally will get the attention of those in control of government allows those in Springfield and DC to keep eroding our individual and economic freedoms we all enjoy and are guarenteed to us in the Constitution. 

We will try to post as often as possible per day as we hear news stories that we feel might effect the lives of those in downstate Illinois and Americans.  As you read our posts, please feel free to leave a comment.  If you have a rally you would like posted or ideas for posts, please email us at downstateiladvocate@yahoo.com. 

If I may suggest some at home research, check out Edmond Burke and his views. 

I leave you with this quote - "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmond Burke

Brian and Stef