A tale of two protests

Living in Washington, DC has its advantages, one of which is the ability to attend various protests and rallies. Today I decided to check out another such event, a Save School Choice protest, held across the street from the U.S. Capitol.

Getting off at the Capitol South metro stop, I made my way across the grounds of the Capitol and stumbled upon yet another rally -- two for the price of one metro ticket. This one, I later discovered, was to kick off the campaign for Senate passage of cap and trade legislation, also known as the Boxer-Kerry bill. Here was the scene:

Grassroots, wearing suits?

As the pictures indicate, the scene was basically a bunch of well-dressed people standing around holding the occasional printed sign. If Nancy Pelosi is really looking for astroturf she can find it in her own backyard.

After only a few minutes I proceeded to the school choice protest, which was audible from the cap and trade rally. Here's what I found:

Yes, that's Marion Barry

Mostly hand-made signs here

A bit larger than the cap and trade crowd, attendees at the school choice rally consisted mainly of kids and parents. There was a constant hum of the the speakers and kids talking amongst themselves, punctuated by occasional chants of "Put kids first!" Remarks from those at the microphone ranged from bland boilerplate (Margaret Spellings) to a style more typically found at a Baptist church (PA State Senator Anthony Williams, who even threw in a Moses reference).

My favorite sign

Talk is cheap

One speaker said something to the effect of "President Obama, we love you, but why won't you support school choice for our children?" One wonders how much longer the love will persist if the president continues to side with the teacher's unions over some of his most enthusiastic supporters.

Video clips from the protest:





I soon decided to call it a day and headed back towards Capitol South, stopping back at the cap and trade rally along the way. It had all the buzz and excitement of a bowl of oatmeal:

Yes, that's John Kerry.

The contrast could hardly be more stark. One protest featured real grassroots protesting against the establishment while the other appeared to be a collection of lobbyists, Capitol Hill staffers, and corporate interests, with the enthusiasm to match. One is backed by powerful unions and one is opposed by the unions. One is supported by the president and one isn't.

Which group has the better chance of prevailing in its fight?